Quora Answer: How Do I become a Better Public Speaker & Speak with Greater Passion?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “How do I become a better public speaker, and speak with greater passion?” 

Being a better speaker requires practise, and some form of mastery of the art of rhetoric.  It is not enough to speak often.  Air time is only part of the consideration.  This means understanding the rules of rhetoric, the use of rhetorical devices, and knowledge of the concepts of logos, pathos, ethos and kairos.  This is where a programme such a Toastmasters comes in.  Going into some detail on these elements would be a series of essays. 

As for putting passion into your speeches, it starts with the subject matter.  You must be passionate about it enough for it to matter to you whether people subscribe to your view or are moved by it.  Then, you need to consider the argument and the contentions, and put forth a cogent, coherent speech expounding on the subject matter in a concise manner, which the audience can subscribe to.  For it to have further impact, you need to inject a personal story to demonstrate to the audience that you have a stake in the outcome.  All this takes tremendous practise and mentorship.