Methods of Delivery

Synopsis

The chapter surveys four fundamental methods of delivery: reading from manuscript, committing the speech to memory, speaking from notes, and extemporaneous speech, noting that the best choice depends on the occasion, the audience, the subject, and the speaker's own ability. Reading from manuscript is treated most severely — 'public reading is not public speaking' — and only four motives ever drive a man to it: laziness, a genuinely defective memory, real lack of time, or the conviction that the speech is too important to risk without a manuscript; the chapter finds none of these fully satisfying and urges 'avoid it whenever at all possible.' Committing a written speech to memory allows careful polishing of language but risks sounding mechanical and leaves a speaker vulnerable to forgetting. Speaking from notes, likened to swimming in shallow water before venturing out, is called probably the best method for beginners, provided notes are kept as brief and unobtrusive as possible. Extemporaneous speech — thorough preparation of thought without memorizing exact words — is named the ideal method, since it lets a speaker stay close to the audience, adapt to the moment, and preserve the 'native fire' of thought, though it is also the most difficult and demands the most practice. The chapter closes by describing 'joint methods,' various blends of these four approaches used by experienced speakers.