Joan Detz Speaker Services

To consider for your speech writing assignments: 

National Anti-Boredom Month

National Picnic Month 

National Ice Cream Month

Special Recreation Week

National Therapeutic Recreation Week

Space Week (commemorates landing on the moon)

Freedom Day 

Debtors’ Day

Plan Your Vacation Day (on the anniversary of the first US passport, July 8, 1796)

Geographer’s Day

Diplomats’ Day (on the anniversary of the first US cabinet department, the Department of Foreign Affairs - later the Department of State - July 27, 1789)

Good news from Mike Yaple, who has attended my “Master Class in Speechwriting” seminar:

Mike works with the New Jersey School Boards Association, and one of NJSBA’s speeches was accepted for the July issue of Vital Speeches.  It’s very well written - and delightfully short.  (There’s a lesson in brevity here.)  You can read it at …

http://www.njsba.org/press_releases/da-ed-address201005.html

Congratulations to Mike and the whole NJSBA team!

Gordon Tomb has attended several of my speechwriting seminars.  He has a strong background in the energy field, having worked in communications at Three Mile Island. 

I was pleased to read Gordon’s lead column in the Opinion section of the Harrisburg Patriot-News.  Anyone with an interest in energy (and, shouldn’t that be all of us?) can learn much from his insights.  If you write speeches about energy topics, you will find much of value in this piece. 

http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2010/06/bp_diaster_echoes_tmi_incident.html

I have long admired former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright for her creative use of jewelry to express diplomatic opinions.  She chooses brooches and pins to reinforce her key messages … defuse an awkward Q&A … or add a bit of humor to a tense situation.

You’ll find excellent examples of “jewelry as a diplomatic accessory” at www.Smithsonian.com/albright.

Senior Speechwriter

Schafer

Huntsville, AL

Learn more and apply at:  http://jobs-schafer.icims.com/jobs/1697/job

Working on a State of the City speech?  Consider this good example from Virginia Beach:

www.vbgov.com/stateofthecity

A quick reference note:

For those of you interested in freelance writing, Linden Publishing offers an excellent backlist.  Sample titles:

How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal

The Elements of Narrative Nonfiction

Writing Fiction that Sells

Visit www.QuillDriverBooks.com for descriptions/details.

Adrianne Guzman, who has attended several of my speechwriting seminars, is a skilled Spanish instructor and translator.  As Adrianne puts it, “I adore the language/culture!”

If you would like to take Spanish lessons (in person, or online), email adrianne.guzman@gmail.com. 

Need help translating a speech into Spanish?  Adrianne has translated a wide range of business materials:  from technical, legal, energy-related documents … to creative writing (articles, poetry).

As regular readers of this blog know, I do a great deal of international speaker coaching.  One thing I’ve learned about successful speechwriting/coaching:  Build your global rolodex today.  Be prepared.  Get solid recommendations for translators/interpreters.  You never know when you’ll need those contacts.