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The Anatomy of a SpeechPowerful Public Speaking

The Anatomy of a SpeechThe Essential Elements

StructureWordsVoiceBody LanguageStagecraft

Anatomy of a Speech1. STRUCTURE

1. Structure

Build your ideas.

Idea 1Idea 2Idea 3

Build relationships between your ideas. Link ideas in a seamless flow.

1. StructureIdea 1Idea 2Idea 3

1. Structure

Add a dramatic opening

1. Structure

and a memorable conclusion.

1. Structure

Create a seamless flow, as if youre on a scenic journey.

Anatomy of a Speech2. WORDS

2. Words

(Less relatable)

Use words that your audience can relate to

It started to snow that evening, and our journey became more difficult.

2. Words

Use word pictures.

Dusk fell; the air was dense and heavy with snow. The terrain became steeper and more difficult, our journey punctuated only by the steady beat of the horses hooves and my own ragged breathing.

Tell riveting stories.2. Words

Weave stories into the structure of your speech.Build a narrative, not just a speech!

2. Words

Dusk falls; the air is dense and heavy with snow. The terrain becomes steeper and more difficult, our journey punctuated only by the steady beat of the horses hooves and my own ragged breathing.

Tell riveting stories in the present tense.

Anatomy of a Speech

3. VOICE

VoiceVoiceVoice

PITCH is the rate of vibration of your vocal folds.

TONE is the resonance - the quality of your voice.

VOLUME is the decibel level at which you speak.

PACE is the number of words a minute.

3. VoiceYOUR pitch, tone, volume and pace are unique.

Take your voice for a test drive: vary the pitch, tone, volume and pace.

What can you REALLY do with your voice?

Vocal Variety

Read out a familiar story in a low pitch, medium pitch and high pitch. Did the meaning change?

Take any sentence from the story. Read it in a angry, happy, sad, loving, despairing, laughing, authoritative, sly and shy voice.

3. Voice

Read out loud in a monotone

Stand up, take a deep breath and read out a couple of paragraphs of text from your favourite novel or magazine. Read it in a monotone, ensuring that you use your diaphragm when you speak.

VoiceExercise:Pitch and Tone

Singing LessonsAlternating pitches

Take singing lessons this will give you more breath control, flex your vocal muscles, and give you lots of practice using your diaphragm to sing and to speak.

Say the words cheese sandwich, or any other two-word phrase, alternating between two pitches. cheese (low) sandwich (high) - and vice versa.

VoiceExercise:Pitch and Tone

Hello

Imagine youre standing in front of a mirror. Greet your image in the mirror. Hello, Sam!

Now walk backwards from the mirror, greeting yourself again every five to ten feet you move further away.

Vary your voice pitch, tone and especially volume, till you truly believe your mirror image self can hear you at 50 feet or more. Do this outdoors, in a park, and practise with a friend if possible.Sam!

Projecting Your VoiceVoiceExercise:Projecting Your Voice

Write your speech. Count the words.

Deliver your speech as a practice. Time yourself. Divide the number of words by the total time to get your practice pace.

Deliver your speech to an audience. Time yourself. Again, divide the number of words by the total time. This is your actual pace.

Get feedback from your audience. Do you need to change your pace to make your speech clearer and more powerful?

VoiceExercise: Whats Your Pace?

Anatomy of a Speech

4. BODY LANGUAGE

4. Body Language

Start your speech with hands open and at your sides. This starts the connection between you and the audience.

4. Body Language

Use hand gestures judiciously. Keep them clean, strong, and purposeful.

4. Body Language

Use facial expressions consciously but naturally, to tie in perfectly with your words.

4. Body Language

Move your feet only when required, when movement adds to your message.

Watch out for wandering feet!

A lot of speakers do this without realising it, and the audience can find it distracting.

Anatomy of a Speech5. STAGECRAFT

5. StagecraftFuture

Present

Past

Show TIME visuallyStep back (past) step forward (present), step forward again (future). Move naturally!

Stage

5. Stagecraft

Show DIALOGUE visuallyExample: Calpurnia begs Caesar not to go to the Senate, and Caesar responds.

Calpurnia

Caesar

Right = The audiences right. Left = The audiences left.When youre speaking Calpurnias words, move to the right hand side of the stage. When youre speaking Caesars words, move to the left hand side of the stage.Maintain the same positions throughout the dialogue.Always on the right as Calpurnia, always on the left as Caesar. Stage

5. Stagecraft

Show LOCATIONS visuallyExample: I was born in Sydney. I moved to New York in my teens. Now I live in Stockholm.

New York

Right = The audiences right. Left = The audiences left.Sydney = left. New York = centre. Stockholm = right.Maintain the same position for each location throughout your speech.

Stockholm

StageSydney

Anatomy of a SpeechStructureWordsVoiceBody LanguageStagecraft

Visualise! Practice.Thats what brings authenticity. Yes, really.

More than anything else, have fun with it !

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