Hello Dear Friends!

Happy Winter Solstice to those in the northern hemisphere!

It’s been a minute since I updated here, though there’s plenty to read in the world. I hope you’ve been finding good content that nourishes you and gives you valuable food for thought.

Writing and blogging have been loves of mine. I was thinking about how podcasting is different, and what relative advantages/disadvantages arise from this medium. In case you’ve been debating those as well in thinking what creative goals you may have for the new year, here’s my reflection. I’ve reached about two thousand downloads of the Somatic Wisdom podcast in only 36 episodes for my first 6 months. Clearly it is a way to grow an audience when you create content in specific niche.

What I LOVE about podcasting

1. You still “write” the episode. I find that when I have a topic, it helps me the most to have an outline and/or script to speak from. I typically draft the episode 2-4 days before it goes live (for a solo show) and then as I read it out, I edit. This works well, and using Descript software has been AMAZING for audio editing. I love it. I can edit out my filler words and sound smarter and more concise for my listeners.
2. I can listen back to my own wisdom. I don’t know what it is, but sometimes we learn things at a superficial the first time we read and practice. But then when we have to teach or explain them to someone else, our learning becomes much more refined and clear. So it’s fun to create and “audio record” of what I’m learning. I also can hear the “conviction” in my voice about things I’m really passionate about.
3. Interviews are fun! So far I did five interviews in 2022, and I’m hoping to keep offering ~2 interviews per month in 2023. While they take a little more preparation and more editing to produce, they feel like an awesome way to network and provide valuable perspectives for my audience. In blogging, we are pretty much a “solo” offering. That can be wonderful if we have a lot of subject matter expertise. But the interactivity and personal connection of podcast interviews always feels energizing. Plus, I realize how much I love promoting others’ expertise and geeking out on subjects I enjoy. Go figure.

What’s hard about podcasting

1. There’s no immediate feedback. When you podcast, you “broadcast” into thin air and generally don’t receive feedback, unless someone reaches out via my website link. But most listeners are not going to do that. While I like the fact that it takes away my tendency to “live for the like” it can also be very uncertain which episodes are resonating with listeners. I do have a dashboard on Libsyn, the hosting platform, which tells me how many of each episode have been downloaded.
2. People tend not to leave reviews. I speak for myself when I say this. There are a lot of podcasts I listen to where I fail to leave a review. It’s not that hard, but I’m usually in the car or on a walk while listening, and that makes it more tricky. While I’m not “all about reviews” it can provide helpful feedback when someone leaves a sentence or two about why they liked the show.
3. There are a few technical steps. Unlike blogging, where I usually write, walk away for breakfast, then edit, and post, podcasting has quite a few more steps. Granted, you can attach the same intro/outro each time, and Descript makes audio editing very easy, it still takes time. I estimate spending about 5-7 times the length of each episode on the editing, show notes, quality control, etc. I hear some podcasts with terrible editing, but I’m a long time audio book listener. So I don’t love that kind of sloppiness, and prefer to spare my listeners.

All in all, podcasting has been a wonderful adventure, and a lovely way to have conversations with people about topics that interest me related to Somatic Wisdom and wellbeing. I will continue it in 2023, likely releasing in seasons, since that feels like a sustainable way to flex when other life activities get busy.

What about you? Are you ready to start expressing yourself in new ways in 2023? If not, why not?

Be well, Amigas/os! Wishing you a wonderful holiday break, if you are fortunate to have one, and the best in the year ahead.