Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Speech Writing

I've written four speeches so far in the past two weeks. I still have another keynote to go, and I plan to begin working on it tomorrow, hopefully to finish by week's end.

Talks with GLS tend to run about 20 minutes each, which--with introductions and questions--makes for a nice hour. (It's lovely having a partner at the podium in part because neither of you has to carry the whole show and in part because the audience seems to appreciate the shift/mix.) Panels with multiple authors tend to go about ten minutes. A keynote can go 45 minutes to an hour, sometimes shorter.

I took Speech at Johnson County Community College (KS) the summer after my freshman year. I'd wanted to finish up my requirements for the KU Journalism School as soon as possible so I could get on with courses in my news/editorial major. It was a small, upbeat, outstanding class. But you know, it never dawned on me at 19 that writing and delivering speeches would someday be a career cornerstone.

In other news, GLS and I had lunch yesterday at Houlihan's with CH. I recommend the French onion soup. Very cheesy.