Prologue
My #1 Dream Guest ... But Not Anymore
I did an interview with Dolly Parton yesterday. We did it via Zoom, although everything was recorded locally.
It's pretty surreal to connect to a session like this one, which was part of a larger press day for her. When I logged in, there was a cartoon of Dolly on the screen with the message, "Be right back!"
Then the engineer puts through her video and she's there ... big hair, makeup, and in 100% Dolly mode.
I recorded an episode about the pre-work that went into this and how it happened that you can download here.
I've done a few of these over the years. Strangely enough, one was with Rob Halford of Judas Priest, who has a duet with Dolly on her new album. But Dolly was next-level as far as her ability to work with whatever you throw out and give you a complete interview in the time you have together.
And you have very limited time – there's no room for error. You start as soon as the guest comes on and go until the engineer (who is watching the clock) gives you a 60-second warning that it's time to wrap it up.
I'm going to take you through this process, sharing tape from the before, during, and after.
That's coming within the next week or so ... as soon as I can get it to you. For now, check out the current episode where I talk about how this came together and the opportunity you have to do something similar for your podcast.
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Podcaster Opportunities
Spotify is Going to Clone Podcasters’ Voices (and translate them to other languages)
A partnership between Spotify and OpenAI will let podcasters replicate their voices to automatically create foreign-language versions of their shows.
I've got mixed feelings about this. On one hand, it makes our podcasts more accessible, which I think is always a good thing. But on the other, will the "human elements" be lost?
Have you heard the AI voices from Speechki? Absolutely amazing ... especially for the price.
This is where things are headed. Even if we wanted to, we're not going to be able to stop the change, so we need to find a way to work with it. And again, there are some really great things that come with making your podcast more accessible to people.
I'd love to know your thoughts. How do you feel about AI versions of your podcast in multiple languages? Reach out on Pebble, Bluesky, or Mastodon.
Podcast Hosting Skills
The Difference Between Interested and Obsessed
Sports stuff here, but stick with this three-minute video, because it applies to your podcast.
The Difference Between Interested and Obsessed
Being obsessed with details and paying attention to them separates greatness from mediocrity. But surprisingly, the distance between the two isn't as much as many people think.
Key Takeaways:
- Rushing increases the chance of making mistakes, so take your time and be precise.
- Even small details matter.
- Establish and focus on the fundamentals of what you want to be great at.
- Success comes from practicing with intention and purpose, paying attention to the small details that others may overlook.
I'll give you an example related to the first bulletpoint, "rushing." This is something you've probably experienced in your podcasting.
You've got to let an interview (dialogue) or monologue breathe. This means taking your time when speaking and, when others are involved, letting them have their needed time.
A very common mistake that I especially see in new podcasters is "rushing" an interview, interrupting guests to get something in, even if it's a great followup question.
While there are certainly times you want to cut off a guest and take control of an interview in an assertive way, unless you're going out live over stream or broadcast, you have editing on your side. And because of this, should something go wrong, you can always go back and fix it once you're doing recording.
What would go wrong? The guest goes on too long. Or you forget your followup question. A million things can go wrong.
But when you give an interview just a little more space, trusting that you'll be ready to ask the perfect followup when a natural break occurs, you open up the situation to the million things that can go right.
It's scary to give up control, even if that control is perceived. But once you do this, you'll find out what real control is.
Podcasting News
Google Podcasts Is Shutting Down, Replaced by YouTube
Womp womp. Google Podcasts will shut down in 2024.
Does anybody care? No. That's why it's shutting down.
This is Google's third attempt to break into the podcasting space. I'd love to see them do it as we need somewhere for Android users to go (other than Spotify).
But all is not lost, the company plans on making YouTube Music the preferred destination for podcasting.
What do you think? Will this fourth attempt work? Where will you send Android users once Google Podcasts is gone?
Reach out to me on Pebble, Bluesky, or Mastodon to let me know your thoughts.
Podcast Production
How to Edit with Your Ears
Some good editing advice from NPR ...
I don't know that you need to listen for all of these elements in every podcast episode that you do, but picking just a couple of them could help your production in a big way. For example, making sure each episode has purpose and looking at how "tension" (or lack thereof) can either engage listeners or bore them.
Questions to ask yourself when listening:
- When did I tune out or get bored?
- When was I confused?
- What was the purpose of the story and is the purpose clear?
- When did the story make clear, powerful points?
- When was the audio hard to hear or distracting?
- Is any audio misleading? (NPR senior editor Ken Barcus notes, “Sometimes a bubbling brook sounds just like a leaking toilet.”)
- Is anything essential missing? Is the story fair?
- Does the structure of the story make sense? What are the beginning and middle, and do they lead towards the end?
- Is information revealed at the right time?
- Does tension build through the piece?
- When did I feel weird? Were their discordant moments? (i.e. a scene that doesn’t match the story)
- When did I smile, laugh, or feel happy?
I've got some stories of what I've learned from editing myself on the audio version of this issue. And I'd love to hear more about your experience editing your own podcast and what you'd learned about yourself when doing so.
Reach out to me on Pebble, Bluesky, or Mastodon to let me know.
Podcasting Deals
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Podcast Humor
Podcaster = Audio Engineer
I know you didn't become a podcast host to also be an audio engineer, but here we are ...
It's easy to get frustrated when guests don't know how to use certain software or equipment, but being able to guide them through the process (or hiring somebody who can do this for you) will make all the difference in you getting what you want on tape.
Have a story about having to do this? Share it here.
I've got one I'll share with you on the audio version of this issue. It involves a well-known musician who practically lives in the studio and whose voice is on MILLIONS of records, yet who didn't know how to plug in a mic for an interview.
Sounds crazy? It happens more than you'd think. And if you can work through it, the payoff is massive, because most podcasters won't.
Classifieds
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The Wrap Up
When you're ready, here's how I can help you even more ...
If you like the newsletter, you'll love Big Podcast AMP (Audio Monetization Program).
This personal coaching program has been designed to help you do three things:
- Grow your podcast audience.
- Get people talking about your podcast.
- Make more money with your podcast.
You can get details here.