How to Write a Speech for Someone Else to Deliver

Writing a speech someone else will give is a different skill from writing your own. The goal is a speech that sounds like them, fits how they naturally talk, and holds up when they're nervous - not a speech that shows off your writing.

Interview them before you write

Ask for three or four specific stories, who they want to thank, the one thing they most want the audience to remember, and the tone they're going for. Record the conversation - their phrasing in that chat is the voice you're trying to capture.

Write to their speaking style, not yours

Listen to how they talk - short sentences or long, formal or casual, do they swear, do they use humor. Match it. A polished speech in a voice that isn't theirs falls apart on delivery.

Keep sentences short and mark the pauses

Whatever their style, a speaker under pressure does better with short sentences and clear breath points. Build those in.

Give them an easy opening and closing

The first and last lines should be lines they'd genuinely say, and simple enough to deliver cold. Those two carry the most nerves.

Have them read it aloud and revise

The real test is them saying it, not you reading it. Anything they stumble on or wouldn't naturally say gets changed - their comfort beats your sentence.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you write a speech in someone else's voice?

Interview them first and record it, then match their natural sentence length, formality, and humor. Write lines they would actually say, and revise anything they stumble on when reading it aloud.

What should you ask the person you're writing for?

Three or four specific stories, who to thank, the single message they want remembered, the tone they want, and how long they have.

How do you make a speech easy to deliver?

Short sentences, marked pause points, and an opening and closing simple enough to say under nerves. Test it by having them read it aloud, not by reading it yourself.

See how an AI speech writer works and how to write a speech outline.