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Brian Rinaldi
Brian Rinaldi

Posted on • Updated on • Originally published at remotesynthesis.com

Want to Speak at Conferences? I'll Help Review Your CFP Submissions

I consider myself a decent speaker. I've had my better moments (and ones I'd rather forget), but I wouldn't call public speaking one of my natural strengths (it's one I continually work at). What I am pretty good at, though, is writing sessions abstracts and submissions for conference call for papers.

Writing a good CFP submission can be difficult, even for many seasoned speakers. What I always recommend is that you have another set of eyes review your submission before you send it - but you may not have someone readily available who has experience writing and reviewing CFPs. That is why, as a service to the community, whether you are a potential first-time speaker or a seasoned veteran, I am making myself available to review your CFP submission.

Before you entrust a stranger with feedback on your hard work, let me share some of my qualifications:

  • I have been a speaker at over 60 conferences and events starting back in 2007.
  • I have served on the conference committee for major conferences such as O'Reilly's Fluent and QCon New York.
  • I have run (both independently and for my job) over a dozen conferences since 2007.

If you'd like to have me review your CFP, I've opened my dm's on Twitter (@remotesynth). Reach out to me there. My only ask of you is that you give me a day or two to review and respond (I can't guarantee that I'll be available for last minute, time sensitive reviews). So, if you have never been a speaker and want some help or you have been a speaker but need another set of eyes on your CFP submission, I'd love to help.

Top comments (3)

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shostarsson profile image
Rémi Lavedrine

Thank you for that.
I would love to speak at some event and try to share my knowledge at it could be benefit to other people.
Nevertheless, I don't from where to start?
I think that meetup events can be a good start. But for the next step, I don't know where to start?
Maybe it is different in Europe and the US.

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remotesynth profile image
Brian Rinaldi

I definitely recommend starting at a local meetup. Some meetups like the one I run in Orlando have lightning talks, where you can get up and talk about anything for 5 minutes...this is a great way to "break the ice" for a new speaker.

As for the next event, it really depends on the area you focus on and what types of conferences there are. I personally wouldn't jump to a major conference as a first timer - though a lot of these conferences do make room for first time speakers. I prefer to give myself the opportunity to screw up the first time without much consequence 😉 Perhaps there are some smaller community/regional conferences in your field...those could be great first conference speaking opportunities.

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shostarsson profile image
Rémi Lavedrine

Thanks for the advice.
It's true indeed to first "practice" into "smaller" conferences before jumping into the deep end.