The consequences of inattention and of attention.

 

Few briefs would be so precise as this one, for with experience a speaker learns

to use little tricks to attract his eye--he may underscore a catch-word heavily,

draw a red circle around a pivotal idea, enclose the key-word of an anecdote in

a wavy-lined box, and so on indefinitely. These points are worth remembering,

for nothing so eludes the swift-glancing eye of the speaker as the sameness of

typewriting, or even a regular pen-script. So unintentional a thing as a blot on

the page may help you to remember a big "point" in your brief--perhaps by

association of ideas.

 

An inexperienced speaker would probably require fuller notes than the specimen

given. Yet that way lies danger, for the complete manuscript is but a short

remove from the copious outline. Use as few notes as possible.

 

They may be necessary for the time being, but do not fail to look upon them as a

necessary evil; and even when you lay them before you, refer to them only when

compelled to do so. Make your notes as full as you please in preparation, but by

all means condense them for platform use.

 

_Extemporaneous Speech_

 

Surely this is the ideal method of delivery. It is far and away the most popular

with the audience, and the favorite method of the most efficient speakers.