Chapter 12 Thoughts

So far each time I have started working on a speech for this class I go through a period of not knowing where to start. We are not supposed to memorize a speech, but part of me wants to write it all out and just learn it. When I write out my outline I do not know where to start with practicing. Do I read the outline out loud and add the details on the fly? Do I write it out then say it without looking? When I practice I feel like I may run through the speeches too much, because for the week before the speech I say my speech while I drive, while I cook dinner, before I go to bed....it helps calm my nerves! Chapter 12 helped me organize some of my thoughts regarding this process. For some reason my first speech I did not think to number my note cards, They of course got out of order and threw me off. Chapter 12 suggests numbering your note cards as well as write out keywords and not sentences. I feel that I write too much on my note cards and they do not help me like they should. Chapter 12 also recommends practicing your speech in stages. This advice has helped me immensely. Its so much better to just work on each section first, working out the kinks before putting it all together. Another point in the book is to give a version of your speech each time you practice instead of one version. I also am guilty of getting stuck and trying to say the same words each time I practice. Doing so affects my delivery because I end up sounding scripted. Timing your speech is also important, as we all found out in our demonstration speeches that all went over the time. I wish I had read this chapter in the beginning of the class because I found it very helpful!