I just make mine up on the spot. Does no one else do this?
It depends. There are some advantages to winging it: true spontaneity, an ability to have a more interactive presentation that is tuned to the rhythm and responses to the audience.
The oft-materialised risk is that it turns into a rambling incoherent mess.
In front of an unknown audience, the risk is too large, because if they don't feed you the right response, you are dead in the water. At least with a prepared talk you have something to fall back to.
If you know your audience, or if you are determined to engage it whatever it takes (school talks come into this category), a certain amount of off-the-cuffness works well, provided you are confident you know what you are talking about.
It depends on the quality of speech you need and your audience. Usually, I don't, but that's because of the standards I set for myself. :) (Then again, I haven't done a major speech in a while)
It depends. There are some advantages to winging it: true spontaneity, an ability to have a more interactive presentation that is tuned to the rhythm and responses to the audience.
The oft-materialised risk is that it turns into a rambling incoherent mess.
In front of an unknown audience, the risk is too large, because if they don't feed you the right response, you are dead in the water. At least with a prepared talk you have something to fall back to.
If you know your audience, or if you are determined to engage it whatever it takes (school talks come into this category), a certain amount of off-the-cuffness works well, provided you are confident you know what you are talking about.