Joan Detz Speaker Services

It’s always a pleasure to hear from folks who have attended my speechwriting seminars.  I started my seminars back in 1992, so there’s a long list of talented alums.  I’m always happy to share their success stories on my blog.

I just received an email from someone who attended one of my speechwriting seminars many years ago.  Since then, Beth Pedison Gibson has worked in the White House, as well as in the US Patent & Trade Office.  Now she’s a freelance writer, scheduled to speak at a women’s conference in Richmond, Virginia, this spring:

“Greetings from SNOWY Virginia!  I’m speaking at the Southern Women’s Conference in Richmond in April about transitioning from a career in Washington, DC, to life as a stay-at-home mom.   The forum is calling it, ‘From the White House to My House’.”   

What a great title for a presentation, Beth!  Let us know how everything goes. 

From February 7 through February 13:

 1881      First US patent for halftone printing process (which enabled the reproduction of photographs in newspapers and magazines)

1885     Birthday of American novelist Sinclair Lewis:  “People will buy anything that’s one to a customer.”

1894     Birthday of English statesman Harold Macmillan:  “Diplomacy is forever poised between a cliche and an indiscretion.”

1898     Patent for a machine to make envelopes that both folded and sealed the edges - dramatically reducing the cost of manufacturing envelopes.

1898    Birthday of German poet and playwright Bertolt Brecht:  “Grub first, then ethics.”

1914     Founding of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) … to make sure both songwriters and publishers received compensation for public performances of their music.

1918     First publication of “Stars and Stripes” (a newspaper for US armed forces), in Paris.

1924     First coast-to-coast transmission of radio in the US. 

February 1 - 6:  

1693     The College of William and Mary was chartered in Williamsburg, VA.  Years later, W&M became the founding home of Phi Beta Kappa.  [On a personal note:  W&M gave me a fellowship to pursue my Masters degree in English.  I remain forever grateful for the education I received in the English Department at W&M.  Professors John Conlee and Scott Donaldson, if you’re reading this:  thank you!]

1821     Birthday of Elizabeth Blackwell.  Born in England, Dr. Blackwell came to the US and graduated as the first female doctor - later founding New York Infirmary (whose entire staff was female) and also founding the first women’s medical college.

1840     The first dental college in the US was incorporated:  the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery

1859     Birthday of English physician Havelock Ellis:  “A man must not swallow more beliefs than he can digest.”

1901     The Army Nurse Corps was organized as a branch of the US Army.

1936     The National Wildlife Association held its first meeting.

1941     The United Service Organizations (USO) was established, providing entertainment and off-duty relaxation for those serving in the armed forces.

I recently received a note from a writer who attended my 2009 “Business of Six-Figure Speechwriting” seminar in Philadelphia.  Previously, he had worked on staff with a large energy company.  Now (after corporate downsizing), he’s freelancing. 

To gain attention for his new freelance speechwriting business, he’s looking for ways to get his name out there.  He reports he’s making good progress:

“I’ve had a fourth letter to the editor published and, just this morning, an op-ed piece …” 

Bylines help build careers.  Smart speechwriters know:  bylines can become their most impressive professional credential.

Plan now to join “How to Break into Freelance Writing”, Saturday, October 9, Philadelphia.  Learn more at www.joandetz.com.

January 24 - January 30:

1815      Thomas Jefferson offered to donate his personal library to the Library of Congress (which had been destroyed by the British in the War of 1812) 

1830     From a debate in the US Senate, these words by Daniel Webster:  “Liberty and Union, now and for ever, one and inseparable.” 

1899     From a speech given by attorney-diplomat Edward Phelps:  “The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.”

1915      Transcontinental phone service began in the US

1955      From US legal scholar Judge Learned Hand:  “All discussion, all debate, all dissidence tends to question, and in consequence to upset convictions; that is precisely its purpose and its justification.” 

1959      Pope John XXIII called for an ecumenical council to promote unity in the world

1973      US ended its war in Vietnam

From January 17 - January 23:

1706    Benjamin Franklin:  “A word to the wise is enough, and many words won’t fill a bushel.”  [I hold most of my speechwriting seminars in Philadelphia, long-time home of this remarkable inventor, diplomat, leader of patriots … and author of Poor Richard’s Almanac.  I always encourage seminar attendees to visit Ben Franklin’s grave in Old City.  The words on his tombstone make quite an impression.]

1779     Peter Mark Roget.  Although this English physician  helped found the University of London, he’s best known for his dictionary of synonyms, Roger’s Thesaurus.  [Speechwriters, pay attention to this one!  The theme of “synonyms” should be able provide some creative hooks for you this week.]

1782     Daniel Webster

1807     Robert E. Lee

1824     Stonewall Jackson

1942     Mohammad Ali

The Savannah College of Art and Design is looking for a freelancer to write a short (500- to 750-word) speech for a museum groundbreaking next week.  

The speech would be needed by 1/18 or early 1/19 at the latest. 

Got a short speechwriting sample to show, preferably something you’ve written for a cultural event?  Contact: 

Harrison Key, Ph.D., Office of the President, hkey@scad.edu

Mobile http://www.facebook.com/l/58f73;912.713.0915

Office http://www.facebook.com/l/58f73;912.525.5260

… on a conference or convention, without making sure you have great speeches for that event?

That’s the question posed by an experienced corporate event planner, who recently wrote to me:

“You have established yourself as the go-to person for speechwriting — which I consider a critical skill that is shockingly overlooked. (I’m not just flattering here. It still stuns me that a corporation will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on an event and remain slipshod about content and the delivery of that content.)”

Event planners, please take note!

The manager of executive and employee communications is responsible for speech writing, internal and external, for the chief executive officer; supporting the company’s global employee communications efforts to ensure a continuing flow of communications around key business and company issues; managing employee communication tools; and providing writing and editorial support for a variety of staff group initiatives. 

Key Accountabilities§      Handle speeches, presentations, letters and other communications for chairman and chief executive officer§      Develop and manage short- and long-term strategic employee communications plans, tools and processes to increase awareness of and engagement around issues of importance among a global employee base§      Manage preparation and distribution of communication vehicles including company newsletter, quarterly update satellite broadcasts and other broad employee communications§      Provide in-house writing and editorial support for organization§      Provide crisis/emergent communications and media relations support, as needed

Knowledge & Experience§      4-year degree, minimum 6-8 years communications experience§      Superior writing, editing and oral communication skills§      Demonstrated speech writing experience for high-level executives§      Strong interpersonal and organizational savvy skills; ability to interact comfortably with a broad spectrum within the organization to gain consensus and manage sensitive situations and materials§      Experience developing and executing internal communication strategies and evaluating/measuring the effectiveness of internal communications §      Manufacturing environment and HR communications experience preferred

For details, contact Jocelyn Hecht, Bloom Gross Associates, jhecht@bloomgross.com, 312-654-4556.

Well, I just returned from coaching speakers at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and my mind is focused on “all things technical” … particularly, the relationship between technology and society. 

For the week of January 10 through January 16, consider:

1906     The first radio was advertised in Scientific American.  A selling point?  Receiving signals up to one mile away. 

1912      Birthday of Frank Westheimer, US chemist:  “A couple of months in the laboratory can frequently save a couple of hours in the library.”

1914     Henry Ford began the idea of having a continuous assembly line for cars.  

1935    Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Pacific.

1943    The Pentagon building was completed, becoming the world’s largest office building (with 17 miles of corridors). 

1949    The US Justice Department filed an anti-trust suit against AT&T.

1962    From a speech given by President John F. Kennedy:  “A child miseducated is a child lost.” 

1970    The Boeing 747 completed its first trans-Atlantic flight (from New York to London).

1978    NASA [finally] selected their first women astronauts … years after the USSR sent a woman astronaut to orbit the earth.