Making a Start

What Not To Do

• Don't simply jot down a few notes and say to yourself, 'It'll be alright on the night'. It won't. Every speech requires careful research, preparation and practice - all the best 'impromptu' speeches have usually been well scripted in advance!
• Don't undersell the most important parts of your speech, the beginning and the end. Start with an arresting opening and aim for a really good ending -a few well-chosen words that your audience will remember long afterwards.
• Don't forget that this is a speech, not an essay. Words that look excellent on paper often sound wooden and contrived when spoken aloud.  Remember, you are speaking to a live audience and you must speak in a manner and language that people readily use. It isn't your task at this early stage to impress people with a literary masterpiece, but to entertain them with a well delivered speech.
• Don't think 'I can't do it'. You can and the more you stand up in front of an audience, developing your skills as a speaker, the better you will become.