All A-Twitter Over Ghostwriters

When the New York Times reported recently that fans were all “a-twitter” because celebrities were using ghostwriters to handle their Twitter accounts, I had to chuckle. Speechwriters, a/k/a ghostwriters for speakers, have been dealing with the same kind of public dismay for decades.

As the article pointed out, stars like rapper 50 Cent is just one of many who hire writers to keep in touch with fans via Twitter. One of the rapper’s writers, a fellow named Chris Romero, said his client “doesn’t actually use Twitter, but the energy is all him.”

That pretty well sums it up for speechwriters as well. In an ideal situation, speakers take an active role in working with a writer in the preparation of a speech. The actual text, if done properly and with plenty of input from the speaker, takes on the tone, voice and phrasing of the speechmaker. Again, the energy is all him (or her).

Unfortunately, most speakers who use speechwriters don’t have the luxury of devoting a lot of time to their speeches. That’s why they hire writers to take care of the research and create clear and organized prose for them to deliver.

In most cases, speech drafts are reviewed and edited by a team of people who work for the same organization as the speaker. And then it’s up to the speaker to put his personal touch on the remarks.

As the ghostwriters for the stars have found out, knowing their client is essential to their jobs. The same is true for speechwriters. The better they know their speaker and the more they can collaborate, the more the resulting speeches will be true to the speaker’s intent.

In a Tizzie Over Teleprompters

President Obama has taken a lot of flack for using a teleprompter when he speaks, but I suspect there are many good reasons that he relies on them. For one thing, he is keenly aware that every word he utters will be analyzed, repeated and re-broadcast dozens, perhaps hundreds of times. He wants to choose his words carefully and stay on message, and a teleprompter helps him achieve that goal.

Teleprompters are also effective when addressing large audiences, as the President does almost every time he speaks. With rare exceptions, his speeches are broadcast on television and beamed across the country and often across the globe. Teleprompters are made for such large audiences because the viewers/listeners can’t really see the prompter itself. Likewise, they are a distraction to smaller audiences and people in the same room with the speaker.

One thing that many may not realize about these speech tools – also known as autocues -- is that they are difficult to use. It takes a tremendous amount of practice – both as a speaker and with the prompter – to deliver a speech effectively while looking at rolling text.

Speakers who use this equipment need to know their speech very well, rehearse it often and use short sentences, since only a few lines of a speech appear on the prompter.

Obama isn’t the only President to earn notoriety for his use of a teleprompter. Bill Clinton had a heart-stopping experience with one during a 1993 address to a joint session of Congress. He was to unveil his plan for health care reform, and he had revised and rewritten the speech until the moment he left for the capitol. In fact, he continued revising it on the ride down Pennsylvania Avenue. He arrived late for his speech and in the ensuing confusion the wrong version began rolling on the glass plates.

Before he began speaking and while members of the House and Senate were giving him a long ovation, he told Al Gore, who was sitting behind him on the dais, that the wrong speech was on the prompter. Luckily, Clinton knew essentially what he wanted to say and was able to speak extemporaneously for seven minutes before the correct speech began rolling.

Successful Webinars – Effective Long Distance Communication

A few weeks ago, I attended a news conference via webinar, a powerful browser-based tool designed to communicate with far-flung audiences. For those new to the technology, it’s essentially a presentation given via the Internet, with viewers watching on their computer monitors.

Some webinars have speakers speaking in real time in a video format. This one that I viewed featured only a slide presentation and narration by an unseen professor at a university in another state. Unfortunately for the several reporters tuned in, the slide show was very poorly designed. It featured large chunks of copy and detailed explanations from the disembodied speaker.

To make matters worse, the webinar hosts had never used the technology before and there were a number of miscues during the presentation. I found myself making mental notes on how the process and the content could have been improved.

Here are a few suggestions:


*Prepare as you would for an in-person presentation. Whether you are to be visible on the monitor or not, put together an interesting, engaging package of information. Consider making three key points and backing them up with supporting anecdotes and facts. Do your audience research and prepare an introduction that will draw your listeners in. Then conclude with a summation of your key points.


*If you are showing slides, use only key words or relevant images, and try to make the slides visually appealing. Reading from long blocks of content is boring and a waste of everyone’s time.


*Be familiar with the webinar technology you are using. Have experts in the system available during the event to solve any technical issues.


*Do a dress rehearsal. Run through the presentation in advance and have people on your own team listen in and provide a critique.


*Run a test just before you begin. Make doubly sure that the technology is working and the communication channels with the audience are functioning. Make sure listeners can email questions or voice them over the phone, whichever you choose.


Don’t make the mistake of spending all your efforts selecting the right service provider and then neglecting the content itself. Webinars can save organizations money and time and serve as valuable communication tools -- but only if they are treated as full-blown, in-person presentation events.

The Next Great Communicator in Chief

There’s no doubt about it. President-elect Barack Obama is a gifted speaker. In fact, he’s one of the best I’ve ever heard, and I study speakers with great regularity.

Much has been said and written about his speeches and their impact on his audiences, the electorate and the recent election. In fact, it was his speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2004 that launched him on the national stage.
That event, in itself, is testimony to his talent at the lectern. Nobody comments about bad speakers very often. But when they hear a really good speech, people are riveted.

As Ronald Reagan proved so well, people are drawn to strong communicators. As Barack Obama prepares to become the next Great Communicator in Chief, it is appropriate to consider what makes him so good. I think there are three things:

First, he has a well-defined message. His points are clear and his themes are easy to digest. Audiences don’t have to work very hard to grasp his meaning. And he’s speaking about themes that resonate with a large portion of the American people. So, not only is he good at delivering his ideas, his ideas are pressing the right buttons.

Second, he knows how to use words, phrases and vocal tone and volume to build excitement. Have you ever noticed how Obama starts a sentence and then gives it five or six different endings? And with each ending, his voice rises as he drives home his point. It is based on the call and response communication technique that is common in African American religious and political discourse.

Obama used this rhetorical technique when he claimed victory after the presidential election Nov. 4. In his acceptance speech, notice how, in telling the story of the 106-year-old voter named Ann Nixon Cooper, he issues the call and the audience responds.

And finally, Barack Obama is a good speaker because of the personality and demeanor he exhibits. He is apparently a very calm, unflappable person. They don’t call him “No-Drama Obama” for nothing. He is self-assured and firmly believes what he is saying.

All told, it’s a winning combination. Whether you agree with his politics or not, any speaker can learn a great deal about effective communication by watching Barack Obama.