How do I get ongoing speaking engagements

MacAllister

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I'm at that delicate balance of having had just enough after-dinner cocktails to find this all terribly funny. It's a nice, happy kind of a buzz.

And "doom" is sorta relative, really.
 

Deleted member 42

Hey Soccer Mom--I can make the Avatar sticky, iff'in you want.
 

Deleted member 42

Sheryl

Where do you stand on the acquiring of "ongoing" speaking engagements?

I know a lot of people participate in the Toastmasters organization, but as far as I can tell they mostly speak to other Toastmasters.

There are "speakers' boards" and the like for some organizations, too. SFWA has a Speakers' Bureau.

Lots of universities and colleges have a list of verifiable experts who can /will speak, with or without fees.
 
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Soccer Mom

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I'll be back in a few minutes. Enjoy the pretty unicorn for a bit.
 

Deleted member 42

I'm still not sure what the "talents" being offered are.

Other than insulting, and really... we've seen better.

:D

Well, see a lot of people think it's easy. I know all about XX, and I saw Z give this talk and get paid.

I could totally do that.

It's the Dire Straits thing of money for nothing and your chicks for free.
 

Soccer Mom

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Nope. And he just spent time changing all our hard work. Okay, kids. For those playing along, it's like this. If you don't have the connections you need to get speaking engagements on a subject in which you are an expert, then you aren't really an expert. You should have many connections in your own field or you ain't diddly.

This sort of goes into the take a penny, leave a penny pot. This poster always takes a penny and only leaves angst behind. Time to say goodnight to the pinata.
 

Deleted member 42

It's like the guy who finds out you write for a living, and tells you he's been meaning to write a book as soon as he finds the time. It's a great story, and if you write it, he'll split the money with you.

There's a point where when people either realize it really is real work, or they think it's just something anyone can do--which is sort of what the Dire Straits song is about right? "That ain't working, that's the way to do, money for nothing and your chicks for free."

Only it's not like that. It's work.

Speaking and being paid as an expert isn't something anyone can do. You don't just put out a shingle saying "pay me to talk."

Reading slush is not something anyone can do. Slush is not something a publisher will pay you to read as a full-time job. Yes, editors take turns reading slush, along with interns and editorial assistants, and sometimes, hapless friends and relations of the editors when there's a desperate need for a slush kill.

No one can read slush for long. And the skill set for reading slush and spotting a diamond or a sapphire or even a piece of jasper in the rough is not something that's terribly common, either. It's actually a talent that's usually honed with years of experience working for an editor.
 
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Soccer Mom

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Ah, the creative arts. It's so easy, anyone can do it. Except it's damn hard work.
 

CaoPaux

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Jeff, if you truly want to be taken seriously, start with removing the "National Leadership Award", etc. from your bio. It's a congressional fund-raising scheme, and listing it is equivalent to touting awards from Poetry.com.
 

Cranky

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Not enough popcorn in the world for this one.

Unless, of course, it's sparkly, transvestite popcorn on a world-spanning speaking tour. That might be sufficient.
 

dgiharris

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How do I go about getting speaking engagements that pay or at least pay for my travel expenses? I have specialized in my talents and feel people can benefit from what I have learned. I am eager to share my expertise with those who care to accept it.

So, you start a thread with a question. You claim that you want help.

Well, I have executive experience in business matters and as such thought I'd help out a fellow AW member.

So, I asked you some questions so I can get a better feel for your problem, generate a problem description, and begin work on a solution.

However, you fail(ed) to answer any of the questions I pose and instead opt for childish back and forth on this thread...

I guess you don't want any help or are serious about wanting help.

good luck to you

Mel...