Why Aren't You Podcasting?

[Black Dragon]

Many writers have found an audience through podcasting.

Have you tried creating your own podcast? If not, what's stopping you from doing so?

 

[Ankari]

Good question. I don't listen to them, so I don't understand what the benefit would be. I should take a stab at the one often referenced here. I think its called the Round Table Podcast, right?

 

[danr62]

I couldn't record my voice in a good conversational/natural sounding manner if my life depended on it.

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

I barely have time to write the actual novel and sporadically post on my blog; podcasting is pretty far down on the list of priorities.

 

[Philip Overby]

If I knew how to do all that and had something I could talk about for a certain length of time every week, then I'd probably do that. My problem would be coming up with new content to discuss. So maybe if I come up with a good hook, then I'd want to do that.

 

[Telcontar]

It's in the works...

 

[Philip Overby]

I just figured out how to do this. It's easier than I thought. I may start doing podcasts soon. Maybe the "pep talks" I do here sometimes. Just short, sweet and to the point. I may brainstorm something more in-depth though.

 

[Devor]

I just figured out how to do this. It's easier than I thought. I may start doing podcasts soon. Maybe the "pep talks" I do here sometimes. Just short, sweet and to the point. I may brainstorm something more in-depth though.

I think blood pact pep talk podcasts would be awesome!

 

[Dan Latham]

I would love to do a podcast and have a good idea for one, I think. The day job and family barely leave enough time for what little writing I get done.

 

[Agran Velion]

Podcasting sounds interesting, but there are two major things that stop me from even attempting one.

1) I don't have much to podcast about.
2) I have a minor speech impediment (my friends insist that it's barely noticeable after a bit) and I am extremely self conscious about it. I doubt I could make it through a podcast with any form of confidence.

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

Here's another way to put it: I'm a writer so that I don't have to talk to people.

 

[Feo Takahari]

I read much faster than most people talk, so I don't have the patience to sit through a podcast that could just as easily have been an essay. (This is why I can't get into Writing Excuses.) Anyways, I never put my writing in any format where someone with my tastes and interests would be unlikely to find it.

 

[Philip Overby]

Writing Excuses is pretty great though. I wasn't sold on the podcast format at first either, but what I do is continue doing something else (checking email, looking at other sites) while I listen to it. That makes it so I can do other things while still listening to the podcast. For me the podcast most works when you have multiple people talking. I guess you could have an essay written by multiple people, but it'd be pretty messy. Another example is if the podcaster is unique in some other way. If it's just one guy talking, then it's not very interesting to me either.

 

[Penpilot]

I totally agree Phil. It's great when you hear multiple authors bouncing ideas and opinions off each other in a podcast. For me it's very engaging and I start to argue back in my head. Most of the time it isn't even important who's right. Just the though process is invaluable because it helps you refine your own opinions.

As for the original question, just like others have said, I'd have a hard time doing it on my own without running out of things to talk about. I could imagine myself getting desperate an just start reading pages out of my writing book. Don't think that's a good way to build an audience. haha.

 

[podcastcoach]

I read much faster than most people talk, so I don't have the patience to sit through a podcast that could just as easily have been an essay.

I can't read your blog post in a car, but I can listen to it. I can't read your blog while I mow the lawn. But I can listen to it. 97 Million People Drive to work ALONE (with an average commute being 20 minutes). Over 500 million smart phones have been sold. Millions of iPods. All these people need something to listen to - YOU.

Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income just went over 50,000 subscribers. What is his #1 source of new readers? His podcast.

Scott Sigler sells Horror/Thriller/Sci-Fi and he got to #2 on Amazon (watch Video)

 

[Ophiucha]

I've got a bit of social anxiety, so I don't think I could speak even indirectly to an audience and come out sounding coherent. The actual sound recording and editing part I understand; I did a year of that back in high school, and I've been on the computer since I was 2. A bit of cutting in-and-out and pressing play is pretty within my realm of expertise. But the speaking and not stuttering or fumbling over my words part is definitely a challenge. I could probably do a group podcast if I knew the people - offline or on - but then it's a matter of finding one to four writers willing to Skype for an hour every week and keep relatively on the subject of writing.

I should also say that in spite of loving podcasts, I don't actually listen to many writing ones (though I do listen to one about books). I can't stand Writing Excuses, and the Round Table really depends on the episode. I occasionally listen to Litopia After Dark, but that is about 50% writing and 50% pissing about. So I'd have to listen to the other big ones in order to get a feel for the market and what I could offer, which I kind of don't want to do...