Top 6 reasons to consider speaking at TCUK 2013

TCUK 2013, the UK’s premier tech comm conference, has just opened its call for proposals – and here are some good reasons why you should consider applying to speak in Bristol in September!

What all reasons have in common is that technical communication as a field and TCUK as a conference are more versatile, lively and interesting than you may imagine!

Consider speaking because you…

1. Manage a tech comm team, project, migration or strategy. This year’s specialist stream is “The Management of Technical Communication” in all its variety. TCUK reacts to one of the industry’s megatrends of recent years which is to position tech comm, even within corporations, as a business which can prove ROI.
2. Commission technical communication. – That’s right: We technical communicators want to hear from people who engage tech communicators, in fact, we need to! One of tech comm’s mantras is “Know your audience” and that definitely includes those who ask us to create documentation in the first place.
3. Have something to share, even if you haven’t spoken at a conference before. TCUK is very welcoming to newbies! I know, they gave me my first speaking opportunity in 2010. And I have attended TCUk ever since and seen two newbie presentations last year which were met by a supportive audience.

Consider speaking because TCUK is…

1. A top 3 tech comm event in Europe. TCUK is the best opportunity to network, catch up with trends, trade experiences, mull over challenges, along with tekom in Germany and UAEurope in different countries.
2. Cozy and diverse. In my opinion, TCUK is the perfect combination of a cozy scene and a wide range of topics. It offers stimulation and inspiration of larger conferences without the intimidation that a dozen streams and several hundred participants bring.
3. Free for speakers! However, you will have to arrange for travel, accommodation, and meals yourself.

And if you don’t think you have enough for a 40-minute talk, you can still save the date and hold out for the annual “open stage” rant session. It’s not been finalised yet, but there was such a session for the last 3 years. All of the above reasons and benefits apply, except for the free conference attendance.

Just the facts, please!

• TCUK 2013 takes place 24 – 26 September at the Bristol Marriott City Centre.
• You have until 5th April to propose 40-minute talks or 3-hour workshops.
• See the call for proposals for details about topics and formats.

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