conference_cfp_writing v1.0.0

name: "conference_cfp_writing" description: "Write conference talk proposals (CFPs) that get accepted: abstracts, titles, speaker bios, track positioning, reviewer notes, and submission checklists. Use when someone wants to submit a talk to a conference, is reworking a rejected proposal, asks how to write an abstract or bio, or needs to pick the right track and angle for a submission."

Conference CFP Writing

Purpose

Turn a talk idea into a complete, review-ready conference talk proposal: title, abstract, detailed outline, speaker bio, reviewer notes, and a submission checklist. Works for any conference, any track, any talk length.

Workflow

1. Learn the conference. Read the CFP page and the event's theme, tracks, audience level, talk lengths, and submission format (some ask for a short abstract only, some want a detailed description up to 1000+ words, some use PaperCall with a sub-300 character abstract field). Note the exact word/character limits, the deadline, and whether talks previously given elsewhere are allowed. Never miss the deadline: late submissions are not getting accepted.
2. Position the talk. State in one sentence who the talk is for and what they leave able to do. Pick the track that matches the conference theme, not the speaker's favorite tool. Proposals get rejected for topic mismatch even when the content is good, so check the fit explicitly: "this fits the [track] because [reason]".
3. Write the title. Short, clear, curiosity-driven, and honest about the outcome. Clarity beats hype: "How We Cut API Latency 60% by Killing One Cache Layer" beats "Harnessing the Ultimate Power of Next-Gen APIs". Avoid clickbait the talk cannot cash.
4. Write the abstract. 100-150 words for most CFP forms (8-10 sentences is the length most accepted abstracts land at for organizers who publish them in program guides). Structure: hook on a real problem, what the talk covers, named takeaways the attendee walks away with, one credibility line about why you can give this talk. The abstract must answer "what will I be able to do after this talk?" Lead with the attendee, never with the company: the abstract must not open with "At [Company]...".
5. Write the detailed description. Only when the CFP asks for it. Expand the abstract: the problem, the talk's arc with rough timing per section, example scenarios and tools you will show, and the key takeaways. Keep it concrete; strip filler like "we'll explore..." and "this session will cover...".
6. Write the bio. One tight version (1-2 sentences) and one longer version (a short paragraph). Prove expertise in one minimalist sentence: who you are, where you work, why you are credible on this exact topic. Personal but informative. Keep multiple lengths ready, since some conferences use the bio for reviewer context and some publish it. Never lie in the bio: what you write is on the internet permanently.
7. Write reviewer-only notes. The committee reads these but attendees never do. Use them for: why this talk fits this track, links to past recordings or talks, whether you will already be in town, and flexibility ("happy to be considered for a lightning talk or panel if not selected for a full slot").
8. Run the self-review. Every submission must pass the checklist in references/self-review.md before it goes out. If it fails, fix it. Get a colleague or second reader on the abstract if possible.

Output Contract

A complete CFP submission package contains, in the conference's own form fields:

• Title (1 line, curiosity + clarity)
• Abstract (100-150 words; follows the conference's limit exactly)
• Detailed description (if requested, with a timed outline)
• Speaker bio (short + long versions)
• Reviewer-only notes (track fit, past recordings, logistics, flexibility)
• A pass/fail line from the self-review checklist

Start from assets/cfp-proposal-template.md and see references/abstract-examples.md for two fully worked proposals (one accepted-style, one diagnosed rejection) that show the standard in practice.

Operating Rules

1. Hit the format exactly: the CFP's word counts, fields, and track choices are a hard filter. A reviewer skimming hundreds of proposals will not spend extra time decoding a submission that ignores the format.
2. The proposal is never a sales pitch. Program committees reject pitches, and attendees punish them in the room. A product can appear as the example the lessons came from, never as the subject of the talk.
3. One clear arc beats five rushed points. Right-size the scope to the slot length and show the timing in the detailed outline.
4. Specific beats vague everywhere: named tools, real scenarios, concrete takeaways ("diagnose retry storms with these three metrics") over "understand best practices".
5. Track mismatch is the silent killer: verify the chosen track against the conference's theme and audience, and write the fit case into the reviewer notes.
6. Save every submission. Rejections are normal, especially at popular conferences, and a rejected proposal is raw material: refine it and submit to the next venue. Most conferences accept talks given elsewhere; check the rules when one does not.
7. Submit 2-3 different proposals per CFP when the conference allows it. More than that is excessive; one thinly recycled proposal across conferences reads as bulk spam.
8. Never invent credentials, titles, or past talks in the bio. Never invent the conference's rules, deadlines, or format: read the CFP page.