min
5:00
ready
Slide Pacing Guide
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Lightning Talk Tips
One idea per talk. Not one topic — one idea. If you can't write it in a single sentence, it's still two talks.
The first 30 seconds decides everything. Don't warm up — start with the thing that surprised you.
Slides are cue cards for the audience, not for you. If your slide has bullet points, you're writing a document, not giving a talk.
When the timer hits zero, stop talking. Nothing damages a lightning talk more than running over.
End with something actionable. "Try this" or "Search for this" — give them one thing to do when they leave.
devkoan covers building, shipping, and talking about code — for indie developers who do all three solo.
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