Writing a journal is a good tool for writing your speeches. As you write down the minutiae of the day, you may come across an event that will spark your creativity for a speech. For instance, perhaps someone spilled the milk and the cat licked it up, or perhaps one of the kids lapped it up off the counter. You could probably turn that into a speech about the trials and tribulations of being a parent.
There may be some incidents at work that are humorous or serious, that could be used as an example of what not to do in certain situations. Perhaps they could lead to a speech on health and safety.
Speech topics come from all around us. Anything we see and hear has the possibility of becoming a speech. Your favourite book, your favourite books falling off the shelf onto your head (I did a speech on that), your favourite relative and why they are your favourite, your favourite food and why it is your favourite… the list goes on and on and on.
There are many styles of journals that can be written and many styles of speeches. Your speech will be yours, even if it is on a similar topic to someone else’s. It is always interesting at a Toastmasters meeting to have two people doing the same speech project and yet have two totally different approaches to their speech.
For the next little while I am going to be posting information about journaling, types of journals and ideas you can use for your journal. I hope you will enjoy the journey.
To your speaking success
Fran Watson
