Call for Speakers

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WordCamp without speakers is like WordPress without internet; it just doesn’t work. That’s why we need you to speak at WordCamp San Antonio 2016. You can be any skill level and give a talk on anything—as long as it’s WordPress related. Fill out the fields below to help us understand who you are, what you do, and give us a preview of what it is you’d like to discuss. We will be running three tracks this year: Beginners, Business and Advanced. Please specify which track your topic would work best in. If you’d like to speak on multiple topics, please fill out a separate form for each talk.

Speaker Application Deadline Has Past

 

You’re applying to speak at a WordCamp? Great! We appreciate you offering to share your WordPress knowledge with the WordPress community. Here are some things to keep in mind when filling out the speaker application:

  • Yes, you can! Whether you’re a user, designer, or developer, WordCamp is an event where you can share what you’ve learned about WordPress and how you’re working with it.
  • Local first. WordCamps are local-focused events that are asked to shoot for an 80% local / 20% visiting speakers ratio. You might get picked as one of the few out-of-town speakers on a WordCamp schedule, but the chances are smaller the farther you get from home, unless you’re the definitive expert on your proposed topic.
  • Volunteers only. WordCamps are 100% organized and staffed by volunteers, and WordCamps don’t pay speakers or cover speaker travel/accommodations.
  • Share > pitch. WordCamps are educational events, not marketing opportunities, so proposing a product pitch will not get you very far with the speaker selection team.
  • No “pay for play.” WordCamps never, ever provide a speaking opportunity in exchange for sponsorship or anything else. Please don’t ask.
  • Make it unique. WordCamp sessions are all recorded and posted to WordPress.tv for everyone to watch, so it’s redundant to have speakers give the same talk at multiple events. WordCamps pride themselves on having unique content.
  • Tell a story. The web is full of tutorials, and most people won’t remember most of the instructions from your instructional talk in a few days (or hours!). The human brain is hard-wired to be engaged by stories, and WordCamp organizers are looking for sessions that will inspire attendees to do more with WordPress.