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At this moment in time, it feels likeliterally everyonehas figured out how to start to a podcast.
Thepodcast industryhas taken on new life over the past decade.
Comparatively, in 2013, just 12% of Americans over 12 years of age said the same.
That’s a massive increase, and the industry and ecosystem surrounding the medium has grown right alongside it.
One of the most radical things about a podcast is it’s an egalitarian form of broadcast media.
A radio show requires a station and a license, but really anyone can make a podcast.
All you need is a computer, a mic, andif you want listenersa captivating idea.
This may seem simple in theory, but for aspiring podcasters it’s hard to know where to begin.
With their advice and your ideas, 2025 is totally going to be your year.
Some podcasters come to the medium with experience in audio recording, but many do not.
So we decided to try creating a pilot and see where it went.
While Fallon and Gray were seasoned storytellers, they had no experience with podcasting.
We had absolutely zero experience hosting, producing, or editing audio before diving in head-first, they say.
Like so many things, you could learn on the job.
Other hosts come to the space from a variety of other paths.
He now shares short stories on his podcast,Listening to Fletcher C Johnson.
He also had never worked in audio production before.
I did a lot of googling.
Like so many other things in life, when in doubt, turn to the internet.
I took their advice along with posts on Reddit and things Id seen popular podcasters share.
The podcasters say you need two key things: a good pair of headphones and a recording microphone.
I keep it short and sweet and offer to send more information via email if theyre interested.
I get left on read, which doesnt always feel great, but youve got to shoot your shot.
Now representatives pitch guests to her as well.
This isn’t the time to be shy, say Fallon and Gray.
We were pretty shameless when we started out, they say.
Sometimes we heard back; sometimes we didn’t.
But eight years later, we still go back to some of those early guests.
We started out by petitioning our entire friend group and extended internet, they say.
You’ve always said you’ve got a book in you.
Why not make writing it a reality 2025?
A good idea, of course, is key.
Ask yourself, Is there something I want to listen to that doesnt exist yet?
If the answer is yes, you have a podcast idea on your hands.
Lage agrees, saying an engaging host and topic is really all you need.
On the flip side, I love it when podcasts are short and sweet.
Finding the perfect length is hard, but I think the best shows strike the balance.
Okay, that was a lot of information.
But don’t get overwhelmed.
Podcasts take time and do not grow overnight, says Williams.
But they can bring so much joy and the work is worth it.
Lage agreed, explaining that she once took a break from her podcast after experiencing burnout.
I took a couple months off and came back stronger than ever, she says.
Make a podcast that you’d want to listen to, say Fallon and Gray.
Also, Johnson advises to not rush out your episodes or your idea.
Take the time to make them good, he says.
And it may sound cliched, says Myszkowski, but sometimes you should just take the leap.
I think you just have to do it, she says.
Start recording or scripting or interviewing or editing, and dont get bogged down by perfectionism in the beginning.
Sometimes you have to just build the plane while its flying.
After all, what do you have to lose?
If you start and realize it isnt for you, theres no shame in quitting, she says.
