Author: Apprentice

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International Podcast Day 2016 – Episode 1 of 7

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So, today is International Podcast Day 2016, and I am doing a kinda off-the-cuff mini series about podcasting. This episode is how I started a podcast and a really rough bare minimum that you would need to get started. Since this podcast is 75% about my story, I won’t include that in the show notes, but I can give you the links for the podcasts that I mentioned, and the very basic things you need for a podcast.

Welcome to Night Vale is at http://www.welcometonightvale.com/listen

The 3.5 private sanctuary has changed since i first started listening to it, and can be found under a new name at  http://knowdirectionpodcast.com/

The Audacity to Podcast can be found here: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/

The four basic things that I mentioned that you need for a podcast:

Thing 1: a recording device. To start, I suggest a USB mic attached to a computer. You can use things like your phone but I don’t suggest it. You can also go crazy and start with sound boards and professional-level microphones at first but if you don’t already have experience with them, then it’s a really bad idea.

Thing 2: Somewhere online to put the audio where your potential audience can find it. YouTube is the bare minimum for this, and is also a really bad idea. Don’t podcast on YouTube unless you are doing a video podcast, and don’t do a video podcast unless you really know how to edit video. I personally suggest Libsyn as a media host, but that’s just me.

Thing 3: a space to record. If you think you have a great place, then record total silence in that space for 2 minutes, and then listen to it. Now go back and turn off all the stuff that was making noise (AC, furnace, the dog, street, etc.) and then talk a little bit. just say your name and where you are from – and listen to that. You’ll notice little echoes and stuff. You want soft surfaces and zero machinery.

Thing 4: Something to say. This is probably the most important part. If you don’t have anything to say, then no one will listen to you. You need to be knowledgeable and passionate about your subject matter. You have no idea how many podcasts there are about knitting. Seriously. there are enough of them that some people have compiled a ‘top 5’ list of knitting podcasts. You know that there is someone that wants to hear what you have to say – and a podcast is a great way to reach them.

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This Friday, International Podcast Day.

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I don’t know what makes this Friday the international podcast day, but for some reason it is. To start off, you should go catch up on your favorite podcast. After that, find a new, interesting podcast and get caught up on that. With the remaining 3 minutes in your day, you should read this and get prepared to listen to my podcast every day next week.

For some reason I care about Podcast Day. I don’t usually care about national/international anything day. I don’t care about pancake day, or beer day, free slushies at 7/11 day, or even D&D day. But I care about Podcast Day. The funny thing about that is: I’m not entirely sure why I care about it. I just do.

One way or the other, I am going to write a podcast episode the moment that I am done with this post, and I am going to publish the episode in my normal feed (SORRY, all you D&D listeners. If you have subscribed for only D&D content, I will make sure that I will include a disclaimer at the very beginning about how you aren’t hearing anything D&D). And then I’m going to write and record a bunch more so that you’ve got the whole story of how I got where I am and how you can start a podcast as well – or at least appreciate the people who do podcasts that aren’t backed up by big media outlets or other sources of cash and labor.

The first episode (this Friday) is going to be about making podcasts, and it is going to start off a mini-series about how I have made mine, and how you can make yours. They will be a half hour or less and be accompanied by half-way decent show notes.

See you then, I hope.

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Nerd Fort #1, Episode 11 – for real this time.

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MY GOODNESS

I really need to get my shit together. I didn’t even check the website to make sure that the last episode published.

The remainder after this episode is all a bunch of non-D&D stuff, so I decided to scrap it as an episode.

The next episode is either going to be session 4, or a break while I publish some other stuff. Specifically a game day in which I had several people over to my house, and some of them played in the nerd fort. We’ll see.

When my work actually hits 40 hours in a week, it’s a pretty intense 40 hours. I rarely have time to actually do very much after I recover from the day – you know, beyond the daily necessities of hugging the toddler, consuming sustenance, kissing the wife, fixing the car – that sort of stuff. So I’ve been struggling to actually edit and have things ready very far in advance. I plan to rectify this. So that I have less breaks in regular content.

IN THE MEANTIME here is the actual episode 11.

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So I Actually Have A Podcast

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So, I find myself at the end of a week, when I would normally be finishing editing an episode and releasing it. I would normally be hoping that the few people who I know listen to it (Hi, Ellie and Claire!) will get something entertaining and interesting out of it.

Turns out, that I only have about 15 minutes of session 2 remaining – I did not plan this well. The final few minutes are kinda important but not exactly the sort of thing that stands on their own. I will probably have a weird half-episode next time I get a day off to edit stuff, and release it along with the first episode of Session 3. But for now, no episode for the moment.

Speaking of Session 3, I am sure that anyone who has listened to sessions 1 and 2 have noticed that all the episodes in Session 2 are significantly shorter than those in Session 1. I am specifically planning on making one big change like that each session, and Session 3 will have a change as well – D&D stories.

So, I know that everyone has that one amazing story that they always tell their friends. That one character whom you managed to be build just right and still maintain that one thing that makes them special. That one session that had people literally falling out of their chairs in shock. That one prop that got the players so invested in their character that the campaign lasted for 3 years. That one adventure that gave you nightmares for a week. That story – the one you cannot stand not telling to any RPG nerd that wanders by.

I want to take some of these stories, and include them in my podcast. I will start with the stories from myself and the guys in the group so far. Hopefully, I will be able to solicit stories from others soon, as well. In the episode, the stories will be after the main content, and hopefully around 5-10 minutes long.

If you are reading this and would like to submit your story, then write it up and email me (seth.kleinpaste@stumblestoryinn.com) with the subject line “Nerd Fort Story.” It would be nice to get people in to Nerd Fort #1 to record it yourself, but if time or geography doesn’t allow it, then I will voice it, possibly with the amazing voice talents of the Nerd Fort Guys, and maybe all our friends.

So that’s that. I still plan on getting more text posts about stuff out on a regular basis, but that will probably be when my work calms down a little in winter. Otherwise, I’m going to just be chugging along with the podcast.