Gavin,

Having been a corporate speechwriter, you forced me to recall those days of putting words in other's mouths.

Early on, I learned never to attend the Executive presentations using my speeches. It was too painful, either because I felt my words fell flat or because the speaker mangled them.

So reading Dan Wieden's speech caused me an emotional flashback. Not a pleasant experience.

The speech is well-written. But words on a paper, or in this case a blog, are one-dimensional. I think the success or failure of words spoken depends more on the speaker's passion than the words themselves.

Great speeches can ring hollow without passionate speaking.

I agree with Lewis. If my Toastmasters experience has taught me anything, it's that delivery (inflection, tone, rate, pitch, gestures) are critical to a well received speech. The most boring text can come alive with a great speaker.

Lewis/Paul ... you are both absolutely right. Performing a speech is also a great skill ... and while a great speaker can work wonders with poor writing, a great speaker with a great speech can carry you away.

I really don't see written words as being one dimensional ... surely the popularity of particular blogs comes down to the personality and expressiveness of the authors. And anyway, Lewis, I am sure your speeches could not have been described as one dimensional ;)

Gavin,

You are too kind. I actually meant that literally: words sit flat on a page or a screen, and until they are read, spoken, shared, perceived, interpreted or otherwise communicated, they just are words.

For example, unless someone reads a post I create, it becomes meaningless. To take that one step further, when I receive zero comments, I have no way of knowing whether my words are consumed, and, furthermore, I failed in at least one way, and that was to provoke conversation.

Enough of my meandering thoughts. Thank you again, for your kindness and for making me think.

Lewis, it is interesting that you bring up the way we "measure" whether our writing is being read or commented. Despite the relative anonymity offered by the Internet, the vast majority of people only read, few comment and even fewer repost/analyse etc.

But I have a feeling that it is the readers who are the most active influencers. They are the ones out there talking to their friends, colleagues and family ... they are the ones bringing your words to life. Tammy is a great example:
http://www.mpdailyfix.com/2006/10/ooze.html#comment-37114

BTW I love Tammy's reference to the way that Ann's writing seems to have a smile within the words ...

Gavin wrote: "Despite the relative anonymity offered by the Internet, the vast majority of people only read, few comment and even fewer repost/analyse etc."

I always think that's interesting, Gavin. Mark Vanderbeeken blogged this week about enticing more of your "users" (readers, whatever...) to contribute, and he links to a Jakob Nielsen study that says (in part) that "participation" on blogs is the slimmest of slim, and there are tons of lurkers. I definitely see that playing out daily here.

Ann,

I think of myself as fairly perceptive, and little frustrates me more than the loss of a single voice. Those of us who post, I believe, want to hear what others think. That's why we devote so much time and effort to this medium.

I'll just speak for myself, but much of what I say I believe but not so strongly that my mind can't be changed. I yearn to learn what others think about my ideas, and grow from their feedback.

Do you suppose that fear or shyness prevents readers from speaking? Or that they think they have nothing to say? Or lack of time? Or all of those things plus others?

Not sure, Lewis....but this is why women don't comment! (Read the comments!)

http://www.mpdailyfix.com/2006/05/since_when_do_women_have_nothi.html

Ann,

Wow! Great comments. We men often speak with loud voices, and I hope it doesn't come across as the beginning and the end of conversation. Other men understand it is the way we start conversations. (Gosh this is so complex.)

As for multi-tasking, may I be so bold as to declare that it is not gender-specific.

Today, while I have been posting and commenting on several blogs, including my own, I finsihed my edits and sent my book off to the publisher; shopped for my wife's birthday dinner tomorrow; met with two clients; finished editing two newsletters; read four newspapers; sent the MS off for jacket testimonials; and hugged my cat (and my wife).

Lewis -- I got the testimonial request, and saw all these blog comments you've made, and I guess I'll trust you on the rest...LOL.

You must be a world-class multi-tasker...!

Ann, i recently read this article from Darren Rowse about how to get more comments on your blog. As I'm on the way to open my own, this is a really key matter to me.

http://www.problogger.net/archives/2006/10/12/10-techniques-to-get-more-comments-on-your-blog/

Hi Gianandrea --

I saw Darren's post about getting more comments, and it was spot-on. I particularly think it's important for the writer (of the blog or the post or whatever) to comment back, and thus interact with the commenters/readers.

I'd add one more thing to Darren's list -- and that's (as our friend Mack Collier says) to "get off your own island." Leave your own blog and read/comment elsewhere. Doing so will build a community around yourself and your blog in a far richer (and ultimately, more rewarding) manner than simply garnering lots of comments.

After all, it's not so much about inspiring comments...it's about inspiring others (and yourself) in a larger sense.

Good luck with that blog launch! Let us know when you publish.

Hi Gavin
Speeches that make a difference are sooo NOT a thing of the past.
Passion is alive, and inspiring structured stories with a challenge and a call to action CAN be found.
I thought I'd help celebrate women raising their voices by posting to all the presentation given by Majora Carter- the founder of Sustainable South Bronx, at TED. She received a prolonged standing ovation.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2883494385256707942

Hi, Gavin -

I don't think great speeches are dead... but they sure aren't feeling well. There are many, many reasons; here's just one: Too many speakers think that, if a room has a video projector, then they'd better use PowerPoint. And Al Gore notwithstanding, nearly every speech I see would be better without slides than with them.

I wish I could agree that a great speaker can bring a lousy text to life. They can make the 20 minutes pass quickly; they can entertain; they can even bring a crowd to their feet.

But to really live — to take on a life of its own in the memories of its listeners — a speech has to have a compelling underlying logic driving it. I think you nailed it when you talked about the ideas, implications and calls to action in Lou Gerstener's speeches; what you described is a classic narrative arc, and I believe great speeches are great stories.

A great speaker can take a lousy text and strip-mine it for the odd turn of phrase, anecdote or factoid. But it's when they marry that material to the dramatic, gripping story waiting to be told that they truly create something alive, something that will not only charm an audience but move them to action.

Katie ... yes that speech by Majora Carter is sensational.

Rob ... "great speeches are great stories" -- exactly! But as you say, the challenge is to write/deliver a speech that will move an audience to action. This is partly what we all do through blogging -- even if the only action is the act of thinking.

Hi Gavin,
Great to read servantofchaos and your posts here. Here enjoying them.

I really like the idea you're proposing here - a blog can be a wonderful speech. And stories and narrative can come into it. The Dan speech you link to is just great - story-based, inspiring.

Thanks much, Great to get to know your blogs!
Senia