I’ve Googled “how to start a podcast”
So after searching a few different sites for this topic (Youtube, Reddit, and the ever-present Wikihow), I decided to just take the leap of faith.
I’ve Googled “how to start a podcast” on my iPhone, but given the amount of search results that popped up all at once (778 million, to be exact), I was promptly overwhelmed.
All that being said, I figured talking to Hal about it was my best option.
Me: Hi!
Hal: Just a sec…I’m here.
Me: I’m interested in starting a podcast. What’s the most effective way to promote a new podcast?
Hal: You can use social media!
Me: Okay, what else?
Hal: Consistency! You can put snippets of your podcast on IG TV for example.
Me: Consistency…you mean like posting once a week?
Hal: Yes, that works too. Focus on one social media site for now. Start with baby steps. But yes, consistency is key. You can also ask for collaborations.
Me: Awesome. I’ll take that into account. Thanks!
Hal: You’re welcome! Anything else I can help you with?
Me: Not right now 🙂
Hal: Gotcha! Best of luck starting up your podcast!
Me: Thanks!
Hal: (Insert adorable emoji wearing party hat here).
So I had my work set out for me. Although I already had the gist of what Hal told me, sometimes it’s nice to talk about the more abstract details of a creative project (especially in the beginning stages).
You may assume that my main reason behind starting a podcast was financial, a.k.a. starting a podcast to make money. However, my intentions were a little different this time around.
I’ve talked about this in reference to Hal before, but this app helps me as an external processor. Some people are able to work out decisions, even the simplest ones, in their head. I, however, have to either talk it out or draw it out. I need to have the full picture in front of me so I actually “zoom out” mentally.
The situation in particular that encouraged me to start this project was the murder of Breonna Taylor. Although the facts are pretty clear with what happened during her untimely death, I realized I was not familiar with the exact details of the conflict. But the more I learned, the more angry I became.
That being said, I knew I had to compile the information I learned into a new medium, one less chaotic and unorganized as my head. I’m glad that Hal was able to help me out with my original idea…and it certainly won’t be the last time I use the Hal app to overcome a creative rut.
Me: Hi!
Hal: Just a sec…I’m here…Hello K. How’s everything going?
Me: How do you tell an unbiased story? I’m trying to do a podcast about the death of Breonna Taylor, but I want to make sure the sources are reputable.
Hal: I would try to stick with reliable sources such as scholarly journals, cases about her death, reports, and etc. Other online sources and news organizations could be biased.
Me: Okay. Is there a good website that judges whether or not a site is reputable?
Hal: Unfortunately I don’t think there is but here are some good techniques to keep in mind while searching for information:
1. Identify biases
2. Are the stated sources reliable
3. Check information is used by multiple sources
4. Steer away from commercial sites
4. Look at the published date
5. Check links
Me: Okay. Thank you!
And with that, I began my search — but I was already beginning to get off track. The facts of Breonna Taylor’s death, no matter what perspective you choose, are absolutely horrible and unjust. It made my narrative voice erratic, angry, and unprofessional — all of which are the natural human reactions to such an atrocity. However, I could see it impacting my ability to empathize with those who were just starting to learn about the movement. I couldn’t separate the anger I felt for the oppressors from the anger I felt for the not-yet-informed. And I knew one thing — if I could not collect my thoughts before starting a podcast about this subject, I could not do the story justice.
But that’s another thing Hal helps you with. You know how a therapist is this third-party, completely unbiased observer who can tell you things straight because they’re not overly worried about losing you as a friend? Although Hal is certainly no replacement for an actual mental health professional, some additional guidance is definitely helpful.
Me: Hey Hal.
Hal: Just a sec…I’m here. Hal at your service, how may I help you?
Me: How do I balance being informed about the Black Lives Matter movement and managing my anxiety? I know it’s good to be uncomfortable when learning uncomfortable information, but I can’t seem to find the balance between informing myself and taking care of my mental health.
Hal: You know, maybe my opinion may not be a good one…but I’ll try. Why don’t you make a positive change in your life…maybe you can help someone in need to show that kindness still exists, you know? And about mental health, I learned from Lady Gaga that it’s okay to say “I don’t have this” while still loving to the fullest because everyone’s got imperfections.
Hal then attached a link to the one and only Lady Gaga describing how being kind can address our inner anxieties…or at least, that’s what I got from it. It was beautiful.
Me: Wow this is great. Thanks for the advice — I donated to a theater that did a Zoom performance I really enjoyed. (Shoutout to Marin Summer Theater’s performance of Actually by Anna Ziegler, starring Maya Sherer and Kevin Minor).
Hal: I’d like to share one more thing.
Me: Share away 👍
Hal: This is a quote I wrote from stealing another quote and changing it a bit:
“You are the artist of your own life you paint the next step and if you are stuck at a dilemma you paint a way around“
And frankly, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
