Podcasts for Writers
The first podcasts I ever listened to were about visual arts. I had been tasked with writing a blog for an art school on the subject, and I thought it was kind of fantastic that I could be out in the yard mowing my lawn while listening to a podcast through my headphones, and I could bill for my time. I could drive into town to go to the grocery store and listen to a podcast in the car -- and bill for that time. How awesome was that? That's what I call multi-tasking! I was hooked. As soon as that article was submitted, I switched up the topics of the podcasts I was listening to until I had compiled a list of podcasts on romance novels, on writing and marketing tips, and on topics which were generally interesting or entertaining to me. Here is a list of some of my favourites!
Writing Podcasts:
Writing Class Radio https://www.writingclassradio.com. - I actually just listened to this one this morning. The first time I listened, though, I was surprised to realize I am Facebook friends with one of the hosts - Andrea Askowitz. Small world! Today's topic was 'show don't tell,' and I enjoyed their approach since it agrees with my own -- stories actually need both.
The Creative Penn Podcast https://www.thecreativepenn.com/podcasts. The Creative Penn is actually one of the podcasts which tops my list. I find her topics are always interesting, her guests intelligent, and her advice useful. Plus, it turns our I love listening to British accents in my podcast preferences.
Hashtag Authentic https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/hashtag-authentic-for-creatives-entrepreneurs-dreamers/id1200930280. This is a great podcast with another British hostess. It is interesting because, yes, it speaks to business principles -- particularly for writers -- but it also speaks to more lifestyle topics. For example, resting. I always get something useful out of this podcast.
The Indie Author Lifestyle Show https://indieauthorlifestyle.com/ial-podcast. This podcast has all kinds of different topics designed to help indie authors work towards making their living with writing. Their topics are practical and specific.
Smart Author https://www.smashwords.com/podcast. This podcast is hosted by Mark Coker of Smashwords fame. It is full of great tips on publishing. The one I found interesting recently was that on average, ebooks priced at $2.99 sell better than ones priced at $1.99. Speculation is that perceived value changes at that price point. If you are an author looking to self-publish, this podcast is worth a listen.
The Author Hangout https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-author-hangout-book-marketing-tips-for-indie-self/id836834702. I had two exclamation marks beside this podcast in my notes. That is because it is just that good. It is full of amazing marketing tips from a man who was in corporate marketing prior to writing. He is inspiring and his tips have directly affected some of the decisions I have made about my own writing and marketing. Highly recommend.
The Misfits Guide to Writing Indie Romance http://themisfitsguidepodcast.com. I love this podcast. I really like the vibe between the hostesses, which feels a lot like hanging out with friends. The ladies talk about everything from their family to their holidays. And their topics vary from "Hooks" one week to "Staying Healthy" the next. Love it.
Romance Podcasts:
Romance Readers Podcast with Lori Foster https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/romance-readers-podcast-with-lori-foster/id1350536595. This was one of the first podcasts which hooked me. First, let me just say, I did not expect Lori Foster to have the accent she has. I like it, very Southern. The first episode of her show which I listened to was a Harlequin Author Roundtable, and even without being a Harlequin reader, I found it fascinating. I have now listened to almost every episode of this podcast. More please, Lori.
Romancing the Shelf https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/romancing-the-shelf/id1497434311. If you are going simply by amount of time listened to, then this is my favourite podcast. Romancing the Shelf is a podcast dedicated to reading and reviewing every single Nora Roberts novel. I like it because she is my favourite romance writer so I have read many of her books and recognize the stories being discussed. I also find it interesting because the hostesses sound, at least, young. They are taking a chronological foray through Nora's books, and as a listen to them talk about the parts of the books they don't like, I am reminded that popular fiction is reflective of the time it is written in. Listening to them deconstruct some of Nora's earlier books takes me back to University theory classes -- and sometimes makes me laugh.
The Indie Author Book Club https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-indie-author-book-club/id1547281213. I like this podcast because it interviews indie romance authors. I NEVER recognize the author's names, but as soon as they start chatting, I recognize myself in what they say. This podcast doesn't necessarily discuss stories so much as it chats with the author's of the story.
Shelf Love https://shelflovepodcast.com. I've actually only listened to one episode of Shelf Love, and that was Episode 93: Ice Ice (Planet) Baby. For me, alien romances just don't interest me, so I was surprised to find that the hostesses actually got me interested in the series they were discussing. Their conversation actually unpacked the themes of the story -- and there were some heavy ones -- really well. I'd listen again.
Fated Mates https://fatedmates.net. The episode of this podcast I loved was the interview with Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Loved it! The website says their podcast sees the romance novel as a "powerful tool in fighting patriarchy... with no kink shaming."
General Knowledge and Entertainment Podcasts:
Smartless https://smartless.simplecast.com. I love this podcast. Hosts are Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett. The podcast consists of a lot of guy bonding/ bashing between the hosts. It is extremely entertaining and pretty much clean (I say squinting my eyes shut as I try to remember if that is actually true). Every podcast interviews a different celebrity. The first person I heard interviewed was Ryan Reynolds, but they also have guests ranging from Joy Reed, J.J. Abrams, Tony Hawk, LeBron James, and Elizabeth Banks, to name a few. The guests are not only famous, they also all seem to be highly intelligent and interesting. I haven't found a single episode which didn't grab my interest.
Find Your Beach https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/find-your-beach-1063875. I am new to the Find Your Beach podcast. I deliberately went looking for a humourous podcast given how heavy life has been these past few years. This one features a husband and wife who host the show, and it had me laughing all the way through. Disclaimer: Bad language and very adult topics. Just pretend this one isn't on the list, okay, mom? (But it's fo funny!)
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Stuff You Should Know - https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-stuff-you-should-know-26940277. I first found this podcast while writing that original blog for the art school. It had some topic about art, and I liked it enough to try more topics. Their episodes are often called How ________ Works. Fill in the blank with topics like fireflies and lightning bugs, animal domestication, MRI, landslides. The array of topics is fantastic. Even if some of the topics they discuss don't grab you, I guarantee you will find something here that you just gotta know.