If you're not used to writing, how do you sit down and turn an empty, blank piece of paper into a college graduation speech? Is this something all speechwriters struggle with? Well, it may surprise you, but simply by learning some effective ways to write a college graduation speech, you'll suddenly realize how easy it can be to fill up that blank space with an effective, ready-to-give speech that will get the job done. But how do you get started?

Simple: use an outline so that you always know where you are. The basic structure of an outline - introduction, body, conclusion - should help you focus not only filling up that entire blank piece of paper, but simply on an individual segment of the speech. And when you understand that this formula is one of the simplest ways to view the college graduation speech, you will probably find it easier to find good ideas for every stage of the speech.

But let's talk about what an outline can really do for you. Think about an outline as your total work of art, the summary of your college graduation. If that's the total work of art, each individual section in your speech - from the introduction to conclusion - is like an individual song on the album. Each song should be separate, but if you want to tie the overall work together, they should share a common theme.

So concentrate on the big-picture stuff first, and when you're settled on a theme, you'll want to use your introduction and conclusion effectively. Namely, you'll want both the introduction and conclusion of your speech to touch on your theme, to put a wrapping on your speech. The body of your speech will be used to expound on your theme, developing it to the maximum extent possible within the time constraints you're under.

Once you have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion for your speech, you'll find that the outline is complete: even if you haven't fully typed out every single word you want to say. With this outline in hand, you can even begin practicing the speech's delivery itself, which can help you get a feel for the tempo and tone you'll want to strike; this can even help you complete the writing of the speech. You can also wait until the speech is finished and use the practiced delivery to get a sense for any kinks and revisions you'll want. In the end, your delivery practice should help you feel comfortable with standing up in front of everyone at your college graduation and delivering with poise.