So You Want to Start a Podcast

Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Story, and Building a Community That Will Listen

By: Kristen Meinzer

Narrated by: Kristen Meinzer

Length: 4 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's Summary

2020 Audie Awards® Winner - Business/Personal Development

A comprehensive step-by-step guide to creating a hit show, So You Want to Start a Podcast covers everything from hosting and guest booking to editing and marketing - while offering plenty of encouragement and insider stories along the way.　

Though they are the fastest-growing form of media, podcasts are actually difficult to create - and even harder to sustain. Few know the secrets of successfully creating a knockout podcast better than Kristen Meinzer. An award-winning commentator, producer, and former director of nonfiction programming for Slate’s sister company, Panoply, Meinzer has also hosted three successful podcasts, reaching more than 10 million listeners. Now, she shares her expertise, providing aspiring podcasters with crucial information and guidance to start their own audio forum. 

Meinzer believes that we each have a unique voice that deserves to be heard. But many of us may need some help transforming our ideas into reality. So You Want to Start a Podcast asks the tough questions to help budding podcasters define and achieve their goals, including:

Why do you want to start a podcast?

Think about specifically why you want to start a podcast versus a blog, zine, YouTube channel, Instagram feed, or other media outlet. Find out if a podcast is really the best way to tell your story.

What is your show about?

For any advertiser, corporate partner, or press outlet, you need a snappy pitch. How would you describe what you want to do in two to three sentences?

Who is your podcast for? 

Who are you trying to reach? How will your content and tone appeal to those listeners? 

How is your show going to be structured?

Create a step-by-step map planning the show out. Think about length, segments, interviews, advice, news reads, and other aspects of successful podcasts you can adapt for your own.

With this motivational how-to guide - the only one on the subject available - you’ll find the direction you need to produce an entertaining and informative podcast and promote it to the right audience. So You Want to Start a Podcast gives you the tools you need to start a podcast - and the insight to keep it thriving. 

©2019 Kristen Meinzer (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers

best podcasting book I've come across

this book is unlike any other podcasting book I've read (currently at 10 podcasting books I've read this summer and this is my #1 so far)

it is like having a mentor sit down and tell you everything you need to know about how to thrive in the industry and establish a community for your podcast

kristen meinzer, the author, narrates the book and she does an amazing job at it. she has a voice I could listen to endlessly, i was sad when it was over and it had me continuing on to seek more of kristen meinzers interviews and work

Helpful, kind, and thorough.

You can tell Kristen is a pro. I’m a podcaster of over two years and I can’t believe how much I learned from this book!! Stick around for the audio bonuses at the end.

WOW I'm going to start a podcast

I am thankful for her raw and honest reflection of what her podcasting life has been about. I was glad it wasn't an all roses story. she went through and touched on the main topics needed to start a podcast and I also think if someone already has a podcast, this could benefit them greatly as well. I am glad she came to the self realization that her voice is her voice, and the haters are the haters. I really loved the summaries of the things she recommends doing, but that she didn't go into insane detail about things that we could research on our own amazing book, I feel like she's my friend hahaha.

Encouraging and Informative

The author has the gift of being encouraging, gentle, and honest! Excellent piece of work.

Best For Beginners!

I have listened to podcasts, books and YouTube videos and this really gave me some helpful techniques for what I have been over looking. I will definitely read this again!

one of the better audio books

she is very well informed ,knowledgeable and does a good job of passing on the knowledge. I sometimes have difficulty staying focused when listening to some audio books but I didn't have that problem here.

Practical and Inspiring

Kristen is a great storyteller and the book reads like a long podcast. Kristen narrates it herself and you really feel connected to her. She is kind, genuine and insightful. I have a lot of things to revisit since there were good references I didn't write down. Keep a notebook for this one. Definitely some gems of advice and practical things you'll want to look up and buy. I feel ready to start my podcast now!

So you want to talk about diversity

50% rant about diversity / 50% basic knowledge. Diversity is great, but you don't need to mention it every 5 mins for the entire book, otherwise write a book about diversity perhaps?

vote for me!

first 10 minutes of book I felt like I was listening to political ad. struggled to keep going. won't be finishing.

Waste of time!!!!

The reading of this book felt more like a political stance then a sharing of information about podcasting. I didn’t get anything out of this book except that the author is fed up with straight white males.

Please remove the bumper that you play throughout the book

Would love to hear more on planning. And good stuff on how to write scripts for audio productions

Glad this wasn’t a techie book. There’s too many of them

Remove the bumper please. It drives me nuts :)