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No, not everyone knows this. In fact, nearly every public speaker is initially taught not to do this. (I was in Forensics in high school, and recently joined To
by ibsulon 17y ago
No, not everyone knows this. In fact, nearly every public speaker is initially taught not to do this. (I was in Forensics in high school, and recently joined Toastmasters.) For most people, if you try and memorize a speech, it will look like you've memorized a speech, because you will be fumbling for where you are next.
If you are a professional speaker on a tour, someone with a lot of drama experience, or a salesperson with the same pitch every time, then it might make sense to do Gladwell's approach. For the rest of us, practice extensively but don't memorize start-to-finish.
- tpyo 17y agoI just make mine up on the spot. Does no one else do this?
- frossie 17y agoI just make mine up on the spot. Does no one else do this? It depends. There are some advantages to winging it: true spontaneity, an ability to have a more interactive presentation that is tuned to the rhythm and responses to the audience. The oft-materialised risk is that it turns into a rambling incoherent mess. In front of an unknown audience, the risk is too large, because if they don't feed you the right response, you are dead in the water. At least with a prepared talk you have something to fall back to. If you know your audience, or if you are determined to engage it whatever it takes (school talks come into this category), a certain amount of off-the-cuffness works well, provided you are confident you know what you are talking about.
- ibsulon 17y agoIt depends on the quality of speech you need and your audience. Usually, I don't, but that's because of the standards I set for myself. :) (Then again, I haven't done a major speech in a while)
- teyc 17y agoThe operative word is of course "initially". It is a matter of time before one has to practice that big speech enough times that one ends up committing it to memory.