Say It Well: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind, Inspire Any Audience

by Terry Szuplat

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.

In sharing his journey to find his own voice, Szuplat will help you find yours. Written with humor and warmth, this is your new guide to the art of public speaking. And the next time you speak—whether you’re giving a toast or a eulogy for a loved one, a presentation at work, or an impassioned appeal for a cause you care about—not only will you know what to say, you’ll know how to say it well.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Communication, Writing, Business, Politics, Leadership

352 pages, Hardcover

Published September 17, 2024

Reviews

[Chris Boutté · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pretty decent book. While I never plan on doing any speeches, I do make content, and I like reading books about how to speak better to capture attention and tell a story. Terry Szuplat was one of Obama’s speech writers, and in this book, he gives a ton of tips about how to write and give speeches. I’m not really sure who the target audience is because it’s written for regular people, but not many of us give speeches. Overall, it’s a decent enough book if you’re interested in speaking better in public.

[Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very practical advice on ways to improve as a public speaker. Enjoy the insights into how Obama utilized many of these techniques to enhance his “natural” speaking abilities.

[Emma Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi Professor u killed it

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful. Read it!

[Ot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am taking off a star for the chatbot stuff. That was unnecessary. A guy like him should be advocating against the use of AI.

But otherwise: I love speechwriting. I have ripped off Obama and his speechwriting team countless times (sometimes in a way that is SO obvious it has made groups of politicians laugh). And I am also giving my first ever keynote speech in exactly a week. So this was very helpful to read as I prepare for it. Some tidbits I found helpful:

- “I try to write speeches like a script-every new sentence starting on the left margin and a space between each line.”
- “The floor. Your slides. Your watch. These are just a few of the things that you should not be looking at when you speak. There's only one place you should be looking at your audience. Little or no eye contact can make you appear insecure or uncertain about what you're saying. Good eye contact shows confidence and builds trust.”
- “Print your remarks out in large font…keeping the bottom portion of your pages blank—it's easier to look up every line or so and visually connect with your listeners.”
- “As you pause and prepare to move on to your next point, shift your gaze to someone else. Over the course of your remarks, slowly move back and forth across the room. It's easier to talk to one person at a time than to many.”
- “As you speak, pay attention to your pace, pitch, and volume.”

[Mindy Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my 9th grade English benchmarks is to have my students write a persuasive speech. I listened to this book for some tips to add to my lessons. Very practical and inspiring. I love all the parallels with Obama’s speeches. The advice on what makes a speech memorable was noteworthy.

I could add a critical comparison with the lack of these techniques and inspiration that our current president has…. But I’ll leave it at this.

The call to action chapter was my favorite. What specific action would you like your audience to take? What emotion do you want them to leave with?

Obama’s message was always one of hope. To bring people together and instill unity. I enjoyed listening to how his speech writer helped craft those moments.

[JournalsTLY]

The writer - an accomplish speech writer - is full of gentle encouragement ; a book for beginners and also a treasure for veteran speakers .

Tell it from the heart. And he does.
Many good practical tips from his experience as one of Obama ‘s speech writers and also his own attempts at giving speeches .

Constant reminders to speak factually and accurately. Dont steal words - citation and quotes are to be wisely use and credited . While body language anf non verbal cues are very important - remember that giving a talk is more than a showy entertainment ; is is about giving hope in a human voice.

Worth reading a few times over.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very clear narrative on how to speak in front of a group. The author worked as a speech writer for President Barack Obama for eight years, and this book is an impressive extension of that experience.

Concise, clear, easy to read, step by step instructions. Heartfelt, uncomplicated, and tools for highly effective public speaking….

[Gwen Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent primer for anyone who needs to give a speech or advise someone who does! It made me nostalgic for the poetry of the Obama era.

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never really paid attention to the individual speechwriters or other staff of the Obama administration and have been "eh" overall on memoirs or attempts to cash in on their time with the president, but this caught my eye. I hate public speaking, have no desire to get into speechwriting or anything, etc. but I thought it could be interesting to see what tips and tricks a speechwriter had.

Intertwined with stories of his time with the Obama administration, Szuplat talks about both of what goes into speechwriting, what makes a speech successful, etc. as well as how that worked (or didn't) as a speechwriting specific with Obama. And then there are is also the "why," as in, why making it personal, making it something that only you could say, why you should find a way to connect with your audience, etc. was great.

That is it. Depending on what you're looking for, this may be a fun book for you and it may not be. If you hated Obama, still think he was a terrible president, you may not care for this. On the other hand, even if you do like Obama, if you're not necessarily looking for speechwriting help (vs. public speaking), this also might not be for you.

I liked it, did find the anecdotes interesting, etc. Overall I am not sure this is what I wanted or what I was looking for (there was a mention in one of the reviews that it could be adapted for job interviews, which is what I was looking for). But it was a little different than other self-help/inspirational and memoir combo books that have become common and I did think it was interesting.

If you're looking for speechwriting help, this may be fun or useful as a guide or inspiration, but I would imagine it is not something that could be used as a primer or a 101 if you're new to this. For my purposes in looking for better storytelling techniques in stuff like interviews this was a bit of a mixed bag. But for completionists, historians, etc. this might be a good pickup.

Library borrow was best for me.

[WildesKopfkino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reden sind keine Zauberei — aber dieses Buch kommt verdammt nah dran. Terry Szuplat nimmt die Werkzeugkiste eines Profi-Redenschreibers auseinander und zeigt, wie man aus fragmentierten Gedanken eine Rede baut, die knallt, rührt und im Kopf bleibt. Dabei liest sich Say It Well nicht wie ein staubiges Handbuch, sondern eher wie ein streng-witziger Mentor, der einem auf die Schulter klopft und sagt: „Trau dich, aber mach’s clever.“ Acht Jahre im Weißen Haus mit Obama als Lehrmeister geben dem Ganzen echtes Gewicht; Anekdoten aus der Schreibwerkstatt sind nicht nur schillernd, sondern liefern konkrete Formeln — von Eröffnungen, die Interesse wecken, bis zu Schlusspunkten, die noch lange nachhallen.

Besonders cool: Szuplat verknüpft Praxis mit Psychologie. Warum wir bei Lampenfieber blockieren, wie Sprache Vertrauen schafft und welche Bilder im Kopf der Zuhörer bleiben — das wird alles gnadenlos praxisnah erklärt. Übungen, Vorher-Nachher-Beispiele und Checklisten machen das Ganze zur Werkzeugmaschine für jeden, der öfter reden muss. Kritikpunkt: Manchmal schielt das Buch zu sehr auf prominente Beispiele; nicht jede Büropräsentation kann mit einer historischen Rede verglichen werden. Außerdem hätte ich mir mehr platzsparende Vorlagen gewünscht, die sich direkt in E-Mail oder PowerPoint kopieren lassen.

Trotzdem: Für alle, die souveräner auftreten wollen, ist Say It Well ein Kurzkurs in Mut und Methodik. Sprache wird hier als Handwerk behandelt — mit Schraubenschlüssel, Schraube und einem kleinen Augenzwinkern. Wer bereit ist, ein paar Gewohnheiten zu zerbrechen und statt Sterbeurkunden-Reden wieder Menschen zu erreichen, bekommt hier einen Lehrmeister, der den Weg zeigt und einen gelegentlich schubst. Ergebnis: Mehr Präsenz, weniger Herzrasen — und das ohne esoterischen Quatsch.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw that this book was written by a White House speechwriter for Obama, I was immediately intrigued. Whether you like him or his politics, Obama is one of the best orators ever. His speech before the 2004 Democratic convention was one of the best speeches in my memory:
“There’s not a liberal America and a conservative America; there’s the United States of America. There’s not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there’s the United States of America.”

It’s sad to say, but unfortunately our divisions are greater than ever.

Anyway, Obama is also an excellent speechwriter as well as a speaker. He repeatedly edited and re-edited speeches to shorten, simplify, and better connect with his audience. His delivery was usually spot on. With the help of his speechwriters, including the author, he was able to reach people where they were and connect with them on a human level to persuade many of them to accept his point of view. It’s a talent that successful politicians have, including Gov Mario Cuomo (D-NY) and President Ronald Reagan.

The author provides a lot of guidance and insights about how to write a speech, how to deliver a speech, connect with an audience, strategies to inspire your audience and making sure to show your authentic self when delivering a speech. There is a lot of subliminal theater involved. The author’s advice was VERY interesting and applicable to many different types of speeches: wedding toasts, eulogies, political speeches, graduation speeches and just how to talk to people and connect with whom we disagree.

The title says it all: Say It Well.

[Melissa Terzis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Of course you could have zero complaints about the pacing and information delivery when Obama's speechwriter is the author. He structured this exactly like a speech, setting up the preparation, beginning, middle and end. Writing is my jam, so when I hear people say that you have to just sit down and write, I always thought, "Gee that's not how I do it." The ideas and story come to me when I'm doing something else like walking, showering, driving - where my mind can clear and allow the creativity to enter. To read that Szuplat spends 50% of the time prepping, then 25% writing and 25% editing and polishing - GOLD. It finally legitimized the way I approach my writing projects.

Rare is the business/non-fiction book where I think it wasn't too long. Most of them can be cut in half, but not Szuplat's book. He organizes everything into the area of the process where it needs to go, and it's easy to follow along. He also has a download at the end of every chapter, so you can check in to make sure you got the main points of that chapter. I loved this inside look also at what happens behind the curtain at the White House.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, we know presidents have speechwriters. Some of them even pay attention to what is written. Of course, we have to hearken back a little bit for that here, to President Obama. Terry Szluplat worked for Obama for eight years, but that is not to say Obama was the mouthpiece; Obama, ever a lawyer, refined and polished each delivery to the end.

This book is a delight to read. As you would expect, it is perfectly paced, full of anecdotes (about Obama and others), hilarity, and wisdom. Szluplat walks us through what it takes to prepare, write, and then deliver a speech. (Even as a professional speechwriter, he still struggles with the latter.) You read about everything that could go wrong, but also everything that will go right. Whether you are addressing the United Nations or simply trying to talk yourself into getting out of bed, this book is the one you need.

Read this and remember what intelligent speech sounds like—then, make some of your own.

[Jezzeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first step of giving any good speech or presentation is believing that we can. It's having the confidence that our voice matters and that we deserve to be heard. Give the speech that only you can give; personalize it and tell the stories that only you can tell, especially your own. Knowing your own story--who you are and what you believe--is very important because once you know it, you can share it with your audience. A speech is an experience: write the script you want, set the stage, design the set, and make the audience part of the show. Follow the 50-25-25 rule (50% thinking, researching and organizing your thoughts; 25% writing, 25% editing and practicing). Be a uniter by evoking a shared identity. Appeal to values. Tell the truth, and turn your words into deeds. End a speech by giving/bringing hope.

[John Jaramillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of easy and actionable tips for speakers and writers of all levels, Say It Well: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind, Inspire Any Audience is a smooth read. Terry Szuplat provides a wonderful behind-the-scenes look into his career and the Obama White House, including fascinating stories about President Obama and his approach to various facets of a speech. He weaves in excellent stories from incredible people who faced challenges and fears to make an impact, along with research-based tactics. A must-read for experienced speakers and newbies alike!

[Amalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

--A practical primer for preparing, writing, and giving remarks before an audience.
--It can serve as a useful reference book for a college grad or anyone who may have to give a wedding toast or a eulogy or introduce a candidate or request $ for a cause or propose a new project to one's boss. I'm thinking about giving it as a birthday, graduation, Christmas, and Hanukkah present.
--The author gives lots of real-life, practical examples. Also, some useful online resources.
--I especially liked the author's major tip to write out one's remarks like a movie/tv script and then write it as if it was a song (helps with sound, cadence, etc).

[Linda Domingo · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who writes speeches but fears the actual act of giving one, I related to the author and found a lot of value in this book. Of course there was a lot of reinforcement of things I already knew, but I appreciated the anecdotes the author shared from working with President Obama as well as the excellent examples of speeches sprinkled throughout the book, for which I took breaks to look up on YouTube. This book also made me feel nostalgia for the Obama era, and a time when we had a leader who cared deeply about people other than himself, and cared deeply about telling the truth. But those are thoughts for another time.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Say It Well: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind, Inspire Any Audience is a fascinating look into both Obama's connection with audiences and the art of communication. There are actionable tips throught the book to improve writing and public speaking, making it a text to return to again and again.

[Nadja Bri · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5.0
Great book about the art of telling stories! Highly recommend to buy it as a physical book as you may want to go back to the different elements when preparing an important speech or presentation.

The book is packed with examples on speeches delivered - the ones I loved the most where those provided by non-professionals, non-politicians but people with a handicap, from minority groups and people like you and me!

While the book got me hooked in the beginning, I found it less insightful/limited new insights in the 2nd half.

[Ivy Digest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Politics aside, Terry is a clear writer who knows how to command an audience to bring his point across with humor and charisma. Terry breaks down the essential skills needed to be a great public speaker and gives specific examples from his work. Very useful for any communicator, leader, or advocate. As a writer, I found his speech writing tips effective and applicable to my work. Well-written and very helpful.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is outstanding! I finished reading it two weeks ago, and I can't wait to read it again. Not only is it packed full of easy to follow and understand lessons, but it's a joy to read! I can't recommend this book enough. As someone who's actively studying and practicing public speaking, Say It Well has become my new best friend!

[FanZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, penned by a former presidential speechwriter for Obama, is a must-read for anyone looking to enhance their communication skills. It is clear, concise, and eloquently written. I recommended it to my DS, hoping he will be inclined to give it the serious attention it deserves. I plan to read it again—it's that impactful.

[Noise · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing book, loved it.

Will I ever be a speechwriter? Hell naw
Will I ever give a speech? Low chance but maybe

But it had a lot of lessons, and it was such an amazing and easy read. If there’s one thing to take away is: prepare prepare and prepare. If you’re prepare well enough, nothing can bring you down

[Alyssa Goodine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise and useful guide—not just for formal presentations or speeches, but for improving everyday communication skills.
No matter your field, whether you're preparing to give a speech or simply want to become a better communicator at work, school, or in your personal life, this book is well worth the read.

[CC Phillips · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were some memorable key takeaways, but it was much more speech focused than improving overall communication skills, which is what I had hoped for. If I need to write/ deliver an important speech in the future, I may consult it.

- Tell the story only you can tell (cannot be done with AI)
- Research, write, practice approach (all great speeches take work in each phase)

[Julien Mignault · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dans Say It Well, Terry Szuplat réussit à trouver une excellente balance entre anecdotes de son passage au cabinet Obama et conseils pédagogiques clairs. Plusieurs leçons sont vraiment marquantes et utiles pour quiconque veut améliorer sa présence et sa performance devant public. Un livre accessible, inspirant et concret. Une très bonne lecture.

4⭐️

[बिबास · Rating 4 out of 5]

Say It Well राम्रो पुस्तक थियो। मलाई लाग्छ, यो पुस्तकले भाषणको संरचना राम्रोसँग सिकाउँछ, तर बोल्ने शैलीबारे धेरै सिकाउँदैन।
लेखक अमेरिकाका पूर्व राष्ट्रपति बाराक ओबामाका भाषण लेखक हुन्, र उनले ओबामाका धेरै उदाहरणहरू दिएका छन्।
तर कसरी बोल्ने, सास कसरी प्रयोग गर्ने भन्ने कुरा भने राम्रोसँग सिकाउँदैन।

समग्रमा, राम्रो पुस्तक थियो अनि म खुशी छु मैले यो पुस्तक पढें।

[Erika Trapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

After attending one of Terry’s book discussions in Virginia, I knew this was going to be an amazing read. It’s easy to follow, relatable, and incredibly engaging. I credit my success at a speech I recently gave to Terry and this book, I did not expect the standing ovation that I received. I used his lessons learned when drafting and also when cutting/editing. A must read for all writers!

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me quite a while to finish, dipping in and out, but this was an insightful book about crafting a great speech. It was filled with great examples, and I really enjoyed the insight into Obama’s process - I probably took it for granted at the time / assumed all presidents were like that, but he was undoubtedly a fantastic orator.