Prolific
Closet converted to “studio”
Not sure if I ever told you this, but I have been doing a podcast for a few years. It's been the most fantastic experience. There are so many things that I never considered when I started:
Learn audio editing (better)
Equipment education and investment
WiFi Router Upgrade (Zoom!)
Ongoing expenses
Hosting
Email
Equipment (shit breaks)
Adding hosts/loss of hosts
Energy
Personalities
Planning
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Never mind the time to come up with topics and planning—the hours spent on the microphone, time. And so much more time than I ever imagined.
So much!
So much! I would not trade a second of it! Not only have I learned how to set up equipment, but I have also learned the difference between doing things yourself and asking for help when it's needed. This basic idea of asking for help improved the podcast 100% in audio quality. I could hear other podcasts, and they sounded rich with a deep base and less noise. I wanted so much for the podcast to have the same vibe. I posted a message on r/podcast about what to buy and how I could achieve the best sound possible a helpful respondent gave me the exact thing I needed. All I had to do was ask. Isn't that crazy? I mean, I struggled to try to clean up my Adobe® Audition recordings with three shotty microphones for months. Okay, if you are looking to improve your sound... Here is the equipment that helped to improve the sound:
I purchased three microphones initially and purchased an additional set when COVID hit. It was crazy how much the quality improved once the microphones were introduced.
COVID and Zoom Ruined The Quality
I have to say, after I did all that work to get the best equipment within a reasonable budget, COVID came along and blew all that out of the water. So, though it still sounded better than what most other people were producing, it was sad to edit this "version" of our efforts.
Hobbies Cost Money
We took on an advertiser and started asking for donations to keep the podcast from costing too much money. We barely cover hosting today. Today, we also offer a member section on the website, and our expenses have increased. Not sure if it will all work out, but the idea is that people can go to the site to access the backlog of the podcasts and get additional related content. It's a lot to manage to say the least. But! It has been a valuable way to educate and share more content.
Ooofdah!
The idea is this, we talk about sobriety and recovery each week, and we let people see how we "work a program" or struggle with our own little lives in recovery. Like an ongoing meeting, you get to listen in. If you tune in each week or binge the episodes, you will get a good idea of what it's like to live a life in recovery. See it as it grows and progresses. The other side of this is that it should be fun. Too many podcasts in the recovery space miss the boat on this aspect and take it all way too seriously, all my opinion, of course.
The Heart To Do It
I have had a lot of heart to do the podcast, and I have enjoyed doing it with the other co-hosts. Letting people see the real sides of our lives and the depth we desire to connect with the audience is apparent. I cuss like a sailor when I express myself in "emotional" ways, and I have been able to hear my pain in this area. It really has helped me to see my own immaturity. The topics have all been spot-on, and the reality that seeps in is remarkable. It can be hard to schedule it each week. We all have busy lives, and ultimately, I am the only one who can assemble and launch the episodes, so it is primarily my responsibility to get out the door.
Principles, Not Personalities
Over the years, the co-hosts have all had our issues at different times, and I am no different from any other co-host. I enjoy a good joke and sometimes way too many jokes. But, on the other hand, I love to hear myself talk, and I can be too anxious to let dead air fill the mic. So when we initially began, I was excited to see where it went. Not sure where it's headed, but boy! Some people have said a lot of good stuff over the years! I couldn't be any more proud of the responses.
Just some of the things people are saying (and that rating!):
I was asked to edit a few other podcasts in the same space in this process, and I have assisted them in their efforts. Watching them go through similar growth and struggles has been a joy. They have some similar behind-the-scenes podcast banter that we do as well. It's incredible how many lives we impact along our journeys by simply speaking honestly into a microphone and putting it on the Internet.
