Impromptu Speaking: seven minutes, no warning

The event

You draw a topic, usually choosing one of three. Seven minutes then run continuously, covering both preparation and speaking; you decide the split. Some tournaments fix the split at two minutes of preparation and five of speaking. Ask. Most tournaments allow one notecard during prep and some allow you to use it while speaking.

Three structures that survive pressure

1. Thesis and three examples. State what the prompt means and whether you agree, then support it with three examples from history, current events, literature, and your own experience. The default structure; use it until you outgrow it.
2. Story, point, application. Tell a short story that illustrates the prompt, name the principle it shows, then apply the principle to a real problem. Best for quotations.
3. Two sides and a verdict. Explain the strongest reading of the prompt, then the strongest objection, then say which is right and why. Best for prompts that are actually contested.

How to use two minutes of prep

• 0:00 to 0:20. Decide what the prompt means in one sentence. Do not hunt for the clever interpretation; take the plain one.
• 0:20 to 1:20. Pick the structure and fill in the three slots with one word each on your card.
• 1:20 to 2:00. Write the first sentence of your introduction and the last sentence of your conclusion. Everything in between you will find as you speak.

An example bank

Impromptu speakers keep a mental bank of fifteen to twenty examples that can support many different themes: a historical turning point, a scientific discovery, a court case, an athlete's comeback, a novel, a local Charlotte story. Write your bank down and review it before a tournament. When a prompt comes, the examples are already there; you only choose.

Delivery under time pressure

• Speak slower than you want to. Nerves speed everyone up, and a slow speaker sounds thoughtful.
• Signpost aloud: "First... Second... Finally..." Judges are flowing you.
• Watch the time signals from the judge and start your conclusion at the one-minute signal, whatever point you are on.
• If you lose your place, restate your thesis. It buys five seconds and sounds intentional.

The daily drill

Once a day, draw a prompt from the prompt generator, set the timer to Impromptu, and speak. Five minutes total. Do it for three weeks and every other speech you give will get easier, because the fear of the blank has gone. Debaters should do this drill too; it is the single best preparation for rebuttals and crossfire.