Speech Writing Resources

• The Toastmasters website has many educational resources.
• Parramatta Toastmasters Online Guide To Meeting Assignments collects together many more short speaking assignment opportunities.  They also have a fantastic Speech Writing Resources page.

Online Mentorship

Every Toastmasters meeting includes mentorship.  Everybody benefits by hearing and considering feedback from evaluators about what went well and what could be improved for each activity.

Glenbrook Toastmasters has introduced an additional mentorship opportunity.  Interested members can join our Glenbrook Toastmasters Mentorship WhatsApp channel to discuss talk ideas and request advice.  Members can also take advantage of the channel to build their mentorship skills.

Meeting Roles

During our meetings we tend to have a few short speaking assignments provide an opportunity to build skills without the commitment of a formal speech.

• The Toast: Build your experience with formal toasts.
• Table Topic Master: Pose a set number of questions to challenge speakers and build impromptu speaking skills.  The session should feature enthusiasm, variety, interest and an achievable challenge for each speaker.
• Timers Report: Help everyone speak in their allotted time and keep the meeting moving.  Operate the timer lights and buzzer so that everyone gets their opportunity to speak.  Provide a report at the end of the meeting so that speakers know how they went.
• General Evaluator: To ensure that everything is evaluated the General Evaluator evaluates the Chairman, Toastmaster, other evaluators and anything that has not been evaluated.  Was the timer clear and concise? How was the tone of the meeting?

Consider volunteering for these 2-3 minute roles to add variety and fun to the agenda:

• Book or Movie Review: Arouse our interest in a book that has appealed to you. What is the aim, title and author of the book? Read a passage and tell us about your reaction.
• Inspiration: Inspire the audience by capturing their interest, providing something to think about and then reaffirming it in the conclusion.
• Laughmaster: Being the Laugh Master gives you the opportunity to increase everyone’s enjoyment of the meeting.  Tell 1/2/3 short (clean) jokes within a 2 minute limit, or tell a short humorous story.
• Listening Master: During the meeting compile around 8 questions to test if we have been paying attention.  Explain why you are asking the questions, then set your question, then name the receiver. If the receiver does not know the answer, pass to the next person quickly to avoid embarrassment.
• The Best Advice I Ever Received: Tell us about the best advice you have received and use  your skills to convince us of it’s importance.  Restrict yourself to one or two topics.  The assignment can be humorous if you wish.
• Wordmaster: Increase our vocabulary by introducing a word and challenging us to use it during the meeting.  Words that are not in common use, often misused or often mispronounced can be interesting choices.
• Grammarian / Um/Ah Counter: Bring the unconcious to mind by reporting on good word usage along with use of filler words (um/err/ah).  Keep it light hearted and friendly.  Often combined with the Wordmaster role.

Norman Priestly DTM’s Tips for Speech Writing

(Norman’s Tips for Speech Writing)

• Your first draft is never, never, never your best.
  No matter how good you think it is.
• Write every speech out in full.
  If you don’t, how can you possibly edit it?
• Edit severely.  Make each word fight for its place.
  The result will be a tightly written speech.
  Rule of thumb: number of words in any speech = “lower time limit in minutes” x 100.  This will allow time for pauses, laughter, etc.
• Determine to make each speech 5% better than previous best.
  Adopt as a motto “I will reach beyond my grasp.”
• Include stories.
  Tell us the point each story makes that links with the theme.
• Be certain the speech opens so as to grab our attention.
  Know the first paragraph by heart.  Question/quotation/statement.
• The ending must link with the opening/message.  It must be strong and fluent.  If using notes, avoid them during the ending.
• Rehearse your speech very often.
  In 3 sections.  A different section each day.  This avoids the common trap of having the opening very well embedded.  The body and ending are vital.
• Get the best mentor you can.  When you find a better one, change.  Those who are almost world champions have mentors.