Speech writing - interview with Gerry Wheeler

Gerry Wheeler has a long history of speech writing, in particular he has written for a number of conservative politicians including former Australian Prime Minister John Howard, for whom he worked for seven years. More recently he has contributed to speeches delivered by the Managing Director of an Australian company. Recently, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to pick Gerry's brain on the subject.

HP - What was the first speech you ever wrote?

GW - I cannot recollect the first speech I ever wrote but I recall always being involved in writing and presenting speeches from an early age. I strongly believe that this is an important skill that should be encouraged from primary school.

Having said that there is an important comment to make about the ownership of speeches. Speeches belong to those who deliver them, not those who contribute to writing them. I was disappointed to read an article recently about a political speechwriter as though he was a ventriloquist. The unfortunate and false implication was that the individual delivering the speech was little more than a ventriloquist's dummy. I take the view that speechwriters should not seek the limelight for their craft. Besides, we would all agree that the best ventriloquist is the one who doesn't move his lips.

HP - What was the most notable speech you have written, or contributed to, so far?

GW - It was a special privilege to have contributed to a number of addresses to the nation delivered by former Prime Minister Howard. Two that stand out occurred at the time of the committal of troops to East Timor and Iraq. Both were momentous times in our history and of great international importance. On both occasions Mr Howard was squarely focussed on explaining how the then Government's decisions were being taken in the national interest. I have a special memory of two other speeches as well. The first was a speech at a memorial service for the death of Ted Matthews in 1997, who was the last surviving Australian veteran of the first Gallipoli landing and Mr Howard's address at the first Sir Donald Bradman oration, not long before Bradman's death. Both of these speeches succeeded because they were descriptions of Australian values as much as they were tributes to Australian heroism.

Incidentally, the majority and best of John Howard's speeches were delivered off the cuff. He has an extraordinary ability to speak from the heart without any notes at all. That John Howard has never spoken at a public gathering using an autocue is in stark contrast to political leaders around the world and a tribute to his speaking abilities.

HP - Do you have a process you follow when writing a speech? If so, what are the main steps?

GW - The most important precondition of any good speech is a strong message. Identifying the message is the first task of the speechwriter. This can only be gleaned from an appropriate brief or briefing from the speaker. From here, an outline of the speech is prepared identifying the message and appropriate proof points and then a series of drafts is prepared to flesh out the points. Considerable interaction between the speaker and the speechwriter is necessary during this process and the actual language itself comes towards the end of the process.

HP - How important is research when preparing a speech?

GW - When asked about how long its takes to prepare a speech I always say that speechwriting expands to consume the time available. Yes, research is important to support the selected message but, at times, there is limited time and opportunity to undertake the desired research. I recall Ronald Reagan's famous Challenger disaster speech prepared by Peggy Noonan where there was limited time for research. It was the setting of the message that consumed the energy in its preparation.

HP - When writing for someone else how do you ensure it sounds like them and not like you?

GW - Someone once said to me "your task as a speechwriter is not to put your words into their mouth. It is to put their words into their mouth." This means that it is important to study how a person speaks. Listen to them. Read transcripts of their language and any speech they have written for themselves. This is where the humility of a good speechwriter should ensure they are writing for their speaker, not themselves.

HP - Do you follow any rules that dictate the rhythm of the speech? For example Abe Lincoln was known to keep most of his words to single syllables, use antithesis and repetition to achieve a certain rhythm.

GW - The eloquence of a speech is generally directly proportional to the importance of the occasion and the stature of the speaker . In other words, attempting to use fancy words for a bit player at a pedestrian event will simply fall flat. Having said that, well crafted speeches that convey simple messages using simple language should provide considerable satisfaction for any speechwriter.

HP - Is there a particular type of speech you enjoy writing over others?

GW - I think the speech everyone wants to write is the great occasion speech - the one that is written to convey the desires and ideals of a nation at a significant moment of time. Most of us will never get the chance to contribute to such a speech but there are plenty of other occasions where a speechwriter can display his craft. Great speeches tell us something new about the speaker. The best speech I have ever written is the speech I gave at my own wedding - an enunciation of values at a great moment in time for friends and family. In fact, some of the best speeches I have ever heard were at wedding receptions where the bride or groom reveals something about themselves - how they came to be where they are and how people close to them contributed to their achievement.

HP - Do you have a formula for working out how long a speech will take to deliver, based on the number of words?

GW - A simple measure is to apply a two words a second rule.

HP - In delivering a speech, what are the most important things to consider?

GW - The first and last thing to consider is the message. It is the message of a speech that will remain long after the memory of eloquent language has passed.

HP - Finally, what makes a Gerry Wheeler speech different?

GW - Hopefully it is that a particular speech mattered.

A big thank you to Gerry Wheeler for taking time out of his busy schedule to give us some advice on speech writing!