A Collection of Free Resources for Learning to Make Podcasts
Everyone has a podcast idea.
I’ve had many conversations with friends about podcasts they want to start, but things never get moving. The problem is that people hear that podcasting is the new blogging, and think it’s as easy as turning on a microphone and uploading the audio file to a server. Well, it kind of is that easy, but people also quickly realize that audio is a much more personal form of communication and takes a whole different knowledge base than writing.
The wrong microphone can ruin the entire audio experience, knowing how to properly edit and upload your podcast can get overwhelming fast, and knowing what format or topic to even dive into can be daunting. All these things are the mental hurdles we encounter after having that initial inspiration to jump right into podcasting. This resource guide is an attempt to filter down the very best places to start learning the ins and outs of what podcasting entails and to provide context for what’s out there.
Where to begin
There are a ton of free tutorials and videos out there on getting into podcasting, but Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income does a tremendous job putting everything in one place and walking you through all the beginning steps. You can read the guide and watch the videos as you go or you can jump right to this YouTube playlist that has all six videos in it. The playlist goes from one to the next automatically, so you could just sit on the couch with a notepad, press play, and BOOM, 105 minutes later feel like a pro (or on your way to competent amateur).
Pat also has a podcast called Ask Pat where people ask simple questions about their blog, online business, or podcast, and Pat takes about 5–10 minutes to answer each one. Take a look through the hundreds of episodes for any topic that focuses on podcasting that might align with questions you have as well. Ep 642: What are the must haves for starting a podcast , is a example of a great podcasting-centric episode.
His guide and videos will honestly get you all the way from daydreaming about podcasting to having the right equipment, the right software, the logo and everything else all set to go. So now for the fun part, which is really digging into what you want your podcast to actually be.
What kind of podcast is right for me?
Most tutorials, like Pat’s, spend a lot of time on the technical side, which is important. But most people aren’t going to even bother going forward unless they are super excited about an idea they have. It’s good to understand what’s out there to help inform the types of directions that would interest you.
Anyone who listens to a lot of podcasts knows that there are a few broad categories or types of podcasts that the majority of shows fall into. Movies have dramas, comedies, documentaries, and horror as main archetypes. Below are the broadest archetypes you’ll find in the podcast space along with recommendations to help insert yourself in that headspace to see if anything clicks.
Narrative or journalistic podcasts
These are the classics — This American Life, Radiolab, Reply All, Serial, Invisibilia. Any show that lists off a bunch of producers during the end credits will probably fall into this category.. These can provide some seriously compelling audio, the kind where you just sit in your car after arriving somewhere, ignoring the world until you finish the episode. They are unfortunately also the hardest and most time consuming to make yourself.
The Tim Ferriss Show did a fantastic two part interview with Alex Blumberg (of Planet Money and Gimlet Media fame) that goes into great detail around the ins and outs of this type of podcast. Part one is the actual interview and part two is a free 40 minutes sample of Blumberg’s masterclass on audio storytelling . Also check out this extremely helpful short video series from his mentor, Ira Glass, on what it means to construct a compelling story.
People with radio backgrounds seem most attracted to this category, but its required skill set is something you can also learn on the job. For example, take You Are Not So Smart, a great podcast about psychology and self-delusion. Host David McRaney has a background in written journalism but has slowly evolved his episodes from basic interviews without much editing to ones with more of a compelling production value. It’s possible to simply learn as you go!
To dive deeper into the mindset of some of the best narrative storytellers, Reddit can be an amazing resource. Their Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions provide some of the most unique interviews you’ll find and the Roman Mars AMA, and the Ira Glass AMA provide great insight into their creative process and background.
Two dudes talking
This obviously can be any combination of genders, but it’s the term I borrow from an episode of Hello Internet, where the hosts discuss the idea that when it’s a podcast involving people just talking, it really boils down to the chemistry between them, and not really the subject matter. This type of podcast where friends just chat about topics are extremely common, but also the least likely to be on the top of any kind of charts. There are some that are very popular, but definitely not Serial popular.
I think a great example of this is Stuff You Should Know, where hosts Josh and Chuck can talk about pretty much anything and I’ll find it interesting. Maybe it’s more important to find the right co-host than it is to find the right topic if you are interested in creating this type of audio. The subreddit /r/podcasts is a great community for people getting started in podcasts that are largely this category.
The interview
Interviewing sounds like such an easy idea, but when you’ve heard enough bland ones, you begin to realize how much of a skill it is. Death, Sex & Money, On Being, Half Hour Intern, and EconTalk are some top notch players in this category that do it right–by having interesting guests and doing their homework for the interview.
Listening to a great interview is one of the best ways to learn about the world, and listening to a great interview of radio people is one of the best ways to learn about podcasting. Longform is a show that interviews journalists, and their interview with Anna Sale from Death, Sex & Money will provide you with lots of actionable advice on connecting with a guest and a glimpse into her background and style.
If you are looking for shows that focus solely on radio people, Tape and The Podcast Digest are a must listen. Check out their back catalogues for names you are sure to recognize and learn from.
If focusing on interviews is a direction you want to take your podcast, one last resource I’ll recommend is another from Pat Flynn’s YouTube channel. Check out his SPI TV ep 50 about how to do podcast interviews for some great tips.
And… go!
There are of course tons of other categories and subcategories (how would you even categorize Welcome to Night Vale?), but hopefully the main archetypes I laid out will be a useful starting point for getting the ideas flowing. There may be thousands of podcasts out there, but the world still has room for a few more good ones.
Featured image: Wikimedia
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Originally published at bellocollective.com.
The Bello Collective is a publication + newsletter about podcasts and the audio industry. Our goal is to bring together writers, journalists, and other voices who share a passion for the world of audio storytelling.
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