If you’ve been asked to make a speech, it may be tempting to turn to the Internet for help. But here's why it's not a good idea.

One of the reasons people get stressed about giving celebratory speeches is that the pressure is all on them. But with some creative crowds

One of the most important rules of speechwriting is that you must have a clear purpose. Defining your purpose will not only help you stay f

Sometimes when I'm writing I envision what the speech would sound like if it were set to music. That's when I can really tell if it

Think about how many speeches you’ve listened to in life. Whether personal or professional in nature, how many of them really hit the mark?

Since I was a young girl, I have always enjoyed expressing myself through writing. Growing up, I never missed an opportunity to transform a Hallmark card into a carefully crafted message to my parents, detailing how much they meant to me. Today, I do the same for my husband and children, using each special occasion as a chance to put my feelings into words. The best part is actually watching my loved ones read the card, listening to them laugh at the funny parts and cry at

When you’ve been asked to give a speech at a special event, it’s very tempting to test fate and “wing it.” After all, you don’t want to sound overly scripted, so maybe you write down a few bullet points and see what happens. You know exactly what you want to say in your head, so how bad can it be? Trust me, it can be very bad. And go from bad to worse pretty quickly. When you are asked to speak on someone else’s behalf remember that this person has selected you to represe

It’s hard to believe that one year has passed since I launched A Speech To Remember and became The Word Whisperer. What started as a conversation between my brother and me about all of the horrible speeches we have heard at weddings slowly grew into a viable business idea. I asked myself over and over the following questions: Will people actually hire me to ghostwrite their special occasion speeches? How will I reach the people who need my services the most? Can I take wh

Letter writing and speechwriting have a lot in common. Think about these 5 similarities when penning your next letter or speech.

Politicians, CEOs of major companies and celebrities are just some of the people who have teams of professional speechwriters who help them day in and day out. But just because you aren’t famous doesn’t mean you can’t enlist the help of a professional speechwriter, particularly when it comes to special occasions. In fact, those of you who are asked to speak at Claire’s and Bob’s wedding or Mom’s 65th birthday are often those who need the most help. Some people are naturally

We’ve all been victims of bad speeches. The speaker strides up to the microphone and starts talking. You find yourself visibly cringing at what is being said. You look around the room to see if it’s just you, but you are met with looks of horror on other people’s faces. You see others avoiding eye contact, or trying hard not to laugh. You see the sweat pouring down the speaker’s face as he/she struggles to finish the speech. You breathe a sigh of relief that the torture

When Marshall Field’s became the first department store to launch a bridal registry in 1924, weddings were relatively low-key affairs. Today, weddings are big business-- $60 billion to be exact. In fact, the average American couple spends an estimated $30,000 on their wedding, with much higher budgets in metropolitan areas like New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia. Weddings have taken on a life of their own, with couples putting each and every detail of their big day und

You have been asked to make a speech. Whether it’s for your brother’s wedding, daughter’s Bat Mitzvah, grandma’s 90th birthday or your boss’ retirement party, you will be standing in front of a group of people who will be listening to what you have to say. A common question I hear again and again is: Where do I start? First, remember that you should talk for no more than five minutes. If you can keep it to three, even better. Like James Roosevelt said, “Father gave me the

When I first came up with the idea for A Speech To Remember I thought a lot about what I would call myself. Personal speechwriter? Ghostwriter? Toastmistress? And then while brainstorming with a friend, it struck me. The Word Whisperer. Nowadays there are all sorts of whisperers—horse whisperers, dog whisperers, baby whisperers—all of whom use their natural instincts to restore calm. Similarly, I realized that I could use own natural ability with words to bring order to