: Re: How do speech writers find the contents that make their speeches so impressive? I wonder, when I hear JFK, Obama, Lincoln, Gandhi, Modi. The sentences, phrases in their speeches are so impressive.

@Dunderdale623

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Everyone who has posted here has emphasized some good points. Here are my additional two cents.

Your basic question reads as having two parts:

Delivery
Content

As a teacher, I can tell you that the two things that make for a strong speech are confidence and expression. Expression comes through practice. Take someone else's words and practice saying them for a camera then watch them. Make notes:

What do you like about the way you speak when content is not an
issue?
What needs improvement?

Work on the same speech until you deliver it effectively. Look for opportunities to speak in front of an audience, even a small one. Community theater, poetry slams, improv classes are all places to work on your public speaking.The second issue is confidence. Some confidence will come from practice. However, most people still give the best speeches about material they know well because when you have a strong understanding of a subject and its content, you are not tied to your written notes. The woodeness of a read speech is difficult to overcome. Outlines can keep you on point and give you the flexibility of improvisation. If a specific phrasing is important you can always add it to your outline. A speech is different than either a play or a paper because its intention is generally to inspire. When you give a speech, people are looking to you as an authority. When you are either not inspired in your expression or you lack confidence, you do not appear authoritative.

Most of us give public talks not as speeches but as presentations of research in class, or at conferences for work. The remarks above apply to these scenarios as well. When speaking in these scenarios, however, I have a few additional suggestions.

Make the font of your typed notes large, 14pt or greater so its easy to read.
Insert slide changes into your paper like this: (Slide 1) Bold and in parentheses.
Limit text on your slides, key phrases only. Audiences don't want
to read your speech.
Use lots of images.
Use a black background for your slides instead of themes. Black looks
like a movie theater, easy on the eyes, neutral, doesn't distract in
any way.

This is my third point, presentation. If you are prepared and everything works--you don't lose your place, you don't distract the audience (by sniffing into the microphone for example), your audience hasn't already read your ideas before you say them--people will notice the preparedness and you will feel ready. It's like a fine dinner. When it looks pretty on the plate we are ready for it to taste good.

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