Speech writers gain ideas from and establish speakers' credibility with quotations. But you must take care in choosing and using others' words.

"I like quotations because I'm not very smart," says Richard Dowis, author of The Lost Art of the Great Speech. He adds, "That's only partly facetious."

Quotations allow you to tap a wealth of wisdom and ideas that have survived the test of time, or caught your attention amid information overload. They also give credibility to the speaker's points.

When you begin work on a speech, just looking up quotations related to your theme can generate ideas. Almost everything has evolved from something else, Dowis points out, and what someone has said often sparks a new way of addressing the same or a related point. So even if you never quote or even paraphrase wise sayings, they may help you write your speech.

The hardest part to write is the opening, which is also the most important part. Dowis often searches for a quotation for the opening-or for an inspiration for the opening.

Potential openers often end up in another part of the speech. He may search for a quotation to drive home a particular thought at any point in his writing or rewriting.

Dowis searches for wisdom in book and CD-ROM collections. He can look up themes, such as leadership, and keywords, such as leadership and business. Some well-known quotations appear in many collections, and writers may want to avoid the overused ones. On the other hand, sometimes you can put a new twist on an old saying or evoke a desired response with familiar words.

Writers have an unlimited choice of sources, including their own clip files, but among his richest sources have been the Bible, Shakespeare and the comic strips, particularly Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes. The best sources vary because in each case they depend on what fits the speech and the audience.

The person you are quoting should be known to-and, usually, respected by-the audience. If the name isn't instantly recognizable, you need to identify the person-CEO of a Fortune 500 company, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, perennial presidential candidate, etc.

Direct quotes increase your credibility because the audience sees you aren't adding to or taking from them, but not all work well. For example, George Washington's inaugural address was a great speech, but the stilted language is hard for listeners to understand. Some quotes run long or become tedious. A common solution is to paraphrase all but the critical core, or even the whole thing.

Whatever you do, give credit to the source and be clear about what is a direct quote. Dowis disdains such lead-ins as "I believe it was Winston Churchill who said." The writer should know who said it. He also discourages use of "quote ... end quote."

Speakers can indicate direct quotes by pausing before and after, picking up the speech to read the quote or putting on and taking off glasses.

Don't use quotations to replace your own lack of thought or to compensate for careless writing. One of the most common mistakes is to use a quotation that doesn't quite fit. You must make the connection between the quotation and your point for listeners even more clearly than for readers.

"The quotation should not be a crutch," Dowis says. "It should help you make or strengthen a point, add some drama, establish the speaker's authority."

WRITING THAT WORKS interviewed Richard Dowis, public relations consultant and author, P.O. Box 118, Waleska, GA 30183; 770/479-2350; spellorg@mindspring.com. He is the author of The Lost Art of Great Speeches. (See the review.)

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Where to look for quotations

As you read and listen, jot down striking quotations for your speech file, suggests Richard Dowis.

Build a collection of sources. His favorites include: