There are many reasons why even the most accomplished writers find writing funeral speeches difficult. For one, it is not everyday that a writer is given the responsibility to write a funeral speech. So there is no previous experience to draw upon. Neither is there any kind of "industry standard" that helps define what is a good or bad funeral speech. When the occasion arises, the writer has only one choice - write it as best as he or she possibly can.
Unlike other types of writing assignments, this is a task that cannot be outsourced. It seems that everything can be outsourced these days, and you may be tempted to get someone with years of writing experience to write your funeral speech for you. Alas, even the best writers cannot give you the funeral speech that you are looking for. Why? Simply because outsiders do not have the knowledge that you have. And knowledge here does not mean vocabulary, grammar or anything to do with writing skills. Knowledge here means knowing intimate details about the deceased.
If you are asked to write a funeral speech, it's usually because everyone believes you are one of the closest to the deceased. That makes you the ideal person to write the funeral speech. So if you are tempted by thoughts of outsourcing your writing, you can throw them out of the window. The quicker you accept the fact that you cannot possibly run away from this special assignment, the quicker you will see progress. After all, you are the chosen one.
The good news is, when you really sit down to think about how to write a great funeral speech, you probably realized that it's really not that hard. You already know intimate details about the background of the deceased. So know that you already have a wealth of information to draw upon. All you have to do is to recall as many of such memories as possible. Think about some common experiences. Think about the life of the deceased. What are his or her hopes and dreams? In the temporary life on this earth, what are some of his or her achievements?
When you ask these questions, let your thoughts flow. Don't fight any of those thoughts. Write them down as they come. You can always go back to choose the ones that you want to expand on. Also, notice that some of these questions may invoke emotional responses. So try to do your brain storming in private so that you have the personal space to let your emotions flow freely. As your emotions take an active participation in your writing, it will most certainly show through when the speech is delivered. This is the stuff that makes your funeral speech great. Not grammar, not spelling, not pronunciation, and certainly not bombastic words.
Adopt a natural, easy going style in your funeral speeches so that when it comes to delivering the speech, there won't be any awkward pauses. If the content is well aligned with your own feelings, you won't have any problems delivering the speech. This is what a great funeral speech comprises of - stuff from the heart and soul.
Margaret Marquisi is a retired novelist and full time grandmother. To learn how to write a great funeral speech, download sample funeral speeches for reference.
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