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Before You Say Anything: The Untold Stories and Failproof Strategies of a Very Discreet Speechwriter
The convention-breaking creative process of New York's busiest speechwriter, offering a holistic approach to crafting every kind of speech.
The ability to express yourself in words has become both a rite of passage and an essential skill for anyone who wants to make a difference within their family, community, workplace, or beyond. And yet, strategies for engaging a new generation of media and tech-savvy audiences have failed to keep up with the times, leaving speakers wondering how to articulate a resonant message that bristles with detail, authenticity, and emotional truth. While we can’t all expect to captivate and inspire millions as Barack Obama and Greta Thunberg have, every speaker―regardless of their experience―can follow a road map to elevate a narrative from serviceable to unforgettable. This is true whether you’re roasting a colleague at an office party, delivering a keynote industry address, accepting an award, or eulogizing a loved one.
In Before You Say Anything , Victoria Wellman―the founder and president of Manhattan-based speechwriting company The Oratory Laboratory―shares her unique methodology for researching, reimagining, crafting, and delivering an outstanding speech by focusing on three core objectives: respect for the audience, the restless pursuit of originality, and intentionality behind every word. Full of hilarious anecdotes and examples from Wellman’s extensive experience as the go-to speechwriter for power players and everyday people from around the world, Before You Say Anything is an irresistible antidote to the age-old doctrine of what a speech must include. Instead, it will leave readers with an enlightened and refreshing way of thinking about their sources, ideas, and material, and give them a strategy for putting it all to use.
The ability to express yourself in words has become both a rite of passage and an essential skill for anyone who wants to make a difference within their family, community, workplace, or beyond. And yet, strategies for engaging a new generation of media and tech-savvy audiences have failed to keep up with the times, leaving speakers wondering how to articulate a resonant message that bristles with detail, authenticity, and emotional truth. While we can’t all expect to captivate and inspire millions as Barack Obama and Greta Thunberg have, every speaker―regardless of their experience―can follow a road map to elevate a narrative from serviceable to unforgettable. This is true whether you’re roasting a colleague at an office party, delivering a keynote industry address, accepting an award, or eulogizing a loved one.
In Before You Say Anything , Victoria Wellman―the founder and president of Manhattan-based speechwriting company The Oratory Laboratory―shares her unique methodology for researching, reimagining, crafting, and delivering an outstanding speech by focusing on three core objectives: respect for the audience, the restless pursuit of originality, and intentionality behind every word. Full of hilarious anecdotes and examples from Wellman’s extensive experience as the go-to speechwriter for power players and everyday people from around the world, Before You Say Anything is an irresistible antidote to the age-old doctrine of what a speech must include. Instead, it will leave readers with an enlightened and refreshing way of thinking about their sources, ideas, and material, and give them a strategy for putting it all to use.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published April 12, 2022
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2752 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 5, 2022
This review is based on an advance reader copy I got through a Goodreads giveaway.
Sadly I found this book to be disappointing. There are some good basic tips in here but nothing I haven't heard before. There is also quite a bit of fluff and promotion for her company, the Oratory Laboratory. Where Wellman lost me was when she started describing steps as intuitive. This may very well be, but saying it is intuitive isn't very helpful. It is like writing detailed instructions for how to lay out all the ingredients for making a curry and then just going "POOF! Curry!" and saying it should be obvious.
As for the self-promotion bit, Wellman is constantly talking about how special her writers and process are. She does describe this to some extent, but talks about proprietary questions and practice scenarios. She does give us a very very brief look at a couple of these practice scenarios, but for the questions, instead of giving us a better look at the commonly used ones in the "evergreen bank" (I think she called it - I'm having a difficult time going back to find anything in here), she focused on how her and her company were able to intuitively hit on the right questions to ask for the handful of her clients she chose to spotlight in the book. Much of this book is discussing her successes with clients. There are also a couple of misses, mostly because they didn't follow her advice, of course. All this information makes me wonder if "very discreet" is a good way to describe Wellman...
And yes, there is a lot of fluff in this book. One of Wellman's tips is to add humor and what are essentially hip references where you can. She definitely followed her own advice in this book, but much of it fell flat.
Bottom line: I had high hopes for this book but it just didn't live up to them.
Sadly I found this book to be disappointing. There are some good basic tips in here but nothing I haven't heard before. There is also quite a bit of fluff and promotion for her company, the Oratory Laboratory. Where Wellman lost me was when she started describing steps as intuitive. This may very well be, but saying it is intuitive isn't very helpful. It is like writing detailed instructions for how to lay out all the ingredients for making a curry and then just going "POOF! Curry!" and saying it should be obvious.
As for the self-promotion bit, Wellman is constantly talking about how special her writers and process are. She does describe this to some extent, but talks about proprietary questions and practice scenarios. She does give us a very very brief look at a couple of these practice scenarios, but for the questions, instead of giving us a better look at the commonly used ones in the "evergreen bank" (I think she called it - I'm having a difficult time going back to find anything in here), she focused on how her and her company were able to intuitively hit on the right questions to ask for the handful of her clients she chose to spotlight in the book. Much of this book is discussing her successes with clients. There are also a couple of misses, mostly because they didn't follow her advice, of course. All this information makes me wonder if "very discreet" is a good way to describe Wellman...
And yes, there is a lot of fluff in this book. One of Wellman's tips is to add humor and what are essentially hip references where you can. She definitely followed her own advice in this book, but much of it fell flat.
Bottom line: I had high hopes for this book but it just didn't live up to them.
August 21, 2022
Pretty mediocre. There’s a couple interesting anecdotes, some good generic information about writing a speech. but the majority of it just seems like a kind of nebulous mush of ideas jammed together. It needed arc, development, heft….. just something beyond being seeming like a collection of mildly thematic essays.
Beyond the structure, the writing itself was also frustrating, it’s full of clichés and arid phrases that say nothing of substance. “The future is bright,” “give your audience the download“ it’s too loose and unrefined. A book is a chance to say something. A monument to your ideas. This was just a jumble of words and thoughts at times. I use voice to text to send messages while driving, they ramble a bit and are full of colloquialisms, this book made me wonder if the author had done the same but for the book.
I think our jobs rub grooves into our thinking. Cannon clichés aren’t really noticed when someone is speaking extemporaneously. In fact it can be valued. But when written, I find myself constantly recovering my eyeballs from the back of my head. Maybe this would have been better as an audiobook?
I really couldn’t shake the image of a collection of speeches, which, if it had been intentionally structured that way, would have been an improvement. I actually think it would have resulted in a decent, “around the world in 20 speeches,” with specific anecdotes that have a cohesive thread through them. Sadly this was not the case.
It’s a cool topic, wish it had been better executed.
Beyond the structure, the writing itself was also frustrating, it’s full of clichés and arid phrases that say nothing of substance. “The future is bright,” “give your audience the download“ it’s too loose and unrefined. A book is a chance to say something. A monument to your ideas. This was just a jumble of words and thoughts at times. I use voice to text to send messages while driving, they ramble a bit and are full of colloquialisms, this book made me wonder if the author had done the same but for the book.
I think our jobs rub grooves into our thinking. Cannon clichés aren’t really noticed when someone is speaking extemporaneously. In fact it can be valued. But when written, I find myself constantly recovering my eyeballs from the back of my head. Maybe this would have been better as an audiobook?
I really couldn’t shake the image of a collection of speeches, which, if it had been intentionally structured that way, would have been an improvement. I actually think it would have resulted in a decent, “around the world in 20 speeches,” with specific anecdotes that have a cohesive thread through them. Sadly this was not the case.
It’s a cool topic, wish it had been better executed.
October 22, 2021
This is a great guide for those who wish to be better public speakers. Whether you want to sound better in front of your work team or you need to improve your oratory skills in front of audiences, you will benefit from Victoria Wellman's insights and tips. She's the founder and president of a large speechwriting company called The Oratory Laboratory, so she knows her stuff! She shares with her readers a unique methodology and several core objectives that will help you improve your message and connect with your audience.
May 1, 2022
My job often requires public speaking, and while I'm good at it, I hate it like all normal people do. So, every now and then I read a book on the subject, trying to glean the magic wisdom that will keep my fear at bay.
I didn't look closely enough at Before You Say Anything before checking it out from the library. I assumed like other books I'd read, that this was about making presentations. And it kinda is, but the emphasis is truly on speech writing, whether it's for a wedding toast, a presentation to government officials, a eulogy, or national television. The partial list above demonstrates that most of us will be called on to do this at some point in our lives, and there are spectacularly different levels of effort and preparedness one can bring to the task.
For instance, if you are very wealthy, you can hire the author of this book to write your wedding vows for you--a fact she makes again and again throughout the book, as she writes of her extensive list of fabulous clients and their many scenarios and issues. Yes, it has more than a whiff of an infomercial for her business. Ignore that.
Despite this flaw, there is more than enough information that can be gleaned from the book about ways to make a speech far more personal and less generic. She is positively offended by the idea of writing a speech that can be used for two different occasions. She talks about her 20 Questions method to pull out pivot points and stories when you are speaking about another person. This was really interesting, but I wish she offered more examples. An appendix of sample questions would have been excellent. (It's hard not to think she's saving the best stuff for paying clients.)
The author is NOT a fan of extemporaneous speech, which is my entire brand. And she makes compelling arguments for why writing it down is better. She talks about people who didn't read their speech--but should have, and why TED talks are not the be all, end all. Say what you will, the lady knows what she's talking about, and gives illustrative examples throughout of what and what not to do.
There is no doubt that in the future, the first thing I'd do before having to give an important speech is revisit this book. I genuinely believe it would be helpful, and it would give me a lot more confidence in what I produced.
I didn't look closely enough at Before You Say Anything before checking it out from the library. I assumed like other books I'd read, that this was about making presentations. And it kinda is, but the emphasis is truly on speech writing, whether it's for a wedding toast, a presentation to government officials, a eulogy, or national television. The partial list above demonstrates that most of us will be called on to do this at some point in our lives, and there are spectacularly different levels of effort and preparedness one can bring to the task.
For instance, if you are very wealthy, you can hire the author of this book to write your wedding vows for you--a fact she makes again and again throughout the book, as she writes of her extensive list of fabulous clients and their many scenarios and issues. Yes, it has more than a whiff of an infomercial for her business. Ignore that.
Despite this flaw, there is more than enough information that can be gleaned from the book about ways to make a speech far more personal and less generic. She is positively offended by the idea of writing a speech that can be used for two different occasions. She talks about her 20 Questions method to pull out pivot points and stories when you are speaking about another person. This was really interesting, but I wish she offered more examples. An appendix of sample questions would have been excellent. (It's hard not to think she's saving the best stuff for paying clients.)
The author is NOT a fan of extemporaneous speech, which is my entire brand. And she makes compelling arguments for why writing it down is better. She talks about people who didn't read their speech--but should have, and why TED talks are not the be all, end all. Say what you will, the lady knows what she's talking about, and gives illustrative examples throughout of what and what not to do.
There is no doubt that in the future, the first thing I'd do before having to give an important speech is revisit this book. I genuinely believe it would be helpful, and it would give me a lot more confidence in what I produced.
February 14, 2022
I received this ARC through a Goodreads give-away. I usually judge a book by the criteria of ‘was I entertained’? And though I did find it entertaining, I also found it instructive. That’s a combination not usually found.
Although I highly doubt that I will be giving a public speech (ever!) I was curious about what she would have to say. I took a college course in Business and Professional Writing many years ago, and the best summary of the course content was, in the first paragraph tell them what you are going to say, say it, and then in the last paragraph tell them what you said. Could the same formula be used for a speech? In a word, not likely.
If I may use an analogy, and you were taking a cross country trip, this is the trip planner, not just a map. It outlines a process which, if carefully followed, will get you to your ultimate goal - a successful speech. It requires work and perseverance. It won’t write your speech for you, but provides a methodical, step by step process that, while it will not guarantee a perfect speech, will give you the best chance of a successful speech. I believe that is the desired outcome.
Am I going to make this into a book report with lots of spoilers? Nope. That’s not my style. You’ll have to read it for yourself. Enjoy!
Although I highly doubt that I will be giving a public speech (ever!) I was curious about what she would have to say. I took a college course in Business and Professional Writing many years ago, and the best summary of the course content was, in the first paragraph tell them what you are going to say, say it, and then in the last paragraph tell them what you said. Could the same formula be used for a speech? In a word, not likely.
If I may use an analogy, and you were taking a cross country trip, this is the trip planner, not just a map. It outlines a process which, if carefully followed, will get you to your ultimate goal - a successful speech. It requires work and perseverance. It won’t write your speech for you, but provides a methodical, step by step process that, while it will not guarantee a perfect speech, will give you the best chance of a successful speech. I believe that is the desired outcome.
Am I going to make this into a book report with lots of spoilers? Nope. That’s not my style. You’ll have to read it for yourself. Enjoy!
February 18, 2023
This was entertaining and encouraging - when listening to audiobook at 1.25 speed while doing chores. When i tried to read it, was almost unbearable. Why? Idk. But the main takeaway for me was don't be afraid to take ample time to plan and revise for public speaking engagements. I'm guilty of relying on charisma and weakly prepped notes, and already this alternative of well planned outline has paid off.
February 21, 2023
I almost stopped when she misquoted Ratatouille in the introduction. I wish I had.
It’s ironic that a book about the artistry of speechwriting—consideration of the audience, word selection, tone, tempo, etc—could demonstrate such an absolute lack of artistry in and of itself.
While the overall structure of the book is promising, the actual content is a disorganized, meandering mess. It’s mix of haphazardly-relayed stories and loosely connected, vague principles is entirely forgettable. The author’s ego certainly shines through the jumble.
Another uninteresting, unfunny, self-indulgent spectacle that I should have rented before buying.
It’s ironic that a book about the artistry of speechwriting—consideration of the audience, word selection, tone, tempo, etc—could demonstrate such an absolute lack of artistry in and of itself.
While the overall structure of the book is promising, the actual content is a disorganized, meandering mess. It’s mix of haphazardly-relayed stories and loosely connected, vague principles is entirely forgettable. The author’s ego certainly shines through the jumble.
Another uninteresting, unfunny, self-indulgent spectacle that I should have rented before buying.
June 30, 2022
Solid suggestions on writing and delivering speeches for any occassion from wedding toast to public presentations on the global stage. Much of this is common sense for anyone who's done it but particularly good for newbies. Contains advice on getting to know the audience, researching the topic, balancing data with story, creating memorable takeaways and using humor appropriately. Plus, it includes lots of real life excerpts from speeches crafted by the Oratory Laboratory (I hope it's pronounced with a British accent) founded by the author.
May 23, 2024
I enjoyed hearing about this speechwriters approach to creating an impactful speech. There was some prescriptive guidance about arranging ideas, anecdotes, jokes, and descriptive language. I found myself wishing I'd read this before some wedding speeches. That said much of the book is client examples which isn't my preferred learning style. Regardless I really enjoyed it!
May 13, 2022
3.5 I actually really enjoyed this even though I had zero clue who the author was going into it. The research nerd in me loved this. It reminded me of what LaineyGossip refers to as work porn: it was fascinating to hear the process of speech crafting from her pov.
February 29, 2024
I don't know how I ended up with this book, because I will never in my life give a speech, but I found it really interesting nonetheless. Lots of stories of real life winning speeches, and duds, and the reasons why.
May 22, 2022
An excellent book with lots of great information!
December 28, 2022
Enjoyed the stories. Made me think deeper about talks, presentations, and speeches.
October 23, 2023
Wanted it to be so much better. It was well written and fun, but has virtually no executable tips/tricks to make your speaking better. It’s a book-length ad for her speech coaching business.
June 9, 2024
Informative and humorous
May 31, 2022
It was alright. I guess it’s not super relevant to my stage of life right now (and may never be), that’s why I wasn’t so moved by it. I think she has a very interesting job, but at times the book just read like a very long advertisement for her company. Would’ve much preferred if she actually listed down the 20 questions etc so that I could refer to them in the future. Because she didn’t, she sometimes seemed to be writing around the topic rather than about it, and thus it was very hard to have many concrete takeaways. I probably will never be able to afford her services anyway lol so I don’t even know why I picked up this book in the first place. Not sure who the target audience of this book is then — only rich people? Meh. Seems rather out of touch then.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2022
I often help people write speeches and presentations so I picked up a copy to see if I could learn some new techniques.
As a ghostwriter, the most helpful bit was learning about the author's research process and how she builds evidence to support her subject...especially when she's not the expert.
Takeaways:
Who is in the room?
What do they want?
Educate, enlighten, incite action
Offer targeted, future-focused takeaways
It's about them...not you
Tell stories to connect with the audience
Part 3 is about how to design a speech
using data, anecdotes and truths
Overall, a helpful book for newcomers to speechwriting (and copywriting)... but having the papercopy of the book would also be great as a how-to reference.
Special thanks to the publisher for an advanced listener copy of this book.
As a ghostwriter, the most helpful bit was learning about the author's research process and how she builds evidence to support her subject...especially when she's not the expert.
Takeaways:
Who is in the room?
What do they want?
Educate, enlighten, incite action
Offer targeted, future-focused takeaways
It's about them...not you
Tell stories to connect with the audience
Part 3 is about how to design a speech
using data, anecdotes and truths
Overall, a helpful book for newcomers to speechwriting (and copywriting)... but having the papercopy of the book would also be great as a how-to reference.
Special thanks to the publisher for an advanced listener copy of this book.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews