#beginner podcaster

Once the idea of a computer that communicates through a text terminal came to the creator’s mind, they sat and thought of what they personally could do to bring that idea to life. And, apologies if the creator does not use they/them pronouns, I couldn’t find their real name or any preferred pronouns written.

The next point the creator brings up is to write stories that you want to hear. Basically, be as self indulgent as you want. When choosing a genre and setting, know that these should complement your likes and fit the story you’re telling.

As you’re having fun writing, the creator advises that you should pay attention to what themes keep resurfacing. Once you see them, lean into them. They’re what really make you write, and if you can tap into them, it makes your story far more cohesive and yourself far more interested in continuing.

The feedback loop is pretty short.

Instead of having years between publishing and reviews/even reaching an audience, you can write and finish a story and produce it, and it will be in the public within a few days. Now, maybe your audience will be tiny at first, but if you keep going it will most likely keep growing.

2. There's no one who has to green light your story, like a publisher.

One of the best things about podcasting in general to me is that there are pretty much no gatekeepers. Anyone with an idea, a story, a microphone, and a way to upload can get that story out there for other people to enjoy.

I've talked before about how so many stories that seem weird or out-there or otherwise not mainstream (whatever that means) can reach an audience because there's no one telling the creator 'no, that won't work, there's no audience for that.' There's an audience for just about everything, and if you don't make it you'll never find them.

3. It will make you a better writer

As you do a thing a lot, you will inevitably get better at the thing. When you regularly upload, you'll have to regularly write. You can't publish something that doesn't exist, and to make it exist you have to write it. And as you write, you'll explore and experiment and overall improve because you're putting practice in. Yeah, maybe some will be worse than others because not everything will be good, but the point is that you'll learn from mistakes. Mistakes are the best way you learn, not so much from success.

4. You'll build a platform for your work

As you build an audience, you'll build relationships within the community and be able to get other stuff you do out there. Plus, when you have a decent following it's easier to approach someone- or even be approached!- and say 'hey, I have this amount of backing behind me, I'd love to do a collaboration/guest spot/whatever with you!' For me personally, it also helps because that Imposter Syndrome can lessen a bit, or at least you can tell it to shut up more often. When you know people follow and like your work, you feel good about your skills. And when you feel good about your skills, it makes it more motivating to keep going because it doesn't feel like you're shouting into the void.

Williams says to do this step before you even marry your podcasts concept. This helps the creative and business parts, which she explains. 

Williams points out that articles about audio dramas tend to discuss the plot of the show and maybe a thrown-in paragraph about sound design. But she says to take a step further. Or, as it really is, closer. Think about what the story makes you feel and why. Once you get that, you have to backtrack and figure out how that podcasts creator made you feel that way. 

How to start

Listen closely, taking notes. Not just on the plot, but on sound design, pacing, acting, structure, music, everything. If you love and episode, listen to it multiple times, trying to focus on something else every time. And do the same if you hate an episode. 

[As an aside, this first article also has a fantastic list of lists she had curated, filtered by genre of podcast]

Williams says to not stick exclusively to the genre you plan to write in. Listen to trailers and first episodes of interesting-sounding shows regardless if they're similar to the show you're thinking of. And not just n

fiction podcasts, either! She writes Valence, and writes that nonfiction ones on technological news and data security inspired her, too. Think about what your podcast is about and think of what the characters would be interested in. That's how you'll find the nonfiction ones that will help. 

Business side

Williams also points out that you should think hard about your podcast name, and research thoroughly to make sure it isn't taken. Not only will it make searching for your show a nightmare, you might even get into legal trouble down the line. 

York Campbell is the writer and host of Poetic Earthlings, which is an original science fiction anthology. Unfortunately, I don't know if this link I found is the right show, but I'll put it here anyway.

Jule Hoverson is the writer/producer of 19 Nocturne Boulevard, an anthology with stories in the supernatural, speculative, and strange.

K.A. Statz is part of Fool and Scholar Productions, an indie audio drama production company.

Jordan Cobb is an actress/writer and the founder of No Such Thing Productions, another indie production company.

Leslie Gideon is a writer and voice actor and created her own audio drama called The Path Down.

Sarah Rhea Werner is a writer and voice actor and creator of Write Now and Girl in Space. She's also the executive producer of Omen, her partner Tim Krause's show.

Patchree Jones- the host of the panel- first question is: How did you get into this line of work?

Jordan first started with listening to audiobooks. She studied acting in New York University and realized that a script she had written for a class would work with a few of her acting friends. After that first show- Here be Dragons- she fell in love with the audio drama production process.

K.A. Statz started because both she and her partner Travis are very creative and are storytellers. This was a hobby they wanted to share, and they discovered that she was good in the writing aspect and Travis was good at production so they played to their strengths.

Sarah started with her nonfiction podcast, Write Now, and tried writing fictional stories to be read out loud.

Leslie listened to Welcome to Night Vale and fell in love with the rabbit hole entrance it was. She saw the potential for stories that weren't as represented in other mediums and explored that.

York started by listening to AM radio stories and when he mentioned to his wife he wanted to start a podcast but wasn't sure of the topic, she suggested that he read some of his fictional stories.

Julie studied screenwriting and was in an old-time radio club. She's an actor who was invited by a friend to audition with her for a podcast. After auditioning and recording with the cast, she used those scripts she had already written to start making fictional podcasts of her own.

Question 2: What are the elements of a fiction podcast that make it different from writing a novel or short story?

Leslie points out that there's no atmospheric or worldbuilding writing- it's all dialog and sound. Because of this, she says, it's incredibly more intimate and character-focused.

Sarah separates the story into: dialog, sound effects, music in the background. But the dialog is the main part, the other two highlight that aspect.

K.A. says that you can't really explore characters by action, but what and how they speak. Language is a huge part of identity and writing for dialog is keeping the art of oral history alive.

York used to write and perform rap so he was more focused on the music and how to play with that aspect.

Julie used her TTRPG background and creating memorable characters as the game master and how to separate those characters just using dialog. Audio drama is (generally) in media res, right in the middle of the story. It doesn't have the slight disconnect of reading words and having it be in past tense.

Jordan says that you're living in the story with the characters. Writing scripts for audio fiction feels more "immediate and lived-in." Her screenwriting background tends to creep in as far as worldbuilding because you're guiding people through your world from their own life and whatever they're doing at the same time as they're listening to the podcast. She says she wants to have the listener "suspend themselves" in the world she creates.

Question 3: Do you feel that certain genres lend themselves more towards this medium more than others?

K.A. says that this medium is open to any kind of story. There are genres that are more difficult- she points out action as an example- but it's doable. It just requires more thought about how to depict it. And with more people coming into the medium, there's eventually going to be someone who brings a new technique in that will prove her wrong and she's looking forward to it. She also says that horror works very well- people tend to create more terrifying things in their mind than K.A. ever could on her own because of K.A.'s work.

Julie says that anything that's ruined by a visual, or a visual that wouldn't live up to the story. She agrees with K.A. and says that horror is good for audio, and action is difficult.

Jordan agrees about horror and adds comedy as a good genre. She compares it to standup comedy because the listener pictures the scenarios in their mind. Also, science fiction and fantasy because to produce it via say, a movie, it would be exorbitantly expensive. Whatever genre you choose, you're taking the audience with you on the journey. A little hand-holding is expected, but as long as you're willing to do that well, it's a journey they'll willingly take.

Sarah offers encouragement to any future creator, no matter what story or genre they're interested in- there's room for everyone in the medium.

York says that in his science fiction anthology, he sometimes goes off-track. And even when he does do that, he says that there's "a golden thread that ties everything together" because it's all told through sound.

Julie says that engaging characters are the key to each genre. If the writing, acting, and characters and their predicaments are good, they will draw the audience in.

Leslie says that any genre that focuses on characters or a certain atmosphere works well in audio dramas. Horror, especially psychological horror, works well. But so does romance because it's characters talking to each other and getting closer.

Question 4: What do you love about writing podcasts?

Julie says that she can do whatever she wants and can be any character she wants with no need for things like makeup or other visual cues.

Sarah says she can connect more to her listeners than she can from purely writing.

Jordan says the audio fiction is the closest way she can get to living in the worlds and have the experiences the characters she creates do.

York says "empathy saves the species." When he creates characters that have experiences he never will, he builds empathy with people who might have those experiences in the real world. He can show more compassion.

K.A. says the effect that her story has on listeners is amazing. There's also an amount of self-reflection that comes with writing, and it's personal without being invasive.

Leslie discovered a freedom in this medium that doesn't quite exist elsewhere.

Question 5: What are the challenges you've faced when writing fiction podcasts?

Leslie says that because of the nature of audio- namely that dialog is king- it's more difficult to create well-rounded characters that aren't what she calls "exposition machines." The world is shown through not only one character speaking, but how that character speaks to other characters.

York says that even though he enjoys the act of writing, it's grueling and takes a while for him. When he can't find "the heart" of the story, AKA the "core element," he doesn't record it. He has to find the human connection.

Jordan says that actually writing- the butt-in-chair method- is the most difficult part. And she also has trouble putting the exact mental image she has into language that other people experience. Getting onto the same page proves difficult at times.

Julie says finishing things is hard. Starting is easy, but finishing is harder. She also wishes she had a dedicated editor because she prefers writing and acting.

K.A. also has problems finishing projects. She's grateful to her partner Travis for sound direction and certain production duties so she can focus on other things. She also points out that a lot of work has to go into building an audience, and she wishes someone could do the promotion.

Sarah says that it's difficult to not burn out when you're making a project. Working around your life can be hard, but when you are burning out, it's sometimes difficult to step back even when it's necessary. Also, she points out that the finished product is not what it takes to make it- a thirty minute episode takes hundreds of hours to make.

Question 6: How do you best promote your podcast?

Jordan cross-promotes with other shows. She has snippets and trailers of hers on other shows, and shouts out other projects from other people when she's enjoying something. Most people listen to multiple podcasts, so you can get people to network and more ears on your work.

Sarah comes from a marketing background. She says creative people often think that marketing is antithetical to what their work is, but she thinks they should learn about marketing if they can. The more you learn, the more effective you are at it.

York says that there is such a thing as creative marketing, that you can bridge that gap. He particularly mentions just for social media episodes and giving an episode for those who don't want to go to another platform to listen to more yet. He also shouts out other shows and projects. Guesting on other projects is helpful, too.

K.A. says doing things adjacent to the podcast is good- she and her partner did Twitch streams about sound design. Also, building a community and having them spread the word for you is a plus.

Leslie says that because the medium is relatively new, the community is very social media focused. It's the best way to get the word out.

Julie points out the fact that even with cross-promotion, the word more or less gets passed around the closed room of audio drama fans, not so much spread further. But marketing, she admits, is very daunting especially when you're wearing so many hats already. But she says to find reality-based podcasts, not just fictional ones, and make connections there. So if you have a horror fiction podcast, reach out to horror movie review podcasts.

Question 7: Do you use sound effects and how do you incorporate them? Do you make them yourself or where do you find them?

K.A. writes them into the scripts at specific points. Her partner, Travis, either finds or makes them himself. While you don't necessarily need sound effects, they are an anchoring point and connection to the real world. You know what a car door sounds like when it's slammed shut and the probably emotion behind it. You can envision the situation.

York didn't at first, but added music and the sound effects later. Don't have them for the sake of them, use them to deepen the listener's understanding of the characters/world.

Julie uses the sound effects to serve the story. She uses the same sound effects- a door opening, for example- over and over. She plays with the sounds and layering them until she liked the result- she likens it to collage.

Jordan doesn't sound design her own projects, but she writes sound effects not just for ambiance but as part of the story. She also says to play with silence as a 'sound effect.'

Leslie thinks it's vital to create a soundscape when creating an audio drama because it adds to worldbuilding.

Sarah does her own sound design and editing and says freesound.org is a great resource.

Question 8: Do you plan the whole season in advance or do you go episode by episode?

Leslie plans out seasons first to make sure the narrative flows well. It also makes production and post production run more smoothly for her.

K.A. plans everything in advance because she "can't abide chaos".

York writes everything, including show notes, in advance.

Jordan plots the season first, then writes episodes in more detail to give herself room to breathe. But everything is done before recording.

Sarah is a self-professed "chaos monster" and has difficulty planning everything, so she writes episode by episode because it works better for her.

Julie writes episodes in her anthology about five or six in a batch, then looks for sound effects, music, and cast members as she works.

Question 9 (final question): What is your advice for future podcasters?

York believes in finding a story you can immerse yourself in, something that has a core of truth and real experience. A story that you're motivated and stoked to write.

K.A. recommends not standing in your own way and try little things at first, just to try and prove to yourself you can do it.

Sarah suggests that you find a friend and support system in the community to not get stuck in your head.

Julie seconds the finding someone in the community, along with finding shows that you enjoy and following them closely. Also, she suggests to write and just write, don't spend forever editing a sentence at a time. Keep moving forward.

Leslie says to listen to as many shows that you can. The best way to learn is to listen to the things people do well.

Jordan says to not let anyone steal your joy. You will start from 0, get one-star reviews, and have people say intentionally cruel and unprompted things about what you've poured everything into. She also says to never read reviews.