A Freelance Speechwriter prepares speeches for individuals in business, industry, politics, and trade and nonprofit organizations. The speechwriter may be retained by the chief executive officer (CEO) of a corporation, the board president of a hospital or university, or any other individual who might be required to give speeches. The Freelance Speechwriter may write speeches for individuals who must appear in public or give presentations or news conferences. Freelance Speechwriters are hired by other individuals for a number of reasons. An executive might look to a speechwriter because time and work demands placed on him or her don’t allow the time to prepare a speech. Another individual might not have the ability to put thoughts down on paper for a presentation in an interesting, clear, flowing order. Still another might serve as spokesperson for a company but might not be responsible for the preparation of a speech or its content.
In order for the speechwriter to prepare a speech for an individual, he or she has to do some background work. The individual must do some research to select an appropriate subject and direction. To do this, the speechwriter might talk directly with the speaker or visit libraries, trade sources, or people in the business itself. The speechwriter must become familiar with the speech giver’s style by looking over previous speeches of the individual and discussing style and nuances with the speaker. The speechwriter must also get to know the personality of the speaker so that when he or she writes the speech it can be tailored to the individual.
The speechwriter must learn the main presentation points that the speaker wants to get across. The individual must also know to what type of audience the speech will be geared. An in-house speech, for example, would be written differently than a speech for the general public. The writer will have to know how to format the speech. The individual must take into account the length and timing of the presentation and the contents. The writer must also keep in mind that the body of the speech should sound like the speaker in its words and style.
After the speechwriter has completed a rough draft of the speech it must be reviewed with the speaker. At this time changes, additions, deletions, etc. can be put into the copy. The speechwriter may also work with the speaker, rehearsing the preliminary presentation to locate any rough spots or difficult words and passages. If the speaker is not comfortable saying the words, they must be changed.
The speechwriter must give the speech to the speaker in an easy-to-read style. This might mean typing the entire speech on index cards or on paper using large type. The writer might just type key points on cards so the speaker can speak “off the cuff.” The individual might provide the speech to another party who will type it into a Teleprompter. Depending on the type of speech the writer is retained to prepare, he or she might also be responsible for preparing the speaker to handle questions and answers that might be asked of the speaker in response to the speech. The individual may develop a list of potential questions and answers so that the speaker is comfortable with the situation.
Freelance Speechwriters may work on one speech at a time or may be involved in a number of different projects. Individuals must relate well to the executives who are the majority of speakers and understand their thought patterns. Individuals in this type of position do not have normal work hours. They might meet with executives or other potential speakers at any time of the day or after regular business hours. Freelance Speechwriters can work on speeches during the day or may work long into the night to develop the perfect speech. Freelance Speechwriters are responsible directly to the person who hired them to write the presentation. This could be the speaker or may be the speaker’s superior.
Earnings for Freelance Speechwriters are hard to estimate. Compensation is usually paid on a per project basis. There are also individuals who are hired to write a number of speeches for a company or who are retained on a monthly basis. Annual earnings for individuals depend on the number of speeches they write, the number of clients they have, and their prestige. More prestigious, better-known clients usually pay more to have their speeches prepared. Individuals might earn between $23,000 and $150,000 or more. A fairly successful Freelance Speechwriter can earn between $35,000 and $50,000 yearly. Those who work with well-known clients, such as politicians, might earn $60,000 to $150,000 plus annually.
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