5 Books Every Speechwriter Should Have on their Book shelves (They’re Pretty Good for Speakers too)

One of the things I love most about running my own business is having more time to read. Over the past few months I’ve gone back to some old favourites and discovered some new gems about public speaking, speechwriting, and confidence. I’ve included Amazon links, but if you decide to buy I encourage you to support your local bookshop.

1. Speechwriting: The Expert Guide, By Simon Lancaster

   The how-to guide:

   If there’s one speechwriting guide I come back to again and again it’s this one, by British speechwriter, Simon Lancaster. The section on structure is particularly good but he also has great takes on metaphor and how to actually knuckle down and write a speech when procrastination sets in.

2. Weekend Language, By Andy Craig and Dave Yewman

   The storytelling special:

   A client recently recommended this book about better presentations. It’s a quick, easy read and applies all the principles of keynotes to PowerPoint presentations - hello storytelling! We’ve all heard of the phrase “death by PowerPoint” and this book introduced me to the delightful concept of “show up and throw up” (obviously, the idea is to avoid both). Craig and Yewman suggest banning PowerPoint in your company for 30 days and I have to admit, I’m in total agreement. Great read for anyone who does public speaking coaching too.

3. Happy High Status, By Viv Groskop

   The confidence boost:

   I had to fly all the way to the UK to get my copy, which isn’t out in the US until October. But it’s well worth pre-ordering this book on confidence, which acknowledges that sometimes it’s what’s going inside that holds us back. I see this happen with so many speakers, and I’m usually my own worst critic too. How to Own the Room, also by Viv Groskop, which looks at different public speaking styles is another great read.

4. She Speaks, By Yvette Cooper

   The speech anthology:

   I had to include one speech anthology on the list and I went with this one, by British Parliamentarian, Yvette Cooper. Speech anthologies generally include one or two speeches by women - usually something by Eleanor Roosevelt, something by Hillary Rodham Clinton, and maybe one by Michelle Obama. But this one is all women and I love the intro and anecdotes before each speech as well as the focus on British history, going all the way back to the 16th century. Fellow speechwriter, Dana Rubin’s Speaking While Female1, is another fabulous, female-focussed anthology (like my alliteration?!) with an emphasis on American speakers.

5. Permission to Speak, by Samara Bay

   The voice special:

   This book is by a Hollywood vocal coach and she takes a completely different approach to public speaking. As a speechwriter I’m always focussed on content, but she dives in the performance aspect, examining the marginalisation of different groups and how it effects our speech. Really great read for women in particular.