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How I Began To See Myself As A Writer
I've worked in Radio, Podcasting and Voiceover my whole life, but then I realized I was a writer.
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How I Began To See Myself As A Writer
It was pretty easy to know who to hire. If they could write or loved writing, they would likely get hired. So much about the things we do in the audio world comes down to the the writing. If you think that the movie you are watching, or the radio you are listening to sucks - it’s likely because the writing sucks. Do you know why the Sopranos was awesome? Because it was beautifully written.
Last week I had Steve Goldstein from Amplifi Media on my podcast for the second time this year and we discussed what makes an effective audio promo. I also had Steve review my promo and have since created a new promo. I’ve saved a highlight clip of that interaction for your viewing pleasure.
Steve reviewed the Sound Off Podcast Promo
I titled this “How I Began To See Myself As A Writer” because there was someone who told me I was one. Alyson Shane, millennial, and founder of Starling Social, a social media marketing agency, explained to me over beers one day that we are really writers. Between all the scripting and the copy we were doing for our businesses - it is writing first and everything else second.
We lost Alyson last week, her husband John made the announcement in a few places on social media. About 12 hours earlier, someone scribbled on my YouTube page “RIP” on an episode that Alyson appeared on. I was about to text Alyson and say, “Some guy thinks you are dead.”
While our only encounters were at best, annual, she had a very large hand in how we do things around here. From her social tips, to sharing the ins and out of working from home after I launched the company in 2015 - Alyson showed me how business could be conducted online using social media.
We both had a love for travel in far flung places for months at a time; where one could live and eat like a local. She loved culture and food and often replicated those dishes in her home life. We got together to talk about the joys of travelling in a podcast episode I titled Living Like a Local.
We met on Twitter many years ago, likely discussing bike lanes, local vs corporate, or politics. We rarely aligned; until we did on the subject of how cities should organize themselves. (She persuaded me to see the good in urban reformation) In 2018 when Winnipeg held a referendum on opening Portage & Main to pedestrian traffic - her team hired me to be the radio voice of the campaign. We lost the vote. The fact that there even was because the local idiot who got re-elected used the issue as a political football to dispel a campaign promise. In the most Winnipeg of actions, last month the Mayor announced he was opening the intersection to foot traffic because of cost.
Sadly, Alyson is not going to see the intersection open to pedestrians. The 3 episodes that reside on the Sound Off Podcast Network have pre-rolls promoting North America’s new 9-8-8 Hotline in both Canada and the United States. Over the next few weeks I’m going to read her blog and past starling.social newsletters with the same intensity I would studying for an exam. Social media is changing…. Alyson left X a while back. I’m thinking of doing the same….
Where Have I Been This Week?
Online and trying out some new social media homes. Not sure what is driving X these days but I got into two fights with separate bots and figured it would be time to consider moving along. You can find me on BlueSky and Threads. So far so good. I’ll try to post there a little more often and I look forward to seeing you there.
We also started an Instagram account for the Sound Off Podcast Network.
STOP DOING THIS!
Please stop showing up as a podcast guest without headphones and a mic. Even in this day and age when we have even more tools than ever to clean up audio - I love the cleanliness of a crisp recording.
Best Things I Heard This Week…
Journey Into Yoga with Avery Rich has been nominated for a Canadian Podcast Award!
The Sound Off Podcast is going to have episodes from Fred Jacobs (Jacobs Media), Ian March (Indie 88), John Leslie (Talking About Radio) and Annalise Nielsen (Pacific Content). In the meantime - check out this episode with the heavily nominated Mary Anne Ivison and find how how her podcast became an award winning show after I peer-pressured her into doing a podcast.
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