Finding Your Voice:

• Danielle is still on a journey to discover what she wants to share with the world, using her experiences with Women Talk Design and the process of writing "Present Yourself."
• She aims to empower others to amplify their impact, believing in supporting others to do their best work and share their ideas.

Unfinished Stories in Presentations:

• Unfinished stories can make audiences feel less alone, invite collaboration, and allow speakers to outline potential outcomes.
• Sharing unfinished work can be intimidating, but it fosters connection, collaboration, and opens up discussions.

Five Beliefs in Public Speaking:

• Public speaking has no one right way; diversity in presentation styles enriches the field.
• New voices are crucial for industry and societal evolution.
• Acknowledging that public speaking is not a level playing field is vital for inclusivity.
• Improvement in public speaking comes with practice.
• Community support is essential for resilience and effectiveness in public speaking.

Lessons from Self-Publishing:

• Building a supportive team early and considering a book coach are critical steps.
• Understanding the timeline and process intricacies is necessary for a smooth publication.
• Setting clear processes and boundaries helps manage collaborations and version control effectively.
• Recognizing the various editing stages and maintaining control over content changes is important.

Notable Quotes:

• "Empowering others amplifies impact beyond individual efforts."
• "Unfinished stories connect, collaborate, and create opportunities for dialogue."
• "Diverse voices and approaches enrich public speaking and thought leadership."
• "Self-publishing is a journey of learning, adaptation, and community support."

Reference Materials:

"Present Yourself" Book:

• Authors: Danielle Barnes and Christina Wodtke.
• Focus: A comprehensive guide to public speaking, aimed at empowering readers to find and amplify their voices. The book distills insights from the authors' experiences and lessons learned through their professional journeys and work at Women Talk Design. It includes practical advice, exercises ("now try" sections), and strategies for improving public speaking skills. The book emphasizes the importance of practice, inclusivity, and adapting one's approach over time.

Kat Vellos' "Designer to Author" Course:

• Creator: Kat Vellos, a designer and author known for her self-published works and educational initiatives.
• Content: This course is designed for designers and other creatives who are interested in writing and publishing their own books. It covers the end-to-end process of book creation, from ideation and writing to publishing and marketing. Vellos shares her own experiences and lessons learned, providing a roadmap for others to follow in her footsteps. The course is valuable for anyone considering self-publishing, offering insights into overcoming common challenges and making informed decisions throughout the publishing journey.

Women Talk Design Events and Workshops:

• Organization: Women Talk Design is dedicated to increasing the visibility and influence of women and non-binary individuals in design and technology through public speaking.
• Offerings: The organization hosts a variety of events, workshops, and training programs focused on public speaking, leadership, and career development. These initiatives are designed to help participants develop their speaking skills, discover their unique voices, and gain the confidence to present their ideas effectively. Women Talk Design's programs are characterized by a supportive community atmosphere, practical learning experiences, and a commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the tech and design fields.

These materials and initiatives collectively support individuals in their journeys to become more effective communicators and leaders, emphasizing the value of diverse perspectives, continuous learning, and community engagement in professional growth.

About Tent Talks

Chicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!

What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.

Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.

You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others!