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CertainlyWorse  No one is coming. It's just you.  3d ago (text post)   890 thread views

Speechcraft and Pithiness: Give your tips here

This isn't a large question. Because of the users we have here, I think we could all benefit from short sharp tips to edit our own words.

In this topic, can you provide advice on how to curate yourself when you throw words in speech and on 'paper'.

Links to 'speechcraft' sources are appreciated.

I'll start:

  • Take a second to think about how someone else would hear your words if they were you. (rule 0)
  • Curate and cut your words before you throw them.
  • "Brevity is the soul of wit" - Hamlet - Shakespeare.
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As a sometime professional speechwriter I have no idea how to answer this. One recommendation though is that your page should look more like poetry than prose. Another is that you should write to a clear structure, and include logical connective tissue in your first draft, but then tear down the scaffolding once the thing is built. All the 'howevers' and 'because of thats' just take too long to say.

you should write to a clear structure, and include logical connective tissue in your first draft, but then tear down the scaffolding once the thing is built.

This is how you should edit yourself? (no trap)

My opinion, yeah, but particularly in speeches. (And just in case: if you think I edit my posts on The Motte for brevity or any other reason, I do not!)

Thanks. I'm slack as shit in my words on here, but I kind of think I'd like to be better at it, hence the post.

One of my issues is that its difficult to walk away from your words before you come back to edit them and post.

Is it reflexive that once you've written something, you will go and remove words?

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