It’s not just the Olympics — burnout is everywhere. Yesterday, two podcasters offered practical, medium-specific advice that hardworking creators need to hear. Making the best show you possibly can, episode after episode, is a tall order. Plan, record, promote, and network your heart out, but remember to breathe.
Timber.fm co-founder Jon Christensen knows from experience: “the podcasting equivalent of going all-out in every workout” will destroy creative muscles. When a production schedule is so tight that you’re unable to incorporate feedback, the whole process is starved of oxygen. His guidance is on-point.
For beginners or those starting to gain traction, saying yes to everything may feel like the only smart move. In Podcast Pontifications, Evo Terra gives permission to escape the pressure cooker: “Occasionally, you may realize that passing up on an opportunity is as much of an opportunity as the opportunity itself.”
Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek put it plainly: He does not believe the company has editorial responsibility for its podcasts. When asked directly about Joe Rogan, Ek pointed out that Rogan is “one of 8 million creators” on the platform. Dan Primack of Axios pushed back: “But the best paid of all of those.”
Ek’s response defies debate. “We have a lot of really well-paid rappers on Spotify too, that make tens of millions of dollars, if not more, each year from Spotify. And we don't dictate what they're putting in their songs, either.” Exclusive contracts versus per-stream royalties aside, listeners are curious: Where's the line?
There is one, somewhere. Approximately 40 of Rogan’s episodes have been removed over time, wrote Paul Resnikoff in April. “Spotify has offered no explanations for its removals,” though neither has Rogan, who openly cares less than anyone else involved. From any angle, it’s a first-of-its-kind saga to watch.
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Transcription is instant, and editing your audio is as simple as tapping the backspace key. Remove ‘uhhhs’ and ‘ummms’ with a click, instantly eliminate background noise, and collaborate with your team in real time. You can even add spoken words to your audio or video, without re-recording, using the Overdub voice-cloning tool.
The bottom line: Descript frees you from the technical grind so you can focus on telling great stories. See for yourself: For a limited time, get a free month of Descript Pro with exclusive code PODMOV21.
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