This month's speaker was Desson Thomson – a speaker, freelance writer, and former film critic for the Washington Post.    more »

Every day, countless speeches and presentations are flops because of the PowerPoint Syndrome. How to explain its persistence, and what’s to be done?   more »

How to market speeches to a broader audience, as presented at the 2009 Speechwriters Conference in Washington, DC.   more »

This afternoon, about 20 members of the Washington Speechwriters Roundtable gathered at the American Medical Association to listen to Mike Long talk about freelance writing.   more »

President Bill Clinton accomplished important rhetorical tasks through eulogies, identifying with national grief, but forestalling a sense of national despair.   more »

There are many ways to obtain speechwriting work. And, once attained, the method of working with the executive varies according to the job and the executive himself.   more »

Ed Vilade shares a few thoughts on speechwriting in "Cancel That Speech!"   more »

Vital Speeches is hosting a one-day speechwriting workshop in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, June 19, 2007.  Three Washington Speechwriter Roundtable members will participate as speakers (Joan Detz, Emerson Moran and Pete Weissman). The workshop leaders are Tom Daly IV (managing editor, Vital Speeches of the Day) and Robert Skovgard (founder and editor, The Executive Speaker).  The workshop is titled: "Writing A Speech That Makes A Difference."

Details: http://www04.mcmurry.com/product/VITAL/Workshop.php

List of Speakers: http://www04.mcmurry.com/product/VITAL/WorkshopLeader.php

Erik Deckers takes a lighthearted look at the origin of toast - both the burnt bread and the pre-dinner speech.   more »

With two clever examples, Joel Postman shows that introducing a clever prop that is integrated into the storyline is a great way to help make an important point while interjecting some fun and excitement into a presentation.   more »