Exploring Conferences: First Call for Paper

When creating the goals for 2024, I also went through the notes from 2021 to see how my goals have progressed over the years. One of them was to submit a call for papers for Swift India 2021 (unfortunately, this conference never happened after 2019) and iOS Conf SG 2021.

I do not remember if I submitted to the latter, but I clearly remember attending the online version of iOS Conf SG 2022. It was amazing; I learned much from the developers, even in a Zoom-like setting, and had fun and valuable conversations with the organizers.

The Value of Attending iOS Conf 2023

I decided to attend the conference in 2023 if it happens in person. And I did. It was an incredible experience. I met numerous talented developers and my X (formerly Twitter) friends. One valuable piece of advice I received from the organizer was:

Talk about what you like to talk about and what you are good at; nothing else matters.

It sounds simple and obvious, and it is. But this advice resonated with me and encouraged me to share my knowledge and experience with others. On a topic I would like to talk about, and I knew I had experience with.

Build; and Write

In 2021, I worked on this iPadOS app for a client, and their typography was all over the place. It was a mess, and it was clear that they did not have a consistent system in place. It was a problem for me to build new components, so I took it upon myself to create a typography system for their app.

I started by researching and looking at the designs the client's designers had created. I wanted to ensure that the typography system I created would be consistent with their overall vision for the app. Once I understood the designs well, I started creating the typography system in SwiftUI.

After I finished the project, I decided to write an article about it. To my surprise, the article was well-received, and I even got some positive feedback from other developers in the community. The article was featured in one of the well-known newsletters, SwiftLee.

The Impulse Submission

Fast forward to January 22nd, 2023. I was in Bangalore for a short trip and had some time to kill before checking out of my hotel. I remembered seeing a call for papers for plSwift in Poland.

I was designing a typography system for my app instead of building a feature and thought of the talk idea - designing a typography system in SwiftUI.

"Why not give it a shot?"

I was not accepted for any submission in 2022, but fearing rejection could not hold me back. I quickly put together a proposal and submitted it, not expecting to hear back.

New Feedback for Submission

Fast forward to January 25th, and I received a message from the organizers:

Great talk, we'd love to have you at plSwift! Could you please send me your picture and a short, twitter-length description to @plswift.com?

I was so surprised and excited; I just could not believe it! I responded promptly, sharing more details.

Designing a Typography System with SwiftUI

Here is the elevator pitch, something I did for the first time:

A typography system helps with consistent fonts, and spacing, aiding to make your best-in-class app.

This talk starts with an introduction on typography, creating a package for consistent fonts, managing custom fonts, and the tips and tricks for keeping the designers in-sync and happy!

Here is the talk description for reference:

Typography is an important aspect of design that can greatly impact the overall aesthetic of an app. Inconsistencies in typography can be distracting and make the app feel disjointed.

A typography includes things like font choices, font sizes, line spacing, and line spacing. By creating a system, it is easier for you to keep the typography in sync with the app's overall design and keep the designers happy!

This talk is about how creating a typography system makes updating fonts easier, with changes propagating throughout the app without affecting the codebase and a smoother design process.

And finally, the notes for the organizers:

This talk expands my article “Exploring SwiftUI: Typography System” (link: https://rryam.com/swiftui-typography-system). It was featured in many newsletters, including SwiftLee’s newsletter.

I have worked on many different iOS/macOS/tvOS and watchOS projects across various industries since SwiftUI’s inception. I realized the importance of having a typography system from the beginning, or refactoring helps you sort the fonts in one place, which becomes the source of truth. It creates consistency across the app and allows updating any font in a single package.

I have spoken at numerous local meetups in India, Cocoaheads Melbourne/Sydney, and iOS Dev Scout Singapore. Last year, I was also a speaker/panelist at Do iOS Conf, Amsterdam. (I couldn’t attend it due to visa issues)

Some Tips and Some More

If you are thinking of submitting a Call for Paper for the first time, here are some tips that I have learned from my experience:

• Talk about what you want to and what you are good at. Do not worry about what others are talking about or what you think people want to hear. It may or may not get selected. I do not know how organizers select talks, nor do I want to stress myself about information that is not in my control anyway.
• Share your knowledge and experience in a way that is authentic and meaningful to you.
• Speak at local meetups or online user groups. It is always a good idea to practice and refine your presentation skills.
• Do not be afraid to apply for conferences. You never know what opportunities might arise from them when you become a speaker, and you discover a new passion or interest!
• Have fun in the process of crafting the paper! I usually put myself in the audience and ask myself, what would the younger Rudrank or a senior Rudrank want to listen to a speaker? What sparks my interest? Would I be proud to present what I wrote in the paper?

Just hit the submit button. And who knows? You are on the stage next! 🎤