I want you to rock your talk.
But that doesn’t mean my process is rock star flashy. (No dance moves here.) And whether you’re preparing to walk through a literal stage door or just to the front of a conference room, I want you to do it with confidence about who you are and what you have to offer. I love working with people and ideas and I can help you give the talk you want to give and the talk that sounds like you. I’ll be your coach and your cheerleader all the way. I’ve got your back and want you to succeed.
Step one: We talk
Either in person or via skype or phone if meeting together just won’t work. We talk about your project, what the challenges are, your audience, your main idea, your deadline, and what kinds of things are important for you to get across. I’ll find out if you have a rough draft or if you’re still drawing a blank. No matter if the project is a wedding toast or an explanation of why we should care about telomeres and aging (note: I speak science), I’ll want to hear anything and everything, or at least everything you can share in an hour.
There is no cost for this first consult. Absolutely free.
Step two: Sign Me Up!
If it seems we’ll work well together, we’ll come up with a plan to fit your budget and you’ll put down a small deposit. I charge by the hour for small jobs and have several discounted packages you’ll see below. I also offer sliding scale rates for people who work in the non-profit sector or whose funds are limited. Just ask.
Just a little help
You’ve got a talk together. You’re not sure it works. You feel it needs something, but you’re not sure what. It might need a bit of redirection to land your idea. Or it’s too long (a common problem.) I can be that second set of eyes to cut the excess or fix the rough edges. On the flip side, this package option is also a good choice for people who have to give a talk but have no idea where to start; we can talk ideas and get you started. This smaller package also works well for people who want to present at Ignite or The Moth, or if you simply want help with an application to speak at TED or TEDx.
Cost: $200-$500. (Prorated to hourly for smaller jobs)
From the page to the stage!
A complete package for rocking a TED or TEDx talk as well as other opportunities to stand up and shine– commencement speeches, conference presentations, keynotes, and the like.
With this package we start the journey with the page: your script or rough draft of your talk.* Many writers swear by writing “crappy first drafts” to get their ideas out, and that’s the thinking here. It doesn’t have to be good, it just has to be a rough start. This package reflects what I know from years of experience with TED/TEDx talks and takes you from a very rough draft through several iterations and revisions until the talk is fully cooked. I read your draft, we talk about it, I go away and work on it and give you suggestions on direction, ideas, organization, and word choice (in person and directly on your draft), and then you go back to the drawing board. Lather, rinse, repeat until the talk is finished. Hopefully, there’s some laughter along the way.
Cost: $2000 (20+ hours)
*A note about first drafts
If the idea of writing makes your blood go cold, fear not. If you can’t manage to take pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), then recording your talk or your idea — literally talking into your phone — can work to get the process going. One of us can then transcribe it and we’ll go from there. Trust me, it works.
Different Pages for Different Stages
Not doing a talk? Or just need help crafting a print submission? I do all kinds of other editorial work for print media (op eds, journal articles, grants) as well as digital projects: blog posts, YouTube video scripts, etc. I can move this to a bid (instead of hourly) if need be. Get in touch for details.
Cost: $75-125/hour
