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 Spring 2022
This newsletter, where I share podcast editing technical and freelance/small business tips, resources and conversations mixed in with my own struggles, successes and projects.
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 31st, 2022:
Location: I’m writing this issue from Split, Croatia. We country shifted 5 days ago from Rome, Italy. We’ll be here for 3 months. Essentially my husband and I have turned into reluctant digital nomads during the pandemic. We’re doing this and all the country shifting that’s needed until something better in a place we want to live in comes up. Now, onto the stuff I like writing about: podcast editing!
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:
DON’T VOMIT REAL ESTATE
I had to laugh when I was editing this episode of my client’s real estate podcast, https://agentupgrade.libsyn.com/turning-community-members-into-real-estate-clients-with-kati-spaniak-of-exp-realty-llc because the guest, Kati Spaniak, kept saying, “Don’t vomit real estate.” Since it’s a real estate podcast focusing on real estate agent’s professional growth, the conversation was centered around attracting more clients as a realtor. And these vomit induced comments came when Kati was talking about community building. She said that as soon as agents “start vomiting real estate” people get disinterested in the groups. Instead she encouraged agents to create groups centered on other topics (local community activities or topics) and just let the members introduce themselves. Be humans with outside interests and connect on those levels instead of pushing your business goal.
DITTO FOR PODCAST EDITORS
If you create a community group about plants there might very well be some people in there that may want to hire you as their podcast editor. OR they may know someone outside of planting that might ask them if they know a podcast editor. When you do as Kati suggests and tell people about yourself without vomiting podcast editing, you give them the chance to recommend you in the future. Because they like you, connect with you, can see themselves or their friends working with you.
DO start a group (on or offline) about something you care about.
DON’T start a group about a topic that you think many of the members will want your service. Remember, the key to genuine connection is BEING genuine.
STOP VOMITTING and start connecting! (yup, that felt weird to type)
Less Represented Voices (LRVs) in Podcast Editing Press Release
Getting mentioned in the press is a nice way to attract more attention to your business but far too often, a lot of us less traditional podcast editing folks don’t get asked for our input on everything from industry trends, new products or the future of podcast editing.
Let’s get more of our less represented voices (LRVs) out there.
Maybe you’re part a BIPOC podcast editor, maybe you’re from a country far away from the United States (podcast editing, like podcasting, is an online space, after all!), maybe you’re an LGBTQ+ podcast editor. It doesn’t matter.
If you’re frustrated by being passed over for press opportunities, we want to help!
We’re creating a list of quick, actionable ways that folks in the media can find us.
For example:
Search for “podcast editor” on Instagram, LinkedIn, or even in podcast apps. We not only produce other people’s content but we make our own and often promote our businesses on the socials too!
Phase 1: Creating the list (nearly complete)
Thank you to everyone who added actionable, search oriented ways to find less represented voices in podcast editing to our group spreadsheet. I’ve got a one sheet nearly ready and will be publishing it on Substack within the next few days.
Phase 2: sending the list out (need help)
Once the one sheet is ready, what do we do with it? I’m not in Public Relations nor am I very familiar with press releases. If you have time or suggestions to help spread this around, please fill out this brief form:
https://forms.gle/VR4zFwnSUsVTAAfV6. I appreciate your time and help with this. We all do!
Newsletters: A deeper, slower client building method
As you’ll read in the below PODCAST GROWTH section with Andrea Jones episode on publishing less intentionally, there is a shift in how content is being consumed online these days and it’s a good thing. Content consumers are being more picky and ironically, they’re spending more time with their content. Yet another reason to start a podcast editing newsletter to attract the right clients for your podcast editing business slowly and intimately.
To get meta on you, I LOVE writing this newsletter because it’s a more gently paced, more breathable, less in your face way to connect with folks interested in podcast editing than social media.
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 YOUR SERVICES:
Podcast Editors Mastermind new pricing episode
How much should I charge for...? Crafting packages and prices that…
Carrie, Bryan and Daniel dig into many aspects of pricing podcast editing services in this live video event, currently available in video replay in the Podcast Editor Mastermind Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/podcasteditorsmastermind/videos/1114268062683356
If you’re not on Facebook/in their FB group, the podcast version will be available here at some point: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/podcast-editors-mastermind/id1504333792
MY FAVORITE MOMENTS:
(28:56-33:00) When Bryan detailed the Profit First model, which leads with, you guessed it, your profits first, instead of expenses first. It’s easy to get caught up in your podcast editing expenses and hoping that the profits will take care of themselves. I used to do this too, until I front loaded my invoicing and kept track of all my monthly invoices and the episodes/articles assigned to them on a one page income sheet that is on my desk at all times. My newer income tax spreadsheet with details of income and expenses is for sure digital but keeping this income one sheet on my keyboard keeps me focused on the paid work I need to prioritize every day. I’m not sure if that’s the exact point they were making but they did mention that they have an entire episode on the Profit First model, episode 28, so check that out if you’re interested. I know I will!
(31:01-35:00) In the chat room Editor+ Andrea Klunder challenged a common way of pricing editing services, charging by the minute of raw audio. She mentioned that as a small business owner she leads with value, not time. She asked if her 20 minute episode client receives less value than her 45 minute episode client? There’s an interesting discussion that this question ignited.
(45:00 -56:00) Set packages versus custom pricing and how packages are never right. Ohhhh, I feel this pain!
PODCAST EDITING COMMUNITY
LIVE Global Podcast Editor Chats
We’re chatting with Podcast Editors like YOU every 1-2 times a month. We NEED more guests in 2022, check out our schedule here: https://www.stephfuccio.com/podcasteditingplus
Our next chat is on 14 April 2022 at 10:00 CET, which is
1:00 San Francisco, California, USA
3:00 Mexico City, Mexico
15:00 Bangkok, Thailand
16:00 Manila, Philippines
20:00 Auckland, New Zealand
Our last LIVE chat:
Watch Fay Fay, Dave, Leon and myself chat about….
-podcast editing client content feedback
-plug ins for reverb
-workflow struggles
and more! https://youtu.be/dWnHMqnEZgA
ALL our of live events are recording in Streamyard!
https://streamyard.com?pal=5673660346007552
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 time zone. Thanks.
April 2022: We’ll have the last of the beginner and experiences tracks for the chats.
May to Dec 2022: Any editor can join anytime, no levels.
PEP LinkedIn Group: Where do podcast editors come from poll:
In our LinkedIn group, I added a quick poll asking what industries podcast editors in there came from. For example, from being an indy podcaster, from journalism, etc. We didn’t get many votes but I still think it’s an interesting spread. Check it out!
My answer:
I recently guested on my language learning friend Matthew Boyle’s Legendary Language Learner YouTube channel and a large part of the conversation covered my pre-podcasting life and transition into working in podcasting for a living.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A0YFnknxbU&t=2s
If you’re not a YouTube person, you can listen to this episode on my Geopats Podcast. Thanks to Matthew for letting me replay this in podcast form.
Geopats episode of this conversation: https://stream.redcircle.com/episodes/c391fcee-07ed-4dd7-b739-2f417e593085/stream.mp3
If you’re enjoying our newsletter, please let Substack know. Thank you!
Podcast Editing Communities List:
I’ve been compiling a list of podcast editing and adjacent audio communities for a while now. Recently, this list was moved to Substack to make it easier to access. Here it is. DO let me know what other online global podcast editing communities are missing. I’m happy to add them! thanks.
https://podcasteditingplus.substack.com/p/online-podcast-editing-communities/comments?s=w
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):
The Art of Manliness is a podcast that I am super far from being a listener avatar for, lol, but I love it sometimes. Often, in fact. The recent episode, “The Writing Life of Ernest Hemingway” was fascinating on a level that got me to thinking content podcast editing.
Let me explain.
WRITING ONE TRUE SENTENCE
Many of us have heard people talk about Ernest Hemingway’s “one good sentence” goal. Actually, I think it was his editor that got him obsessed with this. Hemingway would write and rewrite the same idea over and over in search for this one true sentence.
WRITING LESS TO CONVEY MORE
But in this episode, the guest, Mark Cirino, Author of the book, Ernest Hemingway Thought In Action, goes deeper to explain Hemingway’s iceberg method of writing. In short, Hemingway wanted to write about the things at the tip of the iceberg but intentionally leave the reader craving more. Craving to know what was beneath the surface. If you’ve read Hemingway before, this writing by omitting a lot (adjectives, character’s thoughts, etc) is a key element of his writing. This was something he crafted. He didn’t want to give away too much.
PODCAST EDITING ONE TRUE EPISODE?
So I can’t help but wonder, is there a podcast equivalent to Hemingway’s one true sentence? Is it one true episode? OR one true conversation? OR, gasp, one true exchange? I don’t know. But what I do know is that holding back is something that’s not done as much in podcasting as it is in writing. What Hemingway did was not new but he did take it to an extreme, leaving the readers with a lot of questions. My friend Shannon and I talked about these gapping holes in his paired books, A Moveable Feast (his diary from his time as a Writer in Paris in the 1920’s) and The Sun Also Rises (a fictionalized account of his life during this time). During these two recordings with Shannon I was fixated on Hemingway’s writing style but when listening to this Manliness episode, I could not shake the podcast editing potentiality.
PODCASTING LESS TO SAY MORE?
In August of 2019, a year before my mental breakdown (covid broke a lot of us didn’t it?), I wrote this piece on Medium about going through podcast guests too fast. https://medium.com/@stephfuccio/podcast-interviews-are-we-going-too-fast-92911ee738d7 I mention the breakdown here because it put things into perspective for me in a way that nothing else ever has. And it forced me to be more genuine and honest, which was painful at first but turned out to be a blessing.
That piece on going too fast feels like the beginning of my cognitive and emotional overload, including the new perspective and clarity of what matters. Since writing that, I’ve been slowing down on my own podcasting and guesting. I can’t quite figure out how to do that with my clients and make a living yet, but I do encourage breaks, repurposing content and so on.
PODCAST EDITING ROLE IN THIS TRUENESS
I have more questions than answers on how we as podcast editors can effect the insanity of the weekly podcast treadmill. Do you? I think about this a lot and I guarantee you that there will be a plan sooner or later. I like planning. But for now I’ll ask you this:
How do we encourage our clients to make less episodes, go deeper into the episodes AND still make a living at the same time. I believe there is a way and I think we should look for it. Because podfade exists for many reasons and running on this weekly publication treadmill is one of them, I believe.
ONE TRUE PODCAST EDITING SESSION
Can this be a thing?
Narrative Storytelling Training Recommendation:
Are you interested in working on more narrative storytelling podcasts but don’t have the experience or samples to show prospective podcast editing clients? It’s possible thatThe Kasama Labs by Laura and Nate from Shelter in Place are your next professional development step!
https://shelterinplacepodcast.org/kasama-labs-online-course
TECHNOLOGY:
Recording:
Placeholder: I need to test out my “new”lav mic and report back to you. Here. in 2 weeks time!
Headphones: Bone Conduction Headphones
I’m a bit concerned with hearing loss with this job, or in general and it would impact the business that I’m building as well. So when I heard about bone conduction headphones, I was intrigued. The headphones do NOT go into your ears but sit on your ear bones.
These have been popular for running for some time now but I’m not into sports, so missed them entirely. Until now. So I ordered a pair and tried them out.
The quality ones that everyone recommended were about $200 USD but I found a pricey pair on Amazon Italy for about $30.
https://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B089CXBXNP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
I have to say that for being this much cheaper than the popular ones, they worked great. Yes, it was incredibly weird to hear things in my ear without any device being in there. Very strange. But I couldn’t really tell the difference in sound from these to earbuds. I did have to return them though because the headband itself fit like it was made for someone with a head twice the size of mine. So because of that fitting issue, there was limited testing I could do with them.
I would definitely get another pair in the future, but would go shopping for them in person so I can do a proper head fit. And I’m exploring these because I’m assuming that since the sound doesn’t go into your ear that it would have less of an impact on your hearing loss. Is this even true? I have so much to learn. Please hit REPLY or email me if you know more about this.
Hosting: RedCircle and Buzzsprout
RedCircle: Easy to upload, share and monetize
I’m still uploading old Geopats episodes onto this feed. I honestly haven’t hit any glitches with RedCircle yet. I upload, it gets published and I share them here, there and everywhere. It’s almost boring it’s so seamless. Which is good.
DYNANIC AD INSERTION:
I haven’t directly played with their dynamic ad insertion yet but one of my clients, Amanda Bates of The Global Chatter podcast, switched over to them and brought all her sponsors with her. So I’m getting experience on the silences that need to go into an episode to be able to ad the dynamic ads. So I’m pre-learning how to do it:)
If you’re curious to try out RedCircle, here you go: https://redcircle.com/podcasters?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=stephaniefuccio
They do have a FREE plan, a $9 USD per month plan and they make it easy to monetize your podcast in these days: https://www.thepodcasthost.com/websites-hosting/monetize-your-podcast-with-redcircle/
Buzzzsprout: 90 day episode limit on free plan
I was going to move the PEP podcast over to Buzzsprout but hit a glitch. I loved how easy their set up procedure was but I noticed that on their free plan that episodes are available for 90 days. Turns out that episodes expire after this 90 day period…unless you upgrade to a paid plan. I selected Buzzsprout so that I could try out free plans to recommend to others, but don’t want to upload for 3 months only. And now since I need to go back to looking at paid plans once again, the podcast reemergence will be delayed again.
TAKEAWAY: this free plan would still be great for someone who wants to test out podcasting for 90 days. Their onboarding and community are fantastic, there’s no denying that at all!.
DAW COMPARISON: An Ask
Instead of writing about a DAW comparison this week, I’m doing something a little bit different. There was a question on Twitter recently about which DAW to use to start working in podcast editing. I used my coffee making time that morning (moka pot brew with french press foamed milk) to make a 10 part Twitter video thread. Each video is about 1 minute long and begins to answer this question. https://twitter.com/stephfuccio/status/1509142312756129793
But I am one person, one editor with well, many opinions but they’re still all mind. My ask is that you wander over to this original Twitter thread and add your two cents. You do NOT have to watch all my videos, or any of them, in fact, to participate.
All you have to do is answer this question: Which DAW should someone learn to start working in podcast editing? (the nuance in the question is what makes this such a juicy conversation starter!)
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: Reaper video file size
I know in the last issue I wrote about my Reaper video workaround regarding the file size and said I was okay with doing that workaround until I find another way to do this IN Reaper. And I am. It’s not that much more added to my workflow.
But it’s also driving me a little bit crazy that there isn’t a solution. Reaper is supposed to do anything and everything. So why can’t anyone figure out how to change the output video file size.
For example:
when I render a video in Reaper it renders over 1GB but when I open the same video in Windows Video Editor and render it again there in medium quality, 780, the MP4 size is then 647 MB. How do I get the video size to this smaller 647 MB size rendering from Reaper?
Can anyone who uses Reaper please tell me how to change the output file size withOUT changing the video image size. (It was almost comical how small the video image got at one point. It was like a dot in the middle of the screen. If I wasn’t so frustrated then, I would have taken a screenshot).
Please do NOT tell me to check YouTube.
Please do NOT tell me it’s in the rendering settings.
I’ve done all this and more and have come up with nothing tangible or practical.
STORYTELLING (sound): Supporting emotions with sound
I recently rejoined AIR, Association of Independents in Radio, and the How to Score a Podcast with Fernando Arruda and Jim Briggs from Reveal event jumped out at me. This video is part of AIR membership, so I have a feeling there might be a fee for watching it without a membership. You’ve been warned:)
Today’s the day that I admit that I think in sounds and speak in words, mostly because that’s what is socially acceptable. Seriously! I’m not kidding when I say that I add sound to everything in my head, so why not test out some of that in audio-in the podcasts that I’m creating? I’ve been avoiding soundscaping more than the basic intro, transitions and outro because of the HUGE emotional/sound (those are the same thing for me) rabbit hole that this will be. So be it. I surrender.
I’m about halfway through the 1 hour 40ish minute video so far and have realized that I need to stop thinking of this content as a buffet and more of a snack shop. I hate rewatching/rereading content so I need to slow down and nibble on this video, these ideas slower. It’s THAT good. I need time to marinate in them and possible try them out before listening to their next sound gem.
What I can tell you already is that this session:
respects music and sounds in a way that is magnificent
has both practical AND conceptual information
the two hosts are insanely talented
story drives their sound decisions and that’s gorgeous!
this session would be good for anyone wanting to add some sound joy to their spoken podcasts
As they mention in the beginning, sound can play many roles in a spoken podcast, even a news one. It can lighten the mood when the content is tough. It can reinforce an emotion and even drive listeners to act in some way. It can transition from one part of a story to another. And on and on.
https://www.soundpath.co/course/scoring-a-podcast
PODCAST GROWTH : Your Client Value Add: Do less for more!
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. Also, 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.
Do More With Less:
I’m seeing a trend in podcast marketing that’s been a long time coming. And a VERY needed tide shift. Ahhhhh, can you feel the relief wash over you? Let’s explore this do less idea regarding podcast publishing via two of my favorite podcast marketers and overall good humans in the space: Andrea Jones and Jeremy Enns.
#1: Andrea: Create less content: Savvy Social Podcast (18:39)
In this episode Andréa Jones shares a recent trend in creating less content and being discovered more. She’s mainly talking about the socials like Tiktok, Pinterest, YouTube, etc. But I have a feeling that podcasts are not far behind. Think about it, if your content is being shown to the right people more often, then the focus on publish, publish, publish melts away. And this leads room for deeper, more crafted content? That’s my hope, not hers. Let me know what you think!
TIP: If you’re super pressed for time, at 12:43 is when she explains how her company is changing their social media marketing with this shift in mind.
https://onlinedrea.com/podcast/3-reasons-to-create-less-content-in-2022/
#2: Jeremy: The Podcast Traction Playbook, FREE workshop: Apr 12-14
ARE YOUR CLIENTS PODCAST(s) not TAKING OFF?
Do you have any clients who have amazing content but their podcast is not taking off? 100 downloads per episode every week, little to no engagement online from their listeners and/or no business leads. You're not technically their marketing person but you do know the podcast inside and out cause you're their rock star editor who listens and shapes every word! What if you could inject some podcast marketing savvy into your clients life with ease?
THE WORKSHOP
The goal of the FREE free workshop to help your client stop spinning their wheels and start building momentum with their podcast.
It’s called the Podcast Traction Playbook and it’s taking place from April 12-14.
Over the course of 3 days, he’s breaking down what he calls the Podcast Traction Triangle that he’s used to help his clients rack up over 50 million podcast downloads collectively along with millions of dollars in revenue.
The workshop is entirely FREE to attend live and the replays will be available for at least a few days after the workshop ends so you can still take advantage of it if you can’t make the live calls.
I TOOK THIS WORKSHOP
That's why I'm recommending it to you. I still have the Notion templates that he shared with us. I've organically passed on the knowledge that he taught us in folds to my clients, fellow podcasters and of course, applied some of it to my own podcasts.
THAT's NOT YOUR JOB AS PODCAST EDITOR:
Yes, yes. I hear you. Many of you will say that this is not for you to do. Sure, that could be true. And no harm done by not clicking on the below link.
FREE workshop sign up: https://counterweightcreative.co/podcast-traction-playbook/?affiliate=stephfuccio
(includes an affiliate link)
DAWingly yours,
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