Whether it’s at a formal funeral service, a celebration of life service after cremation or online for a virtual remembrance, writing a eulogy is never easy. It’s an emotional experience that can feel high pressure in the moment. But ultimately, there’s no wrong way to write a eulogy speech.
As long as you speak from the heart and follow the advice below you’ll write a meaningful eulogy speech that your loved one would have appreciated.
Decide on the Type of Eulogy Speech You Want to Give
Do you want to celebrate the accomplishments of your loved one? Would you prefer to share a great story about the deceased? Or maybe you want to focus on the type of person they were and the difference they made in people’s lives?
Having an idea of the type of eulogy speech you want to give is very beneficial in the writing process. When there are so many things you could say to remember your loved one, keeping the type of speech you want to give in mind will help keep you focused while you write.
Not sure what type of eulogy speech you want to give? Then focus on how you want the audience to feel and what you want them to take away from it. That should provide direction for writing a certain type of eulogy.
Aim for a 5-Minute Eulogy Speech
With speeches, it’s usually best to keep things short, and eulogies are no exception. Speeches that are around five minutes long give you time to express your feelings and what the deceased meant to you, without going so long that you lose the audience’s attention.
The Speaker Lab has clocked a 5-minute speech at 625-750 words. Exactly how much writing translates into roughly five minutes varies depending on how fast a person talks. The content of the speech also matters. Speeches that are more story driven, like a eulogy, tends to be spoken slower and is on the lower end of the word count.
Create a Eulogy Speech Outline
It can help to first write out a brief outline of what you want to say. This not only helps you write the actual words that will be spoken but to also pace the speech. A eulogy outline may look a little something like this:
- Short introduction of yourself and connection to the deceased.
- One minute of talking about who the deceased was.
- Couple minutes recounting stories or experiences that exemplify who they were.
- One minute closing with final thoughts that provide comfort.
For some people, an outline is all they need to give a eulogy speech. This is often the case if a person plans to tell a story about the deceased that they know well.
Write What You Genuinely Feel
Once you have an outline the logistical part is done. When it comes time to write the actual speech, try to say what you genuinely feel. It’s an opportunity to express your true feelings in a completely honest way. No one listening is there to judge the speech, but speaking from the heart can help you connect with others who are feeling a similar loss.
As you write you should keep the audience in mind and assure that the speech is appropriate.
Practice Giving the Speech to Someone You Trust
A speech is a unique piece of writing in that it’s meant to be spoken and heard, not read. How something is written may not come across in the same way when it is said.
For that reason, you may want to practice giving the speech in front of someone you trust will provide honest feedback. This gives you an opportunity to see how long the speech will take and if it’s hitting the right tone.
At Direct Cremate we handle everything that’s needed for direct cremation so that you can focus on the more intimate details like writing a heartfelt eulogy for your loved one. If you need help arranging cremation services, give us a call or text any time of day.
