| Before writing a speech, you must first determine the | | | | holiday? Pair the holiday theme with something of |
| topic on which you'll be speaking. Often when given a | | | | interest to your audience. (Note: Best for |
| speaking opportunity, you'll find yourself in one of two | | | | non-corporate audiences). |
| positions: searching desperately for a topic or choosing | | | | As an example, I'll show you how I picked a topic for |
| from a myriad of topics. These simple questions can | | | | one of my speaking opportunities. I considered the |
| help you find a topic or define your choices. | | | | following: I would be speaking after dinner to a group |
| Question #1: Who is your audience? Will you be | | | | of 30 couples near Valentine's Day. As an author of a |
| speaking in a corporate setting or a more relaxed | | | | book of romantic poetry, I used that as a platform to |
| atmosphere? Think of what will be most helpful and | | | | brainstorm. The venue was a local restaurant and, |
| valuable to your audience. Think of what will connect | | | | while we would have a private dining room, space |
| with them. | | | | was limited. |
| Question #2: What is your field of expertise or | | | | As I would be part of a program, I knew that the |
| experience? Are you a scientist, doctor, lawyer, author, | | | | mood would be light and fun. I chose my speech, 'Living |
| analyst, project manager, athlete, actor, world traveler? | | | | a Passionate Life,' to incorporate the romantic holiday |
| Draw on your vast knowledge and narrow your focus | | | | theme and created a display using heart-shaped knick |
| to one particular topic. | | | | knacks, stuffed animals and my poetry books. While |
| Question #3: What are your areas of interest? Think | | | | the topic could be broad (life could equal family, health, |
| of topics you'd like to know more about. Then | | | | career, spirituality, etc), I narrowed my focus to 'family' |
| research, do your homework and develop your | | | | with a splash of 'spirituality' as this was a church group. |
| speech. Share with others what you're passionate | | | | Remember that a good topic has a narrow focus. If |
| about. Take them on your journey of discovery. | | | | you feel you've chosen a broad topic, find something |
| Question #4: What interesting people or places are in | | | | specific within it. Then build a topic 'tree' with the |
| the locale of where you'll be delivering your speech? | | | | remaining subtopics. You may find that you have not |
| Think of ways you can choose a topic and work a | | | | only an idea for this speech but one for your next one |
| local angle into your speech. | | | | as well. A narrow focus on your topic will save time in |
| Question #5: Will you be giving your speech near a | | | | research and developing your speech. |