Around the Word: Speechwriting Edition

This spring, everything seems to be coming up oratory.

First off, the moment you speech geeks have been waiting for: the winners of the 2011 Cicero Speechwriting Awards have been announced. According to Vital Speeches of the Day’s David Murray, the competition was the fiercest in the history of the contest. Celebrate a year in rhetoric—and get inspired yourself—by checking out the winning addresses here.

To hear some classic speechifying as it was meant to be heard, tune into Say It Plain/Say It Loud, the new two-part American Radio Works documentary tracing “A Century of Great African American Speeches.” Later this week, Murray will be discussing the speeches—some of the most influential in American history—on VSOTD.

Meanwhile, Gotham friend and speechwriter Colin Moorehouse advises Ragan.com readers on the fine art of streamlining the daily speechwriting grind with technology. His tips range from the basic (encourage clients giving written feedback to use Word’s “Track Changes” feature) to the more advanced (using dictation software to work out a first draft). Moved by Moorehouse, we want to know: what speedy speechwriting secrets have you got up your electronic sleeve?

And what to do with all your newly-revamped speechwriting energy? Apply for speechwriting jobs, of course. Because while much of the media hiring landscape remains, well, less than robust, we’ve noticed an influx of speechwriting gigs in recent weeks: in the past week alone, five senior-level posts have come to our attention. The Clinton Foundation is looking for a senior speechwriter, while McGraw-Hill is on the hunt for a director of public affairs/speechwriter hybrid. The International Bottled Water Association is hiring a VP of Communications, ADP is searching for a new Senior Director of Communications—another “speechwriting plus” type post—and, for the globe-trotters among us, Novartis International wants a Switzerland-based Head of Executive Communications. For more information on any of these positions, drop us a line at info@gothamghostwriters.com (h/t Dana Rubin, David Murray, and Washington Speechwriters Roundtable).