This is an unprecedented time around the world—from the impacts of the COVID19 pandemic, to climate change, to the election cycle in the United States and the Black Lives Matter movement spanning across continents. There is no better or more crucial time to use our voices to speak out about issues that matter to us—to start making the change we wish to see in our local and global communities.
This October, we welcome you to do just that: to speak out on what matters through the art of oratory (a.k.a. public speaking!). To find out more about the genre of speechwriting, we spoke with our esteemed Guest Judge, Sarah Hurwitz. From 2009 to 2017, Ms. Hurwitz served as a White House speechwriter; first as a senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama and then as head speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama. Read on to discover how Ms. Hurwitz began her career in speechwriting, and what insights she has for penning a speech that engages, informs, and inspires.
Throughout your career, you have written inspiring speeches for equally inspiring leaders, including former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, and President Barack Obama. How did you get started in the field of speech writing? When (and why) did you know that speech writing was for you?
I got my start in the summer of 1998 as a college intern in Vice President Al Gore’s speechwriting office in the White House. The speechwriters I worked for spent all day finding the right words to inspire, inform, reassure, and empower the American people. I couldn’t imagine a more meaningful career for myself, and after I graduated, one of Gore’s speechwriters helped me get my first job—as an assistant to a speechwriter in state government. That job led to a job as a speechwriter for a United States Senator, and then on several losing presidential campaigns, and then finally on a winning presidential campaign (Obama 2008) which led to the White House.
What advice do you have for young writers interested in performing or delivering their work through the art of oratory (public speaking)?
First, make sure whatever you’ve written is truly in your own voice. If it feels awkward or stilted coming out of your mouth, edit it until it feels natural. Second, words that are meant to be spoken should be edited that way: You should read your speech out loud to hear how it sounds and edit it as you go. You may have to stop a bunch of times during the first run-through as you note the edits you want to make. But as your draft gets closer to final, you’ll have fewer edits. Finally, practice, practice, practice. The more familiar you are with the speech, the more comfortable you’ll be delivering it.
Throughout history, acclaimed speeches have typically been delivered (and presumably written) by men. What are your favorite speeches written and/or delivered by women? In what ways has speech writing become more equitable, and what do you hope the field will look like in 10, 20, 50 years?
There are so many, it’s hard to choose just a few favorites! In recent years, I’ve been particularly impressed with speeches given by young women. I think Malala Yousafzai’s speeches are extraordinary, as are those given by climate activist Greta Thunberg and many of the young women—like Emma González and Naomi Wadler—who’ve been speaking out for gun reform as part of the March for Our Lives movement. As for the speechwriting profession, in just the course of my own career I’ve seen more and more women becoming speechwriters, and I hope this trend will continue.
What are you looking for in a winning entry? What advice do you have for writers new to this genre?
I’m looking for writing that shows, rather than tells (i.e. paints vivid, memorable pictures—images that stay with the reader/listener—rather than simply listing a bunch of adjectives). I also love writing that’s distinctive and authentic. If a speech could be given by just about anyone, then it’s too generic. A good speech is finely tailored to the speaker, expressing their own unique point of view in their own unique voice. As for advice to writers, I would recommend reading as many excellent speeches as you can, and if there’s any way to get speechwriting experience, take it. Maybe you can write a speech for your school principal or college dean or for a local elected official or other leader in your community. The more speechwriting samples you have to send to potential employers, the better.
After you left the White House, you wrote a book about Judaism entitled, Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to LIfe – in Judaism (After Finally Choosing to Look There). I’m guessing that’s not what many of your White House colleagues thought you would do—what prompted that swerve in your career?
Growing up, Judaism for me was two dull synagogue services at the major holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and a dull seder at Passover, and once I had my bat mitzvah, I pretty much disengaged. 25 years later at the age of 36 I went through a painful breakup. Soon afterward I happened to hear about an intro to Judaism class at the local Jewish Community Center. I signed up to distract myself and fill my time, but what I found in that class took my breath away. Judaism had so much wisdom to offer about how to be a good person, how to lead a meaningful life, and how to cope with anxiety and hardship. I discovered the power of Jewish ethics and the deeper meanings of Jewish holidays and lifecycle rituals, and I found Jewish conceptions of God that were far more sophisticated and plausible than a man in the sky who controls everything. After a few years of learning I decided that I wanted to share what I’d learned with others—not just Jews interested in unearthing the most inspiring, transformational aspects of their tradition, but people of all faith backgrounds and none at all seeking greater meaning and connection in their lives.
In honor of the 60th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s historic New Frontier speech, this competition is brought to you in partnership with JFK Library. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is dedicated to the memory of John F. Kennedy and to all those who through the art of politics seek a new and better world.
