Doing what I love, writing, and getting paid for it, is my favorite side-hustle idea.
Unfortunate for me, in my part of the world, where I live, writing, the “delicate balance of imagination, clear thinking, and disciplined craft (source),” is not fully appreciated.
The decorum associated with an official speech, for example, particularly its content and delivery rules, have been down graded in my part of the world.
To the extent that what passes for the official speech, these days, is outstandingly appalling. Complete with unverified material and clear falsehoods; poor choice of words; and illogical flow of ideas.
It appears as though duty bearers in my part of the world have insufficient appreciation of the power of an official speech – its content and its delivery, in particular.
Few of them, actually, appreciate their need to have on their payroll a good versatile writer, who can write and tailor an official speech for each occasion.
Even official letters, by the way, are powerful instruments that many duty bearers in my part of the world have insufficient appreciation of the need to contract a versatile and innovative writer or writers to write for them.
Official institutional reports are also powerful instruments for which many duty bearers in my part of the world are squandering the opportunity to use. And, yes, simply because they don’t appreciate the necessity to contract a writer(s).
Just now, case in point, I have tested the assertions I am making herein. I Google searched, “Who was the speechwriter for President Obama?” The answer:
“President Barack Obama had multiple speechwriters, but his primary and longest-serving chief White House Director of Speechwriting was Jon Favreau, who served from 2009 to 2013. Other notable speechwriters for POTUS Obama, reportedly, included: Gody Keenan, Jon Lovett, and Sarah Hurwitz”.
Then I did similar searches, replacing President Obama, with presidents of other nations, more so nations in African. The answer for some read:
“The President’s speeches are primarily self-drafted or developed directly in consultation with the press unit, rather than attributed to a publicly designated individual speechwriter.”
The difference between an official presidential speech written by a versatile speechwriter; and the one self-drafted by the president is like night and day.
Not necessarily that the president or any other duty bearer is incompetent to do so. The president has a lot on his plate to have the time to do extensive research that is needed to write a good official speech.
And then to tailor research findings into a powerful speech, in which each word is carefully chosen. A president and any other duty bearer simply does not have the time to do it.
It makes sense for persons in high offices to contract a speechwriter or multiple speechwriters. I cannot overstate the power of speeches as part of the body of work that is one’s legacy.
By the way, good writers, such as I, do not necessarily crave public recognition for our work. We are happy to stay in the background, doing our craft and getting paid for it.
If my client chooses to publicly recognize me and my contributions, I am happy, of course, but that is not what drives me.
So, please, make my day, contract me to be your writer.
I promise you, I will deliver!
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