I am copying (with some modifications) a page on Miriam Posner’s website, where she outlines what she expects and what she needs when she’s asked to speak or conduct a workshop.

Thank you for considering me as a speaker for your event. My travel schedule is listed on my website, so you can check my availability before you reach out to me. Do note: I will not travel during the months of November and December as I am working on my annual year-in-review.

Please tell me in advance exactly what you’re expecting from me: How long should I speak? Are there other meetings you expect me to attend in addition to my lecture? (If so, please recognize that traveling and speaking are really exhausting, and I will need some down time.)

I really would prefer to use my own computer for the presentation. (I use a MacBook Air, and yes, I will bring a dongle.) I use Keynote for my slides, and I find converting to PowerPoint messes up the fonts and the layout. Rarely do I include video in my presentation, but I will let you know if I need to plug into the sound system. If you insist that I use a different computer during the presentation or that I give you slides in a different format, know that I will not be able to hand you these until the day I am speaking. (I won’t lie. I finish my talk the night before.)

I don’t mind making my own travel plans, but you expect me to do so, let me know how (and how quickly) I will be reimbursed. If you book the hotel, please choose one close to the speaking venue (or arrange transportation).

Speaking fees: I do not have a fixed speaking fee as I charge a different amount depending on the size of the audience, the location, the type of event, and so on. But listen: this is how I pay the rent. I cannot speak for free. When you think about what an appropriate fee might be, do recognize I write a new talk for each speaking engagement. An hour-long lecture is about 5000 words. So my fee should not just account for the hour I’ll spend at the podium. There are real costs for me to write a talk and, of course, to travel. Please be respectful of that.

We will not need to get on the phone to plan my visit. I do this a lot; I know what I’m doing. We can talk about everything over email. I promise.

Some things I do like to know: is there a particular topic you’d like me to address? Are there particular issues – in your organization, on your campus – I should be aware of? Do you have a goal for my presence?

Please note that I can be a provocative speaker. You need to look for someone else if you aren’t interested in that.

It is usually fine with me if you want to record my talk or livestream it. I retain all rights to my talk. I will publish a transcript on Hack Education as well as my slides.

Here is a headshot you can use for publicity materials, and here is a short bio.