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Beginner Podcaster — What Path Will You Take From Here?

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Okay, so you’re a beginner podcaster and you are ready to get started. That is a great thing and there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t. There are so many different types of podcasts that you can choose from and … since it is your decision … what will you decide? What kind will you pursue? In this matter of your choice, it could all be in the name (or type) you choose. Will it be audio or video or both? Whatever you decide, it could well be quite dependent on whether you call it a podcast, webcast, netcast, video blog, audio blog or any number of other things. (At least that is the buzz around the industry these days).

As for me, I want to take a slightly different approach in the very near future. Actually, I really think it will be very much like it is right now but, I am going to be organizing things a little differently and I want to be more sytematic in some ways. I want you to be able to start at the beginning and go right through every article and so you can “Get Started Right”. (How many times have I said that in the last several weeks? Does anyone besides me really care? I thought not.)

I haven’t decided yet, but I am planning to re-do some things and subjects I have hit along the way. This will mean I am going to repeat some earlier subjects, at least as far as my plan for weekly podcasts is concerned, and I intend to combine several things to make a longer podcast. Instead of the 4-6 minute casts, (audio blogs), I am planning for at least 30 minute versions and a little more sophisticated. I will only be writing blogs once or twice a week, at least on this site, (which I have already started), and trying to put together a couple of more for other subjects I am interested in. All in all, it will keep me quite busy.

You see, we all come to crossroads in our journeys through this life and I think I have reached one personally. I have spent a lot of time over the last several months trying to help people that are brand new to podcasting get a good start. It has been my intention to help you get a good start without spending a lot of money, at least to begin with, until you can decide what it is you want to do and how you want to do it. With just a little forethought, you can take your idea and set it up, record it and see if it is something you can do and do well and then, after you have done a few, you can find out if you still enjoy doing it.

Not only can you can get started easily, but, with today’s technologies, you can also do it cheaply (I guess you could insert the word, free) and you can do it as professionally as anyone. As you pursue your podcasting dream, remember that quality is going to be extremely important in the near and distant future. Does that mean you have to sound like everyone else? Of course not. It means that you should consider a few things before you jump in. You need to consider what type and the expense of the software and hardware you will use. If you have questions about this kind of stuff, don’t worry, there has been and still will be plenty of suggestions available here and links to other places I can point you to.

There is no substitute for good information and you know as well as I that there is plenty available. I hope you will take advantage of some of the things that will be available here and the places I have, and will, mention. In no way do I claim to know it all, but, I do recognize good information and leadership when I see and hear it.

So, go ahead and get started. If you will take the time to read some of the things I have written over the last several months and visit some of the sites I have mentioned during that time, I know you will get started right. I’m not worried about that and I do know you will be ahead of the game if you do.

Your future in podcasting is in your hands now. Where you go from here is your decision and choice. Just don’t be afraid to listen to input from some of the pros out there. Even if you don’t think so now, you will appreciate their input later. Their experience will help you advance more quickly along the path you choose to follow.

See ya next time . . .

“Good as any and better than many . . .”

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It was several years ago when I used to race stock cars on Saturday night at the local track in the area where I still live. Now, I have to admit, it was quite a while ago, but, I still remember it as though it was yesterday. A good friend of mine, Peter M, who was also a racer, put little sign on the dashboard of his stock car, saying, “Good as any and better than many.” I thought it was a great thought and, I guess, since I still remember it, you could say it was indelibly stamped on my mind. That’s the way it is with some things — they’re just unforgettable. Another interesting thing about the saying is it applies to more than racing. (Oh, I guess you knew that already, huh?)

I remember when I was racing, there were people that just wanted to show up and be seen on the track in their cars with people that raced and won. They didn’t have the desire to do well and probably lacked the money to run at the front. It seemed as though they were content to just show up and say they were racers so they could possibly be thought of as important or special people simply because they ran with “the big dogs”. The truth be told, they were the people we were lapping every few laps and, in a twenty lap race, they would finish as many as six laps down. To me, that’s not racing. That’s just driving around in a circle, getting in the way of those that are trying to win the race or accomplish something other than just showing up and being heard or seen.

When I could afford to do it, I loved racing. I still do and would still race if it were more affordable to run competitively (and I do stress the word, ‘competitively’). You see, I just don’t like to go and try to run second or worse in a race. I want to be at the front, fighting for the lead. I want to have the opportunity to finish first. I want to win!! I don’t want to just be seen on the track running with the others, I want to be leading the race and taking the checkered flag, if possible.

Yeah, that pretty much seals the deal on my competitive nature when it comes to racing. To tell the truth, that pretty much seals the deal when it comes to podcasting and other things I do, too.

I have a tendency to take what I am interested in, and do, very seriously. Now honestly, I try not to take myself too seriously, but, I want to do the best I can at whatever I put my hand to do. You see, I feel that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing well and it is worth taking the time it takes to do it right. To me there is no reason to do something if a person can’t put their heart and soul into it and do it well. It just seems like such a waste to me. I mean, why would anyone want to take their most precious commodity –their time –and spend it on something important to them, and yet do it half-heartedly?

That’s why I believe it is so important to get started right and to take the talent and equipment you have to work with and use it to turn out, or make, the absolute best possible product you can. Otherwise, why waste your time and the time of others?If you are always trying to do your best, sooner or later, your best will come out.

Does that mean that everything I turn out is flawless and mistake free? No, but when it does happen, I learn from it and try not to let it happen again. I have made recordings and never heard the mistakes until it is too late to do anything about it. Once I put it out on the net and it is there for a while before I notice it, I leave it out there in that form for a while because I figure many people have already heard it and formed their opinion, but, it will definitely bother me until I fix it.

I fervently believe in the addage, “Strive for excellence, not perfection.” Striving for excellence will inevitably allow you to turn out a great product. Striving for perfection could absolutely drive you crazy. I have noticed many don’t recognize, or at least they find it easier to overlook, certain mistakes if everything else is done right, (or, at least, the mistakes don’t seem to stand out quite so much.) If I notice an overlooked mistake of my own or someone else’s, I have to admit it bothers me every time I listen to it. To some, it won’t make any difference. To others, it will constantly stand out to them and I am sure they will form an opinion of my work (or your’s) based on that imperfection. Unfortunately, I cannot blame them because I feel the same way, also. I guess that’s the price I have to pay for being put together the way I am, and, if I expect it of others, I should expect it of myself. (Remember, we are talking about striving for excellence, not attaining perfection.)

So, how do you feel about your podcast or production? Is it something you work at to make better all the time, or, is it something you just throw together time after time and hope that people will be impressed by the fact that you show up with the rest of them? I hope it’s more than that. I hope you are doing everything you can to make it, “Good as any and better than many.”

See ya next time . . .

What To Do In Case Of Being Uninspired…

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It happens to us all at some time or other. You just flat run out of things to talk about with your podcast, or, at least you think you do. You struggle and strain your brain, trying to come up with something worth talking about, but it seems the harder you try the more blank your mind goes. No matter what you come up with, nothing seems to germinate into an idea worth spending any amount of time on.

So, what do you do . . . ?

You begin to write. That’s right, you take the first things that come to mind and do your darndest to expound on them. You work at them until one of them catches fire within you and you begin to notice that it has captured your interest. After that, the rest is following the flow. Yes, you heard me, “you follow the flow.”

So, what does that mean? It means, you have just forced your way through a bout with ‘podcaster block’ and the creative juices begin to flow once again.

Sometimes, it takes forcing yourself to think about subjects you want to talk about, write them down and then, after you have some fresh ideas before you, your mind begins to work on those ideas. Somewhere along the way, your mind takes the hint that you aren’t going to stop bothering it until you have something to focus on so it begins letting the ideas flow. (At least that’s one way of looking at it.)

If that sounds strange, maybe you haven’t actually experienced it yet. But don’t worry, you will. “Writer’s block”, “podcasters block”, or whatever you want to call it, does happen and it happens to everyone, (somewhere in their journey through this life).

When I run across those times that I just don’t have the ideas readily available, here’s what I do.

  1. I take the time to write down some titles of some subjects I want to talk about.
  2. After I have written down a few, I go back and begin writing a sentence or two to remind me of the specifics I want to talk about.
  3. After I have written down those ideas, I walk away from them for a period of time. That’s right, I walk away from them and let them gel a bit.
  4. Either a few minutes, or possibly even a day or so later, I go back and read over them again.
  5. I take the one that captures my attention and begin to write more about it. If it doesn’t begin to flow, I save it and go back and grab another one and do the same.

As I continue reading and writing on them, I find I have several good ideas, and possibly, even a few finished articles. Then I go do the same thing all over again. Usually, I find I have enough to keep me busy for a while. Some of them even get combined together to become one article.

If all of the above things don’t seem to work, I go check out a few of the sites I like to frequent and see what they are talking about. In doing this, I hope to get inspired by an idea or two, or, at least a new angle on an old idea to discuss. With all of the available information out there, I know there just has to be something I haven’t been able to think of and it helps to get other people’s input and viewpoint. Their input may or may not be exactly what you want to talk about, but, it could quite possibly be something that inspires you in a whole new direction and gives you an abundance of things to talk, or write, about.

See ya next time . . .

You Can Do This

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I’m sure you already realize this, but, podcasting can really be a lot of fun. If it isn’t going to be fun, then you might as well hang it up right now, before you get started. If it becomes a drugery to you, you won’t make it for long because there are going to be days that you just won’t ‘feel’ like doing it. Once that “feeling” settles in, it gets harder and harder to make it happen. When that happens, you no longer look forward to doing your podcasts or any of the preparation it might take to ‘get ‘er done’ and it’s for sure, you won’t want to take the time it takes to do it right.

Let’s take a look at some of the things we’ve been talking about over the last several weeks. We’ve talked about things to do, and think about, to get a good start in podcasting.

In doing that, we’ve talked about several things I think are important:

  • First and foremost, don’t be too proud to get input from others that are already successful at podcasting
  • Check out other sites for their information and possible affiliations, etc
  • Decide which equipment you want to use (Its okay to start cheap if you want)
  • Decide what software you want to use. (Will you use free software or will you pay for it?)
  • What is your focus going to be? (What is the subject, or subjects, of your podcast going to be?)
  • What length format you will use? (will it be minutes or hours?)
  • Who will host your podcast? (Free hosting or pay hosting?)
  • How often will you be creating a podcast? (Once a day, week or month?)
  • Who is your main audience going to be (Do you know who you are trying to reach?)
  • Have a long term and short term plan for your podcast (Planning helps insure your success)

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to give the beginner podcasters an edge over others who are unwilling to listen to voices of experience. Do I think I know all there is to know simply because I have been doing it for a while? Of course not! I talk a lot about technique, paying attention to details and numerous other things because I think they are necessary for turning out a good product.

I think it is important to do all of those ‘things’, but always remember this. I am, in no way, trying to discourage anyone from pursuing their dreams or trying to mold them in a certain way so that they can fit into the mainstream of the ‘status quo’. I just want all of you to be the very best you can be and think further down the road than one audio or video podcast. This is not because I want you to be like me. I simply want you to understand that there are many people that have knowledge of podcasting and recording and editing. You can cut down your learning curve by taking some time to listen to their input and see if what they know will help you accomplish what you want. None of us are trying to remake you into something other than who you are. We just don’t want you to make the same mistakes we did. (Perhaps it was in those days when we thought we knew it all.)

There are so many reasons why it is necessary to learn as much as you can about properly recording and editing audio and video for podcasting and other purposes. A very important one is that it is becoming increasingly evident that the internet is becoming a place where more and more people are visiting first to check out differing products and desired information. It is still a blossoming industry and all of its potential is still being recognized. Why not be a leader in it instead of an ‘also ran’?

You see, I believe that everyone is endowed with certain characteristics and talents that are theirs to pursue and build on. I really like the creativity expressed by those that have turned out some very interesting videos and some really great audio podcasts. Some of us wish we had your talents and I personally call upon you to continue expressing your creative pursuits. That’s what is so great about podcasting. You are relatively free to present your ideas in your own creative ways and get the message to hundreds of thousands easily and relatively cheaply.

Now that you are ready to really begin your podcasting adventure, I only have one short statement to make as you move on to getting started. YOU CAN DO THIS!

See ya next time . . .

To Get Started Right … The Choice Is Up To You

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Life is full of choices and entering into the podcasting life is no different. Have you really thought about who you want to reach and what you want to accomplish with your podcasts? There is nothing wrong with beginning with a single idea and trying it out, but you also need an expanding vision of the possibilities. Along the way, you may find your focus and direction change a little –maybe even a lot– but it becomes more clear.

If I may, I want to speak to you from my personal experience on this subject. When I first started with my pursuit of podcasting, I had an idea of what I wanted to do and I had a lot I wanted to say. I wanted to share the things I have learned over a lot of years of working with live and studio sound. I have also spent a lot of time during those years recording groups and individuals, capturing them live. Most of what I have done in the recent past can be edited later, but I only get one chance to capture it. Many of the things I have done, and do, are for broadcast, both live and captured live and edited for later broadcast.

I learned a long time ago, whether recording or podcasting, the more your do it, the less you find you know. Don’t misunderstand what I am saying. I’m not saying that experience and knowlege don’t mean that much, but, the more you learn the more you know there is to learn. I have always been a person willing to share what I know if someone is willing to listen. Still, everyday is a learning experience for me. I don’t know everything there is to know, but I am thankful that there are others that are willing to share their knowledge with me. Technology is changing at such an abrupt pace that it is difficult to keep up with everything.

The more I’ve done, the more I have changed my approach, but not necessarily my direction. I haven’t departed a long way from my original vision but, over time, I have expanded and honed it to take in more things that I, at first, thought I didn’t want to do. I have begun to focus more on a method to teach what I have learned and know. What you choose to do with my knowledge is up to you. I simply share what I know and have learned an hope that it helps one, or many of you, advance toward your goals for podcasting and that you can avoid at least some of the pitfalls.

Now, getting back to you and your podcasting; do you want to take the idea you have and make it an everday thing or once a week? How about once a month? We can talk about those options more fully later, but they are options that must be considered very early on.

You have to choose how you want to get to where you want to go. If you think you can just get on the mic and start talking, you will find your dream may be short-lived. Understand, your short sightedness may work well if you are the only one listening to your production, but, if you want to grow your audience, you need to have a strategic plan for your podcast.

In the end, the choice is up to you. You choose what you want to say and how you want to say it. You even choose whether you want to take ‘the time it takes to do it right’ or just throw it all together and hope for the best. You see, ‘flash in the pan’ podcasts, whether audio or video, can be wonderful for the moment, but they seldom last any length of time. Your choices will affect the way your podcasts will be looked at and thought about by those that frequent them. Choosing to plan, whether short term, long term or both, is the best way to better assure yourself of extended success.

See ya next time . . .

When It Comes To Podcast Quality, Equipment CAN Make It Happen

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You’ve probably already noticed, but there is something different about the podcasts I do now. But, before I talk too much about that, I’d like to talk about another difference in what I am now doing and that is, the direction I want to take as we journey forward together in the near future.

Over the last few months, I’ve spent a lot of time talking about ways for beginners to get started in podcasting without making a large financial investment –(refer to Starting a Podcast ‘On the Cheap’)– and I still believe you can do that. If you don’t remember too much about those articles you can check them out, but, let me give you a quick overview refresher of at least one of those articles.

I have mentioned several ‘On the Cheap’ start up softwares and equipment many times in the past. If you remember, one of the most important and inexpensive things we talked about was the software program, ‘Audacity’. If you spend much time researching podcasting in general, you will find many people talk about this free recording/editing program in their books and podcasts. There is a reason why that happens. It is because it works and works well. I tend to use it most of the time for editing my podcasts because it is quite easy to use and because I am already familiar with it.

There are a few programs out there that do more than ‘Audacity’, but if you’re just beginning, or even if you’ve been around a while, you will find it does a great job. It is very easy to use and to get started with as well as being cost free. In a very short period of time, you soon find it is easy to move on to use some of the more sophisticated options it offers. In fact, I plan to spend a little time talking more about the use of ‘Audacity’ in the very near future.

You see, I like a program that allows me to get started quickly with the basics and then easily allows me to work my way into the options necessary to make my recordings, and edits of those recordings, better. This is the way it is with ‘Audacity’. Oh sure, I know there are some other programs out there that are great programs but, in my opinion, some of them are not as easy to get started with. They seem to be a bit too sophisticated and require too much ‘reading of the manual’, often causing a more than a bit of frustration, just to get started. This only leads to early termination of peoples’ productions because, it is just too hard to get started. (Personally, I like easy and I know I am not alone in that consideration. Easy is good.)

Also in those earlier articles, I often mentioned how easy it is to use some simple equipment you probably already own. Whether it was a small, hand held digital voice recorder or a good sounding headset mic, I still firmly believe you can turn out a ‘decent’ recording with relatively inexpensive equipment. The important thing about the recordings you make is the quality that your equipment can capture and reproduce. If you don’t have a relatively clean and good sounding master recording, it is a pretty good bet your final product is going to have poor quality sound also.

So, where is all this leading? I have added a new piece of equipment to my toolbag and I just love it. I think it has added yet another bit of quality to my recordings and podcasts. (I’ve also done a few other things I will discuss in the future.)

I finally decided to step up and try one of the portable, handheld devices for capturing audio and making it quite easy to load into my computer. The one I decided to buy was the H-4 by the Zoom corporation. I’ve been using it for about three weeks and I am quite pleased with the quality it turns out. I have to admit, it took about an hour or so to get comfortable with how it worked with its menus and things, but, I was able to get started with it relatively quickly. I’m still learning how to use all of its capabilities but haven’t mastered all of them yet and I’m not trying to learn it all in one day. I just take it one step at a time.

This little unit can do a lot. I list some of its features here:

  • 2 track mode for stereo recording
  • 4 track mode for multi-track recording
  • Built in X/Y pattern stereo microphones
  • High Z inputs for guitar and bass
  • MP3 recording up to 320kbps
  • WAV recording up to 24bit/96kHz
  • USB audio and mass-storage interfaces
  • XLR inputs with phantom power
  • Up to 2GB SD card memory capable
  • Can be hand-held or tripod mounted for versatile ease of use

Believe me when I tell you, it can do a lot of things and I have only scratched the surface of its capabilites, but the thing I like about it is the quality of the recording it can turn out. I can record and save it as an MP3 file or a WAV file. This makes it great for quick loading into ‘Audacity’ for editing because ‘Audacity’ directly accepts both of those files. It can also be used as an interface for direct recording to the computer.

I made the choice to step up my equipment and thought long and hard about just how I wanted to invest my money. This seemed to give me the most versatility and portability for the price. I like the part about it being portable and able to set it up quick in any situation I choose. I will tell you more about the progress in the coming weeks. So far, it is wonderful.

See ya next time . . .

Get Started Right … You Gotta Know What You Want To Do

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(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article

I find it amusing how many people seem to think all you have to do is pick up a microphone and talk into it and you have yourself a podcast. Admittedly, there are some who simply have the knack or ‘gift of gab’ and can talk on any subject at the drop of a hat, but, many people don’t have that gift. Just put a microphone in their hand and they may immediately start talking, (maybe because they already have their first two lines worked out in their minds), and then they just as quickly begin to stumble around for words and eventually start with the ‘ums’, ‘and-uhs’, ‘I-uhs’ and ‘what do I say now’s.’ (Just for the record, it is my opinion that that won’t cut for long with their audience.)

Personally, I sometimes like to go to “mypodcast.com” to check out the new podcasts as they come out. You can always tell the brand new people from the ones that have done at least a few by the way they start. I am not at all surprised by what I hear. I’ve been there myself, (although it was some time ago and probably would still happen if I did more ‘spur of the moment’ talks or teachings.) I really got a kick out of one I heard. The person opened with a few words of welcome and then began to tell what the intention of the podcast was. Shortly after that couple of opening statements, he began stumble around a bit and search for words and then said, “I didn’t think this would be this hard. In the future I’m going to have to write down what I want to talk about . . .”

I can’t think of a better example of what I’m trying to point out to you. This person recognized almost immediately how important it is to have an idea of what it is you want to talk about. How important it is to ‘know what you want to say and what you want to do.’

I remember several years ago I wanted to start a radio station or, at least, be a DJ. I even made a tape I could hand out to people –(mostly friends of mine)– to show them the type radio show I wanted to do. I used the station call letters of “W-H-E-A-D”, (five letters so no one would mistakenly think it was a real station and yet, it did sound as if it was coming from the radio instead of a tape.) The talk would go something like, “Hello, I’m Russ and this is W-H-E-A-D Radio; Head radio, where the music we play is music for your head . . . music that makes you think and talk that does the same.” (Trust me when I tell you, I had a lot of fun doing that but never really followed through on that pursuit. I went on to other things. Now, it appears I may get the chance after all.)

Probably the hardest thing for me to do for that project was the talk between songs. I quickly realized that I just didn’t talk well from ‘off the top of my head’. I had to think about what I wanted to say first and even make notes so I wouldn’t be stumblin’ and mumblin’ around while the tape was rolling and I was getting ready to play the next song. Although I didn’t really know what I was doing, the final product turned out pretty good. Several of the people that heard it as they rode along with one or another of my freinds asked what station it was, when it had come on the air and how they could get it on their radios. Needless to say, I was pleased that they wanted to know what to tune their radios to, but I never did start an actual radio station nor did I become a DJ.

If you have a desire to be a podcaster and just want to jump right in, go ahead and do it, you might just be one of those that can. But, if you want to get started right, there’s a few things you might want to research and think about first. You’re not going to disappoint anyone –not even yourself– by being well prepared for whatever it is your podcast is about. That doesn’t mean everything has to be completely structured and that you can’t depart from the direction you’ve planned for your podcast to be going if an alternate direction seems more promising as you progress.

First, you’ve gotta know what you want to do. The better prepared you are to accomplish the original plan, the easier it is to recognize a detour that takes you exactly where you want to be.

See ya next time . . .

Get Started Right … Gettin’ Down and Doin’ It

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(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article

Okay, we’ve spent some time discussing several sites that are good places to go for information and input, but have you really gone and checked any of them out? If you have, you have already taken a big step towards ‘getting started right’. If you haven’t, you really should because there is some really good information out there and you might as well take advantage of someone else’s investment of time and effort. You will simply just be that much further ahead of the game.

Look at it this way, if you check out someone else’s podcast and get a good or maybe even a great idea or tip for your own podcast, what have you lost? Maybe a little bit of time had to be invested, but, you have an opportunity to gain input from some of the best in the business and you can quite often gain that input for little, or no, financial investment. What could be better?

What I’m trying to say is, if you want to turn out a good product but you don’t quite have it all together as far as technique and ability yet, you absolutely need to get the input of others even if it is to become absolutely certain of what you DON’T want to do.

Not everyone of you wants to follow in the footsteps of the status quo. Some of you may have great ideas for really dynamic podcasts that totally depart from the norm and that is wonderful, BUT, you might want to consider listening in on some others to be sure it is what you want to do and how you want to do it.

One thing I have learned is that a podcast doesn’t have to contain flawless diction or be technically perfect, but it does have to have reasonable flo and worthwhile content. (I can say that even though I may not like your podcast and you may not like mine.) Some things are just ‘givens’. People want to be motivated, educated and entertained. Some even like to be shocked on a regular basis, but they still expect you to present it to them in a reasonable and understandable manner.

There comes a time when we all have to make the decision to get down to business and start doin’ that thing that is burning within us. We need to make the decision to get the right equipment, choose the proper format for our presentation, pay attention to what we are doing and get started. There is no other way to see if your idea is going to fly until you actually start producing it.

If you want to ‘get started right’, know this. You will not be wasting your time by spending some of it listening to others that are more experienced. You could very possibly pick up on some little tidbit of information or technique that could make your podcast better and easier to produce.

In all honesty, it has never been easier to produce and distribute an audio or video podcast. The people that have gone before us have done a lot of the hard work. You can easily find the type of equipment that is perfect for your need. The same holds true for software. Some of it is free, some of it will cost you a little and some of it can cost a lot. The best way to decide which one is best for you is to see them in action. Quite often, trial versions (or lesser versions) are available to try before you have to make a major investment. Listening to what others produce with different equipment and software can demonstrate the quality of product that can be accomplished with each.

Many podcasters are more than willing to share what they use to make their podcasts. They either talk about it in their blogs or they love to answer your inquiries via comments or emails. As I have said before, “The only deep, dark secrets in podcasting is that there are no deep, dark secrets in podcasting.”

When it comes right down to it, to “get started right”, there is no substitute for gettin’ down and doin’ your podcast. You want to try your ideas out, so, get out there and do it!

See ya next time . . .

Get Started Right … Five More Great Places to Visit, Listen and Learn

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Sorry about the delay in updating the blog, but I think I’m finally back on schedule. I found I just couldn’t do it all. What with the eye surgeries and the doctor appointments and catching up on the service calls, I tried and just couldn’t keep up. But I am looking forward to the future and, of course, the present.

As I am sure you already know, it happens every time. Once you start finding good places to gain input from, the links on those sites lead you to other places. That’s what makes this so interesting. There is no limit, (at least I haven’t found one so far), to finding places to gain important information or valuable expertise that can help you “get started right” in your podcasting adventures. And there is no limit to the opportunities out there to make it worth your while if you want to take the time it takes to “do it right”.

Today, I’m not only going to mention places about audio podcasting, but I am going to mention some that use both audio and video. There is just so much going on in the industry that there is no way to ignore any of it. In this journey of learning and discovering, we can’t go very far on our own. I am a firm believer that we need other peoples’ input because we are involved in the infancy of a brand new industry. It is still growing, changing and finding its focus and all of us, together, are doing the same.

The first place I want to talk about is called ‘the internet audio guy’. This is one great place for all your audio needs. You will find Mike Stewart to be a great source of information and he has thirty years experience in audio and video. Be sure to take in his blog page“From the Desk of Mike Stewart” while your looking around.

Trust me, you will want to take advantage of his expertise in audio. This site is just full of great offers, equipment, software and, yes, even some free stuff to whet your appetite for some the great stuff he offers at reduced prices. Whether you are brand new to audio podcasting or an old pro, you will find a bunch of stuff you will want to take advantage of.

The second place is also a Mike Stewart site and is named, “the internet video guy”. This one is about using video in podcasting as well as other uses for video in websites, emails and other types of marketing. He is another one of those people on the cutting edge of where this industry is headed. You will really enjoy the way he presents his ‘vodcasts’ and you will find them just full of information and great hints, tips and demonstrations.

Believe me, his sites, (and he has several), are going to give you up to the minute information and lots of it that will keep you busy learning for a while. I am sure you will want to take advantage of some of his great offers, too.

The next place is by another one of the people that I call on the cutting edge also. His name is Jim Edwards. He is self described as a person who promises to tell the truth, “The naked truth”, even if it hurts. He has great information and cares about people enough to give them truthful opinions about things that work. He makes a solemn promise to only deliver the best possible business building and money making information directly to you. But, don’t take my word for it, check out his blog at “www.igottatellyou.com/blog”. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

The next place is somewhat like a site I’ve talked about several times and where I presently upload my podcast to called, “mypodcast.com”. This other place is called “podcastpeople.com”. The first difference you will notice about this site is that it is not totally free. The range of pricing is from free to $30.00 per month. I can’t say it is unreasonable though. I really think it offers an alternative to the free site, but it does require the investment to use it for their premium service. I think it is better to try the free part and see how things go and then try the pay level of the the site if you like what you see when you check them out or if your podcast or videocast warrants the expenditure. I never recommend spending money first, but sometimes spending some is the only to find out the difference between free and pay stuff.

The last place for today is something I thought might interest you. If you are doing an audio or video podcast and think you have a need for a telepromter, go to “www.flospace.com”. They offer a 30 day, fully functional trial of their teleprompter called, ‘floprompter’. I will be trying it out over the next month and seeing how it works out for me since most everything I do is scripted. If you decide to purchase it and keep it, the price is a very reasonable, $39.95. It looks like it could help things go easier because it does do the teleprompter thing of moving the words across the screen at your pace instead of you having to manually advance it. I know I will know more in 30 days about its true value for me. So far it looks pretty interesting. The real decision on its value and necessity can only be decided by you and how it works for you when you try it.

See ya next time . . .

Get Started Right … Five Great Places to Visit, Listen and Learn

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When it comes to listening to other people and learning from their expertise, I have several favorites I often frequent. Not only do they help keep me very up to date on what’s going on, but they also keep me on the cutting edge of the direction podcasting will take in the future. Believe me when I tell you, I know there are a whole lot more than these five sites that can do this and we will talk about more of them in the very near future, but, these are good places to go. Especially when you consider what my theme for this month is — ‘getting started right’.

So why do I choose these places? Well, I have to be honest; I just simply like them and what they have to say. I learn from them and they have proved to me over time that they know what they are talking about. They are right there at the forefront of the wave of this movement called podcasting. With people like this leading the way, it makes our journey much easier than it would be without them. These are not the only people out there that are leading the way but it is where I choose to start today.

So, who are the people and where are the sites? I’m glad you asked that question. I’ve been waiting here to tell you.

The first person and site I want to introduce you to is, Leo Laporte. (I know, I know; you’ve heard me mention him before.) This time, I want you to really go and check out his site named “Leoville”. He is top notch and many of you probably already know him from his TV shows a while ago, “Screen Savers” and “Call For Help”. This site I give you today is one I have shared with you a couple of times over the last several months. “Leoville” is a good place to go for stuff from Leo Laporte. One trip here and you will have plenty of stuff to look at for a while and you will find a lot of great information, sources and links. Now, remember — not everything is free. But the good stuff is hardly ever free. Just remember, some of his stuff is free, but the stuff he charges for, whatever it costs (which isn’t really that much) you will definitely get a lot for the price.

The second person I want to mention here is Paul Colligan. He is very podcast oriented. The site I mention here is the easiest to remember. It is “paulcolligan.com”. This is not his only site, but, when you go to this site, you will see just how much is available. Paul is definitely a class act, too. He talks about improving your podcasts and has really good info and links to other helpful people and sites. He, along with others, talks about how to monetize your podcasts and offers exceptional material on how to do so. I know you will come away from your visit to his site with a wealth of ideas and information on how to improve your podcasts and make money with them also. His is another site where not everything is free, but there is plenty there to wet your appetite.

The next place could actually qualify for three or more. I mention it to you, in particular, because it is a great place to get great input and direction. the site is called:

Gigavox.com. This is a place with a wealth of podcasts to listen to and glean good direction for making your podcast better than ever. When you visit this place, you will notice that they have three choices of places to get podcasts of differing types. You really can’t go wrong with spending a little time checking out what they have to offer. I list the main things here.

  1. IT Conversations
  2. Open Source
  3. Podcast Academy
  4. “The Levelator” software
  5. Gigavox media Platform

See, I told you there is a lot there. Aw heck, just go there and check it out. I know you’ll like it.

Next on the list is Michael Geoghegan. His podcast, “Reel Reviews” is very popular and he is co-author of a book I have, and still do, highly recommend, “Podcast Solutions”. He and his co-author, Dan Klass, cover all the important information on how to get started with their ‘Complete Guide to Podcasting’. You will find just about anything you want to know about podcasting technique, equipment, software and legalities in this book. That is why I highly recommend you read it and use it as a guide to “Get Started Right”. It is well worth the price. It also has a CD with different trial versions of software you can try. This by itself is worth the purchase price.

The next person on the five favorites list is someone I find fascinating. He is more oriented in marketing and teleseminars, but works a lot with Paul Colligan.

Alex Mandossian is remarkable when it comes to getting his points across. He is well suited for his craft. You will be hard pressed to find a more influential person in the field. As I stated earlier, he is more marketing and teleseminar oriented, but, he does do other things and is good at anything he sets his hand to do because he strives to present his expertise and products in the best possible way. I think he does a great job and I always find him interesting. He has great guest speakers also. Alex and Paul Colligan have several projects they work on together and they have co-authored a book called, “The Podcasting Bible”. Pick up a copy. I know you will find it worthwhile.

I know I only promised you five but here is a place I just cannot quit talking about. I have an extremely high opinion of the site, “www.mypodcast.com” Not only is it easy to get your podcast recorded and uploaded, but, it is free, (at least, so far). How can you beat that? I am particularly pleased with the way they offer quality reproduction and availability of a person’s podcast and I just simply can’t get over the fact they do it all for FREE! If you haven’t checked them out, please do. You will, no doubt be impressed, too. Remember, it is FREE for now so why not take advantage of it. It is just another way I think you can . . . “Get Started Right”

See ya next time . . .