We know that sometimes it can feel like you have too many ideas and not enough focus to get them down in the application form. So we’ve put together a series of strategies here to help you to take charge of your ideas.
- Don’t focus on what it’s called… yet.
Often we get caught up in what the session is called, before we’ve even worked out what’s in it! Think of it like planning the dance around the costume. Sometimes it can work, but not always.
What should you do instead? Write down up to 5 things that you’d like to teach in the work shop. - Cull the list.
If you have 3-5 ideas in your list, it’s time to move a few off to a separate list for another sesson idea.
How do you know which ones to remove? Go looking for themes or areas which are directly connected. Directly as in “What is an orange and how do I peel it?” rather than “This is an orange and here is how to peel a grape”. Direct connections share context and don’t require you to stop and re-set an understanding with your audience.
When you only have 1-2 ideas, then it’s time to move onto the next step. - Work out what the attendees will get out of the session.
For your 1-2 ideas, what is the 3 things you think attendees will walk away from the session knowing/understanding. Write these down.
These ideas is what you’ll use to write your session description with. - What’s the hook?
What will make this session even more enticing than just the take aways? Add this to your “here’s what you’ll learn” from the last step and use this to draft your session description. Use your personality on the session description – after all, this is something that you’ll be presenting! - Write the title of the session.
At last!
Use your session description and think of a short description that summarises it.
Now go back to your hook and see if there’s something in that which might make your title catchy. - And you’re done!
We make it seem easy… but we know it’s hard. Hopefully this short guide might give you some different ways of looking at what you’ve gone.
BUT WHAT IF I’M STUCK IN IMPOSTER SYNDROME?
If the issue is that the descriptions aren’t coming because you feel inferior, then maybe you need to consider some alternate ways of looking at the information you have.
- Can you present the idea from a different direction? (Floor work… how would it work if it was on the ceiling?)
- Could this idea be presented as a “how not to” rather than a “how to”?
- Do you need to go back to basics?
If you only remember one thing: Don’t be frightened to display your talents.