Janice, I've always found you to be brilliant in your reasoning and communication, whether written or spoken. You are invariably compelling. I like that your speech is considered and appeals to the cerebral cortex, not base emotions. Pankhurst didn't like writing because it is far easier to escape scrutiny as an orator than as a writer. Writing requires discipline and would have forced her to confront the inconsistencies in her arguments. Unlike her, you have integrity and try to apply the same high standard to your speech as you apply to your writing, which necessarily makes your speech less spontaneous. What you don't understand is that the standard you are aiming for is typically unattainable through spontaneous speech, so you're beating yourself up for no good reason.

I much prefer the written word because speech is littered with imprecision and ambiguity, like an impressionistic painting. It is a rare orator who can deliver concise, perfectly formed sentences without reading from a script. For this reason, speech is best suited to conveying impressions and emotions.

My only advice to you would be to give your inner critic a holiday because she has clearly been working overtime and seems to have lost perspective!