I love a good podcast and listen to several. Recently, I found The Hope Prose Podcast by young adult author Tara K. Ross. I enjoyed it, so decided to ask Tara a few questions about podcasting.
Why did you choose to start a podcast?
I am a self-confessed podcast junky. I listen to podcasts during my commute, when I exercise and even when I’m scrubbing toilets. I can enjoy them when my eyes need to be elsewhere and I always have time to sneak one in. For all these reasons, I knew their value.
I also love audiobooks and narration. In our podcast, we have the opportunity to narrate some of our favorite books in short samples. Audiobook narrating is on my shortlist of dream side-gigs, so our podcast format is an ideal way for me to get my feet wet.
Finally, I saw a need. I scoured the podcast space for YA book podcasts and found surprisingly few. When we added in the faith component, there were zero specific to YA. I also wanted to find a way to support Christian YA authors and reach their readers while veering away from screens and social rankings.
What are some things people should think about before attempting to start their own podcast?
- How much money do you have for your podcasting venture? At the minimum you will need the following:
o A website with domain name – including monthly hosting fees
o Headphones and a mic external to your computer
o Recording or editing software – Zencastr and Audacity as good starting points
Audio file hosting – we use Sound Cloud, but there are many out there
- Is there a need for your podcast? Is someone already covering a similar topic? How can you make your show unique? Can you find a niche that is not being filled?
- What format will you use for your podcast? Will you run a solo show or have a co-host or panel? Will you interview guests? How long will you make each episode?
- How often will your podcast air? Daily, weekly, monthly? Is that schedule sustainable? Do you have ideas for your first five episodes? Record the first three before you go live.
I love the name of your podcast, The Hope Prose Podcast. How did you come up with it?
It actually started from my blog and my desire to write transformational YA fiction. Hope Prose birthed out the idea that well-written prose challenges us to reflect on who we are right now, and how we are striving to change. I wanted to guide readers to those stories that transport us to magical places, leave us breathless with anticipation, reflect our deepest struggles, but in the end, offer hope that is unquestionably woven into every word.
A thousand things can go wrong with any new venture. What have you found to be the most difficult part of producing a podcast? Did any issues come up that surprised you?
Rebekah, my co-host, and I live on opposite sides of the continent. Finding times that not only work for our unique time zones but also for our guests’ schedules has been an interesting challenge.
The other difficulty would come down to technology. There have been a few cases where we’ve lost guests to a WiFi glitch or had the sound quality disintegrate mid-sentence. I’ve become good friends with YouTube when it comes to editing together split sound recordings and unplanned background interruptions.
Do you have any advice or tips for people who will be making a guest appearance on a podcast?
- Review previous episodes of the podcast. Get a sense of the format, the style and the length of the episodes.
- If the podcast host provided you with questions, plan your talking points. Jot down any websites or books you will reference.
- Ensure access to a reliable internet connection. Whether streaming through Skype, Zoom, or Zencastr you will want a signal that is strong and consistent.
- Invest in some decent earphones and a mic external to your computer
- Find a quiet space free from environmental noises (think airplanes, traffic, family members, pets, and squeaky chairs). Avoid clothes or jewelry that may crinkle or clank.
- Hydrate. Warm-up your voice. Long pauses are easier to edit than ‘umms’ but don’t stress if you repeat yourself or need to retract a response.
- Make sure to spread the word about the podcast when your episode goes live and consider leaving a review.
Tara is a perpetual Toronto suburbanite despite her best efforts to escape. When Tara is not writing or reading all things YA, you can find her rock climbing the Ontario escarpment, mentoring youth leaders or podcasting at The Hope Prose Podcast. Her debut YA novel, FADE TO WHITE will be published through IlluminateYA in May 2020. You can find out more about Tara and her podcast at www.hopeprose.com
Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.
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Thanks for the opportunity to partner with you on this post! If anyone has additional questions, please feel free to get in touch! I’d love to make the process easier for those starting their own shows!