by Tif Marcelo

Podcast Insights noted that in June 2018, there were 550,000 podcasts in existence—and that number climbed to over 43 million episodes by January 2021. In September 2020, I added the Stories to Love Podcast, my podcast about creative inspiration, to that number. As an established novelist of romance and women’s fiction, I’d started the endeavor after months of research, planning, and consulting with a fellow podcast host, at a time when I wanted to stretch my personal envelope, to learn, and to connect with others.

From the numbers above, one might assume that starting a podcast would simply be like jumping into an overcrowded pool, but the popularity of podcasting is still growing, and your (writer or reader or likeminded) listeners are out there.

Here are 5 advantages I’ve discovered to making a podcast a part of your writing and publishing journey:

 

  1. It becomes an extension of your brand.

Your voice becomes, plain and simply, your brand. Listeners will get to know exactly who you are, and even more intimately. You are humanized by your distinct and nuanced point of view, which no one can replicate.

  1. Your audience really can hear you.

Unlike social media, where your posts can be buried depending on that platform’s algorithm, your listeners can subscribe to your podcast episodes. And much like a newsletter list, your subscribers receive a direct link and notification whenever you post an episode.

  1. You can host as you are.

There’s no need to dress, to primp! You can record in your pajamas, because there won’t be a camera on you. I found my guests to have been more relaxed to our in-conversation without having the extra stress of dressing for their time with me. Episodes can also be edited, which is a plus if you’re not having a concise day.

  1. You can move as quickly (or slowly) as you’d like.

There’s no convoluted process of submitting the work and waiting for it to emerge at the end of a long assembly line. An array of current software options include all-inclusive programs where you can record, edit, and host, then upload instantly or on a scheduled timeline. You can choose how high speed or low pro you want your podcast production to be: These days, one can record an episode by simply using your phone, or utilize an entire sound system of equipment. For a while, I recorded in our bedroom walk-in-closet. Don’t judge—the clothing made for great acoustics.

  1. You’ll reach a new audience.

Podcasts are beloved by people who want an alternate means of consuming media. At the beginning of pandemic lockdown, my own podcast consumption increased exponentially as a break from the barrage of screen time. In whatever niche topic you would like your podcast to focus on, you will reach new followers.

 

Am I high speed or low pro? Glad you asked! My equipment includes my laptop and a microphone with a pop filter and earbuds. I record with Squadcast, edit with Descript and Garage Band, and host with Buzzspout. I post an episode 1-2 times per month, and is a mix of in-conversations and solo commentary.

I can’t wait to listen to yours!

What are your favorite writing-related podcasts? Join our discussion on Facebook.

 

 

Tif Marcelo is a veteran U.S. Army nurse and holds a B.S. in Nursing and a master’s in public administration. She writes about the strength of families, the endurance of friendship, heartfelt romances, and is inspired by her military hero husband and four children. She hosts The Stories to Love Podcast & is the USA Today bestselling author of In a Book Club Far AwayOnce Upon a SunsetThe Key to Happily Ever After, and the Journey to the Heart series. Sign up for her newsletter at www.TifMarcelo.com.