the pressure....

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Permalink Reply by Ananta Androscoggin on January 19, 2008 at 1:08pm

To be honest, I'm not all that sure that anybody ever did listen to mine. Which is a big part of why my depression keeps interfering with me getting that fifth episode put together and uploaded.

Rather than any criticisms or praise for the content of the episodes, all I've heard was a couple of "you've got a nice radio voice." Too noncommittal to be helpful, or encouraging, or even scary.

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Permalink Reply by The Wigglian Way on January 29, 2008 at 10:39am

Ananta, I know this is gonna sound cliche, but I listened to your podcasts. I just checked; your currently #30 at podcast alley religion and spiritual section. More and more people are discovering podcasts, now is the time, my friend, for episode 5. When it's out, let me know.

Mojo

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Permalink Reply by Greywolf Moonsong on February 20, 2008 at 1:32am

Ananta , you would probably be surprised at how many people listened to your podcast ... I have gotten a lot of comments to the effect of " Hey , there is another Pagan podcast in Maine , too ,, isn't there? Down - East something I thought ..."

and actually it was doing the commercial for the Maine Pagan Pride Day up at your house a few years back that started me thinking of doing MY podcast.

as far as people listening .. the podcasting arena has changed over the past few years ... nows the time to get back recording ... I've only been on the "air" for 4 months, and although I've only heard from about 15 fans my bandwidth is showing between 30-40 individual downloads every day between episode releases ... and the couple of days just after a new episode release it goes totally nuts .. so I know they're out there :-) ( my website alone has received over 700 visitors :-)

I know also I owe a lot to the cross- promotion of my fellow podcasters and getting the word out ... Mojo and Sparrow's were the first podcast to mention mine "on air" and in two days my bandwitdth usage showed 10 times what i had used for the whole month before.

You have a good podcast ... you have a good community of fellow podcasters here ... nows the time to jump back in :-)

~ Bob (Greywolf)

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Permalink Reply by daemonstryke on January 28, 2008 at 8:12pm

At first we thought no one would listen to us outside of a couple friends here and there, but then the emails started pouring in (okay, so its more like a trickle lol), and the hate mail too, it it was...wierd o.O

Though I will admit it is a real ego boost to think about people taking time out of their day to hear what you have to say on something, I would like to think that my fellow hosts and I don't let that get in the way. Even when no one listened to us really, we just kept staying true to ourselves and kept talking about what we wanted to talk about and it turns out that other people wanted to listen :D

So just stay true to who you are and though you should listen to your fans and your critics, don't let what they say rule how you want to do your podcast. It is YOUR podcast, and a mode of self expression, so just have fun with it and just try your best :D

@Ananta Androscoggin

I know its a lot easier said than done, but try not to worry about who or how many people listen to your podcast. Just have fun with it :D When PCP (Pagan Centered Podcast) first started we didn't really expect many people to listen to us, and not many people did for the longest time, but we just kept having fun with it and kept expressing ourselves the way we wanted to and eventually people started to listen. Now we are up to 54 episodes and still going strong. So don't give up :D

Also, where do you advertise your podcast? You might just need to get your name out there more :D

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Permalink Reply by The Wigglian Way on January 29, 2008 at 10:44am

Thank you, daemonstryke, for the encouraging words. During the recording of episode 24, I could really feel the nerves trying to get a foothold, but episode 25 was much better.

Mojo
ps. here to another 54 episodes!

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Permalink Reply by daemonstryke on January 29, 2008 at 1:12pm

No prob Mojo, and here's to 54+ episodes to you as well! *raises glass*

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Permalink Reply by LitheWolf on January 29, 2008 at 7:57pm

Mojo, I know what you mean! I think the scariest thing is realizing that there are listeners out there who think that you have answers. Not just good answers, THE answers. I'm always terrified that I'll misspeak, say something that I don't mean to, and either confusing the living daylights out of people or seriously piss them off. I don't have as many listeners as you and Sparrow do at The Wigglian Way--and sometimes I think I might be glad of that--but sitting at the mic. still gives me the jibblies sometimes.

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Permalink Reply by Therese on February 13, 2008 at 7:38am

New group and I'm jumpin' in there full force!
Yeah Moj, some days I feel pressure for the show. When I first started it was just for something to do, I didn't really expect a lot of people to listen. But then, somehow, for some reason, lots of people DID start to listen and it freaked me out! Then I felt I needed to be professional and have some sort of format and wesbsites and yadda yadda. Now, two years later, I've stopped worrying so much. Not entirely, but a good 75%. I've *finally* stopped thinking that if I didn't stop rambling people would stop listening because for some reason, some people like hearing me ramble (different boats I guess....kind of cracks me up really) and that I'm now just using it as my "thing". We all have different things to bring to the table and if we were all the same then we'd get bored. Now there's a show out there for all types of Pagans and their interests. I don't want to use the same content you and Sparrow do, or TommyElf or anyone else because you guys are doing it, doing it better than myself and I can tell listeners to go listen to you guys. But if you want rambling about whatthehellever, you came to the right place! LOL
I am NEVER satisfied with my episodes but I think that's also a sign of someone who does a decent job, they're always wanting to improve!
*hugs*
Therese
Pagan Living

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Permalink Reply by Lady Serenity, The Witch In The City on February 14, 2008 at 11:52pm

I DEFINITELY feel this type of pressure all the time -- I am really very hard on myself and my listeners really don't cut me any slack either.

When I first realized that people were listening, I was floored -- hell, I am still am. but at the end of the day, I still do it for the very love of it, and that moment that I begin recording, I STILL get those butterflies in my stomach!

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Permalink Reply by Greywolf Moonsong on February 20, 2008 at 12:59am

I don't know if I would call it pressure as maybe growing into it... I try not to let that worry me though ... I do have a fairly scripted show and that helps because the way my brain works I actually have several episodes partially scripted at one time ( sometimes the final words don't come to me until several minutes before I start recording) ... Eight episodes in and I'm still making some changes to my format and thinking of different segments that listeners may be interested in, but the basic format probably will not change because it is something people are enjoying and I do too... as far as realizing that people are actually listening and enjoying the show, I don't think my personal expectations of my program has changed yet it does make me feel a sense of responsability to put out a good show , and thats not a bad thing :-)

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