How to Write a Speech: Format, Structure, and Step-by-Step Guide

Writing a speech feels overwhelming until you have a framework. Whether you're writing a speech for school, a work presentation, a wedding toast, or a community event, the process is the same: structure your ideas, write for the ear (not the eye), and practice until it flows naturally.

This guide gives you everything you need to write a speech that's clear, engaging, and easy to deliver.

Speech Format: The Universal Structure

Every effective speech follows a three-part structure. This isn't a suggestion — it's how audiences process information.

1. Opening (10-15% of your speech) - Hook the audience's attention - Establish why they should care - Preview what you'll cover

2. Body (75-80% of your speech) - 2-4 main points (not more) - Each point supported with evidence, stories, or examples - Clear transitions between points

3. Closing (10-15% of your speech) - Summarize key points - Deliver a memorable final statement - Call to action (if appropriate)

Step 1: Know Your Audience and Purpose

Before writing a single word, answer these questions:

Students? Professionals? Family?
What do they already know about your topic?
What do they care about?

To inform? (Explain something they don't know)
To persuade? (Change their mind or behavior)
To entertain? (Make them laugh or feel something)
To inspire? (Motivate them to action)

What's the one thing you want them to remember? Every speech needs a single core message. If your audience can only remember one sentence from your speech, what should it be? Write that sentence down. Build everything else around it.

Step 2: Write Your Opening

Your opening has one job: make the audience want to hear more. You have about 30 seconds before people decide whether to pay attention.

Speech Opening Lines That Work

Start with a question: "How many of you have ever been in a meeting that should have been an email?"

Start with a surprising fact: "The average person spends 2 weeks of their lifetime waiting for traffic lights to change."

Start with a short story: "Last Tuesday, I was standing in line at the grocery store when a stranger said something that completely changed how I think about..."

Start with a bold statement: "Everything you've been told about productivity is wrong."

Start with a quote: "Maya Angelou once said, 'People will forget what you said, but they'll never forget how you made them feel.' Today I want to talk about why that matters more than ever."

Openings to Avoid

"So, um, hi everyone, my name is..." (weak, low energy)
"I'm not really a good speaker, but..." (undermines yourself)
"The dictionary defines [topic] as..." (overused, boring)
"I didn't really have time to prepare, so..." (disrespectful to audience)
Starting with a long apology or disclaimer

Step 3: Structure Your Body

The Rule of Three

Organize your body around 2-4 main points. Three is ideal — audiences remember groups of three naturally.

Point 1: The problem (1.5 minutes)
Point 2: Why it matters (1.5 minutes)
Point 3: The solution (1.5 minutes)

Supporting Each Point

Every main point needs support. Use a mix of:

Stories: The most powerful tool in public speaking. Personal stories create emotional connection. "Last year, when I was working on..."

Statistics: Concrete numbers add credibility. "According to Harvard research, 73% of professionals say..."

Examples: Make abstract ideas concrete. "For instance, imagine you're at a job interview and..."

Analogies: Connect unfamiliar concepts to familiar ones. "Writing a speech is like building a house — you need a foundation before you add walls."

Writing Transitions

Smooth transitions prevent your speech from feeling like a list. Use these patterns:

"Now that we understand the problem, let's look at why it happens..."
"That brings me to my second point..."
"But here's where it gets interesting..."
"So what does this mean for you?"
Simply pause for 2 seconds between points (silence is a powerful transition)

Step 4: Write Your Closing

Your closing is what the audience remembers most. Don't waste it with "so yeah, that's pretty much it."

Effective Closing Techniques

Circle back to your opening: If you started with a story, return to it. "Remember that stranger in the grocery store? Here's what she said next..."

End with a call to action: "Tomorrow morning, before you check your phone, take 60 seconds to write down one thing you're grateful for."

End with a powerful quote: Choose a quote that perfectly encapsulates your message.

End with a question: "So the question isn't whether you can afford to take that risk. The question is whether you can afford not to."

End with your core message, restated powerfully: Deliver your one key takeaway in its most polished form.

Step 5: Write for the Ear, Not the Eye

Speech writing is fundamentally different from essay writing. Your audience can't re-read a confusing sentence. They hear it once and it's gone.

Speech Writing Rules

Use short sentences. Long, complex sentences are hard to deliver and hard to follow. If a sentence has more than 20 words, break it in two.

Use simple words. "Use" instead of "utilize." "Start" instead of "commence." "Help" instead of "facilitate." Your audience should never have to decode your vocabulary.

Write how you talk. Read your speech out loud. If any phrase sounds unnatural coming out of your mouth, rewrite it. Contractions are good. "Don't" is better than "do not" in a speech.

Use repetition intentionally. Repetition that looks bad in writing sounds powerful in speech. "We will not give up. We will not back down. We will not stop until..."

Use pauses. Write [PAUSE] into your script where you want to let a point land. Silence is your most powerful tool.

Speech Format Templates

5-Minute Speech for School

Opening hook (30 seconds)
"Today I want to talk about..." (15 seconds)
Point 1 + story or example (1.5 minutes)
Point 2 + evidence (1.5 minutes)
Point 3 + example (1 minute)
Closing + call to action (30 seconds)
Total: ~625-700 words

10-Minute Professional Presentation

Attention-grabbing opening (1 minute)
Problem statement (2 minutes)
Solution overview (2 minutes)
Evidence and examples (3 minutes)
Call to action and closing (2 minutes)
Total: ~1,300-1,400 words

3-Minute Toast or Short Speech

Thank/acknowledge (15 seconds)
One story or memory (1.5 minutes)
What it means / the lesson (45 seconds)
Raise glass / closing line (30 seconds)
Total: ~375-420 words

Common Speech Writing Mistakes

Trying to Cover Too Much The most common mistake. A 5-minute speech with 8 points is a list, not a speech. Pick 2-3 points and go deep.

Writing an Essay Instead of a Speech If your speech reads beautifully on paper but sounds stiff when spoken, it's an essay. Rewrite it conversationally.

No Stories Facts inform. Stories persuade. A speech without stories is a lecture. Include at least one personal story or vivid example.

Weak Opening If you spend your first 30 seconds on "good morning, thank you for having me, my name is, today I'll be talking about..." — you've lost them. Start strong.

No Clear Structure If you can't summarize your speech in three bullet points, your audience won't be able to follow it either.

From Writing to Delivering

A great script is only half the job. Practice transforms words on paper into a compelling performance.

Read it out loud at least 5 times. The first read-through reveals awkward phrases. The third reveals timing issues. The fifth starts to feel natural.

Time yourself. Speeches almost always run longer in practice than you expect. Cut 10% from your first draft.

Practice with recording. Record yourself delivering the speech and listen back. You'll catch issues you can't hear in the moment — pacing, filler words, unclear sections.

Don't memorize word-for-word. Memorize your structure and key phrases. Deliver the rest naturally. Word-for-word memorization sounds robotic and falls apart when you forget a line.

Mic Buddy lets you practice your speech and get instant feedback on your pacing, filler words, and clarity — so you can refine your delivery before the real thing.