Jack Daniel, community development manager at Astaro AG, knows what it's like, too. He wishes selections committees would share their reasons for passing him over.

"I would really like a little feedback," he says. "I don't expect a detailed explanation, but something like: This event isn't the right venue for that topic; we're buried in (whatever topic) submissions this year; the talk is too technical or not technical enough for our audience; or we're simply sick of you."

To be fair—and Arlen and Daniel readily acknowledge this—there are plenty of good reasons to reject a talk. Organizers must balance providing opportunities for new voices and ideas while still attracting an audience, sponsors and vendors.

Michael Smith, security evangelist for Akamai and organizer for OWASP's AppSec DC event, says he sees several types of proposals:

Speakers that will always draw a crowd.