The call for abstracts is open for the PASS Summit, the SQL Server industry’s biggest event. Every year, people just like you throw their hats in the ring, only to be told they have ugly hats.
Here’s how to dress up your hat a little:
How to Pick Blog & Presentation Topics – don’t write about what you learn. Write about what you already learned. It doesn’t seem sexy to you, but that’s the whole point – you’re already an expert on doing that thing.
Define Your Presentation’s Attendee – no, your session doesn’t have something for everyone. Write a detailed profile of exactly who should attend your session, and it’ll help you define the scope.
Ask These 51 Questions About Your Session – What pain is bringing the attendee into your session? How are they going to relieve that pain when they get back to their office? How would a handout make it easier?
What Makes a Good Conference Session? – hint: there are no rules. It’s not about slides, or demos, or workshops, or labs. It’s about getting the audience engaged.
How to Deliver a Killer Technical Presentation – while you don’t really need to read this until you get accepted, you should still read it when building an abstract because you need to understand what resources you’re working with.
Rock Stars, Normal People, and You – a six-year-old post whose message I still believe in today: the rest of the community is here to help you. Let’s build the best abstracts possible so you can succeed in giving back as a presenter, and help encourage the next generation of speakers. It’s your time now – let’s make it happen!