Podcast Editing Plus is a global podcast editor community where we dive into the growing pains of being a freelance podcast editor, running a small podcast editing business, or transitioning between the two like I am!
Podcast Editing Plus (PEP) has a:
Twice a month LIVE Global Podcast Editor Chats on YouTube
A private LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12589124/
A podcast, relaunching in April 2022
This newsletter component where I’m sharing my own podcast editing and business growth AND podcast editing tips, resources and conversations.
My current tools:
-Audio podcast editing: mostly Hindenburg & rarely Audacity
-Video podcast editing: Reaper and Windows Video Editor
(Yes, I know that I can use Reaper for the audio editing. There is a reason for my workflow and it was detailed oh so much in the PEP podcast in November 2021.)
Date: Thursday, March 17th, 2022:
Location: Rome, Italy We’re in Rome, Italy for a 3rd month. We’ve lived in 3 very different neighborhoods and it’s been interesting. After this we’re currently scheduled to head back to Split, Croatia, where we were before Italy, for 3 months. We’ll continue working remotely and will be able to get our booster shots there. And some serious sunshine and walks on the water. I’m looking forward to after all the loud motorcycles in Rome. I am fully aware how old I sound saying that. So be it. Speaking of sound…
NEWSLETTER SECTIONS
-Client Attraction & Communication
-Podcast Editing Community:
-Storytelling (content):
-Technology:
-Storytelling (sound):
-Podcast Growth (for your clients)
CLIENT ATTRACTION & COMMUNICATION
ATTRACTING THE RIGHT NEW CLIENTS:
My own discovery calls have slowed down quite a bit but they’re still happening. And, as before, the vast majority of them are coming from word of mouth recommendations. I am so thankful for these folks because, like you, I am far from comfortable tooting my own horn.
Get out there!
So I have to ask, what random trickles of visible, public value have you added to the podcasting and/or podcast editing space lately that will remind people of how awesome you are?
Don’t do this just to get clients. Do this to be a part of a wider, making voices heard community. Staying in people’s minds as an editor is a side benefit of this: not the motivation. Well, it isn’t for me and I hope it isn’t for you. You can all me an idealist but I prefer to think of it as…..community.
Less Represented Voices:
And if you’re a lesser represented voice, this BE VISIBLE nudge is energetically twice as strong for you. We’re (yes, I am an LRV) much more likely to be silent and/or too humble about what we do. Stop that. Get sharing. Not bragging but sharing. Austin Kleon’s book, Show Your Work is one of my favorite sharing to add value inspiration pieces in the world.
Speaking of LRVs
One way you can get out there is by participating in our How to search for podcast editors who are lesser represented voices (LRV) in quick, actionable steps list. It’s needs a shorter, catchier name but I think you get the idea. In reaction to seeing the same people quoted in the podcast editing space again and again, we’re creating a one page sheet of actionable ways that media folks can find….the rest of us. There are nearly 20 ideas already on the sheet, take a look.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KeWYjPpbk6qjTd8QqhsQYkG5lWrzCJ-Yv7HwIcobLcs/edit?usp=sharing
Starting in April 2022, we’ll be sharing these ideas with anyone and everyone who writes about the podcast editing space. If you want to participate but don’t have ideas for the sheet, then we could use your help making the shareable document as well as with distribute it.
If you’re an introvert: Try a newsletter to get out there!
I LOVE writing this newsletter. It’s a more gently paced, more breathable space, less in your face way to connect with folks interested in podcast editing than social media is. I play with social media posts and I connect with folks on there often but I don’t make business progress there. Not really. It’s too fast, too busy, too flashy. And none of those things are characteristics of my podcast editing offerings. Does this sound familiar? Are you like this too?
I’m starting a podcast editor newsletter creation course in Summer 2022. The point is this. You’re already writing and sharing content on social media. All you need now is a quick way to repackage it in a narrative way to send to your followers in a newsletter. That’s what this course is going to help you do!
More details AND a discount offer available here: https://forms.gle/Lwu4jVtdFV89NCXD7
PRICING SERVICES: Guest booking
I think I’m even one more step closer to taking Lauren Wrighton’s Podcast Manager course, https://laurenwrighton.com/become-a-podcast-manager/. There was a hint of me adding guest booking services onto a client’s monthly package recently. And although it didn’t happen, I can see this being an okay add on for me. It’s not something I would do without the editing BUT in addition to it.
The more I can offer one client, the fewer clients I need and the more time I can spend learning more sound clean up: my current stretch goal.
Pricing research was hard.
There’s…
-5 years of experience doing it for my own podcasts
-podcasting credibility (I’ve got a lot of community and podcasting projects easily visible, even if they’re not high income earners they are social proof)
-deep dive superpower thanks for my autistic traits (self diagnosed recently. Nope, you didn’t miss that. This is all a recent realization)
-years of admin work in many formal and less formal environments. I can be flexible, effective, productive and in general, get things done with a persistence that I have not fully appreciated enough in my adult life.
-willingness to take Lauren’s course to sort the workflow of this guest juggling to make it even better for the clients
So starting the pricing calculations was hard. Price for time, experience, overhead, connections, and transfer skills. And then realize it will take more of those things than I think. It took me a good week or so from idea to pitch.
I know, I know, where did I land. I’ll share it but this is NOT a guide for what you should charge. I am not you and you are not me. You have to put all these factors and your own superpowers into a blender and come out with your own guest booking smoothie of pricing. Clearly I’m thirsty.
THE Guest Booking Service:
$500 per month for 8 guest pitches for the first beta month with a reassessment period after that month to see if tasks or rates need to be adjusted.
Service includes the following workflow and inevitably some items I cant think of right now that fall into the PLUS of Podcast Editing Plus:)
-initial outreach to prospective guests and follow up but not annoying check ins spaced out to not be annoying
-creating outreach and all guest communication templates (that will be personalized with each pitch guest)
-scheduling recording and reminder communications (emails, texts, or wherever else they communicate the most)
-create a spreadsheet of potential and past guests with essential info: name, social media links, communication method, etc
-answer any guest questions about recording (does NOT include test calls)
-send and track guest consent forms
-when episode published, sending thank you emails to guests with social links to share
Beta month for pricing experiments
I’m especially fond of the “beta month” idea. We do this for products and services all the time, don’t we? But I’ve never thought about doing it for MY services. I’m going to pull this forward to all services from now on. It’s very likely that this is the factor that didn’t make this pitch fly. So be it. I’m exhausted from mispricing a new service and dealing with underpayment for months and months until I “raise” my rates. Maybe I should call it an “estimate” instead of a beta service month. Either way, how am I supposed to price something when a client and I haven’t done it together before with financial accuracy?
PODCAST EDITING COMMUNITY
Coffee Meet & Greets:
Am back in a place with great internet and will be going forward. We’ve learned the lingo and questions to ask so that we won’t be booking a slow internet apartment anytime again soon, anywhere in the world we may end up.
So I’ve resumed my coffee chats to meet more global podcast editors. Ah, the joy! If you’d like to schedule a coffee meet and greet with me click here https://zcal.co/i/8zgkamuX.
The reason for coffee chats
A huge part of why I do anything on the podcast editor side of Podcast Editing Plus (PEP) is to connect folks globally. I’ve always been someone to introduce folks doing something similar to each other in different parts of the world. This was true when I was a language instructor, an indy podcaster, and now as a podcast editor. Talking to other people in other places about how they do things can invigorate our workflow processes, our creative juices and more. So the more people I/we meet, the more we can make these connections.
And it’s also a way to share the space we’re working in. Here’s a video thread I did on Twitter talking about stepping aside and recommending others instead of taking a spotlight moment ourselves. I primarily talk about it with respect to conference talks but it’s so much more shareable than that.
LIVE Global Podcast Editor Chats
We’re chatting with Podcast Editors like YOU every 1-2 times a month. Thanks to your feedback, we’ve tiered the chats! There’s now a beginner podcast editor chat AND an experienced podcast editor chat. We NEED more guests in 2022, check out our schedule here: https://www.stephfuccio.com/podcasteditingplus
Our next chat is on March 24th, 2022 at 9am CET, which is
1am in Portland, Oregon, USA
5am in Buenos Aires, Argentina
1:30 pm in Delhi, India
3pm in Bangkok, Thailand
9pm in Auckland, New Zealand
Our last chat…
… was with Helen King of HK Productions/The C Word Radio and Rachel Hanson from What the finance/Rachel Edits. It was a mighty productive time!
Where do podcast editors come from?
A big takeaway for me during this chat was Helen’s question of who we are. She wondered where podcast editors come from, industry/spacewise. This is a part of podcast editing I’ve seen in the various spaces I lurk and participate with online, including my own PEP spaces, Facebook groups, media Gmail/Google list serves and on a more lurkerish level in audio Discord groups.
In fact, I’ve started a poll in our PEP LinkedIn group with this question. https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12589124/ Please feel free to join in and let us know how you slipped into this space.
Be a guest!
If you’d like to be a guest in our Global Podcast Editor Chats, complete this form: https://forms.gle/XcVZp9Fhf7qELkX28.
Do keep in mind that the times listed in Central European Time (CET) cause that’s where I’m living. Please adjust to your timezone. Thanks.
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If you’re enjoying our newsletter, please let Substack know. Thank you!
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Podcast Editing Communities List:
I’ve made a PDF of all the podcast editing communities I’ve found over the past year or so. If you don’t have a copy OR want the most current one, just email me (or hit reply if you’re reading this in an email) AND add “podcast editing list please” in the subject line. And toss me a pic of your DAW in the email if you get a chance: Because, why not?)
PAID podcast editing community: Highly recommended
If you’re quite serious about getting podcast editing community, professional development with tech AND business aspects of this adventure, I highly recommend The Podcast Editor Academy. Steve and Mark go out of their way to make this community friendly, useful and cost effective. I’ve more than gotten my money’s worth in tips, tools, and job leads. https://www.podcasteditoracademy.com (affiliate link)
STORYTELLING (content): Interviews are story based
For 3 years I was an insatiable podcast creator. I juggled many podcasts and a healthy experimental channel on YouTube as well. In 2020 there was a monumental shift in my relationship to podcasting, somewhat but not entirely because of the pandemic. Although I dabbed in a Podcast Review Day and Podcast Editing Plus podcast, nothing has stuck during this two year shift. During this time my podcast editing business has grown but my own storytelling has gone anemic.
Until now.
Geopats Podcast:
With Geopats, I’ve always approached the seasons and conversations with a research question in mind.
Geopats podcasting: How is podcasting different around the world?
Geopats books: What can we learn about the local culture through the books we read about and from these places?
And so on. And I’m planning on keeping up with this research mindset when I start publishing more episodes very soon.
How do you talk story to your clients?
It took me a long time to understand that my interviews were still storytelling. Stories come in all sounds and tones. So let’s talk client!
How do you talk to your clients about the stories in their episodes?
or
How can you talk to your clients about the stories in their episodes?
Why this IS part of your job as a podcast editor.
Stories are the heart and soul of this medium but it’s easy to think that only narrative podcasts and audio dramas are stories. Not true. Interviews, solo shows and so many other formats are also story driven. I’d like to know how you all talk to your clients about this. Partially because I’d like more ways of doing so and partially because I have a feeling that we may be dropping the story ball in the powerful driving seat that we’re in as their audio editors.
Narrative Storytelling Training Recommendation:
And if you or your clients have a narrative storytelling itch, I highly recommend The Kasama Labs by Laura and Nate from Shelter in Place:
https://shelterinplacepodcast.org/kasama-labs-online-course
TECHNOLOGY:
Recording:
Love this Transom article, “Losing Control In An Interview” https://transom.org/2018/losing-control-interview/
Hosting: RedCircle and Buzzsprout
RedCircle:
I’ve switched to RedCircle for Geopats and finding it super easy to use. Yes, the things that podcasters mentioned about their stats being wonky in this article are very true. However, my KPIs (key performance indicators) are engagement focused: DMs, emails, comments anywhere. So slightly off stats are not a deal important to me.
My next goal is to test out the dynamic ad insertion and maybe review some of the potential advertisers. I’ve already gotten approved for advertisers on the platform, I’m just not sure that any of them will fit my audience. But I’ll check it out.
Buzzzsprout:
And the Podcast Editing Plus podcast is going live on Buzzsprout in April 2022. I don’t have much to say about this yet because I’m mostly massaging the episodes for uploading so haven’t played with the platform much yet. I’ll report back on my experiences as they happen. Buzzsprout seems to have an active Facebook group, I’ve just not been on there regularly yet. But you know me, I love groups, so it’s only a matter of time.
DAW COMPARISON: Reaper Subtracks
Thanks to Karim for sharing information about Reaper subtracks. I’m still only doing light video editing in Reaper, so will need to refer you to YouTube tutorials for this visual.
I want to do a comparison to Audacity or Hindenburg but I honestly haven’t even tried to do this in these DAWs yet. For the interview podcasts that I edit for myself and clients, I’m not sure that I have a need for this.
And that leads me to these 2 questions:
Is this functionality mostly useful for music (which is how it’s shown in this above and other videos I’ve watched) OR is there a use for spoken word that would be good for podcast editing?
Do other DAWs have this feature? What’s it called? (we know that DAW creators like to drive us crazy with different terms for the same features)
Do we even need a DAW anymore (for podcasts)?
I like to explore within and between DAWs, truly but sometimes I wonder if we overcomplicate things. In this article (https://www.pro-tools-expert.com/production-expert-1/is-the-daw-as-we-know-it-heading-for-extinction) Russ Hughes talks about the end of DAWs for audio and music production, is that simplification so bad when it comes to the spoken formats of podcasting?
Suggest a DAW comparison:
If you’d like to submit a quick DAW comparison with brief explanation, email me your tip AND your podcast editing website or social media page link. OR you can leave a Speakpipe voice message on my CONTACT Page with the explanation and I’ll write it up. I know not everyone likes writing but I want to get this info into the world, so let’s do this together.
VIDEO PODCAST EDITING:
Sometimes my workflows are clumsy before they are efficient. And my current video podcast editing workflow is very much so this.
Step 1: Dialogue edit in Windows Video Editor
I use the Windows default video editor first for dialogue edits cause its quicker and easier than Reaper for me. I need something light and quick for dialogue editing and this tool works great. I render in 780 and then move onto step 2 in the next pass, usually a day later.
Step 2: Top and tail in Reaper
Unlike the learning curve in Reaper for audio, I find that video editing is very intuitive. I primarily drag the interview portion into Reaper, then the audio intro with its static image into two different tracks. I make any fade and volume adjustments by listening and watching an annoying amount of times. I do the same for the outro. Then I render. Period/full stop. I’ve not found a way to render in lower than insanely HUGE file size in Reaper yet. So while that search is going on, I move onto step 3.
Step 3: Rerender in Windows Video Editor
In the next session, I add the Reaper HUGE file (25GB for an hour long video large) to Windows Video Editor and render it in 780 again. This is the final video file that I upload to YouTube. When I was uploading the HUGE Reaper file it took overnight even with decently fast internet. Now it takes about an hour.
And yes, I could just top and tail in this video editor but the audio nuances are lost. And yes, I could research how to do this in Reaper but I don’t have those hours to spare with clients with weekly shows. And my coffee and gelato time in Rome are precious, so there’s that too.
Inefficient is okay if it fits your workflow
I naturally do multiple passes for all my podcast editing, audio and video. I like to get up and move around a lot during an editing session. And I’m juggling multiple clients episodes and my own as well. I like to touch each client’s episodes each day. That’s my own work style preference. So this somewhat inefficient method works for me. It fits into my editing pacing. Will it be my workflow forever and ever? lol. Not but nothing is in this fast paced space, right?
Podcast pacing is FAST
Don’t get me wrong, I spent time in Reaper groups, watched painfully long Reaper tutorials and so on. But all I did with my render massaging was make the video images smaller. Not the desired effect.
And with weekly publication schedules, you have to keep moving forward. So I rendered these large videos at night, while I was sleeping. Folks in the Reaper groups assured me that videos take a long time to render. So I stopped looking for a solution and got back to working.
And then during a yoga session about a month ago, the above wacky workflow hit me.
So here's my question for you:
What pain point have you had recently that adding a seemingly inefficient element to your workflow, no matter for how short a time, actually improved your workflow.
STORYTELLING (sound): a sound is not always a sound
Am still chewing this episode as a whole but this one part specifically on how sound is different depending on the language you speak. It’s at about 16 minutes in and it’s fascinating.
TLDW: too long, didn’t watch (summary)
A sound was reported as going up or going down differently between people in the UK and people in California, USA. The researchers said the up/down decision was based on their language tone upbringing.
How does this impact your podcast editing:
Great question. If your client has a truly one place, one audience in that place podcast, then I think the answer is that it doesn’t.
But podcasts are online and accessible to anyone. I’m constantly thinking about how the words, intonation, etc in someone’s speaking might impact a listener but I never thought that their tone might be perceived differently like this.
Do our DAWS have effects that do this?
How could they really? Think about all the languages in the world and how complicated ONE adjustment would be to create.
Having said that, in Hindenburg Pro, there are voice selections that you can choose from. I find the standard voice profiler effect really pleasing so haven’t dug into this much myself yet…but now I’m wondering if some of the advanced options in there take this language factor into account. I’ll have to investigate this further but for now I’ll just marinate in it.
PODCAST GROWTH : For your value add
You can either pass this info onto your clients OR pick and choose specific information in these fabulous resources to share with them periodically.
For my clients, I usually send a tip related to things that they’re looking to improve with most published episode emails. If it’s a podcast episode or video, I give them a timestamp for the section that they’d be interested in to save them time.
More Listeners:
Marion’s Grounded Content episode on 15 Ways to Get More Listeners, https://groundedcontent.libsyn.com/15-ways-to-get-more-listeners
More Sponsors: Pitch deck info
Research from The Guardian: podcast advertising commands the highest levels of attention across media formats (from Podnews)
DAWingly yours,
Podchaser guesting episodes:
https://www.podchaser.com/lists/stephanie-fuccio-guesting-spots-107aNEz7dI
Website: https://www.stephfuccio.com/
Twitter: Podcast Editing Plus: @stephfuccio
Instagram: @podcasteditingplus & @geopatscoffee
LinkedIn: @dstephfuccio