My novelist mother once wrote in a journal, “Am a writer. Get to call myself that because I write.”
That’s kind of true of speechwriters, who get to call themselves that because they write speeches.
As the head of the Professional Speechwriters Association, once a month I talk to a writer who wants to become a speechwriter, and wants to know how. I had a call like that just yesterday, in fact.
Does the head of the National Manufacturing Association take calls from people wanting to one day own a factory? But I like sharing my wisdom with strangers, because strangers are the only people who listen to me anymore. And besides, it feels like a good business move. After all, if I could convert every writer to a speechwriter, I’d be rich! So I happily oblige, and I usually enjoy the chat. Mostly.
But not completely. Because these calls do usually force me to say disagreeable things to the writer, knowing I’ll never get a second chance to make a favorable impression.
If the writer is young, I’m obligated to say that generally, people who can afford a speechwriter are much older than you, and generally would prefer someone older than you to write the wise words that they have been invited to say.
It seems so rude to tell a young person that. I would so much prefer the young person learn the unfairnesses of life from someone else. Why do I always have to be the bad guy?
And my message is even more discouraging if the person is older!
Because then, I have to tell a mid-career professional that they have to start at the bottom, like a kid.
Because no one should really pay a writer money to write a speech—not speechwriter money, anyway, which can be like $10K for a 20-minute yak—unless that person is actually a speechwriter. Am I right?
I could tell the person they ought to join the Professional Speechwriters Association. And I could tell them they should attend our twice-annual Speechwriting School—or if they’re in a hurry, even our Speechwriting School On Demand.
And they should do both of those things. But only if they’re serious enough to be willing to do the next thing:
Which is to find a leader who they admire who gives speeches or who wants to, but who can’t afford to pay a speechwriter. Someone running for office, the head of a local nonprofit or a small company, who would give you permission to divulge your ghostwriting relationship to prospective speechwriting clients.
As I’m mouthing the words into the telephone, it always seems like such a long shot that the writer will put in the effort and have the luck required to land such pro bono client who will speak the writer’s inspired words. Let alone, that the speech clips that result will actually land the newbie a speechwriting gig.
Yes, I’ve seen it happen, where someone wants to be a speechwriter badly enough that they take our courses, earn their PSA badge, find those pro bono clients and work their way into an independent speechwriting practice. But I can count those success stories on one hand.
The best and most common way to get into speechwriting is on your back and kicking—usually, when you’re working in another communications position inside the organization. Hey the boss needs a speech by Friday, can you write something? I’ll give it a shot! And of course, speechwriting not being Mandarin, a good writer figures out how to be a good enough speechwriter mostly by doing it under the gun. (And often subsequently learns foundational principles, finer points and a rhetorical vocabulary by joining the PSA and attending Speechwriting School and other training sessions.)
I love talking to writers who want to be speechwriters. I just hate what I know I’m going to have to tell them.
Anyway, I’ve got another call on the books next week. I think I’ll send her this column, just to get the hard part of the conversation out of the way upfront.
Speechwriter, what would you tell her? Put your advice in the Comments section, so she gets the benefit from your wisdom, too.
This really reminds me of the conversations I used to have with people who came to me wanting to become newspaper journalists. I would tell them: the pay is dismal, the working conditions are appalling, the job security is non-existent, your boss will probably be pre-Neanderthal, the industry is dying and it is brutally competitive so you will probably fail even if you do try…
All of that was true and probably still is. But then I would tell them that it is the best job in the world, that I have always had the best fun doing it and you get to work with some of the smartest, best informed, most dedicated people around. Occasionally you get to take down a bad guy too. So… know what you are getting into and go for it anyway.
I’d say all that to these people because that’s what an experienced reporter pretty much told me once when I was a kid on work experience. He was totally right, I knew he was right at the time and I did it anyway… and ended up as a news editor on The Times (of London). I got there because I was determined (off the chart determined).
So I agree with everything you’ve written here. I’d ask this person to think hard about how much they really want to be a speechwriter and, if they decide they just have to do it, to simply get out there and make it happen. Determination, commitment and drive will get you a very long way. Patience too, sometimes (though I was never very good at that myself).
Also: you don’t always have to run through the brick wall. Sometimes you can walk around it. How’s about landing a more general comms job (much, much easier to do than a straight speechwriting gig) and finding folk in the company who want help with their speeches. Get paid, get speeches to write and build a portfolio/track record you can use to get the job you really want…
Every word, Lech. Thanks.
Step one in learning to write a speech is to get someone to assign this task to you. Unless there’s someone you know who already needs a speech, this can be the toughest part.
So figure out where some event organizer will let you speak.
And write a speech for yourself.
Step two is decide what you want at least one person in the audience to do.
There’s no point in speaking if there is no action desired on the part of the audience. Or at least an important action taken by one audience member.
Incidentally, the audience member does not need to be in the room.
Step one in learning to write a speech is to get someone to assign this task to you. Unless there’s someone you know who already needs a speech, this can be the toughest part.
So figure out where some event organizer will let you speak.
And write a speech for yourself.
Step two is decide what you want at least one person in the audience to do.
There’s no point in speaking if there is no action desired on the part of the audience. Or at least an important action taken by one audience member.
Incidentally, the audience member does not need to be in the room.
Show you love writing. I got my first speechwriting job on the strength of my blog posts. Some writing samples, even if they’re not speeches, are better than none.