I walk two to four miles every day while brainstorming ideas for my books or listening to audiobooks (and photographing wildlife). Currently, I’m listening to The Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft, Paradise Lost & Paradise Regained, or Persuasion, depending upon my mood. But now I’m also on a podcast kick for pleasure and business.

 

Honestly, I haven’t really explored many podcasts. The Story Grid Writing Podcast, Tim Grahl’s the Book Launch Show, and The Moth Podcast are about it. With over 2.4 million podcasts available, I’ve barely touched the surface, let alone scratched it.

 

In the Book Launch Show, Tim Grahl says one of the easiest ways for authors to market their books is to be interviewed on a podcast. Unlike writing a guest blog or attending a live author event, participating in a podcast takes little prep work. Generally, you simply show up and answer questions.

 

And, depending upon the popularity of the podcast, you can reach thousands of people with that one interview. The biggest turnout for one of my live author events was thirty.

I’ve been on a few podcasts and some radio programs, but I’d like to do a podcast tour when The Devil Particle is released next spring. So, I’ve started to research podcasts.

 

I’m finding that creating and producing a podcast is a skill just like anything else. Some are much better at it than others.

 

This week, I listened to a writing podcast by two hosts who didn’t introduce themselves or mention their credentials. A great majority of the hour and thirty-six minute episode consisted of inside jokes, teasing, arguing over the talent of various actors, and general nonsense. It was a shame, because when the hosts finally came around to discussing writing, they had some good insights.

 

A second podcast was much more professional. The podcaster introduced herself and asked insightful questions of the debut author. However, the conversation focused on the author’s traumatic childhood upbringing and at one point the author cried. I thought, this isn’t an interview, it’s a therapy session.

 

 

Then I listened to The Prolific Creator with Ryan J. Pelton because my friend and colleague Author Abigail Morrison was Ryan’s guest (“Abigail Morrison On Telling the Truth”).

Ryan was professional, insightful, and respectful. Abby, who has professional experience with podcasts, did a terrific job discussing her writing journey and her debut novel The Yochni’s Eye (to be released on August 11th).

 

I enjoyed the episode so much, I listened to the next one, “Fighting Wine Snobbery”, and now I’m hooked. I’ll definitely contact Ryan and ask him if I can be on his show.

 

After The Prolific Writer, I listened to The Evocative Author Podcast. This was recommended to me by another good friend and colleague Shannon Anderson. Shannon will be a guest on the show this fall.

However, after listening to The Evocative Author, I decided the show isn’t a good fit for me. The podcast focuses on women authors who write women’s fiction. I don’t write in that genre, not yet anyway.

 

 

Now I’m researching podcasts that cater not just to writers, but to readers as well, particularly young adult readers of thriller and dystopia.

Researching podcasts is a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun and it really shakes up my morning walks.

 

 

 

What are your favorite podcasts? Please pass them along and I’ll add them to my list!

Is there a show you’d like to see me on, let me know! Do you have your own podcast? If so, I’d love to be on your show!

 

Check out my new and improved website!

 

Many thanks to Celeste Anton of Dandelion Web Marketing and Consulting for the wonderful job she did updating my website!

 

What’s happening in August:

 

I’ve finished all but the climatic scene of the second draft of The Renegade – the Fourth Book in The Devil Particle Series. I hope to get a decent third draft to my editor Tim Storm by mid-August.

I’m also getting up earlier these days so I can finally tackle Tim Grahl’s Book Launch Course. My goal is to do an hour’s worth of marketing each day.