[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.