Getting Started Guide to Podcasting

from Pen to Paycheck Authors podcast

We often say on the podcast that we’d love as many authors as possible to chart their indie journeys. We want you all to have podcasts, but that can sound like a big job. It really isn’t, and once you’ve done the set up, everything else is a routine you can fit into otherwise-unproductive spots in your week. To make the task as easy as possible, we’ve put together a practical guide based on our experience, designed to help you get started.

It's important to state upfront: this isn't the only route to take. This is simply how we do it, and we're sharing it as a shortcut for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the options available.

The How-To Guide:

  • You don't need to overcomplicate things when it comes to equipment. Our setup is deliberately straightforward:

    • Blue Snowball Microphone: Both of us love this microphone, which we had before we started podcasting. It’s not the best on the market, though, and we’d take a look at the knowledgeable Colin Gray’s recommendations if we were updating our set ups. This is his 2025 article on the topic: https://www.thepodcasthost.com/equipment/the-best-podcasting-microphones-on-the-market/ 

    • Simple Pop-Filter: A non-negotiable for clarity. It helps eliminate those plosive sounds that can detract from audio quality. You don’t need a fancy one, just a mesh disc that you clip in front of your mic.

    • Microphone Arm: This is crucial for isolating the microphone from desk vibrations and positioning it close to your face.

  • We conduct all our recording and editing within Riverside. It's a platform that streamlines several aspects of podcast production, including the automatic generation of social media clips. There are many similar platforms, and we picked this because it is beginner friendly and also provides an excellent transcript.

    For optimal audio and video quality, Riverside offers a few key recommendations:

    • Ethernet Connection: If your internet connection isn't robust, plugging in with an ethernet cable can significantly improve stability.

    • Close Background Applications: Minimise distractions for your computer by closing any unnecessary windows or applications.

    • Use Chrome: Riverside performs best when accessed via the Chrome browser.

    • Laptop Power: Keep your laptop plugged in during recording to prevent power fluctuations affecting performance.

    For hosting our podcast, we use Podbean. The initial setup can be a bit intricate, particularly ensuring distribution across all major podcast platforms. However, this is largely a one-time task that, once completed, allows for smooth distribution.

  • Ready to get your podcast out into the world? Here's the sequence we followed:

    • Design Your Logo: We created ours using Canva, which everyone knows we’re big fans of.

    • Create Intro and Outro Sounds (Optional): While not strictly required, these can lend a professional touch to your episodes.

    • Record a Test Episode: Don't strive for perfection at this stage. The goal is to get a feel for the flow of a show.

    • Solicit Feedback: Share your test episode with a few trusted author friends and gather their input; we used a Google form for this.

    • Improve and Get Started: Use the feedback to refine your episode rundown and then start recording. Don’t worry about being perfect from the start; the best way to improve is with practice.

  • Understanding the time investment is key. Here's a breakdown of our typical weekly workflow:

    • Rundown Preparation: We take two minutes in Notion to update our episode plan before recording.

    • Recording Time: Our episodes run for approximately an hour, but we typically allocate at least an hour around that for discussions and the tech side of things. While the podcast uploads post-recording, we review our weeks in our planners together, though you could use it for any podcast-related planning.

    • Editing: Initially, this took longer, partly due to some early glitches with Riverside (their support team was responsive in resolving these). Now, the core podcast editing is roughly 10 minutes. However, the editing of social media clips adds about another half-hour – a step you can certainly defer if you're just starting out.

    • Exporting and Downloading (and Uploading to Google Drive): This is surprisingly the most time-consuming part, but it's largely automated. It involves initiating the process and then stepping away until it's complete.

    • Creating a Cover Image: A quick task in Canva, taking a minute or two. You don’t even need unique graphics each episode, so you can skip this if you like.

    • Writing Show Notes: Approximately two minutes to type up any mentioned resources in our Notion.

    • Completing the Episode Log: Another few minutes in Notion for record-keeping.

    • Uploading to Podbean: The initiation of the upload is quick, but the file transfer itself takes time, so a return visit to check completion is necessary.

  • We deliberately introduced additional elements to our podcast growth gradually. Over time, this has included establishing a Discord community, expanding our social media presence, setting up a Ko-Fi for listener support, launching a dedicated website, and appearing on other podcasts to promote our own.

    None of these is essential, however, as the main focus should be on you and your journey. We’ve benefitted so much from making the podcast that we’d continue even if nobody ever listened. Making this podcast together has helped our writing, our mindset, and our businesses more than we could have imagined. We hope it helps you too.