5 Unexpected Lessons I Learned From Podcasting

My awkwardness has taught me a lot.

I’ve been podcasting for many years now, and I’ve learned a LOT along the way. Several things I sort of anticipated or expected (like, you’ll get better at podcasting the more you do it) — but there were a couple things that really blindsided me.

I’m going to share five (5) of those things with you today. Ready?

1. A good host listens well.

When I started doing Coffee Break interviews for the Write Now podcast, I was nervous about interviewing my guests and simultaneously entertaining my audience.

So… yep. I tried WAY TOO HARD. I spent my time during interviews planning my next question instead of actively listening to my guest’s responses. I said a lot of “Mmm-hmm”s and “Ah, yes”es over my guest’s voice so that my listeners would “know” I was present and engaged. I even (YIKES) talked over my guests sometimes.

As a result, my interviews were stilted, disjointed, and super awkward. (I know this because I went back and listened to every cringe-worthy moment during editing. Ugh.) I very quickly became intentional about listening more than I spoke during interviews, and my show improved vastly.

If you have an interview podcast, your job is NOT to be the witty, entertaining star. Your job is to get the best and most interesting interview out of the person you are interviewing.

2. Consistency matters way more than you think it does.

After I had been podcasting for a while, I began to analyze trends in my download numbers. Turns out listeners cared more about my show coming out on a regular weekly basis than they did about the type of microphone or audio editing software I was using. 

In fact, I never lost more daily downloads than I did when I missed a week’s episode (or two… or three…). And it took an excruciatingly long time to build my listener base BACK UP to where it had been, even after just ONE missed episode.

When I started Girl In Space, my audio drama (fictional podcast), this wisdom sort of went out the window. But more on that another time… 

3. Podcasting is connection-building GOLD.

At first glance, podcasting SEEMS like a solitary art form. You spend massive amounts of time planning, editing, producing, and recording in a cramped little room/closet/studio/car all by yourself  — which was why it surprised me when my podcast began opening doors.

My nonfiction podcast, Write Now, is all about writing… and all of a sudden I had writers asking to be on my show. I was corresponding with listeners and writers and experts I had never heard of and making friends I never would have otherwise. To this day, this remains my favorite aspect of podcasting: the smart, amazing people I would never have met without it. 

4. Success does not feel like you think it will.

Wow. I don’t even know how to talk about this one. But it’s one of the reasons I encourage podcasters to start thinking about and defining what success means as early on as possible.

I have had some significant podcasting success over the years, which you can learn about in other blog posts. This includes invitations to join networks, sponsorship opportunities, speaking gigs, landing an agent, making enough money to leave my full-time job, and more.

I had thought that success would equal HAPPINESS, that I would suddenly find myself living an Instagram lifestyle. I thought that I would be living in a Stephen-King-esque mansion or at least have come to some kind of end point. You know, rest on my laurels. Enjoy having “made it.”

But as it turns out, there IS no having “made it.” There is no point at which the credits roll and you live happily ever after. That’s not what success is. Success isn’t some kind of stopping point or finish line. It’s simply a state of being, and there’s always new heights to aspire to.

5. Towels are massively useful.

When I first started podcasting, I was really concerned about the quality of my audio. I didn’t want to sound tinny or echo-y like so many other new podcasts, but unfortunately, I didn’t have access to a professional studio or thousands of dollars in acoustic foam. 

So I raided my bathroom and dragged all of the towels into my podcasting studio (a.k.a., my office). I layered them obsessively over everything to absorb and dampen the sound. I hung them over doors and curtain rods. I padded my desk surface with them. I even draped a small hand towel across my laptop keyboard.

As my show began to catch on, listeners and other podcasters began to ask me how I managed such great audio quality. They laughed when I said, “Towels.” But I wasn’t kidding. I’m still not. Douglas Adams was right.

(Comforters and moving blankets also work really well.)

What about you? 

What surprising or unexpected lessons have you learned while podcasting? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Words & warmth,

Sarah