131. Martin Shovel: Cartoon Thinking is Essential for Communicators

Martin Shovel is a speechwriter, speechwriter trainer, communications adviser and cartoonist. He writes speeches for leaders working in many different fields, including trade unionists, lawyers, academics, business leaders and doctors.

Martin becomes a cartoonist

Martin became both cartoonist and speechwriter by accident. Martin’s first cartoonist work was the book Making Sense of Phrasal Verbs when he was an English teacher in Brighton back in the mid-80s.

Martin becomes a speechwriter

After more than 20 years as a full-time cartoonist, Martha (his wife) and Martin decided to make an animation to promote their company. The animation was Busting the Mehrabian Myth which became viral and made Martha and Martin well-know in the speech-writing community.

Cartoon thinking is essential for communicators

To Martin, it’s essential for a speaker or speechwriter to be visual.

Great examples of cartoon thinking are:

* “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent.”  by Winston Churchill.

* “Tear down this wall” phrase that Reagan said to Gorbachev.

* A successful probe put into a meteor achievement was described as “like trying to land a fly on a speeding bullet.”   

Martin also believes that everybody can draw a cartoon.

Related: When Subject Matter Experts Speak to Wide Audiences

Favorite quotation

“Keep typing until it turns into writing.” — David Carr

Recommended book

Metaphors We Live By by George Lakoff

Routine to Shine

Every time you hear or read a striking metaphor, jot it down. Keep a record of them.

Links

Martin at Twitter

<a href="http://www.