Say It Well: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind, Inspire Any Audience

by Terry Szuplat

Overview

From one of President Barack Obama’s longest-serving speechwriters comes a comprehensive guide to writing and delivering your next great speech. 

Few world leaders in the modern era are as revered for their communication skills as Barack Obama. But how does an ordinary person develop those skills, and find their voice? In Say It Well, former Obama speechwriter Terry Szuplat reveals the tips and tricks he’s learned from not only the 44^th president, but also ordinary citizens standing up for their convictions and making a difference in their communities. Filled with inspirational stories and unparalleled expertise, Say It Well will equip you with:

·        Inspiration for overcoming fear of public speaking

·        Best practices for using Artificial Intelligence in speech preparation

·        Effective ways to open a speech

·        Framing techniques to make your arguments more persuasive   

·        A deeper understanding of how to motivate your audience to take action

·        Tricks for polishing your speech for maximum memorableness

·        The only way to end a speech

With wit and kindness, Szuplat reveals the public speaking secrets of the world’s best speechwriters and includes never-before-heard insights from President Obama on public speaking. Whether you’ve never spoken in public before, or given a thousand speeches, this book will become your go-to resource for every speaking occasion. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063337725
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/17/2024
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	448,631

About the Author

Terry Szuplat is a sought-after speaker and trainer whose keynote presentations and workshops empower audiences with the communication skills he learned as a White House speechwriter during the eight years of Barack Obama’s presidency. From 2009 to 2017, he served as a special assistant to the president and as a member of the National Security Council staff, and from 2013 to 2017 he was the deputy director of the White House Speechwriting Office. Today Terry runs his own speechwriting firm, Global Voices Communications; his essays have appeared in major publications, including the New Yorker, New York Magazine, and the Washington Post; and he teaches speechwriting at his alma mater, American University’s School of Public Affairs. Originally from East Falmouth, Massachusetts, he now lives outside Washington, D.C., with his wife and two children.

Editorial Reviews

For eight years, Terry Szuplat collaborated with President Barack Obama on some of the most impactful speeches of our time. In Say it Well, this gifted speechwriter shows you how your words can change your community, your nation, even the world.” — David Axelrod, Former senior strategist for President Barack Obama and New York Times bestselling author of Believer: My Forty Years in Politics

“I’ve worked with Terry for nearly a decade, and I’ve seen firsthand how his brilliant advice can help anyone give the speech only they can give. If you’re a CEO, executive, or employee who wants to energize your team, differentiate your brand, and win over new customers, read this remarkable book today.” — Marc Benioff, Co-founder, chair, and CEO of Salesforce and New York Times bestselling author of Trailblazer

“In a world where every word matters, Say It Well is a masterclass in how to articulate your vision compellingly and turn your speeches into powerful tools for leadership, persuasion, and impact. This book is destined to become a classic for anyone who wants to perfect the art of public speaking.” — Dorie Clark, Professor of executive education, Columbia Business School and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Long Game

“If you’re called upon to give a speech, it’s helpful to have a master teacher. Terry Szuplat is one of those masters, and at the Pentagon he helped me make every word count. Say It Well is a profoundly experiential book that will help you find your cadence and help our country reclaim the civility we need today.” — William S. Cohen, Former Republican U.S. Senator from Maine and Former U.S. Secretary of Defense

“I was shocked when my graduation speech went viral and shocked again when Terry included my speech in this book. Say it Well is a true gift—an easy-to-use handbook, written with wisdom and humility, for how we can quiet our self-doubt, find our most authentic voice, and amplify our stories from the page to the stage!” — Donovan Livingston, Ph.D., University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Faculty and Author of Lift Off: From the Classroom to the Stars

From the Publisher