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> 3. Most reject it. Some times (often, actually) all of them reject it. Go back to step 1 This is one of the biggest reasons I started https://GroupBy.org htt

> 3. Most reject it. Some times (often, actually) all of them reject it. Go back to step 1 This is one of the biggest reasons I started https://GroupBy.org https://GroupBy.org. I speak at a lot of conferences, and I was frustrated with the mystery of the abstract review process. I wanted anybody to be able to submit on any topic, at any time, and then get peer review from other speakers and attendees. The abstract submission process is totally open - it's just a WordPress blog where folks can submit comments and talk directly to the presenters out in the open. It really helps speakers understand why their abstracts aren't resonating, and how they can tweak their abstracts to improve.

nojvek 9y ago
I sometimes get a feeling that some speakers due to their history get invited to give talks over and over. There are only a few respected conferences where you get to see new faces. The rest usually cycle through their top speakers. The worst is when you have the same white 5 males talking about diversity.
- BrentOzar 9y ago
  > I sometimes get a feeling that some speakers due to their history get invited to give talks over and over. Running a conference is a financial risk. You have to bring in enough attendees to ensure that you'll break even on costs. Because of that, organizers often bring in presenters with a known reputation for putting butts in seats. To break into the circuit, find a conference with lower financial risks. For example, in the Microsoft database space, that's SQLSaturday, a free regional conference typically held at colleges. Those organizers don't have a lot of money on the line, so they can work on promoting their local speakers. Even better, speak at local user groups and build up a reputation.
  - Touche 9y ago
    Not saying you're wrong, but I've done 6 conferences and the 6th wasn't any easier for me to get than the 1st.
    - pc86 9y ago
      I think his point wasn't that doing conferences makes it easier to do more conferences, but that doing a big, headlining conference, and doing a great job, makes it easier to do that conference again another year.
  - ghaff 9y ago
    >bring in presenters with a known reputation for putting butts in seats And, whether or not they're a direct draw, a reputation for giving good talks, not giving a sales pitch, not flaking out at the last minute, etc. For better or worse, it's just a lot safer for conference organizers to accept talks from known quantities. Unfortunately, this makes it harder for unknown quantities to break in and (often) means that there is less variety of topics and perspectives than might otherwise be the case. Building up a portfolio at user groups and other local events helps to some degree--especially if you've never spoken before. However, in my experience, just about every conference at its in crowd. In my case, there are some conferences where I get accepted to speak regularly, some where I have a middle of the road batting average, and some where I mostly don't even bother to put in proposals any longer. And it's got very little to do with the topic area or the prestige/popularity of the event.
- baby 9y ago
  let's hate on these white people who decided to work on diversity because they saw none around them.
  - chickenfries 9y ago
    That's not what the poster said, you sound defensive. They just said it's disappointing. Also if you are in change of putting together a panel on diversity and all you can come up with is white men, then maybe you need to grow your network and reconsider your approach.
    - pc86 9y ago
      They didn't say it was disappointing. They said it was "the worst" to have white males talk about diversity. Is the implication anything other than "your gender and the color of your skin make your opinions on this topic worth [less|nothing]"? I don't see how it could be. Personally if I'm going to a tech conference I want to hear about tech, not about HR. But if you want to have talks on diversity it makes sense the speakers on that topic would be largely representative of speakers generally, which is mostly white males.
      - chickenfries 9y ago
        "The worst is when you have the same white 5 males talking about diversity." That's what they said. In the context of talking about seeing the same speakers at conferences over and over.
        pc86 9y ago
        The context is that the GP doesn't feel white men are qualified to speak on diversity.
        chickenfries 9y ago
        Agree to disagree.

nojvek 9y ago

I sometimes get a feeling that some speakers due to their history get invited to give talks over and over. There are only a few respected conferences where you get to see new faces. The rest usually cycle through their top speakers. The worst is when you have the same white 5 males talking about diversity.

BrentOzar 9y ago
> I sometimes get a feeling that some speakers due to their history get invited to give talks over and over. Running a conference is a financial risk. You have to bring in enough attendees to ensure that you'll break even on costs. Because of that, organizers often bring in presenters with a known reputation for putting butts in seats. To break into the circuit, find a conference with lower financial risks. For example, in the Microsoft database space, that's SQLSaturday, a free regional conference typically held at colleges. Those organizers don't have a lot of money on the line, so they can work on promoting their local speakers. Even better, speak at local user groups and build up a reputation.
- Touche 9y ago
  Not saying you're wrong, but I've done 6 conferences and the 6th wasn't any easier for me to get than the 1st.
  - pc86 9y ago
    I think his point wasn't that doing conferences makes it easier to do more conferences, but that doing a big, headlining conference, and doing a great job, makes it easier to do that conference again another year.
- ghaff 9y ago
  >bring in presenters with a known reputation for putting butts in seats And, whether or not they're a direct draw, a reputation for giving good talks, not giving a sales pitch, not flaking out at the last minute, etc. For better or worse, it's just a lot safer for conference organizers to accept talks from known quantities. Unfortunately, this makes it harder for unknown quantities to break in and (often) means that there is less variety of topics and perspectives than might otherwise be the case. Building up a portfolio at user groups and other local events helps to some degree--especially if you've never spoken before. However, in my experience, just about every conference at its in crowd. In my case, there are some conferences where I get accepted to speak regularly, some where I have a middle of the road batting average, and some where I mostly don't even bother to put in proposals any longer. And it's got very little to do with the topic area or the prestige/popularity of the event.
baby 9y ago
let's hate on these white people who decided to work on diversity because they saw none around them.
- chickenfries 9y ago
  That's not what the poster said, you sound defensive. They just said it's disappointing. Also if you are in change of putting together a panel on diversity and all you can come up with is white men, then maybe you need to grow your network and reconsider your approach.
  - pc86 9y ago
    They didn't say it was disappointing. They said it was "the worst" to have white males talk about diversity. Is the implication anything other than "your gender and the color of your skin make your opinions on this topic worth [less|nothing]"? I don't see how it could be. Personally if I'm going to a tech conference I want to hear about tech, not about HR. But if you want to have talks on diversity it makes sense the speakers on that topic would be largely representative of speakers generally, which is mostly white males.
    - chickenfries 9y ago
      "The worst is when you have the same white 5 males talking about diversity." That's what they said. In the context of talking about seeing the same speakers at conferences over and over.
      - pc86 9y ago
        The context is that the GP doesn't feel white men are qualified to speak on diversity.
        chickenfries 9y ago
        Agree to disagree.