PodMov Daily: Monday, September 13

Episode 502: Your Monday Mix

Define (and Refine) Your Podcast with a Show Bible

If only there were a reference manual for your podcast. A ‘show bible’ is just that: designed “to help you conserve brain power, communicate your show’s identity, and refine its style over time.” Documentary podcaster Doug Fraser (What We Do, The Pod Lab) explains how to develop a classic five-part blueprint.

“When stuck or straying from the show’s original intent, the show bible is where you go to refamiliarize yourself with themes, structure, and why the show exists in the first place,” Fraser says. He breaks down the creation process from start to finish, including familiar examples and helpful thought exercises.

A show bible isn’t just for streamlining your progress (though it’s ideal for that, too). “If you’re ever in a position to pitch to a network or a competitive sponsor, most of your prep work will already be finished.” From writing to finding references, time spent here is an investment with unlimited payoff.

---

Fail Safely: Writers’ Workshops, but for Podcasters

What podcasters need is a place to fail in private, writes Edison Research SVP Tom Webster. Successful creatives from Thomas Edison to Brené Brown have insisted that repeated failure is a rite of passage. However, this doesn’t mean failing in public, where a few regrettable projects may hurt your growth potential.

“Make your crappy first podcast,” Webster says. “Make your crappy fifth podcast. But also: don't be afraid to hide it under the mattress if you aren't proud of it.” The pressure to appear productive can make us ‘ship’ ideas before they’re ready. Writers’ workshops, but for podcasters, could be a solution.

Webster found writers’ workshops “humbling” in graduate school. “Nobody likes to be told that your baby is ugly. But the reward for enduring those brutal truths is the potential to create something better — maybe even something great.” Next, read Pacific Content’s Podcast Feedback Checklist for help getting started.

She Podcasts LIVE: Join Us October 14-17 in Scottsdale

Next month, the She Podcasts LIVE conference will bring women and non-binary audio creators together for education, inspiration, and community. The largest in-person gathering of its kind, She Podcasts is different by design. In a holistically supportive environment, you’ll find conversations that couldn't happen anywhere else.

Expert-led sessions will dive into growth, monetization, and marketing, as well as the ‘big picture’ of a creative life. They’ll discuss health, happiness, ethical sales, outsourcing, circadian rhythms and more. You’re never alone, no matter what your podcasting journey throws your way. 

Keynote speakers like Cameron Esposito (Queery), judgment-free dialogue, and even a pool party make She Podcasts LIVE a can’t-miss event. Safety is their top priority — learn more about policies here. Ready to discover your best chapter yet? Join them in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona from October 14–17.

---

---

Here's what else is going on:

• Clear goal: Paid podcast subscribers “enjoy knowing where their money is going.” The Acast+ team asked more than 4,000 of them in the beta program, finding that “it’s important for creators to accurately convey this sort of information in the description for their Acast+ membership tiers.”

• Deep dive: This Thursday at 2:00 pm ET, Edison Research will present the Latino Podcast (non)Listener Report 2021. Who are the 64% of U.S. Latinos who don’t listen to podcasts? The webinar includes new findings as a follow-up to July’s Latino Podcast Listener Report. Free registration.

• Social hour: This Saturday is Podcast Share Hour by Podcasts in Color. From 11:00 am to noon CT, Berry will be resharing global POC shows posted up to 24 hours ahead. Twitter posts and Instagram stories must include a description, link, the creator’s city/state, and #PodsInColor.

• Not quite: Spotify’s user experience isn’t ideal for heavy podcast listeners, reports Bradley Chambers of 9to5Mac. As an experiment, he used it as his primary audio (music and podcasts) player “to see how it stacks up compared to apps like Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, and Player FM.”