Growing my Creativity
Intro
I have been working on this post for some time, several days. I want to get it exactly right before publishing. My creativity has made tremendous strides over the last few months. I am no longer ashamed of what I write and create. Starting my website was just the first step.
Starting a Podcast
Now that I finally have my website up and running, I can turn my attention to a simultaneous project, my podcast. I have tried several times to get started, but something constantly interrupted me. Then I would lose my focus, and I would abandon the podcast project.
Unfortunately, my attention span and attention to detail aren’t what they used to be. I get incredibly frustrated with myself after realizing I have lost focus. Too many projects got halfway to nowhere before I lost my concentration. I don’t want this to happen again. I know I can do better in the future if I stay focused on my objective.
In the meantime, I am trying to make all the necessary preparations to get my podcast up and running before the end of the summer. I went to the Apple store and spoke to a few people. They were incredibly helpful in ensuring that the equipment I already had would get me up and running without too much difficulty. Thankfully I still have the equipment from my previous podcasting attempt that produced only one episode.
At least I can still set up that gear and ensure that things work as my first natural step. I will do that in addition to clearing out some space in the bedroom for everything to be set up. Initially, I thought about a new deal, but I believe that clearing off some shelves in a bookcase will give me the extra room I need. I will purge things I don’t need or use, which should make me feel better overall. The iMac is already in place. Just the audio gear needs to be set up to make things ready.
Prior planning
With those preliminary steps out of the way, I will focus on the podcast. My first attempt suffered from a lack of planning. I was gung-ho to finish that first episode, but then I was completely lost on how to proceed.
The first thing in planning my podcast is what to call it. I am trying to use the same name as my website, “Dreamer’s Ready Room,” for the new podcast. I will add episode numbers after the title and a brief title.
Subject
The next thing to tackle is the consistent subject matter. Trying to constrict myself and run out of ideas won’t do me any good. I need to give myself a broad range, but not too wide. I want to build and maintain an audience.
Time length
Another issue is the length of each episode. Five minutes is an absolute minimum for a successful podcast, although fifteen minutes or more is preferable. That is why many successful podcasters don’t create a new episode daily. My initial goal is a five-minute podcast to get things started, and then I will work to make each episode longer as I learn.
Script
The critical thing is to take the time and write a script for each episode. There is no such thing as too much preparation when writing and double-checking a script before broadcasting. Nothing turns a listener off quicker than constant “uh” and awkward pauses. Writing out a script is time-consuming, but making a podcast worth listening to is worth the effort.
Environment
The next thing to consider is the environment where I will create my podcast. I want a place that is as quiet as possible, without any distracting outside noises. A pre-amp can help filter out some noises, but it should still be as quiet as possible. Living in an apartment presents complications, but I must overcome them as much as possible.
Equipment
I researched the equipment I would need very carefully. I cannot afford to spend a lot of money, so I will start with the gear I used for my last podcast and make it work for now. I have a pre-amp, an XLR microphone, and an old USB microphone. I will update my software from GarageBand to LogicPro in the next few months to have better control over everything. I might be all set just using LogicPro, but I must wait and see. Still, I don’t want to wait longer than necessary before starting my new podcast. So, the first step in this direction will be to unclutter the bedroom and find the equipment I just mentioned so I can get started.
Music
Another thing is the music I want to use for my intro and outro sections. I will use royalty-free music available online because I don’t want to get into trouble for intellectual theft from an artist. When I acquire LogicPro, I can create and compose some simple music independently, which will be the best solution.
A platform for the podcast
Finally, I need a platform to host my podcast. I plan to use Apple initially because I am most familiar with it. The second option is Google because of its widespread availability to users. A widely used platform is critical to attracting listeners. I read that Spotify is also an excellent platform, so I will research it more as things proceed.