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Okay, so I'm spending my afternoon today reviewing KubeCon CFPs.
Let's go through some of the common missteps proposal submitters make, with suggestions on how you can correct them to make your next submission even better.
Let's go through some of the common missteps proposal submitters make, with suggestions on how you can correct them to make your next submission even better.
First, if you are attempting to sell something, stop. Just stop. You won't get through the process. Don't waste your time or the program committee's time. We don't except sales pitches.
If you have 1,000 characters to describe your talk, take advantage of them. Too often I see proposals that have the potential to be interesting topics, but in the "This is your chance to elaborate" box, I get two short sentences. Spoilers are a good thing when proposing a talk!
Try to convey why *you* are the right person to give this talk. Do you have specific expertise? A unique perspective that may not have been heard before?
The story you tell as a speaker can be the difference between a dry, boilerplate talk, and one that really engages folks.
The story you tell as a speaker can be the difference between a dry, boilerplate talk, and one that really engages folks.
To be explicit: people who are newer, or have a different path into the community than most can give just as (if not more) interesting and memorable talk as the @IanColdwater s and the @kelseyhightower s.
It's all about the story you bring (as I'm sure they would tell you)
It's all about the story you bring (as I'm sure they would tell you)
Next, please give a bit of care and attention to detail. Run your proposal through a spelling and grammar checker (plenty of free online ones). Use punctuation and proper capitalization.
It makes such a difference in how you come off.
It makes such a difference in how you come off.
When I'm writing a proposal myself, I start with a googledoc. I can edit, review, sleep on it.. and then when I'm ready, I copy/paste into the submission form.
Give me all the links.
Have you given previous talks? Link to recordings. (yes, I watch them)
Is your talk about an OSS project? Link me to it.
Do you have a portfolio or online CV? Link it good.
The more resources you give your reviewers, the better decision they can make.
Have you given previous talks? Link to recordings. (yes, I watch them)
Is your talk about an OSS project? Link me to it.
Do you have a portfolio or online CV? Link it good.
The more resources you give your reviewers, the better decision they can make.
Talks don't always have to follow the same format of a single speaker monologuing to slides.
Mix things up. Co-presenters. Props. Different ways of engaging an audience. Think outside the box! Tell a story!
Mix things up. Co-presenters. Props. Different ways of engaging an audience. Think outside the box! Tell a story!
Avoid problematic language. It's critical that talks aren't harmful to people, or make them feel unsafe/unwelcome.
What constitutes harmful language? Have a look at @inclusivenaming and https://inclusivenaming.org/language/evaluation-framework/ as a good start.
Also https://training.linuxfoundation.org/resources/free-courses/inclusive-speaker-orientation/ is a great course.
What constitutes harmful language? Have a look at @inclusivenaming and https://inclusivenaming.org/language/evaluation-framework/ as a good start.
Also https://training.linuxfoundation.org/resources/free-courses/inclusive-speaker-orientation/ is a great course.
Back at it again this evening, so here's some more tips.
Don't make up words. Limit the use of buzzwords. And please please please don't push hashtags into your submission. This isn't twitter.
Don't make up words. Limit the use of buzzwords. And please please please don't push hashtags into your submission. This isn't twitter.
You never want to come off as trying to "trick" people to come to your talk. Folks should want to come to your talk because your summary is genuinely interesting.
You can tantalize folks in the public description, but make sure you pull back the curtain in your elaboration.
You can tantalize folks in the public description, but make sure you pull back the curtain in your elaboration.
It's important you select the correct track when submitting a talk. That way, your proposal gets to the folks who have the expertise to properly score your story.
Reviewers can flag talks to move to a different track, but it makes for way more work for the program committee.
Reviewers can flag talks to move to a different track, but it makes for way more work for the program committee.
