2020/cfp: make some progress all throughout

1 files changed, 44 insertions, 28 deletions

diff --git a/2020/cfp.md b/2020/cfp.md
index 04788d98..939032e7 100644
--- a/2020/cfp.md
+++ b/2020/cfp.md
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 The Call for Proposals for EmacsConf 2020 talks is now open, until
 **September 30, 2020**.
 
-After a successful [[EmacsConf 2019|2019]], we are back again this
-year and we are once again calling for your participation!
+After a successful [EmacsConf 2019](2019), we are back again this
+year and are once again calling for your participation!
 
 EmacsConf is the conference about the joy of [Emacs][emacs], Emacs
 Lisp, and memorizing key sequences.
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ We welcome speakers of **all backgrounds** and **all levels of
 experience**, including newcomers submitting a proposal to give their
 first talk!
 
-### Important Dates
+### Important dates
 
-Please mark the following (tentative) dates in your calendar:
+Mark these dates in your calendar!
 
 <table>
 <tbody>
@@ -52,41 +52,53 @@ Please mark the following (tentative) dates in your calendar:
 </tbody>
 </table>
 
-Note that although we will try our best to stick to the above dates,
-we are currently treating them as somewhat tentative, in case an
-urgent matter comes up and things have be scheduled around.
+Please note that although we will try our best to stick to the above
+dates in the coming months, given the current state of the world, we
+may have to move things around a bit in case of unforeseen events.
+Thank you for baring with us as we all navigate these trying times.
 
-### Talk Formats
+### Talk formats
 
 The following are the main formats for EmacsConf 2020 talks:
 
-- **10 minutes** (Lightning talk): Quickly present a cool project,
-  concept, or trick!
+- **&le;&thinsp;10 minutes** (Lightning talk): Quickly present a cool
+  project, concept, or trick!
 - **20 minutes** (Standard talk): Introduce the audience to a new
   Emacs mode, concept, or just talk about something not necessarily
   shiny and new but that you find really neat nonetheless.
-- **45 minutes** (Extended talk): Take your time going more in depth,
+- **50 minutes** (Extended talk): Take your time going more in depth,
   and/or do a demo!  Extended talks are a great way of really
   educating the audience about something you enjoy.
 
-Other session formats such as tutorials and workshops could be
-arranged as well.  If you are interested in these or other kinds of
-sessions, let us know and we can try to arrange it!
+Q&A time is **included** in the Standard and Extended time slots;
+please time your presentation accordingly.  If you would like to take
+questions live, we recommend aiming for a 15-minute presentation for
+the Standard time slot, and for 40-45 minutes for the Extended time
+slot.  However, as the speaker, the exact allocation of your time is
+up to you, so long as it does not exceed the allocated time slot.
+
+Other session formats such as tutorials, workshops, and hangouts are
+welcome as well, especially considering all that is going on around
+the world, in case you would those other formats preferable to a
+traditional talk format.  If you are interested in these or other
+session types, please get in touch with us publicly or privately; we
+will be happy to work something out with you.
 
 Keynote speaker(s) for EmacsConf 2020 will be introduced in a future
 announcement.
 
-### Topic Ideas
+### Topic ideas
 
-Not sure what to give a talk about?  You might find some neat ideas on
-the [[ideas]] page (feel free to add yours there too)!  If you're
-still not sure, come by our IRC channel `#emacsconf` on
-`irc.freenode.net` and say hi.  You can join the chat using [your
-favourite IRC client](irc://irc.freenode.net:6667/emacsconf) or the
-[freenode webchat](https://webchat.freenode.net/#emacsconf).
+Not sure what to talk about?  You might find some neat ideas on the
+[[ideas]] page (feel free to add yours there too)!  If you're still
+not sure, come by our IRC channel `#emacsconf` on `chat.freenode.net`
+and say hi.  You can join the chat at [chat.emacsconf.org][chat],
+which runs our self-hosted instance of [The Lounge][thelounge] free
+software web IRC client, or using your
+[favourite IRC client][freenode-emacsconf].
 
-A great way to write a strong proposal is to start by exploring the
-programs from previous years: [[2019|2019/schedule]],
+A great way to get started with writing a proposal is to start by
+exploring the programs from previous years: [[2019|2019/schedule]],
 [[2015|2015/schedule]], [[2013|2013#program]].
 
 ### Submission
@@ -100,19 +112,23 @@ including women and people of colour.  If you're comfortable sharing
 demographic information, please include them in your submission email,
 but your proposal will not be judged negatively if you leave them out.
 
-### Getting Involved
+### Getting involved
 
 If you would like to get involved with the various aspects of
 organizing the conference like planning the sessions or help setting
 up the infrastructure, see our [[planning]] page and come say hi to us
-at `#emacsconf` on `irc.freenode.net`.
+at `#emacsconf` on `chat.freenode.net`.
 
-Don't forget to subscribe to our mailing list
-[emacsconf-discuss](//lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacsconf-discuss)
-for discussion and announcements about the EmacsConf conference.
+Don't forget to subscribe to our mailing list,
+[emacsconf-discuss][emacsconf-discuss], for discussion and
+announcements about the EmacsConf conference.
 
 We look forward to your ideas and submissions!
 
 
 [emacs]: //www.gnu.org/software/emacs/emacs.html
 [freesw]: //www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
+[chat]: //chat.emacsconf.org
+[thelounge]: //thelounge.chat
+[freenode-emacsconf]: ircs://chat.freenode.net:6697/emacsconf
+[emacsconf-discuss]: //lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacsconf-discuss