The Lost Art of the Great Speech: How to Write It * How to Deliver It

Organizing the speech

A well-organized speech is the product of an orderly mind. No matter how compelling your thesis, how strong your arguments, how interesting your material, the speech will not be a success if it is not logically organized. There is no formula, no "right" or "wrong" way to organize a speech. It depends on the material, the speaker, and the audience.

If you're telling a story, chronological order might work, especially if there's an element of suspense and you want to build to a climax. For most speeches, however, chronological order is not especially effective.

Some speakers like to start with a bang by stating the major premise, or thesis, of the speech in the first minute or so. That can be dramatic and effective—an attention ...