What I learned from podcasting

Don't pop your Ps, and so much more.

When I was younger, I noticed how people older than me were hesitant to try new things. I assumed that they were set in their ways, or even afraid of change. 

That’s certainly true in some cases, but now I understand that as you grow, new things just don’t come your way as often. Your niche, the one you worked so hard to carve out, also becomes your rut. You get put in professional boxes, or you pigeonhole yourself.  

You also develop something called discretion. You understand how long it takes to develop skill—to gain real experience. The hesitancy comes from knowing that diving headfirst into a new project or heading down a new path will be hard, maybe very hard, before it gets easy. 

This long windup is all to say: I’m a podcast host! For the past few months, I’ve been working on a project behind the scenes that was recently launched. AccelPro Audit is a professional development podcast for people in the legal field, and though it’s not something I saw myself doing, I’m really glad I’m doing it.

A few professional lessons/insights: 

1. You can parlay your experience in unexpected ways.  

When my producer reached out, I was hesitant about my lack of audio (and audit) experience. He was unfazed. Could I ask good questions? Could I get up to speed on a new topic quickly? Did I understand basic economic concepts? Was I a curious person who liked to know how stuff works? Well, yes. I tried to believe in myself! 

2. Your new work can benefit your old work.

I realized that there’s a bit more latitude in audio than on the page. You want to sound conversational but not rambling, prepared but not stilted. I haven’t worked in a different medium for quite some time, so this was a fun change. I remember listening to early interviews with sources on my Olympus (pre-iPhone and voice memos) and cringing at my voice. These interviews always taught me something about asking sharper, more concise questions. They also revealed where I could’ve followed up—but didn’t. Hearing myself (still makes me cringe) but it’s very instructive. 

3. Your past can inform your present in unexpected ways.

You may know, or have guessed, that at one point, I was a theater person (jazz hands). I did a bit of extra work on C-list procedurals (Numbers, CSI Miami) and even recorded a voiceover reel (on a CD, in the mid-aughts) because my theater friends told me I had a good commercial voice. 

Who would’ve thought then that podcasts would become a thing, and that all my pronunciation exercises in high school (shoutout to Darrelyn Marx, drama teacher extraordinaire) would actually come in handy? No, you don’t need to have vocal training to host a podcast, but there is an element of performance in audio. Understanding the cadence of a sentence and how phrasing impacts meaning sure helps. 

Podcasts have almost become something of a cliche, and to be clear, I’m working with a brand and a company (Kaplan) to make this happen. 

That said, I’m still dreaming of my Divas podcast, where I discuss the memoirs of our biggest divas like Barbara, Brittany, and other stars with a fellow literary theater friend. Want to be my producer? Call my agent, er, just DM me.

P.S. I’m still looking for a full-time job. Let me know if anything comes your way.