Say It Well

One of Barack Obama's longest-serving speechwriters reveals the public speaking lessons that will help you become a more confident and compelling communicator and leader.

As a White House speechwriter, Terry Szuplat helped craft hundreds of speeches for President Obama. But when it came to public speaking himself, Szuplat--like many people--was gripped by anxiety and preferred to stay in the shadows. When he was invited to give the first major speech of his life, he faced a choice: keep hiding from what scared him, or finally face his fears.

In Say It Well, Szuplat shares the life-changing lessons he learned from Barack Obama--one of the most admired speakers of our time--and how he applied these techniques to become a better speaker himself. In every chapter, he shares never-before-heard advice from Obama on speaking well, along with riveting behind-the-scenes stories of writing for a president--so you can master every step of public speaking, including:

- Tips for overcoming stage fright

- Best practices for using artificial intelligence to compose a memorable speech

- Attention-grabbing openings to pull in any audience

- Framing techniques to make your arguments more persuasive

- Scientifically-proven ways to inspire people to action and to create the change you want

- Tricks for editing, polishing, and practicing your words for maximum impact

- The only way to end any great speech

Along the way, Szuplat introduces you to remarkable people from all walks of life--students, advocates, business executives, veterans--who have used these techniques to give speeches that have gone viral and inspired millions of people around the world. At a time of division and distrust, Say It Well also shows how we can all speak with the empathy, civility, and honesty that we need now more than ever.