4. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. Prepare your speech thoroughly. Even the greatest speakers like Winston
Churchill spent days and hours in preparing his speech. Abraham Lincoln who was looked upon as one of the greatest orators in humanity used to prepare his speech weeks in advance. The speech was thought out
as he went about his usual work, as he ate his meals and as he walked around the lawn. Finally he used to shut himself off in a room to practice.
You should improve your ability to narrate an incident or
tell a story or crack a joke. If you have younger brothers and sisters or friends who are willing to listen, tell them stories. For telling such stories, try to build it up on your own experiences or
imagination. It will be much better.
If you are telling them stories, which you have read in books, please do not repeat the published stories as they were written. Rework the outline and tell the story
in your own words. You can see their reaction. They may sit with their mouth and eyes wide open or will show boredom. At every change of your tone, pace, expression, wording you could see their reactions at
once.
Thus, you will get the very feel of a live speaking experience. If you lack the experience in speaking to adult groups, you will be more comfortable in front of youngsters. This will help you to
carry the feeling of confidence over to adult audience.
Do not sit down and try to cook up a speech in thirty minutes. A speech must 'grow' steadily from the introduction to main body and then to a
conclusion. Select your topic early in the week, think over it during odd moments, brood over it, collect more information and dream over it.
Discuss it with your friends and make it a topic for
conversation. Ask yourself all positive questions concerning it. Ideas, suggestions and illustrations will come drifting to you at sundry times like when you are shaving, bathing, driving and waiting in a
restaurant for food to be served. This has been the method of all successful speakers.
Practice, practice and practice. You will deliver the best speech.
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