Changing The Music
As writers -- fiction or otherwise -- we tend to fall in love with our words. Then we hate them. And then we love them again. That's when we want to reach for a pistol or at least a good editor.

For speechwriters, the issue becomes really problematic. Even though we know better we too often fall for our exquisite turns of phrase, for words we know are about to leap off the page - proof positive of our verbal eloquence and elegance.

But our job is to write for the ear, and to listen for the rhythm and the music. So now a seed of doubt is sown. Do all those wonderful words add up to anything close to a musical score?

And what if you are writing classical music and your speaker is a country and western sort of guy? You want Beethoven's Fifth and he wants "She Stomped On My Heart But It Keeps on Beating Just For Her".

So when you think of your speaker's voice - it is not just a matter of the words you choose but the notes you don't. And ask yourself if your client is a classical, jazz or country and western or rhythm and blues sort of speaker. And if the rhythm of your wonderful words doesn't match his/her personality you must change the music no matter how much the new score might set your teeth on edge. He has to conduct after all, not you.

And what to do if your guy is tone deaf with no sense of rhythm at all? Reach for the pistol.
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