Learn Hardcore Japanese: supiiti no genkou ha, tiisana memotyou ni pointo dake kaite arimasu. - The script for the speech has only the key points written in a small notepad.

So スピーチの原稿 means the speech script or the script/draft for the speech.
Here の shows a close relationship (like ownership, “for”, or “about”) between スピーチ and 原稿.

Why is は used after 原稿 (スピーチの原稿は) instead of が?

は marks the topic of the sentence, not the grammatical subject in a strict sense.

スピーチの原稿は、…
= As for the speech script, …
= Regarding the speech script, …

The focus of the sentence is not on who wrote it, but on what state the script is in (only the points are written in a small memo pad).

If you used が here (スピーチの原稿が…), it would sound like you are introducing the script itself as something new, emphasized information. Using は makes it feel like you’re continuing a topic already known in the conversation: “About the speech script, it’s only written as bullet points in a small notebook.”

Why is it 小さなメモ帳 and not 小さいメモ帳? What is the difference between 小さな and 小さい?

Both are correct and common:

小さいメモ帳
小さなメモ帳

小さい is a regular い‑adjective.
小さな is a special pre‑noun form used only before nouns. A few adjectives have this extra form, especially:

大きい → 大きな
小さい → 小さな

Nuance:

小さいメモ帳 – neutral, standard.
小さなメモ帳 – slightly more literary, a bit softer or more descriptive in feel.

In everyday conversation, you will hear both. Here, 小さなメモ帳 just means a small notepad; the choice adds a slight stylistic flavor but does not change the meaning.

What does メモ帳に mean, and why is the particle に used, not で?

メモ帳に here means in a memo pad / on a notepad.

The particle に in this sentence marks the location where something exists as a result:

小さなメモ帳にポイントだけ書いてあります。
= Only the main points are written (and remain) in a small notepad.

Compare:

ノートに名前が書いてある。
The name is written in the notebook (and you can see it there).
ここで手紙を書きました。
I wrote the letter here (place of action, using で).

With 〜てある, に often marks where the result of the action is left or stored. So メモ帳に fits because we care about where the written points are kept, not just where the act of writing happened.

What exactly does だけ mean in ポイントだけ書いてあります?

だけ means only / just.

ポイントだけ = only the points, just the main points

So:

ポイントだけ書いてあります。
= Only the (main) points are written (down).
Implication: The full text is not written; it’s just key points or bullet points.

This gives a nuance of limitation: the speech script is reduced to just its main points in the memo pad.

Why is there no particle after ポイント (like が or を)?

The underlying, more complete form of the sentence is:

スピーチの原稿は、小さなメモ帳にポイントだけが書いてあります。

With the 〜てある pattern, the thing that is in that resulting state is usually marked with が:

メモ帳に名前が書いてある。
The name is written in the notebook.

In real speech and writing, が (or sometimes を) is often dropped when it’s clear from context, especially right before the verb. So:

ポイントだけが書いてあります。
→ naturally becomes
ポイントだけ書いてあります。

So the missing particle is understood as が, and the meaning is only the points are written (there).

What is the nuance of 書いてあります compared to 書いています?

Both are te‑form + いる/ある, but they express different things.

書いています (書く + ている)
- Can mean:
  - is writing (ongoing action), or
  - is written (state), depending on context.
- It does not necessarily imply that someone wrote it on purpose for a later use.
書いてあります (書く + てある)
- Standard pattern: transitive verb (書く) + てある
- Meaning:
  Something has been written (by someone) and is left in that state intentionally, usually as preparation or for convenience.
- Typical nuance: already done and left ready.

So:

ポイントだけ書いてあります。
= Only the points have been written (down) and are sitting there ready.
→ Strong feeling of prepared notes for the speech.

If you said:

ポイントだけ書いています。

it could sound like:

I am (currently) only writing the points, or
There are only points written (there), but without the same clear nuance of deliberate preparation that てある gives.

Who is the subject of 書いてあります? Who wrote the points?

The subject is omitted, which is very common in Japanese.

From context, the natural interpretation is:

(I) have only written the main points in a small memo pad.
or
(We) have only written the main points in a small memo pad.

Japanese frequently leaves out pronouns like I, you, we when they’re obvious. The sentence focuses on:

what the speech script is like now (topic), and
the resulting state (points are written in the memo pad),

rather than on explicitly stating I wrote them.

How would this sentence look in a more casual/plain form?

Polite form in the sentence:

スピーチの原稿は、小さなメモ帳にポイントだけ書いてあります。

Plain (casual) form:

スピーチの原稿は、小さなメモ帳にポイントだけ書いてある。

Changes:

書いてあります → 書いてある (polite → plain)
The meaning stays the same; only the politeness level changes. You’d use the plain form with friends, family, or in an informal diary, and the polite form in most public or semi‑formal situations.

What overall nuance does this sentence give about the way the person prepared their speech?

The sentence suggests:

The full script of the speech is not written out in detail.
Only the key points are written down.
These points are written and left ready on purpose in a small memo pad, thanks to 〜てある.

In natural English, it feels like:

For my speech, I’ve just jotted down the main points in a small notepad.

It implies a more free, perhaps conversational style of speaking from notes, rather than reading a fully written script.