[mivok]

A lot of the comments here are complaining about the last point in the article (the n00b), asking how on earth you get started if you have to have presented before in order to present. The article is telling you exactly how to do that:

- Speak at local user group meetings. Most of my local meet ups are constantly calling for speakers, and it's an excellent way to get practice at presenting in a lower stress environment. It's not always small audiences either, I've seen and given talks with 50 or more attendees at a local meet up. As for getting accepted, organizers are always in need of talks, and organizers are not getting 6 submissions per month, they're usually lucky if they can fill every month with a talk, so you're much more likely to be accepted.

- Maintain a blog. Writing articles on your blog is practice for writing a talk, and gives you a steady stream of ideas that can be turned into a presentation fairly easily.

I'm going to add a couple more:

- Give a lightning talk at conferences you attend. As well as giving you practice, you are also visible to all the attendees, including people who will be selecting talks at future conferences you submit to.

- Submit to smaller, more focused or more local conferences. You can't expect to be accepted at huge popular conferences speaking in front of hundreds of people on your first try. Submitting to more focused conferences gives you a better chance of being accepted.

These steps aren't going to make it so that you're immediately accepted at large conferences, but they give you the start the article is claiming you need. And finally, if you're rejected, don't give up. Conferences do take chances on new speakers (although probably not all new speakers who submit a talk), and being rejected doesn't mean your talk is bad, or that your skills are bad, just that you didn't get it this time.

[ohjeez]

> Submit to smaller, more focused or more local conferences. You can't expect to be accepted at huge popular conferences speaking in front of hundreds of people on your first try. Submitting to more focused conferences gives you a better chance of being accepted.

And also it lets you make a fool of yourself with a smaller audience.

Very few people are good at something the first time they try it. Why do you imagine you're a great presenter the first time out? As with anything else, make your mistakes in small domains.

[TheOneTrueKyle]

If you are interested in public speaking, but don't have too much practice in speaking, I highly recommend checking out a local open mic and trying out some stand up.

Easier to look a fool telling jokes than look a fool making a valid point.

edit: or Toastmasters

[wallflower]

+1 for Toastmasters.

Among other things, Toastmasters will cure you of what ails many accomplished speakers. That is, the verbal or non-verbal tic (umm, ahh, so, like, wild gestures, hands in pocket).

[mmatoscom]

will try toastmasters, thanks for the info

[btilly]

As with anything else, make your mistakes in small domains.

And you would be amazed at the kinds of mistakes that you can make!

A few years back I did a 3 hour tutorial at OSCON. I put a lot of effort into making sure that I had 3 hours of material I planned on presenting, with some extra I could slip in. I "presented" to an empty room and was sure of my timing.

Turns out that I speak quite a bit faster in front of a real audience. I was done in 2.5 hours, including what I planned on leaving out...

[kbenson]

Many of us talk a bit quicker when nervous. I've only presented twice, both to a very small audience (6-10 people) for a local user group nearly a decade ago. The first time I was very nervous and self conscious. The second time, I was still somewhat nervous, but the first time is always the worst. I felt like I did rather well, with a more conversational style, the second time. Unfortunately, there's no video.

Then again, it's probably doubly cringeworthy if I did see it. Once for the mistakes I would see, and once again for the difference in how well I felt I did to what I imagine would be apparent once I could review it.

[Roboprog]

A point not to be underestimated. It's a good place to take up ad-hoc stuff, or try something that you yourself are pretty new at.

Not that I am ever likely to speak at a conference.

[mgkimsal]

I'd probably add "go niche on your topic" as well. While it may put off some selection folks because it's too narrow, it can also work in your favor. I've been selected for conferences precisely because of somewhat niche topics. Now... whether anyone shows up for your talk or not... different story, but if they do, it's a signal that people may want more of that, and it feeds back to organizers.

[erikb]

I think it' funny that there is so much criticism about that point considering that the blog post already shows how to gain these experience points without actually having talked at conferences (by making a video, by presenting at events with lower requirements, like a meetup).

[raesene6]

Good list, I'd add one more which is look for conferences with "rookie tracks" for new speakers.

Some of the UK Infosec conferences now have these where they pair new speakers with experienced mentors who coach them leading up to the day.

It's a good way to get new people into the speaking pool in a friendly environment and from what I've seen can produce some great talks.

[natmaster]

The problem with these smaller groups is you have no proof you did anything there and were any good. I got rejected to PyCon one year for this very reason - and I have tons of experience speaking at smaller conferences.

(Note: The reason is not speculation as they tell you in a rejection email.)

[st3v3r]

Can't you record those talks and send them in with your proposal?

[foenix]

> Speak at local user group meetings.

As the primary meetup organizer for SLC Python, I wholeheartedly agree. We often have people practicing their talks in front of our group before they go onto much larger forums such as PyCon and Open West. It's also a good chance to practice public speaking and presenting complicated ideas.

[herge]

> - Speak at local user group meetings. Most of my local meet ups are constantly calling for speakers

Our local python user group regularly attracts 100+ people crowds and they always have space for speakers. If you want to try dipping your toe, it's hard to screw up a 5 minute talk.