VICTORIA WELLMAN is the co-founder and president of The Oratory Laboratory, a boutique creative agency for public speakers based in Manhattan and servicing the world. She has crafted speeches for influencers, politicians, entrepreneurs, Olympians, NFL stars, astronauts, rap stars, artists, and activists, and has garnered media attention that includes appearances on the Today show, Martha Stewart, CNN, NPR, NBC, ABC, and CBS News. A professionally trained actress, Wellman lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Speechwriting is difficult. Finding the right ideas, forming the right structure, choosing the right words - all of it is difficult. And sometimes absurd. What a joy to see Victoria Wellman deftly demystify the process behind a good speech while bringing to life all the delightful absurdity intrinsic to our craft. --Cody Keenan, former chief speechwriter to President Obama and author of Grace Before You Say Anything is, first and foremost, an extremely useful book for those faced with the challenge of public speaking, but it holds enormous pleasures--in its brisk, no-nonsense style and parade of hilarious, brilliantly told anecdotes, and subtle but powerful profundities--even for those who lack speech-making opportunities. --Gideon Lewis-Kraus, author of A Sense of Direction When it comes to public speaking, old habits die hard--and on stage. Victoria's vast experience in guiding people away from the tired and cliched to the very heart of communication that connects makes this book stand apart. Her creative process will elevate your speaking game and inspire you to continuous improvement. --Travis Bradberry, Chief People Scientist at LEADx and New York Times bestselling author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 With her delicious wit and inimitable storytelling skills, it makes perfect sense that Victoria turned her formidable talent to speechwriting. For more than a decade, she's applied her know-how to help everyone from seasoned pros to first-timers deliver the kind of speeches audiences talk about for years. Thank goodness she's finally sharing her tricks of the trade in this wonderful book. --Clarissa Ward, CNN Chief International Correspondent and author of On All Fronts