3) It has to be GOOD and ORIGINAL material: Sometimes you're not picked because it is not new or interesting.

4.) You CAN be ahead of the conference: SEVERAL of my submissions in Year XXXX were too 'cutting edge' until 2 years later when the selection committee knew enough to pick them. I've learned to pepper my submission with a few more recognizable topics in addition to my desired newer thoughts.

5.) Some Cons TELL you what they want -- or you can figure it out -- but:

--RSA *loves* using case studies and end users on stage. A CSO *should* be easy to get in.

--BlackHat wants you to drop a zero-day or don't bother, for the most part." Of course, no matter what you do, you'll still have to contend with snobbery once in awhile, Corman says. That's when it especially pays to be different and bring other voices in. Consider it safety in numbers.