Pod-Crashing Episode 43 Love Stories

Today while sharing a conversation with published author Allison Ashley we spent a little time discussing the digital process. With the enormous amount of success murder and suspense podcasts have been experiencing, how far are we from everlasting love stories from becoming podcast seasons and episodes?
It doesn’t seem like anything knew right? Books on Tape was huge four decades ago whereas today Audible has picked up the reins. Kindle Unlimited has their connection and off to the side are the little guys like Chirpbooks.com who promise audio books up to 95% off.
Ronan Farrow has lifted the level of the experience. Rather than dropping words and paragraphs onto the vocal tracks, his podcast The Catch And Kill totally breathes new life into the soul of published books. Ronan shares the story. He’s not reading it. He’s developed a solid relationship with his followers in the way of saying, “This is not only how I lived it but why, when and where.”
Can that same approach be used with a love story? The narrator actually being a fly on the wall. The author discussing their story rather than reading it by way of well edited structure. Bill Burr is very good at taking his podcast into an area of, “Hey how are ya! Welcome to my house. Want a beer? Damn I’ve got a lot on my mind. Pull up a chair and let’s swap some talk.”
Radio Hall of Famer John Hancock once said to me, “Formatics and structure are there if you need it. Connections begin with trusting your research and show prep then do nothing more than talk about it. Don’t force it. Don’t try to impersonate someone you like listening to. Just talk about it. You and that person on the other side. You don’t need to know their name. Maybe one day. Right now you’re just trying to have a conversation.”
While in a moment with Allison Ashley the edge of my universe was interrupted by a fear for love story authors’ gone podcast. Can you sell a book if what you’re pouring the energy of the storytelling into a pair of earbuds?
Part of what drew me closer to podcasting was having the free spirit to promote promote promote. In late 2012 I announced to my blogging community that I was leaving to write a book. I invited them to tag along by way of this thing I just learned about. They call it podcasting. I’m not sure. Yet I feel a huge pull to begin from a seed and let something I can’t see grow.
As the chapters were coming together I used the digital talk box to not only share the uphill struggles, out of control inner visions but to take my sentences and set them on this new platform all in the name of seeing if a strong love story can actually be the subject of conversation without it sounding like its being read?
Not an easy task. Mainly because of the radio background I was carrying. Radio people and Podcasters are two completely different performances and expressions. The book is titled Scrambled Eggs. Because I’m all about branding. Everything had to somehow feature the title. So I dubbed the podcast Scrambled Egg Shells. It lasted thirteen episodes and or thirteen of the fifty three chapters on the View from the Writing Instrument platform.
I returned to it today. The first time I’ve heard it in seven years. As a radio person we were painstakingly trained to turn a liner card into a conversational subject. Liner cards versus chapters paints the perfect picture of me standing next to Godzilla and he’s in the mood to battle.
I do believe love stories can be talked about rather than read. I strongly feel the next level of podcast play should be where readers want to take their imaginations. Not by hearing their own voice reading the story but to experience by showing up as a listener. Less work when that’s all you have to do.
Back to the fear I had for Allison Ashley. While in the midst of creativity sharing my heart spoke out, “Get off the subject.” Ok here’s the reason why. Podcasting is listening on demand. How much money are listeners putting in the jukebox to hear your art? Yeah I know, let’s get sponsors! I mean Jack Brennan has them with Disgraceland. So can we! Not an easy of a task.
Putting the book out there on a podcast at no cost is a hardcore first step toward bringing an injury to the inner core of why the book even exists.
I know why I stopped recording. I wasn’t convinced that I was selling books. Wait! Wait! We’ve gotta break it down. The thirteenth episode was posted on April 28, 2014. The digital world wasn’t anywhere near what we’re experiencing today. I remember sitting in the production room with my face in my hands. I was screwing up the process of connection. In looking back the author who had spent two years writing the book wasn’t liking the idea of sharing it as a podcast. How dare the radio person try and dominate this project!
Through inflection readers turned listeners could hear my interpretation of Scrambled Eggs. They didn’t see the pictures hung on the walls of their imagination through their eyes meeting the page. Until I came across Ronan Farrow the idea of gripping onto a listener’s heart and lightly tugging on it was something Casey Kasum had mastered on American Top 40. It never felt like he was following a script. He was sharing a story.
Evolution is a cool thing. Moving through the emotional mountains podcasters make then detonate requires honesty, persistence, perseverance, loyalty and more importantly patience bathed in forgiveness. The writer in me had to figure it out. To make nice with the radio guy. To have playdates while taking long walks through late night battles with ideas and failures.
Here’s the fun part about all of this. If you want to podcast do it. You don’t have to be as passionate. That’s my sickness. But somewhere along the journey. Right before you say I quit. The chewed up seed in your stomach is gonna pop out a tiny little green leaf. Suddenly it’s no longer about reading but sharing a story. Test the waters endlessly. Build and rebuild constantly. Gift yourself with a mental bikini wax then rip out the stuff you don’t need.
What’s the moral of the story? Not everybody is blessed to have writers, producers, promoters and managers pushing your name and branding through the eye of a needle. Joe Rogan announced last week that there are 900,000 different podcasts out here to choose from. It’s not slowing down.
Yes love stories will make it to podcasting. Guys will secretly listen to them. When any story is shared right. There’s always going to be an attraction. Live in the moment. While there do all you can to share some love with the podcasters that show up to bring you an incredible place to escape.