With regard to public speaking, Professor William G. Hoffman writes in the book How to Make Better Speeches: “The better speakers do their real thinking off their feet​—in the home, in the office, on the sidewalks—​anywhere but on the platform. They know that good talks grow out of contemplation, reflection and plan.”

This advance thinking should not spread out in all directions at once, but should follow a definite pattern. Professor Hoffman continues: “Good talks don’t spread out. They dig down. They try to answer the question, ‘For instance?’ They don’t take up a point only to drop it at once and go to something else.”

How can you gather such specific information? Many successful speakers and writers suggest sorting out facts under six headings that were described by English writer Rudyard Kipling as follows:

“I keep six honest serving-men

(They taught me all I knew);

Their names are What and Why and

When

And How and Where and Who.”

These six questions lead to facts. If you develop these aspects separately in advance (as far as this is possible), your presentation will display orderliness and clarity.

Has anyone ever interrupted you, pleading: “Would you please get to the point”? This touches upon another important aspect of clear expression, namely, knowing exactly what point you want to put across when you speak. Some have found it helpful in preparing a speech or other type of public presentation to write out the main point in one sentence. Then they divide the material into sections and place a one-sentence summary of each section at its beginning. This reminds the speaker of what he especially wants to put across.

Think of a worthwhile subject. Then draw six columns on a sheet of paper, heading them with the aforementioned fact-finding words (who, what, why, when, where and how). Take one aspect and jot down what you can find out about it. Fill in details in as many columns as you find to be practical. Do the same with another aspect, and so forth. The result will be an orderly arrangement of facts.

The next thing is to determine how to use this information. It will help to take another sheet of paper and write out (in one sentence, if possible) the main idea that you want to impress on your listeners. Then briefly note the type of audience you will address and what action you want them to take. Another space can be set aside for examples or illustrations.

Having these things down on paper will help you to develop an outline of what you want to say. After practicing in this way for a while, you will find that you are able to carry out much of this process in your mind alone. Clear thinking and clear expression will then become a part of you.