Note: Of COURSE the first newsletter I send in ages has a typo in the subject line (UGH!) Sorry for the wrong Whose/Who’s to those who received it in your inbox 😂
Hello Again!
I’m revamping my newsletter (as in, trying to do it on a regular basis again) and I'm hoping you haven’t forgotten about me 🙂
This year my focus is on writing, educating and creating resources for the independent creative podcaster and I’ll be sharing updates with you in this monthly-ish newsletter. (Consistency is a skill I’m hoping to work on this year, which is why I say “monthly-ish.)
I’ll also be including podcasting tips, tricks and information, especially little tidbits I find amusing while editing. There are so many times I’ll be editing a client’s podcast and I’ll pause to write down a great quote I’ve heard or a great interview question I think other podcasters would want to hear about. I can't wait to finally start sharing those with you!
Please enjoy the read and reply back if you have any questions, comments or suggestions for upcoming newsletter topics!
Quick Podcasting Tip
If you’re a podcaster who interviews guests face-to-face or via video, you may not realize when your guests have similar voices, and that could confuse the listener. Remember— most folks are listening to podcasts in audio-only format, and it may be difficult for listeners to be able to tell similar voices apart.
I was recently editing an episode where the two hosts were interviewing three guests. It was a great episode— it was informative and entertaining, a good length to keep me interested the whole time without extra fluff! The problem was, I had a hard time distinguishing whose voice was whose. All five of them were male and their voices were similar. Once the guests introduced themselves in the beginning, that was the only time I knew who was speaking throughout most of the episode.
Luckily they reiterated their names at the end and since they were all working on the same team and had just one website, it was easy to know how to get in touch with them if a listener wanted to learn more about them.
So if you’re hosting multiple guests on your podcast, and realize they have similar sounding voices, I have two suggestions:
Keep in control: End your questions by directly naming who you’d like to answer first, second, third, etc. or decide on an order that’s clear to your audience. This may look like asking your question, then adding, “(Guest 1), we’ll start with you.” When the guest finishes their answer, you could say, “Thanks, (Guest 1). What would you say, (Guest 2)?”
Put the guests in control: Let your guests know ahead of pressing record that with similar voices, it could be confusing to the audience so they may want to preface their answers with their names or with a quick re-introduction if it’s been a while since they’ve spoken.
This might look like asking your question, and the guest saying simply starting their answer with, “This is (Guest 1) answering …”
Pro-tip: This is something that hosts don’t always notice, so if you’re a guest on a podcast or as part of an audio-only panel or roundtable discussion, take a moment to listen to the voices around you and if there’s a similar-sounding voice, you may want to remember Tip #2 for yourself!
About Me
For those who may be wondering, “Wait, who is this person in my email?” Allow me to re-introduce myself after dusting off my email list after a while away from it 🙂
I’m Emily Prokop, a podcaster, editor and educator. I created & hosted the Webby-nominated podcast, The Story Behind, among a number of other podcasts I’ve been a part of. As the owner of E Podcast Productions, a podcast editing and consulting business, I’ve been helping podcasters plan, improve, and grow their shows for the last 5 years.
I’m also an introverted, neurodivergent married mom of 2. When I’m not wearing a pair of headphones to record or edit a podcast, you can find me singing in choir, wandering in the woods, roller skating around her living room, or trying out a new hobby or ADHD hyperfixation over on Instagram.
Check Out the Latest Blog Posts
E Podcast Productions — Podcasting Blog
Emily: Out Loud — ADHD/Creative Lifestyle Blog
Dealing With My Dad’s Death: A Thank You Letter to My ADHD (audio version coming soon!)
Trying Out a TENS Machine to Relieve Pain and Menstrual Cramps: First Impressions (audio version soon!)
Like What I Do?
Enjoying this newsletter and my content? If you’ve found my tips and information helpful, you can support me and my work by buying me a cup of coffee over at BuyMeACoffee.com/emilyprokop 🙂 And look for a shout-out over on my Instagram Stories!
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Check out my latest podcasting blog post here
Check out my Podcasting Microphone and Setup and what gear I recommend for new podcasters
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