I have to memorize a lengthy script for an upcoming presentation. Does anyone have any tips or tricks for retaining written material to memory?
I’d imagine most politicians have written notes or teleprompters. The best way I’ve found is to only memorize the main points of the speech and then fill in the rest as you go. As long as you know your material you should be ok. (And of course practice, practice, practice. Go over it several times using the method stated above.)
They definately use teleprompters, you can see them in almost every major speech. beyond that, I suppose its the same things that any public speakers do. Learn the speech as well as possible and rely on the prompters when neccesary.
Some politicians have little earphones. People on the other end tell them what to say if they get stuck in an important speech. They’re right though, most of the time there is a teleprompter.
If you have to memorize a speech, the best way is to get the main points and run through it word for word a few times. Then try on your own and eventually do it in front of someone.
Even with teleprompters, I’d bet most politicians can throw an hour speech out any day of the week. They’ve usually had years of practice.
I heard that one time Bill Clinton’s teleprompter cut out for the first 7 minutes of a speech, and he just kept right on going - not a soul even noticed.
One-time political adviser and speech-writer checking in here:
Yes, politicians do use tele-prompters but only very rarely (at least compared to the overall number of speeches they give). Most senior politicians will give several speeches a week, and scores, even hundreds during a year. Generally, it’s only for the big set-piece (particularly televised) speeches that they would use a full, written out speech and tele-prompter.
For most speeches I used to provide whoever was my political master at the time a few dot points with facts and figures and a few themes. Any capable politician can make a decent speech from that.
In some cases, eg local community groups, the polli would just use their own knowledge, some facts and figures I supplied, and a few common themes (the importance of your group to the community etc) and whatever they picked up by talking to people around the room before the speech and then do the whole thing off-the-cuff.
There is nothing more disheartening for a speech writer than spending weeks sweating over a speech and the polli chucks it all away on the day and does it all off the cuff.
For those who haven’t had experience giving speeches I always suggest using a full, written out speech. However, this can look pretty wooden and uninteresting and you have to keep ducking your head down to look at the paper.
If you’re a little bit more confident and you know your subject pretty well, then use index cards (a few inches square) with major themes and facts and figures written large on them. Arrange them in the order you want to present them and make sure you number the cards.
Spend what is normally no-thought-zone time rehearsing, either aloud or just inside your head. While brushing your teeth, while taking your shower, while standing in line at the grocery store, while driving back and forth to work or school. Get some friends to act as audience for some practice runs. Even if you aren’t able to memorize it completely, you’ll be so familiar with the material that your notes will only be a bail-out tool.
I also practice with meaningful gestures that are purposefully placed into the speech - they act as placemarkers for me to remember key points or words.
Good luck!
I would suggest reading it outloud and practicing several times. This helped when I had to memorize a monologue for theatre; and I’ve also found it helpful in memorizing lines. Start with the first sentence. Memorize it. Then memorize the second sentence. Say both from memory. Memorize the third. Say all three from memory. Etc.
Another point re: politicians is that very often they’re giving more or less the same speech over and over again. They could probably give their standard stump speech in their sleep by the end of the year. So they don’t need much notes by then. And in my experience writing speeches, different people have their own styles.
My advice – but this depends a lot on your own style and what works for you - is to write out the whole speech word for word once, but then only use (or memorize) an outline or note cards when you’re giving it. That way you can sound natural rather than wooden or like you’re reading, but you’ll have solved any awkward parts already at least once.
Yeah. I don’t know whether it’s worse when they ignore your speech and do a lousy job (arrg! that #$% blew it!!) or when they go off the cuff and do a great job (Boy, do I feel useless!).
IANAP, but my advice is to work from notes. If you write out the speech, most likely you’ll end up being boring. Jot down the points you want to make, then elaborate.
If you’re not used to making speeches, then rehearse. Check your notes and practice what you’re going to say. Add any good phrases that come to you.
Most politicians don’t really memorize speeches. They use a teleprompter, its that clear rectuangular glass type you see infront of the speaker’s podium. It acts like a monitor where they may read their speech while looking at the audience.
What kind of presentation is it? Are you demonstrating a product or technique?
I go to several presentations a week and usually whoever’s presenting just puts up powerpoint slides with bulleted points and some graphics and fleshes out the points. It’s like using the index card method and having your index cards up on a screen.
Slick presenters know their material cold, get out from behind the podium, have fabulous laser pointer technique, tell a joke here and there.
A master speechmaker will start off with a poignant personal story and then end the story with a hilarious punchline, then use the story as a sort of parable for the rest of the speech.
Once in a blue moon I’ll have to present something and I’ll usually just use a bulleted outline and elaborate.
And then there’s the eye contact thing. If you’re in a small, relatively chummy group normal eye contact can be fine. If you’re in front of a large group and you’re nervous eye contact can bring on a shot of adrenaline which will lead to blushing, hives, sweating, steam erupting from your collar, and worst of all, stammering and/or babbling. It may be best to look over their heads until you’re comfortable. It’s good to have a drink handy. Preferably non-alcoholic. If you take questions, you may be surprised with what comes out of your mouth!
How long is the presentation?
In my experience, it’s not as hard as you might think to essentially memorize speeches of up to 30 minutes. That’s a pretty long speech, by the way.
Memorization also tends to make you less nervous and makes it sound better - it’s more naturally delivered that way, and if you know the speech backhand, you’ll be far less prone to nerves. Just keep saying it, and saying it, and saying it.