Big mac Quote by David Litt
““This is the most common misconception about speechwriting. It came up especially often in the years before I started at the White House, when I wrote for CEOs. “You seem capable,” they would tell me, “but can you really find my voice?” “I think I can manage it,” I’d reply gravely. Left unsaid is that it would be easy, because when it comes to rhetorical styling, 99.9 percent of speeches sound the same. Martin Luther King had a voice. John F. Kennedy had a voice. With all due respect, you probably don’t. What you do have are thoughts. What you need, although you may not know it, is someone to organize them. A good writer can take your ten ideas and turn them into one coherent whole. Where you see two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions on a sesame seed bun, a speechwriter sees a Big Mac.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: White House speechwriting advice, 2000s
Effective speechwriting requires organizing ideas, not mimicking famous voices.
In simple terms: Good writing is about structure, not imitation.
Key Takeaway
Organize thoughts clearly.
Themes
communication
authenticity
writing
Mood
analytical
pragmatic
Type
instructional
practical
When to use this quote
- political speeches
- corporate presentations
- public speaking
Key Concepts
rhetoric
voice
structure
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance structure with personal style?
- What ideas need better organization?
A Different Perspective
May lack personal flair if over‑structured.
![“I don't particularly care about having [my characters] talk realistically, that doesn't mean very much to me. Actually, a lot of people speak more articulately than some critics think, but before the 20th century it really didn't occur to many writers that their language had to be the language of…” quote by Louis Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6a0/louis-auchincloss-14878_20th-century_i-don-t-particularly-care-about-having-m_1290917.jpg)
![“You know Chuck [Schumer] - always got to be the big macher.” quote by Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7c3/hillary-clinton-51_big-mac_you-know-chuck-schumer-always-got-to-be_136278.jpg)
