Title (10 words) ¶
Title is evocative and keep it brief and descriptive.
Description or Abstract (100 words) ¶
General description of the talk, talk about the problems the talk will solve, write from first-person.
- Why do I want to give this talk? (context)
- Why is this talk relevant?
- What is the length of the talk (20m / 30m / 45m)
- What technologies are used in the talk?
- Type of talk (amazing buzz, big picture, thought provoking, deep dive)
Topic (100-150 words) ¶
What are the key things the audience will learn? What is the one thing that you want people to take away from your talk? (learning Objectives)
- What is the problem you are trying to solve?
- What is the solution the talk gives?
- You’ll find out about x and y, and how using z can benefit you.”
Audience ¶
Who is the talk for?
- Technical level of the talk (beginner, intermediate, advanced)
- Foundational knowledge (technologies etc.)
- This is great for people who know a little about x but want to take it further.
Outline ¶
Concrete details on what will be covered, I'll usually keep these around 5 bullet points.
- Item 1
- Item 2
- Item 3
- Item 4
- Item 5
Video sample ¶
I'll include a video sample either pitching the talk (speaking ability) or a previous recorded version of the talk.
Resources ¶
Refer to existing material or resources the talk is based upon.
- Links to existing resources (used in the talk)
- Links to deep dive resources (further explanation)
Examples ¶
Links to finished prototypes and code examples
When I'm sending out the proposal I'll usually include my speaker information (biography, photos etc.) along with the proposal.
More tips and tricks:
- If your proposal is too much work to read or understand, it will get skipped in the selection process.
- Do not propose a topic that you think will get you on stage but doesn't get you excited.
- Talk about the topics not about yourself. Don't pitch your company.
- Attendees decide on talks in the moment, make sure you're title and brief description are inviting.
- Write “you” sentences, it's natural to write the proposal from first person.
The Sample Proposals from O’Reilly helped me shape mine, thanks!