Ancient orators used memory palaces to give long speeches without notes: one point at each place.
- Write the speech, then reduce it to its key points.
- Put one point at each stop of a journey, as a vivid picture.
- Learn the first and last lines word for word, for a strong start and finish.
- Practice aloud, walking the route; let the wording in between change a little.
Key idea
Order comes from the route; the words come from understanding.
Worked example: Worked example
A talk has 6 points. How many stops do you need?
- One point per stop.
Answer: 6 stops (plus the opening and closing, if you like).
To practice exact wording, the Gettysburg Address (1863) is short and public: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."