✍️ My CFP Advice
Thanks to , I'm a remote mentor for ! Here are all my thoughts on writing CFPs the first time and subsequent times, but pls feel free to DM me for specific advice and CFP review. Let's #MakeTheTalkHappen! 💪🏽👩🏽🏫
swyx.io/writing/cfp-ad
Conversation
If you want a short 12 minute video version, I did one here:
twitter.com/swyx/status/10
but I'll do a quick thread specifically on picking conferences, titles and abstracts
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The core insights for writing CFPs:
- Immerse: watch a lot of talks, speak at meetups
- Understand Conf organizer priorities
- Pick the intersection of things you're VERY interested in and what everybody else is interested in
Quote Tweet
Q: How can I write better CFP’s?
A: Blog more. see which blogposts get abnormal traction. develop those further with demos, data, storytelling. then write the talk abstract you’d want to attend (read other people’s for inspiration). Title, first & last sentence most important 
Show this thread
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Things People Always Want More of
- The Future of X
- Comprehensive Intro to X
- Real Life War Stories
- Developers always want Design tips
- Buzzword Bingo: Accessibility, Automation, AI, Design Systems, etc.
Everyone has the same insecurities.
swyx.io/writing/cfp-ad
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🎥Talk Genres
Pick this before you decide your talk/abstract. Most talks fit into one genre or other:
🔫The War Story
📈Launch
❓How to X
👩🏽🏫Intro to X
🆕What's New in X
✅Fundamentals
💣Live Coding
😈Heresy Talks
🤝Intersection Talks
swyx.io/writing/cfp-ad
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✍️Pick a Title
Titles should mostly be driven by Genre. But sometimes you (special snowflake!) transcend genre and just need a good title.
What are the best talk titles you remember? Please reply and I'll include for the benefit of others.
swyx.io/writing/cfp-ad
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✍️Writing an Abstract
Your first sentence draws attention.
If you have eyecatching datapoints, abstracts are a good place for them.
I usually go <100 words.
Appeal to what people will get out of your talk.
Your last sentence seals the deal.
swyx.io/writing/cfp-ad
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♻️Building a CFP Process
You'll write multiple CFP's, per conference (2-5), for multiple conferences (5-20). That's how this works.
It's like a job search; just that it's a very short term job.
Get a good photo, use it everywhere. Write a short bio.
swyx.io/writing/cfp-ad
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🗒️Example CFPs and Peer Review
I publish ALL my CFPs, accepted or rejected, on my site. Here are example CFP's people have offered to the public.
If you'd like to help review first timer CFPs, let me know to and I can list you here.
swyx.io/writing/cfp-ad
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Such👏Good👏Stuff👏
Thank you for making this tiny treasure trove! Well timed... currently staring down pages of shoddy, infant notes that want to grow up and become a coherent talk.