HOW TO START WRITING A PRESENTATION

Writing a presentation can be a most effective use of your presentation planning time.

So, when you need to give a presentation you might ask yourself the question, “Where do I start?”

Should you reach for the PowerPoint application on your desktop? Or, should you write notes for yourself? That’s two options. But which one do you choose? We recommend that writing your presentation is time well-spent, since there are 5 good reasons to do so.

Writing A Presentation Helps You Meet Your Presenting Goals

Writing A Presentation To Achieve Your Goals

Getting your thoughts down on paper or on screen can be very productive. That’s because writing your presentation makes sure that you:

1

Build a good introduction and a good conclusion. Since, writing a presentation yourself is the best way to hone a perfect beginning and end to your presentation. Therefore, you have the chance to work with the right words, test their meaning and other possibilities.

2

Stick to your main points. Because when you write your presentation you stand a better chance of keeping to the right message. There’s less likelihood of you deviating from the points or chasing dead ends of narrative. It does happen.

3

Keep sentences short. When you write a presentation, particularly with a word processing package, you can clearly see your sentence length. So, keep the sentences short…8 to 12 words per sentence should be a maximum for the spoken word. That’s because short words and short sentences are best.

Write Your Presentation And Edit As You Go

4

Edit your material. You have to be prepared to edit your presentation. That’s because the flow will never be right first time. So, some of your examples will need tailoring and some points will need refining. Therefore, when you write a  presentation you can edit your material quickly and easily.

5

Rehearse against your time budget. Writing a presentation is the simplest way to guarantee that you rehearse. This is because you use the same material each time you rehearse. Therefore, if you edit your material you can make the changes accurately for each subsequent rehearsal. It’s so easily done with a written script.

A PresentPerfect^TM presentation skills training course will give you more practical insights into writing a presentation. Alternatively, why not sign up to receive a regular flow of presentation tips in your email.

“To write simply is as difficult as to be good.”

W.Somerset Maughan