Many people who are asked to speak at a funeral wish they knew how to write a eulogy or funeral speech. The idea of how to write a eulogy isn’t intimidating at all, for it’s nothing more than a presentation honoring the dearly or not so dearly departed. Here are my tips on how to write a eulogy or funeral speech. Writing and presenting from the heart is the most important basis for any public discourse honoring the dead . Don’t agree to eulogize someone you didn’t like, love and/or respect when they were alive, even if that means having to turn down the departed’s family.
How to Write a Eulogy (Funeral Speech) Tip Number One: Opening Remarks
Funerals or memorial services are already very emotional to begin with, even if the organizers want them as upbeat as possible so as to celebrate the departed’s life. Open the eulogy with a few words about what the departed person was in their lifetime, such as father, mother, son, daughter, worker in whatever career. It’s also important to state right off the bat why you are eulogizing this person, so people will get an idea of the speaker’s motive and relationship early on during the funeral speech.
How to Write a Eulogy (Funeral Speech) Tip Number Two: Anecdotes
Funerals and memorial services are basically for the living, not the dead. People come to pay their respects and to hear the good things about a person’s life. Well, think of 3-5 funny, poignant, and/or charitable as well as impacting things the departed person did that made a difference in the world for other people besides yourself. Add one or two examples about what that person meant to you, discussing how your life was touched specifically.
How to Write a Eulogy (Funeral Speech) Tip Number Three: Succinct Closing Remarks
Close your eulogy by reaffirming the person’s life on earth. Eulogies don’t need to be dry laundry list summaries of a person’s life like most obituaries are that I’ve read. Make your eulogy something memorable that leaves a positive feeling for family and friends of the departed in this difficult time.
How to Write a Eulogy (Funeral Speech) Tip Number Four: Practice in Advance
Don’t ramble on, for a 20 minute eulogy is a good time frame to shoot for because an audience can start losing its attention span after that time frame. Practicing the eulogy in advance by reading it out loud as well as timing it to make sure you aren’t going well over or under 20 minutes.
