Famous Podcasters Share Their Process
Are you totally stuck and need some inspiration? When we’re in a storytelling slump, we like to turn to the pros and read about and listen to their creative process. If you have some spare time, dig into this list for the ultimate audio storytelling inspiration.
Gimlet’s Alex Blumberg on his creative process, on interviewing, and his manifesto on Transom. And, if you have some cash burning a hole in your pocket, he has a 10-hour course on how to power your podcast with storytelling.
WireTap and Heavyweight creator Jonathan Goldstein on writing, fonts, and “The Goldstein,” his Transom manifesto, and his video on Transom’s This is Radio series.
Roman Mars on Transom’s This is Radio series, his approach to producing radio for 99PI, an interview for Talks at Google, and how to stop waiting and start doing.
This American Life’s Ira Glass on the building blocks of storytelling. (Bonus Ira: on the seven things he’s learned over four decades in radio, his manifesto on Transom, his Longform interview, and how he works.)
Even famous podcasters record in their closets! Ira Glass via Twitter.
Fresh Air’s Terry Gross and The Daily’s Michael Barbaro on interview tips and techniques. Also, Michael Barbaro and The Daily team on bringing together narrative and news at Third Coast.
99% Invisible producer Chris Berube on how to tell visual stories in audio. Fellow 99PI producer Vivian Le joins at the end for a Q&A.
Read about What Every Audio Producer Can Learn From Avery Trufelman, hear her on the CRAFT*ish podcast, read about her process for Authority Magazine, and another from Inside Podcasting.
In the Dark’s Madeleine Baran and Samara Freemark on how to become an investigative reporter with one simple trick.
StartUp’s Lisa Chow on how to tell stories about problematic central characters.
Producer Michael May and composer Nick DePrey on bringing a piece to life with music and sound design.
Reply All’s PJ Vogt on how to tell a story you don’t have a map for yet.
Stephanie Foo via Pacific Content
Stephanie Foo on how finding a good story is like writing fan fiction.
Interviewing the World’s Greatest Interviewer: Studs Terkel in conversation with Sydney Lewis.
On their StartUp podcast, Gimlet reveals their Secret Formula. (Also, if you haven’t listened to StartUp yet… you probably should! It’s all about the founding and creating of Gimlet Media from way back in 2014. Episode one here.)
TAL’s Jonathan Menjivar on why and how they use music to score the show.
Revisionist History producers Lee Mengistu and Eloise Lynton on how their team activates their inner sleuth and skeptic.
Cheryl Brumley, global head of audio at The Financial Times, on translating print pieces for audio.
Millennial creator Megan Tan on the Megan Tan Way.
Rob Rosenthal on bringing extra batteries. Also check out HowSound, a podcast on radio storytelling produced by Rob for PRX and Transom.
Starlee Kine on her distinctive storytelling style and how it informed her Gimlet podcast, Mystery Show.
Zoe Chace on how she does her political reporting for This American Life, and how to ask tough questions.
Snap Judgment producers Anna Sussman and Julia DeWitt on essential storytelling techniques.
Anna Sales of Death, Sex & Money on interviewing people about hard things.
Brian Reed via The Conference on "The Craft of Storytelling"
S-Town’s Brian Reed on how to construct a compelling story (think action, reflection, stakes.)
Radiolab’s Jad Abumrad on storytelling with sound, his manifesto, a few of his favourite things, and Jad and Ira on radio great Joe Frank.
This American Life’s Christopher Swetala on his fact-checking process.
Code Switch’s Shereen Marisol Meraji on how to tap into dialogues about race and on telling stories the way they need to be told.
Invisibilia’s Alix Spiegel on telling revolutionary stories, and interviewing for stories.
This American Life’s David Kestenbaum on explaining the world in four minutes, and his manifesto.
On the Media host Brooke Gladstone’s manifesto on Transom.
Founding producer of This American Life Nancy Updike on how to make your radio writing sharper and memorable, and on the inspiration she finds in the power of vice, foible, and inappropriateness. Plus, read her Transom manifesto here.
A panel from the National Press Club Journalism Institute on how op eds can amplify original voices and engage new communities featuring Deborah Douglas, Terry Tang, Kate Woodsome, and moderated by Nancy Ancrum.
Resistance host and co-creator Saidu Tejan-Thomas Jr. on the storytelling power of spoken word.
If this list somehow isn’t enough for you and you’re still hungry for more, find all the Transom Manifestos here, and check out This American Life’s page on how to make radio. The Radio Diaries DIY Radio Handbook is free, and so is the Radio Rookie Handbook. And Third Coast has an excellent archive of conference audio.
Okay, that’s all I got! Do you know of any radio talks that should be added to our list? Email us at info@vocalfrystudios.com, comment below, or tweet us!
