https://simplecast.com Sound Judgment Become a better storyteller, in audio and beyond. Sound Judgment takes listeners into the studios — and the minds — of your favorite audio storytellers. In each episode, lifelong journalist Elaine Appleton Grant and a top host, producer or editor dive into their creative choices. It’s a revealing conversation about the storytelling craft, and it’s show and tell: Elaine plays back clips from her guest’s podcast. Tune up your storytelling by learning from today's best creators! www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com podcastallies.com soundjudgment.substack.com Threads: @elaineagrant en Wed, 8 May 2024 11:00:00 +0000 Wed, 29 Jan 2025 11:18:22 +0000 https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Sound Judgment https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/aab15400-4134-46a9-ba91-2125571c8bed/c68ce745-b1a4-4a24-97f8-a73d3375c875/3000x3000/final-sound-judgment-cover-art-8-1-22.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ episodic Become a better storyteller, in audio and beyond. Sound Judgment takes listeners into the studios — and the minds — of your favorite audio storytellers. In each episode, lifelong journalist Elaine Appleton Grant and a top host, producer or editor dive into their creative choices. It’s a revealing conversation about the storytelling craft, and it’s show and tell: Elaine plays back clips from her guest’s podcast. Tune up your storytelling by learning from today's best creators! www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com podcastallies.com soundjudgment.substack.com Threads: @elaineagrant Elaine Appleton Grant false https://feeds.simplecast.com/IvvhCNgQ audio storytelling, be a great podcast host, performer, best hosts, best podcast, produce, best podcast host, host, storytelling, best podcasting hosts, best podcasts, hosting, podcasting, podcasts, producer, content marketing, content creator, radio, writing, audio editor, podcast producer, journalism, public media, executive producer, journalist, public radio, public broadcasting, editor, story editor, creator, create, writer, how to start a podcast, narrative podcasts Podcast Allies, LLC elaine@podcastallies.com cfe8850a-3cf4-49ba-9240-ae6ff2510c60 Behind The 13th Step, Part 2: The best defense is the truth On May 6, 2024, The 13th Step team was honored with a Pulitzer Prize nomination for audio reporting "for their gripping and extensively reported investigation of corruption and sexual abuse within the lucrative recovery industry that sought accountability despite legal pressure.”

Today, we go behind the scenes, once again, with New Hampshire Public Radio Reporter Lauren Chooljian and Story Editor Alison MacAdam to learn their techniques for ensuring journalistic accuracy and fairness as they faced attempts at intimidation. And this close team learned how to create a "trauma-informed workplace" -- and how emotional support techniques helped them to keep going.  

This is Part 2 of "Behind the blockbuster investigative series The 13th Step: The best defense is the truth." 

Listen to Part 1
How to Find the Truth: Behind the Blockbuster Investigative Series The 13th Step

Takeaways from today's episode include: 

1. In today's journalistic and political environment, the best defense is the truth. That means using every reporting strategy you can to make sure all of your reporting is factual, precise, backed up with evidence and well organized.

2.  Corroborate, corroborate, corroborate. In your story or series, explain that you corroborated your facts and how you did.

3. Transparency is key. Paint thorough, fair portraits of your subjects. Human beings are complex and contradictory. This tension makes for fascinating stories and builds credibility.

4. Newsroom or network leadership needs to be as committed to your journalism as you are. Depending on the circumstances, they may need to pay legal fees, tap insurance and even fund security.

5. Chooljian had two huge reasons to continue reporting, even after she, her family, and her newsroom were targeted in a rash of criminal threats.  The first: Her sources had bravely stepped forward to share their stories with her. Doing so put them at risk — as she says, a risk they took without the kinds of organizational, financial and legal resources available to her. Second: Backing down would have sent a signal to others that retaliation works. That's unacceptable.

###

Follow Sound Judgment on your favorite podcast app or subscribe to our channel @SoundJudgmentPod
on Youtube. 

For more takeaways from this episode on crafting an investigative series and why accountability journalism is so important, visit Current. 

Listen to the series deconstructed on today's show: The 13th Step. 

Starting your own podcast?  Be strategic with our Sound Judgment Show Bible Workbook. 

Want to learn more about how NHPR's Document Team greenlights projects like The 13th Step to begin with? Listen to  "How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life story." 

More about The 13th Step

Read about the team
Check out  the supporting legal documents

Resources on addiction treatment, substance use disorder, sexual misconduct, and more

Follow Lauren Chooljian
LinkedIn
Twitter/X:  @laurenchooljian

Follow Alison MacAdam
LinkedIn
Threads:  @ajmacadam

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Wed, 8 May 2024 11:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Audrey Nelson, Lauren Chooljian, Elaine Appleton Grant, Alison MacAdam, Kevin Kline) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ On May 6, 2024, The 13th Step team was honored with a Pulitzer Prize nomination for audio reporting "for their gripping and extensively reported investigation of corruption and sexual abuse within the lucrative recovery industry that sought accountability despite legal pressure.”

Today, we go behind the scenes, once again, with New Hampshire Public Radio Reporter Lauren Chooljian and Story Editor Alison MacAdam to learn their techniques for ensuring journalistic accuracy and fairness as they faced attempts at intimidation. And this close team learned how to create a "trauma-informed workplace" -- and how emotional support techniques helped them to keep going.  

This is Part 2 of "Behind the blockbuster investigative series The 13th Step: The best defense is the truth." 

Listen to Part 1
How to Find the Truth: Behind the Blockbuster Investigative Series The 13th Step

Takeaways from today's episode include: 

1. In today's journalistic and political environment, the best defense is the truth. That means using every reporting strategy you can to make sure all of your reporting is factual, precise, backed up with evidence and well organized.

2.  Corroborate, corroborate, corroborate. In your story or series, explain that you corroborated your facts and how you did.

3. Transparency is key. Paint thorough, fair portraits of your subjects. Human beings are complex and contradictory. This tension makes for fascinating stories and builds credibility.

4. Newsroom or network leadership needs to be as committed to your journalism as you are. Depending on the circumstances, they may need to pay legal fees, tap insurance and even fund security.

5. Chooljian had two huge reasons to continue reporting, even after she, her family, and her newsroom were targeted in a rash of criminal threats.  The first: Her sources had bravely stepped forward to share their stories with her. Doing so put them at risk — as she says, a risk they took without the kinds of organizational, financial and legal resources available to her. Second: Backing down would have sent a signal to others that retaliation works. That's unacceptable.

###

Follow Sound Judgment on your favorite podcast app or subscribe to our channel @SoundJudgmentPod
on Youtube. 

For more takeaways from this episode on crafting an investigative series and why accountability journalism is so important, visit Current. 

Listen to the series deconstructed on today's show: The 13th Step. 

Starting your own podcast?  Be strategic with our Sound Judgment Show Bible Workbook. 

Want to learn more about how NHPR's Document Team greenlights projects like The 13th Step to begin with? Listen to  "How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life story." 

More about The 13th Step

Read about the team
Check out  the supporting legal documents

Resources on addiction treatment, substance use disorder, sexual misconduct, and more

Follow Lauren Chooljian
LinkedIn
Twitter/X:  @laurenchooljian

Follow Alison MacAdam
LinkedIn
Threads:  @ajmacadam

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Behind The 13th Step, Part 2: The best defense is the truth Audrey Nelson, Lauren Chooljian, Elaine Appleton Grant, Alison MacAdam, Kevin Kline 00:41:13 new hampshire public radio, sexual harassment, eric spofford, lauren chooljian vandalism, investigative reporting, investigative reporting new hampshire, sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment industry, granite recovery centers, sexual misconduct and addiction, freedom of the press, press freedom, the 13th step, addiction treatment industry, nhpr true full 7 4 bdb96995-c22f-4db2-856f-af14cd199fbf How to find the truth: Behind the blockbuster investigative series The 13th Step In 2020, New Hampshire Public Radio Lauren Chooljian received an email about Eric Spofford, the founder of New Hampshire's largest addiction treatment network. In it was an allegation that Spofford was sexually abusing female clients and employees. Chooljian set out to learn whether this could be true. Over the next three years, she would go on a journey to learn the truth, not just about this allegation, but about widespread sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment industry. The result of that journey is The 13th Step, a gripping series that  won a slew of awards, including the duPont, sometimes considered the Pulitzer of broadcasting. 

This is Part 1 of a two-part episode that goes behind-the-scenes of The 13th Step. Along the way, Chooljian, her family, and her news director become targets of retaliation. What started as a reporting task would also become  about another thing: Freedom of the press. And how, why, and for whom to persist with a story in the face of unnerving threats. 

You'll learn how to pursue a tough investigation; how to frame a complex series with many characters and themes; and how to craft  a true, deeply relevant story that serves the public good. And you'll learn what this arduous journey required of everyone involved. 

This episode explores sensitive subjects including addiction and sexual assault. Please listen with care. 

Follow Sound Judgment on your favorite podcast app, or subscribe to our channel @SoundJudgmentPod
on Youtube. 

For more takeaways from this episode on crafting an investigative series and why accountability journalism is so important, visit Current. 

Listen to the series deconstructed on today's show: The 13th Step. 

Starting your own podcast?  Be strategic with our Sound Judgment Show Bible Workbook. 

Want to learn more about how NHPR's Document Team greenlights projects like The 13th Step to begin with? Listen to  "How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life story." 

More about The 13th Step

Read about the team
Check out  the supporting legal documents

Resources on addiction treatment, substance use disorder, sexual misconduct, and more

Follow Lauren Chooljian
LinkedIn
Twitter/X:  @laurenchooljian

Follow Alison MacAdam
LinkedIn
Threads:  @ajmacadam

 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Wed, 1 May 2024 11:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Alison MacAdam, Lauren Chooljian, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ In 2020, New Hampshire Public Radio Lauren Chooljian received an email about Eric Spofford, the founder of New Hampshire's largest addiction treatment network. In it was an allegation that Spofford was sexually abusing female clients and employees. Chooljian set out to learn whether this could be true. Over the next three years, she would go on a journey to learn the truth, not just about this allegation, but about widespread sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment industry. The result of that journey is The 13th Step, a gripping series that  won a slew of awards, including the duPont, sometimes considered the Pulitzer of broadcasting. 

This is Part 1 of a two-part episode that goes behind-the-scenes of The 13th Step. Along the way, Chooljian, her family, and her news director become targets of retaliation. What started as a reporting task would also become  about another thing: Freedom of the press. And how, why, and for whom to persist with a story in the face of unnerving threats. 

You'll learn how to pursue a tough investigation; how to frame a complex series with many characters and themes; and how to craft  a true, deeply relevant story that serves the public good. And you'll learn what this arduous journey required of everyone involved. 

This episode explores sensitive subjects including addiction and sexual assault. Please listen with care. 

Follow Sound Judgment on your favorite podcast app, or subscribe to our channel @SoundJudgmentPod
on Youtube. 

For more takeaways from this episode on crafting an investigative series and why accountability journalism is so important, visit Current. 

Listen to the series deconstructed on today's show: The 13th Step. 

Starting your own podcast?  Be strategic with our Sound Judgment Show Bible Workbook. 

Want to learn more about how NHPR's Document Team greenlights projects like The 13th Step to begin with? Listen to  "How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life story." 

More about The 13th Step

Read about the team
Check out  the supporting legal documents

Resources on addiction treatment, substance use disorder, sexual misconduct, and more

Follow Lauren Chooljian
LinkedIn
Twitter/X:  @laurenchooljian

Follow Alison MacAdam
LinkedIn
Threads:  @ajmacadam

 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> How to find the truth: Behind the blockbuster investigative series The 13th Step Alison MacAdam, Lauren Chooljian, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir 00:47:11 13th stepping, new hampshire public radio, sexual harassment, eric spofford, narrative arc, granite recovery centers, dupont-columbia award, narrative podcast series, investigative journalism, freedom of the press, lauren chooljian, dupont award, the 13th step, addiction treatment industry, nhpr, alison macadam true full 6 4 aaa5fab5-db62-4638-9d3b-0bdf2b9cc047 How to Grow Your Show — Without Social Media Sound Judgment is about the craft of audio storytelling. Not about the marketing of podcasts. But today, we're bringing you a gift from someone I trust completely when it comes to audience growth: Jeremy Enns of Podcast Marketing Academy, and his co-host, Justin Jackson, cofounder of Transistor.fm. They've teamed up to produce Podcast Marketing Trends Explained, a limited series that extracts proven audience growth techniques from Enns' comprehensive annual survey of podcasters about their marketing methods. 

In this episode, you'll learn: 

— Whether the famed "podcast discoverability problem" actually exists
— The three types of marketing channels at your disposal & what the data shows about their effectiveness
— Whether or not it's worth it (and when) to pay for ads
— How to pick the right marketing channel for you
— Why "owned media" is the low-hanging fruit for many creators
— What most podcasters get wrong about growth through collaborations, and
— How to kickstart word-of-mouth growth. (P.S.: Word-of-mouth growth is my favorite kind of growth, and IMHO, the best kind!) 

About Jeremy Enns
About Justin Jackson
Can't get enough of Podcast Marketing Trends Explained? Follow it now. 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Wed, 17 Apr 2024 11:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Jeremy Enns, Justin Jackson, Kevin Kline, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Sound Judgment is about the craft of audio storytelling. Not about the marketing of podcasts. But today, we're bringing you a gift from someone I trust completely when it comes to audience growth: Jeremy Enns of Podcast Marketing Academy, and his co-host, Justin Jackson, cofounder of Transistor.fm. They've teamed up to produce Podcast Marketing Trends Explained, a limited series that extracts proven audience growth techniques from Enns' comprehensive annual survey of podcasters about their marketing methods. 

In this episode, you'll learn: 

— Whether the famed "podcast discoverability problem" actually exists
— The three types of marketing channels at your disposal & what the data shows about their effectiveness
— Whether or not it's worth it (and when) to pay for ads
— How to pick the right marketing channel for you
— Why "owned media" is the low-hanging fruit for many creators
— What most podcasters get wrong about growth through collaborations, and
— How to kickstart word-of-mouth growth. (P.S.: Word-of-mouth growth is my favorite kind of growth, and IMHO, the best kind!) 

About Jeremy Enns
About Justin Jackson
Can't get enough of Podcast Marketing Trends Explained? Follow it now. 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> How to Grow Your Show — Without Social Media Jeremy Enns, Justin Jackson, Kevin Kline, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant 01:03:41 jeremy enns, audience growth, storytelling, podcast marketing trends, audio storytelling, transistor.fm, justin jackson, podcast marketing, audience growth specialist, grow your podcast, podcast marketing academy, grow your show, podcast marketing trends explained false bonus 4 a9faaff5-1858-4fb9-8b39-a59834098b26 Courage vs comfort: Is it finally time to pursue your dreams? At some point, every one of us will reach a point in our professional lives where it's time to change — but the status quo, even when it's not working, is comfortable. Are you ready to say goodbye to your old life in order to find your way to a new, better one? But you don't have a map?  That's what Daily Creative host Todd Henry and his "story architect" producer Josh Gott wrestle with in the episode we deconstruct together, "The Curious Death of Todd Henry." You won't be the same after you listen to this episode — a play in seven acts. 

Follow Sound Judgment on your favorite podcast app, or subscribe to our channel @SoundJudgmentPod
on Youtube. 

Listen to the full  episode deconstructed on today's show: Daily Creative: The Curious Death of Todd Henry

Follow Daily Creative

Join Us for New Sound Judgment Workshops!

Improve your storytelling, interviewing, writing, producing, hosting and guesting skills! Sign up for new Sound Judgment workshops today at www.podcastallies.com/workshops. 

April 5, 2024: Mastering the Art of the Interview. Interviews are the foundation of all good storytelling, but we don’t get much instruction on the art and science of them. In this workshop, you'll get ten proven, transformative strategies that you can apply to your own work right away. 

April 11,2024: Success in Guesting: Be a Great Guest, Get a Great Guest
Learn  how to curate great guests and what it takes to be a phenomenal guest yourself. Learn how NPR producers curate and book guests – and how you can set yourself up for success no matter whether you're making a show — or seeking to be a guest yourself.  

Todd Henry
Positioning himself as an “arms dealer for the creative revolution,” Todd Henry teaches leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance. He is the author of seven books (The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, Louder Than Words, Herding Tigers, The Motivation Code, Daily Creative, and The Brave Habit) which have been translated into more than a dozen languages. He speaks and consults across dozens of industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work.

He began podcasting in 2005, founding The Accidental Creative. Before transforming it into Daily Creative, The Accidental Creative had been published continuously for 18 years and been downloaded 18 million times. Both podcasts help audiences become brave, focused, and brilliant. 

Joshua Gott
Joshua Gott is a messaging strategist and creative director helping companies simplify their brand message so they can tell a better story.  He's worked with organizations like P&G, Anthem, Nestle, Dropbox, Workday, Trip Advisor, ESPN and many others to make sense out of nonsense.  His approach to crafting clear messaging is encapsulated in the Story Square®, a framework he developed based on many years of finding creative ways to explain complicated ideas.  When he isn't playing pickleball or coaching girls volleyball he's telling stories with Todd Henry on the Daily Creative podcast. 

Connect with Todd
Website: www.toddhenry.com
Instagram and Twitter/X: toddhenry
LinkedIn: toddhenry1
Facebook: toddhenry.ac


 



 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Wed, 3 Apr 2024 11:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Tina Bassir, Audrey Nelson, Todd Henry, Joshua Gott, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ At some point, every one of us will reach a point in our professional lives where it's time to change — but the status quo, even when it's not working, is comfortable. Are you ready to say goodbye to your old life in order to find your way to a new, better one? But you don't have a map?  That's what Daily Creative host Todd Henry and his "story architect" producer Josh Gott wrestle with in the episode we deconstruct together, "The Curious Death of Todd Henry." You won't be the same after you listen to this episode — a play in seven acts. 

Follow Sound Judgment on your favorite podcast app, or subscribe to our channel @SoundJudgmentPod
on Youtube. 

Listen to the full  episode deconstructed on today's show: Daily Creative: The Curious Death of Todd Henry

Follow Daily Creative

Join Us for New Sound Judgment Workshops!

Improve your storytelling, interviewing, writing, producing, hosting and guesting skills! Sign up for new Sound Judgment workshops today at www.podcastallies.com/workshops. 

April 5, 2024: Mastering the Art of the Interview. Interviews are the foundation of all good storytelling, but we don’t get much instruction on the art and science of them. In this workshop, you'll get ten proven, transformative strategies that you can apply to your own work right away. 

April 11,2024: Success in Guesting: Be a Great Guest, Get a Great Guest
Learn  how to curate great guests and what it takes to be a phenomenal guest yourself. Learn how NPR producers curate and book guests – and how you can set yourself up for success no matter whether you're making a show — or seeking to be a guest yourself.  

Todd Henry
Positioning himself as an “arms dealer for the creative revolution,” Todd Henry teaches leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance. He is the author of seven books (The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, Louder Than Words, Herding Tigers, The Motivation Code, Daily Creative, and The Brave Habit) which have been translated into more than a dozen languages. He speaks and consults across dozens of industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work.

He began podcasting in 2005, founding The Accidental Creative. Before transforming it into Daily Creative, The Accidental Creative had been published continuously for 18 years and been downloaded 18 million times. Both podcasts help audiences become brave, focused, and brilliant. 

Joshua Gott
Joshua Gott is a messaging strategist and creative director helping companies simplify their brand message so they can tell a better story.  He's worked with organizations like P&G, Anthem, Nestle, Dropbox, Workday, Trip Advisor, ESPN and many others to make sense out of nonsense.  His approach to crafting clear messaging is encapsulated in the Story Square®, a framework he developed based on many years of finding creative ways to explain complicated ideas.  When he isn't playing pickleball or coaching girls volleyball he's telling stories with Todd Henry on the Daily Creative podcast. 

Connect with Todd
Website: www.toddhenry.com
Instagram and Twitter/X: toddhenry
LinkedIn: toddhenry1
Facebook: toddhenry.ac


 



 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Courage vs comfort: Is it finally time to pursue your dreams? Tina Bassir, Audrey Nelson, Todd Henry, Joshua Gott, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline 00:39:15 creative, pursue your dreams, bravery, courage or comfort, daily creative, bravery or comfort, accidental creative, creativity, take a risk, courage, pursue your calling, build your brand, todd henry false full 5 4 ab88a2e8-d9ac-45bd-b577-22c6da8734b0 [Bonus] Introducing Sound School Podcast: Tracking Partners It's a brave thing to share the outtakes from a tracking session. All the blemishes are right there. But Martine Powers and Rennie Svirnovsky from the audio team at The Washington Post have graciously done just that. They invited  Sound School's Rob Rosenthal into their studio to witness Martine at work voicing an episode of The Empty Grave of Comrade Bishop, with assistance from Rennie. Hearing how they work as tracking partners is a real gift for anyone who wants to perform better in the mic booth.

Today on Sound Judgment, we’re excited to share this instructive, hilarious episode of Sound School.  If you’ve spent much time behind a mic yourself, you know that tracking an episode – that is, narrating it – takes time, coaching, practice, a good ear, humility, a good sense of humor— and a great producer.

*Update! Martine Powers won the 2024 Ambie Award for Best Host  at The Podcast Academy's the fourth annual awards for excellence in audio.

You will be a better narrator and a better in-studio producer after listening to this episode. 

Sound School is produced by Rob Rosenthal for PRX and Transom.

Join Us for New Sound Judgment Workshops!

Improve your storytelling, interviewing, writing, producing, hosting and guesting skills! Sign up for new Sound Judgment workshops today at www.podcastallies.com/workshops. 

April 5, 2024: Mastering the Art of the Interview. Interviews are the foundation of all good storytelling, but we don’t get much instruction on the art and science of them. In this workshop, you'll get ten proven, transformative strategies that you can apply to your own work right away. 

April 11,2024: Success in Guesting: Be a Great Guest, Get a Great Guest
Learn  how to curate great guests and what it takes to be a phenomenal guest yourself. Learn how NPR producers curate and book guests – and how you can set yourself up for success no matter whether you're making a show — or seeking to be a guest yourself.  

***

Sound School (formerly HowSound) is a bi-weekly podcast on audio storytelling produced by Rob Rosenthal for PRX and Transom. Listen to more episodes and follow the show at https://transom.org/topics/soundschool/

The episode featured on Sound Judgment: https://transom.org/2024/tracking-partners/

About Rob Rosenthal

Rob Rosenthal is a freelance story editor, podcast producer/reporter, and a teacher. Longform, documentary podcasts are his sweet spot. He offers workshops for podcast companies and public radio stations. He hosts the Sound School Podcast, a joint project of PRX and Transom, on audio storytelling. 

Rob has been interviewing reporters, producers, editors and artists about the craft of audio storytelling since he began making his show in 2008 under the name How Sound. Rob says he still learns something every time he interviews someone.

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Wed, 27 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Rob Rosenthal, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ It's a brave thing to share the outtakes from a tracking session. All the blemishes are right there. But Martine Powers and Rennie Svirnovsky from the audio team at The Washington Post have graciously done just that. They invited  Sound School's Rob Rosenthal into their studio to witness Martine at work voicing an episode of The Empty Grave of Comrade Bishop, with assistance from Rennie. Hearing how they work as tracking partners is a real gift for anyone who wants to perform better in the mic booth.

Today on Sound Judgment, we’re excited to share this instructive, hilarious episode of Sound School.  If you’ve spent much time behind a mic yourself, you know that tracking an episode – that is, narrating it – takes time, coaching, practice, a good ear, humility, a good sense of humor— and a great producer.

*Update! Martine Powers won the 2024 Ambie Award for Best Host  at The Podcast Academy's the fourth annual awards for excellence in audio.

You will be a better narrator and a better in-studio producer after listening to this episode. 

Sound School is produced by Rob Rosenthal for PRX and Transom.

Join Us for New Sound Judgment Workshops!

Improve your storytelling, interviewing, writing, producing, hosting and guesting skills! Sign up for new Sound Judgment workshops today at www.podcastallies.com/workshops. 

April 5, 2024: Mastering the Art of the Interview. Interviews are the foundation of all good storytelling, but we don’t get much instruction on the art and science of them. In this workshop, you'll get ten proven, transformative strategies that you can apply to your own work right away. 

April 11,2024: Success in Guesting: Be a Great Guest, Get a Great Guest
Learn  how to curate great guests and what it takes to be a phenomenal guest yourself. Learn how NPR producers curate and book guests – and how you can set yourself up for success no matter whether you're making a show — or seeking to be a guest yourself.  

***

Sound School (formerly HowSound) is a bi-weekly podcast on audio storytelling produced by Rob Rosenthal for PRX and Transom. Listen to more episodes and follow the show at https://transom.org/topics/soundschool/

The episode featured on Sound Judgment: https://transom.org/2024/tracking-partners/

About Rob Rosenthal

Rob Rosenthal is a freelance story editor, podcast producer/reporter, and a teacher. Longform, documentary podcasts are his sweet spot. He offers workshops for podcast companies and public radio stations. He hosts the Sound School Podcast, a joint project of PRX and Transom, on audio storytelling. 

Rob has been interviewing reporters, producers, editors and artists about the craft of audio storytelling since he began making his show in 2008 under the name How Sound. Rob says he still learns something every time he interviews someone.

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> [Bonus] Introducing Sound School Podcast: Tracking Partners Rob Rosenthal, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline 00:31:03 voiceover training, learn voiceover, how to track audio, host coaching, studio recording, sound school, narrative podcasts, how to track narration, how sound, rob rosenthal, narrating a podcast, voice tracking false bonus 4 e45f8b35-a755-48c4-adfd-54d064646021 Six Proven Storytelling Strategies to Engage Your Audience The six storytelling strategies you're about to learn are drawn from the patterns I've seen across more than 150 behind-the-scenes lessons — lessons learned from some of the best hosts, producers, writers and editors I've had on Sound Judgment. You can put these techniques to use right away in your studio or at your writing desk. This episode pulls together examples from compelling shows and award winners. In almost every case, the creators who use these strategies are multi-talented. They produce podcasts, they're writers and journalists, they speak on stages, they act, perform, and do live storytelling shows at places like The Moth. These days, we're all creating on multiple platforms — so take a journey with me to learn how sound vision, structure, scenes, surprise, suspense and specifics and take your storytelling to the next level. 

Apply the six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024

By developing storytelling skills from structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

Reading these show notes too late to catch this Hook Your Audience workshop? Check out our other trainings on guesting and curating guests, interviewing, and more, at www.podcastallies.com/workshops. 

Want to listen to this series in digestible bites? Follow Sound Judgment and check out these six short episodes: 
Part 1: Sound Vision 
Part 2: Structure
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense
Part 6: Specifics

Don't miss a thing about the craft of audio storytelling: sign up for my Sound Judgment newsletter, which includes the popular hands-on segment "Try This in Your Studio," kudos to creators who are lifting up the art and business of audio storytelling, news about the show, and useful resources for content creators of all kinds. 

"Six S" Storytelling Resources
Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Wed, 13 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ The six storytelling strategies you're about to learn are drawn from the patterns I've seen across more than 150 behind-the-scenes lessons — lessons learned from some of the best hosts, producers, writers and editors I've had on Sound Judgment. You can put these techniques to use right away in your studio or at your writing desk. This episode pulls together examples from compelling shows and award winners. In almost every case, the creators who use these strategies are multi-talented. They produce podcasts, they're writers and journalists, they speak on stages, they act, perform, and do live storytelling shows at places like The Moth. These days, we're all creating on multiple platforms — so take a journey with me to learn how sound vision, structure, scenes, surprise, suspense and specifics and take your storytelling to the next level. 

Apply the six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024

By developing storytelling skills from structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

Reading these show notes too late to catch this Hook Your Audience workshop? Check out our other trainings on guesting and curating guests, interviewing, and more, at www.podcastallies.com/workshops. 

Want to listen to this series in digestible bites? Follow Sound Judgment and check out these six short episodes: 
Part 1: Sound Vision 
Part 2: Structure
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense
Part 6: Specifics

Don't miss a thing about the craft of audio storytelling: sign up for my Sound Judgment newsletter, which includes the popular hands-on segment "Try This in Your Studio," kudos to creators who are lifting up the art and business of audio storytelling, news about the show, and useful resources for content creators of all kinds. 

"Six S" Storytelling Resources
Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Six Proven Storytelling Strategies to Engage Your Audience Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir 00:38:55 Marketing might get you new listeners, new readers — new audiences for whatever kind of content you create. But to hook those new people and keep them coming back? To create a relationship with them? That's a whole other thing. Today on the show: six storytelling techniques for making unforgettable work. Marketing might get you new listeners, new readers — new audiences for whatever kind of content you create. But to hook those new people and keep them coming back? To create a relationship with them? That's a whole other thing. Today on the show: six storytelling techniques for making unforgettable work. chameleon: wild boys, podcast producer, storytelling, story structure, audio storytelling, famous & gravy, podcast production studio, documentary, strategic storytelling, "the art of the interview", best writing advice, grow your audience, grow my podcast, narrative nonfiction, john barth, the 13th step, this american life, strategic communications, longform, bone valley, audience engagement, grow your show false full 4 4 92624b26-efb5-4319-979c-8e09c1e944ec Storytelling Secrets, Part 6: Specifics This is the sixth and final part of our new Sound Judgment quick-hit series on storytelling strategies for hooking your audience and keeping them with you. Today: specifics. The more specific our language, the more sparkling and memorable it is. In the last 18 months of speaking with incredible storytellers for this podcast, no one has been better at this than Sam Mullins. 

In 2023, Sam won the the Best Podcast of the Year award at the Ambies,  The Podcast Academy's attempt to rival the Oscars. He won it for his documentary series Chameleon: Wild Boys, from Campside Media. 

Learn how Sam's background as a comedy writer informs his approach to writing, and especially to choosing the extraordinarily specific ways he approaches building characters and enticing audiences to enter his world. 

Apply the six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024

By developing skills from story structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

Reading these show notes too late to catch this Hook Your Audience workshop? Check out our other trainings on guesting and curating guests, interviewing, and more, at www.podcastallies.com/workshops. 

Did you miss the rest of the series?  Be sure to follow Sound Judgment and check out the other other five bite-sized episodes: 
Part 1: Sound Vision 
Part 2: Structure
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense

All of these segments — each around 10 minutes or less — will come together soon for a full episode on How to Hook Your Audience and Keep Them Coming Back. 

You won't miss a thing if you sign up for my Sound Judgment newsletter, which includes the popular hands-on segment "Try This in Your Studio," kudos to creators who are lifting up the art and business of audio storytelling, news about the show, and useful resources for content creators of all kinds. 

"Six S" Storytelling Resources

Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Tue, 12 Mar 2024 23:53:14 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Tina Bassir, Kevin Kline, Elaine Appleton Grant, Sam Mullins) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ This is the sixth and final part of our new Sound Judgment quick-hit series on storytelling strategies for hooking your audience and keeping them with you. Today: specifics. The more specific our language, the more sparkling and memorable it is. In the last 18 months of speaking with incredible storytellers for this podcast, no one has been better at this than Sam Mullins. 

In 2023, Sam won the the Best Podcast of the Year award at the Ambies,  The Podcast Academy's attempt to rival the Oscars. He won it for his documentary series Chameleon: Wild Boys, from Campside Media. 

Learn how Sam's background as a comedy writer informs his approach to writing, and especially to choosing the extraordinarily specific ways he approaches building characters and enticing audiences to enter his world. 

Apply the six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024

By developing skills from story structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

Reading these show notes too late to catch this Hook Your Audience workshop? Check out our other trainings on guesting and curating guests, interviewing, and more, at www.podcastallies.com/workshops. 

Did you miss the rest of the series?  Be sure to follow Sound Judgment and check out the other other five bite-sized episodes: 
Part 1: Sound Vision 
Part 2: Structure
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense

All of these segments — each around 10 minutes or less — will come together soon for a full episode on How to Hook Your Audience and Keep Them Coming Back. 

You won't miss a thing if you sign up for my Sound Judgment newsletter, which includes the popular hands-on segment "Try This in Your Studio," kudos to creators who are lifting up the art and business of audio storytelling, news about the show, and useful resources for content creators of all kinds. 

"Six S" Storytelling Resources

Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Storytelling Secrets, Part 6: Specifics Tina Bassir, Kevin Kline, Elaine Appleton Grant, Sam Mullins 00:07:14 When award-winning podcast producer, host, actor and The Moth storyteller Sam Mullins describes a place, a character, or a situation, you'll never see him simply say: "John Doe was of average height, with brown hair, a sad face, and a slight paunch." Not for him are conventional descriptions. Sam, who hosted Chameleon: Wild Boys, searches for the telling phrase, the sensory description, the thing you've never heard, seen, or felt before. Which just might be why he's award-winning in the first place. Learn how to use specifics in the last episode of our six-part series on storytelling strategies to hook your listener and keep them coming back. When award-winning podcast producer, host, actor and The Moth storyteller Sam Mullins describes a place, a character, or a situation, you'll never see him simply say: "John Doe was of average height, with brown hair, a sad face, and a slight paunch." Not for him are conventional descriptions. Sam, who hosted Chameleon: Wild Boys, searches for the telling phrase, the sensory description, the thing you've never heard, seen, or felt before. Which just might be why he's award-winning in the first place. Learn how to use specifics in the last episode of our six-part series on storytelling strategies to hook your listener and keep them coming back. chameleon: wild boys, audience growth, podcast producer, strategic communication, comedy writer, strategic storytelling, best writing advice, grow your audience, podcast production, sam mullins, creative nonfiction, comedy writing, wild boys, podcast of the year, longform narrative, audience engagement, the podcast academy false bonus 4 b5f4a624-53bd-46be-8638-72db587e69ca Storytelling Strategies, Part 5: The Missing Ingredient This is part 5 of our new Sound Judgment quick-hit series on six storytelling strategies for hooking your audience and keeping them with you. This one can mean the difference between ho-hum content and stories that your audiences will talk about. And I’m betting that you give it hardly any thought, if you think about it at all. What is it? Stick around to find out.  Part 5 features Michael Osborne and Amit Kapoor of the podcast Famous & Gravy, New Hampshire Public Radio senior podcast editor Katie Colaneri, and Sarah Gibson, a New Hampshire Public Radio reporter who produced the segment "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum" for This American Life. 

Apply the six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024
By developing skills from story structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

Did you miss Part 1 on Sound Vision? Listen here. 

Be sure to follow Sound Judgment so you don't miss the next bite-sized episodes on: 
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense
Part 6: Specifics

All of these segments — each around 10 minutes or less — will come together soon for a full episode on How to Hook Your Audience and Keep Them Coming Back. 

You won't miss a thing if you sign up for my Sound Judgment newsletter, which includes the popular hands-on segment "Try This in Your Studio," kudos to creators who are lifting up the art and business of audio storytelling, news about the show, and useful resources. 

"Six S" Storytelling Resources

Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 
 


 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Tue, 12 Mar 2024 20:11:31 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Amit Kapoor, Elaine Appleton Grant, Katie Colaneri, Michael Osborne, Kevin Kline, Tina Bassir) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ This is part 5 of our new Sound Judgment quick-hit series on six storytelling strategies for hooking your audience and keeping them with you. This one can mean the difference between ho-hum content and stories that your audiences will talk about. And I’m betting that you give it hardly any thought, if you think about it at all. What is it? Stick around to find out.  Part 5 features Michael Osborne and Amit Kapoor of the podcast Famous & Gravy, New Hampshire Public Radio senior podcast editor Katie Colaneri, and Sarah Gibson, a New Hampshire Public Radio reporter who produced the segment "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum" for This American Life. 

Apply the six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024
By developing skills from story structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

Did you miss Part 1 on Sound Vision? Listen here. 

Be sure to follow Sound Judgment so you don't miss the next bite-sized episodes on: 
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense
Part 6: Specifics

All of these segments — each around 10 minutes or less — will come together soon for a full episode on How to Hook Your Audience and Keep Them Coming Back. 

You won't miss a thing if you sign up for my Sound Judgment newsletter, which includes the popular hands-on segment "Try This in Your Studio," kudos to creators who are lifting up the art and business of audio storytelling, news about the show, and useful resources. 

"Six S" Storytelling Resources

Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 
 


 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Storytelling Strategies, Part 5: The Missing Ingredient Amit Kapoor, Elaine Appleton Grant, Katie Colaneri, Michael Osborne, Kevin Kline, Tina Bassir 00:07:59 Today's episode dives into critical storytelling technique that you may not be thinking about — but you should. Today's episode dives into critical storytelling technique that you may not be thinking about — but you should. new hampshire public radio, podcast producer, storytelling, documentary, strategic storytelling, be a great host, grow your audience, writing advice, narrative podcasts, narrative nonfiction, creative nonfiction, this american life, podcast host, strategic communications, longform, suspense, audience engagement false bonus 4 8e6e7476-475a-44b3-8dd0-7c6da393a783 Storytelling Strategies, Part 4: Surprise! Our fourth S in the 6S framework for hooking your audience and keeping them with you is surprise. It's the left turn when we're expecting a righthand one that makes us listen. It's the twists and turns of an involved, high-stakes plot that we love, or the ending of the movie or the novel that we didn't predict. As New Hampshire Public Radio Senior Podcast Editor Katie Colaneri says, it's the "holy shit" moment. Part 4 features Katie Colaneri, NHPR reporter Sarah Gibson and her This American Life Story, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum," and Kelly Corrigan of the PBS show Tell Me More and the podcast Kelly Corrigan Wonders. 

Apply the six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024
By developing skills from story structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

Did you miss Part 1 on Sound Vision? Listen here. 

Be sure to follow Sound Judgment so you don't miss the next bite-sized episodes on: 
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense
Part 6: Specifics

All of these segments — each around 10 minutes or less — will come together soon for a full episode on How to Hook Your Audience and Keep Them Coming Back. 

You won't miss a thing if you sign up for my Sound Judgment newsletter, which includes the popular hands-on segment "Try This in Your Studio," kudos to creators who are lifting up the art and business of audio storytelling, news about the show, and useful resources. 


"Six S" Storytelling Resources

Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 
 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Mon, 11 Mar 2024 22:29:57 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Katie Colaneri, Tina Bassir, Kelly Corrigan, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Our fourth S in the 6S framework for hooking your audience and keeping them with you is surprise. It's the left turn when we're expecting a righthand one that makes us listen. It's the twists and turns of an involved, high-stakes plot that we love, or the ending of the movie or the novel that we didn't predict. As New Hampshire Public Radio Senior Podcast Editor Katie Colaneri says, it's the "holy shit" moment. Part 4 features Katie Colaneri, NHPR reporter Sarah Gibson and her This American Life Story, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum," and Kelly Corrigan of the PBS show Tell Me More and the podcast Kelly Corrigan Wonders. 

Apply the six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024
By developing skills from story structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

Did you miss Part 1 on Sound Vision? Listen here. 

Be sure to follow Sound Judgment so you don't miss the next bite-sized episodes on: 
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense
Part 6: Specifics

All of these segments — each around 10 minutes or less — will come together soon for a full episode on How to Hook Your Audience and Keep Them Coming Back. 

You won't miss a thing if you sign up for my Sound Judgment newsletter, which includes the popular hands-on segment "Try This in Your Studio," kudos to creators who are lifting up the art and business of audio storytelling, news about the show, and useful resources. 


"Six S" Storytelling Resources

Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 
 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Storytelling Strategies, Part 4: Surprise! Katie Colaneri, Tina Bassir, Kelly Corrigan, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline 00:08:49 There is no story without a left turn. As you write a feature, produce a podcast, construct a speech or make a video, always be thinking: What's the new information here? What's the new angle? Have I uncovered a fresh, personal story no one has heard? There is no story without a left turn. As you write a feature, produce a podcast, construct a speech or make a video, always be thinking: What's the new information here? What's the new angle? Have I uncovered a fresh, personal story no one has heard? storytelling for change, storyteller, new hampshire public radio, podcast producer, storytelling, tell me more with kelly corrigan, audio storytelling, documentary, strategic storytelling, narrative, be a great host, writing advice, this american life, podcast host, strategic communications, kelly corrigan wonders, longform narrative, storytelling for leadership, nhpr, storytelling for business false bonus 4 7ed8ee36-cdd7-431a-b78e-eb657fbd54e1 Storytelling Strategies, Part 3: Scenes This is part 3 of our new Sound Judgment quick-hit series on six storytelling strategies for hooking your audience and keeping them with you. Today, we’re talking about scenes. They’re obviously a staple in longform narrative storytelling, like true crime and documentaries. Don’t ignore them, though, for interview shows; you just have to interview well to elicit good, sensory anecdotes from your guests. Between the lines, you’ll hear how useful they are on the page and the stage as well. As a reminder, all six strategies come from today’s best audio storytellers. But these are storytelling strategies that don’t care what media is yours, so stick around, writers, public speakers, screenwriters and video producers — and of course, podcasters.  With examples featuring Rich Roll, author Charles Duhigg, and Crime Show's Emma Courtland. 

Apply the six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024
By developing skills from story structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

Did you miss Part 1 on Sound Vision? Listen here. 

Be sure to follow Sound Judgment so you don't miss the next bite-sized episodes on: 
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense
Part 6: Specifics

All of these segments — each around 10 minutes or less — will come together soon for a full episode on How to Hook Your Audience and Keep Them Coming Back. 

You won't miss a thing if you sign up for my Sound Judgment newsletter, which includes the popular hands-on segment "Try This in Your Studio," kudos to creators who are lifting up the art and business of audio storytelling, news about the show, and useful resources. 


"Six S" Storytelling Resources

Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 


 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Mon, 11 Mar 2024 22:01:23 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline, Tina Bassir, Emma Courtland) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ This is part 3 of our new Sound Judgment quick-hit series on six storytelling strategies for hooking your audience and keeping them with you. Today, we’re talking about scenes. They’re obviously a staple in longform narrative storytelling, like true crime and documentaries. Don’t ignore them, though, for interview shows; you just have to interview well to elicit good, sensory anecdotes from your guests. Between the lines, you’ll hear how useful they are on the page and the stage as well. As a reminder, all six strategies come from today’s best audio storytellers. But these are storytelling strategies that don’t care what media is yours, so stick around, writers, public speakers, screenwriters and video producers — and of course, podcasters.  With examples featuring Rich Roll, author Charles Duhigg, and Crime Show's Emma Courtland. 

Apply the six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024
By developing skills from story structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

Did you miss Part 1 on Sound Vision? Listen here. 

Be sure to follow Sound Judgment so you don't miss the next bite-sized episodes on: 
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense
Part 6: Specifics

All of these segments — each around 10 minutes or less — will come together soon for a full episode on How to Hook Your Audience and Keep Them Coming Back. 

You won't miss a thing if you sign up for my Sound Judgment newsletter, which includes the popular hands-on segment "Try This in Your Studio," kudos to creators who are lifting up the art and business of audio storytelling, news about the show, and useful resources. 


"Six S" Storytelling Resources

Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 


 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Storytelling Strategies, Part 3: Scenes Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline, Tina Bassir, Emma Courtland 00:07:25 Does your content come to life or lie there flat on the page, uninspiring on the stage, or dull in people's ears? Take a cue from filmmakers and be intentional by using scenes wisely to make your content come alive. Does your content come to life or lie there flat on the page, uninspiring on the stage, or dull in people's ears? Take a cue from filmmakers and be intentional by using scenes wisely to make your content come alive. audience growth, podcast producer, storytelling, audience development, audio storytelling, documentary, strategic storytelling, public speaking, narrative, podcast network, writing advice, narrative podcasts, podcast production, podcast host, strategic communications, storytelling for public speakers, longform narrative, storytelling for business, audience engagement, grow your show, content strategy false bonus 4 22d5676d-411e-4995-982c-241115f3e655 Storytelling Strategies to Grow Your Audience: Part 2, Structure In this series you'll learn how to use sound vision, structure, scenes, surprise, suspense, and specifics to make content that audiences love and share. Each of these bonus episodes is bite-sized and features examples from today's best audio storytellers. Growing your audience depends on more than marketing: It depends on creating compelling content that hooks your audience and keeps them with you. 

Apply the six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024
By developing skills from story structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

Did you miss Part 1 on Sound Vision? Listen here. 

Be sure to follow Sound Judgment so you don't miss the next bite-sized episodes on: 
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense
Part 6: Specifics

All of these segments — each around 10 minutes or less — will come together soon for a full episode on How to Hook Your Audience and Keep Them Coming Back. 

You won't miss a thing if you sign up for my Sound Judgment newsletter, which includes the popular hands-on segment "Try This in Your Studio," kudos to creators who are lifting up the art and business of audio storytelling, news about the show, and useful resources. 


"Six S" Storytelling Resources

Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Sun, 10 Mar 2024 18:30:47 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Kevin Kline, Amit Kapoor, Elaine Appleton Grant, Michael Osborne, Tina Bassir) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ In this series you'll learn how to use sound vision, structure, scenes, surprise, suspense, and specifics to make content that audiences love and share. Each of these bonus episodes is bite-sized and features examples from today's best audio storytellers. Growing your audience depends on more than marketing: It depends on creating compelling content that hooks your audience and keeps them with you. 

Apply the six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024
By developing skills from story structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

Did you miss Part 1 on Sound Vision? Listen here. 

Be sure to follow Sound Judgment so you don't miss the next bite-sized episodes on: 
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense
Part 6: Specifics

All of these segments — each around 10 minutes or less — will come together soon for a full episode on How to Hook Your Audience and Keep Them Coming Back. 

You won't miss a thing if you sign up for my Sound Judgment newsletter, which includes the popular hands-on segment "Try This in Your Studio," kudos to creators who are lifting up the art and business of audio storytelling, news about the show, and useful resources. 


"Six S" Storytelling Resources

Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Storytelling Strategies to Grow Your Audience: Part 2, Structure Kevin Kline, Amit Kapoor, Elaine Appleton Grant, Michael Osborne, Tina Bassir 00:05:35 Welcome to Part 2 of our new series on six storytelling strategies for making your content unforgettable, no matter whether it's for the ear, the page, the stage, or the screen. In this bite-sized episode, learn how to use structure to make idea generation and production easier and faster, while increasing your creativity! Featuring Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne, cohosts of the provocative, hilarious show about dead celebrities, Famous & Gravy. Welcome to Part 2 of our new series on six storytelling strategies for making your content unforgettable, no matter whether it's for the ear, the page, the stage, or the screen. In this bite-sized episode, learn how to use structure to make idea generation and production easier and faster, while increasing your creativity! Featuring Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne, cohosts of the provocative, hilarious show about dead celebrities, Famous & Gravy. storyteller, podcast producer, storytelling, strategic storytelling, grow your audience, writing advice, thought leader, storytelling in communication, structure, longform narrative, storytelling for leadership, storytelling for business, audience engagement, grow your show, storytelling structure false bonus 4 8d9ee038-43eb-4967-a8ae-4f29ebd9abe9 New Series: Storytelling Strategies to Hook & Keep Your Audience, Part 1 This is Part 1: Sound Vision. Be sure to follow the show so you don't miss the next bite-sized episodes on: 
Part 2: Structure
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense
Part 6: Specifics

All of these segments — each around 10 minutes or less — will come together soon for a full episode on How to Hook Your Audience and Keep Them Coming Back. 

Apply these six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024
By developing skills from story structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

"Six S" Storytelling Resources

Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 

 






 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Sat, 9 Mar 2024 15:45:48 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Lauren Chooljian, Alison Macadam, Todd Henry, Joshua Gott, Emma Courtland, Gilbert King, Katie Colaneri, Sam Mullins, Amit Kapoor, Kelly Corrigan, Kelsey Decker, Michael Osborne, John Barth, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ This is Part 1: Sound Vision. Be sure to follow the show so you don't miss the next bite-sized episodes on: 
Part 2: Structure
Part 3: Scenes
Part 4: Surprise
Part 5: Suspense
Part 6: Specifics

All of these segments — each around 10 minutes or less — will come together soon for a full episode on How to Hook Your Audience and Keep Them Coming Back. 

Apply these six storytelling strategies for creating unforgettable content to your own work!  
Sign up for our interactive, virtual Hook Your Audience & Keep Them Coming Back workshop
Thursday, March 14, 2024
By developing skills from story structure to scene-making, suspense to specifics, you'll learn to create or improve the show, story, article or speech that expresses what you want to express, captivates the people you want to reach, and achieves quality and depth you can be proud of. You'll move from likes and follows to building trusted, engaged relationships with your audience. 

These practices work separately and together to ratchet up both the substance and the "wow factor" of your content, no matter the platform.

"Six S" Storytelling Resources

Shows and storytellers mentioned in this series: 

Bone Valley

Cohosts: Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

Marketplace
John Barth, Creative Media LLC

The 13th Step, an award-winning documentary series on sexual misconduct in the addiction treatment 

Reporter: Lauren Chooljian
Story Editor: Alison Macadam
New Hampshire Public Radio

Daily Creative 

Host: Todd Henry
Producer: Joshua Gott

Famous & Gravy
Cohosts: Amit Kapoor & Michael Osborne

The Rich Roll Podcast
Host: Rich Roll
Guest: Charles Duhigg
Book: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Crime Show
"Paging Dr. Barnes"
Host & Executive Producer: Emma Courtland

Katie Colaneri
Senior Podcast Editor
New Hampshire Public Radio

Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
"Bryan Stevenson"
"Samantha Power" 
Host: Kelly Corrigan

This American Life
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum"
Reporter: Sarah Gibson

Chameleon: Wild Boys
Host: Sam Mullins

Full Sound Judgment episodes featuring these storytellers

Bone Valley: How to Make a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker)

The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth

How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the Hosts of Famous & Gravy (Amit Kapoor, Michael Osborne)

Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland

How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story (Katie Colaneri)

The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins 

 






 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> New Series: Storytelling Strategies to Hook & Keep Your Audience, Part 1 Lauren Chooljian, Alison Macadam, Todd Henry, Joshua Gott, Emma Courtland, Gilbert King, Katie Colaneri, Sam Mullins, Amit Kapoor, Kelly Corrigan, Kelsey Decker, Michael Osborne, John Barth, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline 00:12:35 Over the last 18 months, storytelling patterns have emerged from the on-the-ground experiences shared with us by today's best audio storytellers. Welcome to Part 1 of our new series on six strategies for making your content unforgettable, no matter whether it's for the ear, the page, the stage, or the screen. In this series you'll learn how to use sound vision, structure, scenes, surprise, suspense, and specifics to make content that audiences love and share. Each of these bonus episodes is bite-sized. This is Part 1: Sound Vision. Yes, it's about sound — and branding. It also applies to you, writers, public speakers, and video producers! Over the last 18 months, storytelling patterns have emerged from the on-the-ground experiences shared with us by today's best audio storytellers. Welcome to Part 1 of our new series on six strategies for making your content unforgettable, no matter whether it's for the ear, the page, the stage, or the screen. In this series you'll learn how to use sound vision, structure, scenes, surprise, suspense, and specifics to make content that audiences love and share. Each of these bonus episodes is bite-sized. This is Part 1: Sound Vision. Yes, it's about sound — and branding. It also applies to you, writers, public speakers, and video producers! storytelling for change, podcast producer, storytelling, hook your audience, audience development, strategic storytelling, longform storytelling, narrative, grow your audience, storytelling strategies, audience, narrative podcasts, podcast host, longform, storytelling for leadership, storytelling for business, audience engagement, hook your listeners, grow your show false bonus 4 703875a8-9698-4109-9f47-e34cee063f66 How Storytelling Can Heal Your Life Improve your storytelling, interviewing, writing, producing, hosting and guesting skills! Sign up for new Sound Judgment workshops today at www.podcastallies.com/workshops. 


On this episode, Emily Silverman and host Elaine Appleton Grant discuss: 

— Why she thought starting a live storytelling event for physicians should be her next step as she was coming to terms with being in the wrong career while also searching for her biological parents and considering becoming a mother.

— How leaving the full-time practice of medicine felt like an "identity death" to Emily — and how journalists and podcasters navigating media in 2024 are also experiencing identity death, and 

— How Emily found her way to a new career through her love of theater and storytelling, and how bringing the arts to medicine is serving the Nocturnists' goal of shattering the myth of the physician God and humanizing medicine. 

Emily and Elaine break down two episodes of The Nocturnists:

"Pass/Fail," Episode 4 of the 10-part documentary series Shame in Medicine: The Lost Forest, takes listeners into the stressful world of medical students taking an exam that has the power to dictate the rest of their lives. Put yourself in the shoes of students wondering if this one test will prevent them from becoming a doctor — or if it will bar them from pursuing their passion for their specialty? Emily gives us some lessons on getting listeners to contribute personal stories — and how her team weaves them together in heart-stopping fashion. 

We also examine the the power of novels to help us deeply understand the harmful consequences of medicine practiced for the wrong reasons, and how art can help us empathize in a way that journalistic accounts of history do not. In "Conversations: Dolen Perkins-Valdez" Emily learns more about the 1973 case of the Relf sisters, who were forcibly sterilized at a Montgomery, Alabama health clinic. We discuss strategies for how to hold intimate, revealing interviews — and when you should break the rules. 

Plus: Emily shares the single most important key to producing sound-rich, highly produced longform audio stories. 

Emily Silverman, MD is an internal medicine physician at UCSF, writer, and creator/host of The Nocturnists, an award-winning medical storytelling organization that has uplifted the voices of 450+ healthcare workers since 2016 through its podcast and sold-out live performances.

The Nocturnists' work has been presented on CBS This Morning and NPR's Morning Edition, and at Pop Up Magazine and South By Southwest (SXSW). In 2020, its "Stories from a Pandemic" documentary podcast series was acquired by the U.S. Library of Congress for historic preservation. The Nocturnists has been honored by the Webby Awards, Anthem Awards, Ambie Awards, and more.

Dr. Silverman's writing has been supported by MacDowell and published in The New York Times, Virginia Quarterly Review, JAMA, CHEST, and McSweeneys. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and daughter.

Follow the show on Instagram @Thenocturnists
and on Facebook and LinkedIn at The Nocturnists


 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Wed, 28 Feb 2024 09:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Emily Silverman, Kevin Kline, Elaine Appleton Grant, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Improve your storytelling, interviewing, writing, producing, hosting and guesting skills! Sign up for new Sound Judgment workshops today at www.podcastallies.com/workshops. 


On this episode, Emily Silverman and host Elaine Appleton Grant discuss: 

— Why she thought starting a live storytelling event for physicians should be her next step as she was coming to terms with being in the wrong career while also searching for her biological parents and considering becoming a mother.

— How leaving the full-time practice of medicine felt like an "identity death" to Emily — and how journalists and podcasters navigating media in 2024 are also experiencing identity death, and 

— How Emily found her way to a new career through her love of theater and storytelling, and how bringing the arts to medicine is serving the Nocturnists' goal of shattering the myth of the physician God and humanizing medicine. 

Emily and Elaine break down two episodes of The Nocturnists:

"Pass/Fail," Episode 4 of the 10-part documentary series Shame in Medicine: The Lost Forest, takes listeners into the stressful world of medical students taking an exam that has the power to dictate the rest of their lives. Put yourself in the shoes of students wondering if this one test will prevent them from becoming a doctor — or if it will bar them from pursuing their passion for their specialty? Emily gives us some lessons on getting listeners to contribute personal stories — and how her team weaves them together in heart-stopping fashion. 

We also examine the the power of novels to help us deeply understand the harmful consequences of medicine practiced for the wrong reasons, and how art can help us empathize in a way that journalistic accounts of history do not. In "Conversations: Dolen Perkins-Valdez" Emily learns more about the 1973 case of the Relf sisters, who were forcibly sterilized at a Montgomery, Alabama health clinic. We discuss strategies for how to hold intimate, revealing interviews — and when you should break the rules. 

Plus: Emily shares the single most important key to producing sound-rich, highly produced longform audio stories. 

Emily Silverman, MD is an internal medicine physician at UCSF, writer, and creator/host of The Nocturnists, an award-winning medical storytelling organization that has uplifted the voices of 450+ healthcare workers since 2016 through its podcast and sold-out live performances.

The Nocturnists' work has been presented on CBS This Morning and NPR's Morning Edition, and at Pop Up Magazine and South By Southwest (SXSW). In 2020, its "Stories from a Pandemic" documentary podcast series was acquired by the U.S. Library of Congress for historic preservation. The Nocturnists has been honored by the Webby Awards, Anthem Awards, Ambie Awards, and more.

Dr. Silverman's writing has been supported by MacDowell and published in The New York Times, Virginia Quarterly Review, JAMA, CHEST, and McSweeneys. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and daughter.

Follow the show on Instagram @Thenocturnists
and on Facebook and LinkedIn at The Nocturnists


 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> How Storytelling Can Heal Your Life Emily Silverman, Kevin Kline, Elaine Appleton Grant, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir 00:43:39 Did you ever work brutally hard to achieve your goal — but when you got there, it didn't feel like what you'd imagined? The Nocturnists host Emily Silverman did. She'd wanted to become a doctor since she was a little girl. But when she finally got through medical school and into a residency, she was shocked to discover she wasn't happy. A visit to a live storytelling event, The Moth, led her to a new career: creating storytelling events and an award-winning storytelling podcast that's "fostering joy, wonder and curiosity" for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers. We explore how storytelling humanizes medicine, how it can humanize your profession, and how storytelling might be the tool we need to figure out what we really want — and where we belong. Did you ever work brutally hard to achieve your goal — but when you got there, it didn't feel like what you'd imagined? The Nocturnists host Emily Silverman did. She'd wanted to become a doctor since she was a little girl. But when she finally got through medical school and into a residency, she was shocked to discover she wasn't happy. A visit to a live storytelling event, The Moth, led her to a new career: creating storytelling events and an award-winning storytelling podcast that's "fostering joy, wonder and curiosity" for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers. We explore how storytelling humanizes medicine, how it can humanize your profession, and how storytelling might be the tool we need to figure out what we really want — and where we belong. relf sisters, forced sterilization, shame in medicine, the nocturnists, medical humanities, audio storytelling, documentary, longform storytelling, humanities in medicine, documentary storytelling, the moth, live storytelling, medical storytelling, narrative medicine, longform, storytelling on stage, physician burnout, dolen perkins-valdez, take my hand false full 3 4 3715683f-ec06-4b46-95a2-34e2f245455a Drama! Characters! Conflict! History podcasts have them all, with American History Tellers' Lindsay Graham Don’t miss today’s takeaways! Scroll down for lessons from this episode. 

The episodes we discussed on today’s episode are History Daily: Silent Spring Sparks the Modern Environmental Movement and American History Tellers Season 61: Salem Witch Trials.

Lindsay Graham

Lindsay Graham (no, not that Lindsey Graham) is a podcast creator, producer and host known for compelling narratives and in-depth exploration of pivotal moments in American and world history. His chart-topping shows American Scandal, American History Tellers and History Daily reach millions every month, using immersive sound design, a rich original score, and meticulous research to bring moving, character-driven stories that demonstrate “history is human.” His newest podcast is American Criminal, a “true crime podcast that tells the stories of the most infamous criminals in the history of the United States, revealing the men and women who cheated, lied, and murdered in their own twisted pursuit of the American dream.” Graham is the CEO and founder of Airship, a podcast publishing company. He is a podcast producer, sound designer and composer who has worked on Dirty John, Dr. Death, Bad Batch and others, reaching hundreds of millions of listeners.

If you liked this episode, you’ll love Sound Judgment Season 1, Episode 8, How Top Hosts Hook Their Listeners in 60 Seconds or Less. 

Takeaways from my conversation with Lindsay: 

  1. In several of its shows, including American History Tellers, American Scandal, History Daily and Business Wars, Wondery employs a format that’s always been controversial. They call it “immersive storytelling.” It relies on a single narrator to voice all or most of the characters in an episode. It also employs fictionalized reenactments. As Lindsay says – some people hate this. “I can’t do anything about it,” he says, “cause that’s the show.” He also says, “I can’t help those people who want it to be different than it is.” And that’s the lesson: Choose what your show IS and lean into it. YOUR people will love it. If you do your job well, some people may, in fact, hate it. That’s OK. It’s not for them.
  2. When they conduct historical research, Lindsay and his writers aren’t just cataloging facts. They’re on a treasure hunt to learn how the characters felt and how people in their lives felt about them. Those emotions make the historical world feel real, increase the stakes, and keep listeners glued to their headphones. This isn’t your father’s history class.
  3. Here’s a tip for anyone leading a team: Create editorial guidelines and share them with everyone – writers, producers, sound designers, and engineers. Guidelines are great for onboarding newcomers. They also help make sure everyone is on the same page. Originally, Lindsay made a narrative podcast out of the American History Tellers guidelines; that’s a memorable way to get this information across. Whatever you do, remember that editorial guidelines are living documents – keep them up to date. 
  4. Lindsay calls himself a champion thinker, but an “apprentice do-er.” Self-doubt and perfectionism gets in his way, as they did with his long-delayed introduction of the subscription service Into History. Once he stopped overthinking and started taking one step after another, introducing this new product turned out to be easier than he thought. Taking action brings confidence, and confidence, as Lindsay says, breeds more confidence. 
     

Visit Lindsay online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayagraham/

Twitter/X: @lindsayagraham

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Wed, 14 Feb 2024 09:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Lindsay Graham, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir, Kevin Kline, Elaine Appleton Grant) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com Don’t miss today’s takeaways! Scroll down for lessons from this episode. 

The episodes we discussed on today’s episode are History Daily: Silent Spring Sparks the Modern Environmental Movement and American History Tellers Season 61: Salem Witch Trials.

Lindsay Graham

Lindsay Graham (no, not that Lindsey Graham) is a podcast creator, producer and host known for compelling narratives and in-depth exploration of pivotal moments in American and world history. His chart-topping shows American Scandal, American History Tellers and History Daily reach millions every month, using immersive sound design, a rich original score, and meticulous research to bring moving, character-driven stories that demonstrate “history is human.” His newest podcast is American Criminal, a “true crime podcast that tells the stories of the most infamous criminals in the history of the United States, revealing the men and women who cheated, lied, and murdered in their own twisted pursuit of the American dream.” Graham is the CEO and founder of Airship, a podcast publishing company. He is a podcast producer, sound designer and composer who has worked on Dirty John, Dr. Death, Bad Batch and others, reaching hundreds of millions of listeners.

If you liked this episode, you’ll love Sound Judgment Season 1, Episode 8, How Top Hosts Hook Their Listeners in 60 Seconds or Less. 

Takeaways from my conversation with Lindsay: 

  1. In several of its shows, including American History Tellers, American Scandal, History Daily and Business Wars, Wondery employs a format that’s always been controversial. They call it “immersive storytelling.” It relies on a single narrator to voice all or most of the characters in an episode. It also employs fictionalized reenactments. As Lindsay says – some people hate this. “I can’t do anything about it,” he says, “cause that’s the show.” He also says, “I can’t help those people who want it to be different than it is.” And that’s the lesson: Choose what your show IS and lean into it. YOUR people will love it. If you do your job well, some people may, in fact, hate it. That’s OK. It’s not for them.
  2. When they conduct historical research, Lindsay and his writers aren’t just cataloging facts. They’re on a treasure hunt to learn how the characters felt and how people in their lives felt about them. Those emotions make the historical world feel real, increase the stakes, and keep listeners glued to their headphones. This isn’t your father’s history class.
  3. Here’s a tip for anyone leading a team: Create editorial guidelines and share them with everyone – writers, producers, sound designers, and engineers. Guidelines are great for onboarding newcomers. They also help make sure everyone is on the same page. Originally, Lindsay made a narrative podcast out of the American History Tellers guidelines; that’s a memorable way to get this information across. Whatever you do, remember that editorial guidelines are living documents – keep them up to date. 
  4. Lindsay calls himself a champion thinker, but an “apprentice do-er.” Self-doubt and perfectionism gets in his way, as they did with his long-delayed introduction of the subscription service Into History. Once he stopped overthinking and started taking one step after another, introducing this new product turned out to be easier than he thought. Taking action brings confidence, and confidence, as Lindsay says, breeds more confidence. 
     

Visit Lindsay online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayagraham/

Twitter/X: @lindsayagraham

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Drama! Characters! Conflict! History podcasts have them all, with American History Tellers' Lindsay Graham Lindsay Graham, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir, Kevin Kline, Elaine Appleton Grant 00:35:04 Podcasts may be the best thing to happen to history class since we stopped teaching history as a list of battles. After all, what could be more dramatic than stories about the people who changed society, for good and ill? But producing history is harder than it appears — and going under the covers of history podcasts offers universal lessons for everyone interested in great storytelling, no matter the genre. Lindsay Graham, the voice of American History Tellers, American Scandal, and History Daily, shares his successes, failures, and self-doubts in growing one of the most successful history franchises in entertainment today. He also addresses Wondery’s controversial “immersive storytelling” practice, which includes fictionalized reenactments of history. We dissect a History Daily episode about Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring, and an American History Tellers episode about the Salem Witch Trials – an episode that sounds eerily similar to political events we’re going through today. Podcasts may be the best thing to happen to history class since we stopped teaching history as a list of battles. After all, what could be more dramatic than stories about the people who changed society, for good and ill? But producing history is harder than it appears — and going under the covers of history podcasts offers universal lessons for everyone interested in great storytelling, no matter the genre. Lindsay Graham, the voice of American History Tellers, American Scandal, and History Daily, shares his successes, failures, and self-doubts in growing one of the most successful history franchises in entertainment today. He also addresses Wondery’s controversial “immersive storytelling” practice, which includes fictionalized reenactments of history. We dissect a History Daily episode about Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring, and an American History Tellers episode about the Salem Witch Trials – an episode that sounds eerily similar to political events we’re going through today. narrative storytelling, podcast producer, best audio storyteller, history podcasts, podcast production company, immersive storytelling, longform storytelling, salem witch trials, business wars, silent spring, rachel carson, narrative podcasts, american scandal, business movers, podcast host, daily podcasts, history podcast, wondery, history daily, american history tellers, daily podcasting false full 2 4 57768103-e7a0-41c5-b78d-05eb41ba79f7 Should you tell your own story? Navigating the tricky art of memoir Sharing a personal experience, especially a traumatic one, is a particularly popular scripted podcast form. Memoir done well often shoots to the top of the podcast charts or the bestseller list. It moves us, leaves us breathless, inspires standing ovations and prompts us into conversations and confessions of our own. Sometimes memoir creates change.

But memoir produced without first grappling with why your experience matters to others can sound cheap, sensation-grabbing, and empty. As listeners, readers, and viewers, we are bombarded with confessions.

There is a fine line between transformative and indulgent.
Moreover, stories of heartbreak are hard to choose to listen to these days, because the world is showering us with trauma. 

Given the circumstances, why make memoir?

The decision to make the private public isn’t easy. Nor should it be.
In the first episode of Sound Judgment, Season 4, I explore this question with producer Maribel Quezada Smith, who shares her extraordinary experience with life and death in The Pulso Podcast piece, “The Latino Experience of Fertility: A Story of Pregnancy Loss.”

It took Maribel two years to write and produce this remarkable story about the birth of her son — and the death of her daughter. Her story succeeds, in part, because she identified something fresh: Miscarriage and other forms of pregnancy loss are particularly common in the Latino community, Pulso’s audience. And so is the incredible societal pressure to bear children, setting up an impossible, often hidden, conflict.

That her story succeeds in transforming, not indulging, is evident in the piles of grateful responses she received from listeners who shared her experience, but who had never heard their story reflected out loud. Shame and secrecy had dogged their lives. Maribel’s story brought in the light. 

Along the way, Maribel had to answer several questions for herself about motivation, format, theme, mood, and point of view. Which private moments should she capture on tape? How much could she bear? To whom did she owe privacy? Which scenes and reflections would create momentum — and which pieces would she have to leave out?

Maribel Quezada Smith is a bilingual video and podcast producer and the founder of Diferente Creative. Her video credits include producing TV shows for Discovery Networks, Netflix, TLC and A&E, and digital content for brands like AARP, NBC GolfNow and SquadCast FM. Her podcasting credits include Sacred Scandal (iHeart), Birdies Not BS and Pulso Podcast, to name a few. In 2021, Maribel co-founded BIPOC Podcast Creators, an organization devoted to amplifying the voices and stories of people of color.

Maribel’s passion is creating meaningful, standout content.

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Wed, 31 Jan 2024 09:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Maribel Quezada Smith, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir, Kevin Kline, Elaine Appleton Grant) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Sharing a personal experience, especially a traumatic one, is a particularly popular scripted podcast form. Memoir done well often shoots to the top of the podcast charts or the bestseller list. It moves us, leaves us breathless, inspires standing ovations and prompts us into conversations and confessions of our own. Sometimes memoir creates change.

But memoir produced without first grappling with why your experience matters to others can sound cheap, sensation-grabbing, and empty. As listeners, readers, and viewers, we are bombarded with confessions.

There is a fine line between transformative and indulgent.
Moreover, stories of heartbreak are hard to choose to listen to these days, because the world is showering us with trauma. 

Given the circumstances, why make memoir?

The decision to make the private public isn’t easy. Nor should it be.
In the first episode of Sound Judgment, Season 4, I explore this question with producer Maribel Quezada Smith, who shares her extraordinary experience with life and death in The Pulso Podcast piece, “The Latino Experience of Fertility: A Story of Pregnancy Loss.”

It took Maribel two years to write and produce this remarkable story about the birth of her son — and the death of her daughter. Her story succeeds, in part, because she identified something fresh: Miscarriage and other forms of pregnancy loss are particularly common in the Latino community, Pulso’s audience. And so is the incredible societal pressure to bear children, setting up an impossible, often hidden, conflict.

That her story succeeds in transforming, not indulging, is evident in the piles of grateful responses she received from listeners who shared her experience, but who had never heard their story reflected out loud. Shame and secrecy had dogged their lives. Maribel’s story brought in the light. 

Along the way, Maribel had to answer several questions for herself about motivation, format, theme, mood, and point of view. Which private moments should she capture on tape? How much could she bear? To whom did she owe privacy? Which scenes and reflections would create momentum — and which pieces would she have to leave out?

Maribel Quezada Smith is a bilingual video and podcast producer and the founder of Diferente Creative. Her video credits include producing TV shows for Discovery Networks, Netflix, TLC and A&E, and digital content for brands like AARP, NBC GolfNow and SquadCast FM. Her podcasting credits include Sacred Scandal (iHeart), Birdies Not BS and Pulso Podcast, to name a few. In 2021, Maribel co-founded BIPOC Podcast Creators, an organization devoted to amplifying the voices and stories of people of color.

Maribel’s passion is creating meaningful, standout content.

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Should you tell your own story? Navigating the tricky art of memoir Maribel Quezada Smith, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir, Kevin Kline, Elaine Appleton Grant 00:36:35 In Season 4, we're examining the roles of bravery, fear and authenticity in storytelling. This episode explores the kind of story you may have written or reported yourself — or thought about, and maybe even chickened out on telling: a deeply personal, emotional experience. Perhaps you want to use it as an example or a lens into a bigger issue, one that matters to millions. When memoir is done well, it can move us in a way that almost no other form can do. But pulling it off can be painful, and it's tricky to discern whether your story is simply your own, or whether it is meaningful in the wider world. Maribel Quezada Smith grapples with all of these challenges in her tale of life and death, "The Latino Expectation of Pregnancy: a Story of Pregnancy Loss," produced for The Pulso Podcast. What do we do when joy and grief collide in the same moment? Please use care when listening. In Season 4, we're examining the roles of bravery, fear and authenticity in storytelling. This episode explores the kind of story you may have written or reported yourself — or thought about, and maybe even chickened out on telling: a deeply personal, emotional experience. Perhaps you want to use it as an example or a lens into a bigger issue, one that matters to millions. When memoir is done well, it can move us in a way that almost no other form can do. But pulling it off can be painful, and it's tricky to discern whether your story is simply your own, or whether it is meaningful in the wider world. Maribel Quezada Smith grapples with all of these challenges in her tale of life and death, "The Latino Expectation of Pregnancy: a Story of Pregnancy Loss," produced for The Pulso Podcast. What do we do when joy and grief collide in the same moment? Please use care when listening. personal storytelling, podcast producer, storytelling, audio storytelling, voice coaching, grief, how to write a memoir, narrative podcasts, pregnancy loss, voice coach, memoir, anencephaly, personal story, miscarriage true full 1 4 dc6ced92-fe2b-4f75-9dc9-de75cad664ea The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders This episode was sponsored by Signal Hill Insights. 

Want to know how your podcast is affecting listeners? Need to plan to share outcomes with a branded client? 

Visit measureyourpodcast.com for a free 4-part email series that will tell you how and why to measure the unique impact of branded podcasts. Go beyond counting downloads. Instead, obtain real responses from real listeners to demonstrate the ROI of branded podcasts. You’ll learn how research generates practical insights to optimize your production and drive renewals. 

Kelly Corrigan is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, the host of PBS’ long-form interview show Tell Me More, and the podcast Kelly Corrigan Wonders, which just crossed 13 million downloads. O Magazine calls her "the voice of a generation" and Huffington Post says Kelly is “our Poet Laureate of the Ordinary.”

Read her books: 

Tell Me More: Stories About the Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say

The Middle Place

Glitter and Glue

Hello World!

Other books by Kelly’s guests mentioned on this episode: 

The Education of an Idealist by Samantha Power

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

If you liked this episode, you’ll love Sound Judgment Episode Season 1, Episode 5, “Finding Your Voice with Shelter in Place Host Laura Joyce Davis.” 

Takeaways from my conversation with Kelly: 

1. The thing we  are asking for when we put our podcast, our book, or our speech out there is attention. And there is no more exquisite currency than attention. So how can we reveal something, or elicit something from our guest, that will make the listener feel like the time they spent with us was worth it? That’s Kelly’s guiding principle.  

2. Carefully time the three questions you’re a little afraid to ask. Don’t ask your toughest ones first – and feel for the opening, like Kelly did with Samantha Power. 

3. The purest motivation to start a podcast is to follow your curiosity. When it’s there, it’s evident to the listener. And it’s evident when it’s not there. 

4: Kelly knows when an interview is going great when she’s saying something she hasn’t said before or when she knows that her guest is saying something they haven't said before.

Visit Kelly online:

www.kellycorrigan.com

Instagram: @kellycorrigan

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kellycorrigan

Facebook: kellycorriganauthor

Twitter/X: @corrigankelly


 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Thu, 14 Dec 2023 09:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Kelly Corrigan, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline, Audrey Nelson, Andrew Parella) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ This episode was sponsored by Signal Hill Insights. 

Want to know how your podcast is affecting listeners? Need to plan to share outcomes with a branded client? 

Visit measureyourpodcast.com for a free 4-part email series that will tell you how and why to measure the unique impact of branded podcasts. Go beyond counting downloads. Instead, obtain real responses from real listeners to demonstrate the ROI of branded podcasts. You’ll learn how research generates practical insights to optimize your production and drive renewals. 

Kelly Corrigan is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, the host of PBS’ long-form interview show Tell Me More, and the podcast Kelly Corrigan Wonders, which just crossed 13 million downloads. O Magazine calls her "the voice of a generation" and Huffington Post says Kelly is “our Poet Laureate of the Ordinary.”

Read her books: 

Tell Me More: Stories About the Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say

The Middle Place

Glitter and Glue

Hello World!

Other books by Kelly’s guests mentioned on this episode: 

The Education of an Idealist by Samantha Power

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

If you liked this episode, you’ll love Sound Judgment Episode Season 1, Episode 5, “Finding Your Voice with Shelter in Place Host Laura Joyce Davis.” 

Takeaways from my conversation with Kelly: 

1. The thing we  are asking for when we put our podcast, our book, or our speech out there is attention. And there is no more exquisite currency than attention. So how can we reveal something, or elicit something from our guest, that will make the listener feel like the time they spent with us was worth it? That’s Kelly’s guiding principle.  

2. Carefully time the three questions you’re a little afraid to ask. Don’t ask your toughest ones first – and feel for the opening, like Kelly did with Samantha Power. 

3. The purest motivation to start a podcast is to follow your curiosity. When it’s there, it’s evident to the listener. And it’s evident when it’s not there. 

4: Kelly knows when an interview is going great when she’s saying something she hasn’t said before or when she knows that her guest is saying something they haven't said before.

Visit Kelly online:

www.kellycorrigan.com

Instagram: @kellycorrigan

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kellycorrigan

Facebook: kellycorriganauthor

Twitter/X: @corrigankelly


 

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> The Art of True Curiosity with Kelly Corrigan of Kelly Corrigan Wonders Kelly Corrigan, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline, Audrey Nelson, Andrew Parella 00:46:33 Kelly Corrigan is blunt but compassionate, serious and funny, a straight shooter with heart and soul who is deeply curious about how we can tackle the world’s biggest problems — while also noticing the smallest of details and delights. For this last episode before our holiday break, I’m delighted to be able to bring her to you. We can all learn how to be better interviewers from Kelly, and also better practitioners of curiosity and wonder. Kelly Corrigan has written four remarkable memoirs, each of which was a New York Times best seller. Between her podcast, Kelly Corrigan Wonders, and her PBS show, Tell Me More, she’s interviewed authors, actors, philanthropists, and leaders of all kinds — everyone from Katie Couric and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to Melinda Gates, Anne Lamott, Michael Lewis, Margaret Atwood, and famed human rights attorney Bryan Stevenson — the list goes on. Kelly Corrigan is blunt but compassionate, serious and funny, a straight shooter with heart and soul who is deeply curious about how we can tackle the world’s biggest problems — while also noticing the smallest of details and delights. For this last episode before our holiday break, I’m delighted to be able to bring her to you. We can all learn how to be better interviewers from Kelly, and also better practitioners of curiosity and wonder. Kelly Corrigan has written four remarkable memoirs, each of which was a New York Times best seller. Between her podcast, Kelly Corrigan Wonders, and her PBS show, Tell Me More, she’s interviewed authors, actors, philanthropists, and leaders of all kinds — everyone from Katie Couric and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to Melinda Gates, Anne Lamott, Michael Lewis, Margaret Atwood, and famed human rights attorney Bryan Stevenson — the list goes on. how to talk to people, curiosity, podcast producer, kelly corrigan, samantha power, audio storytelling, interviewing skills, art of conversation, bryan stevenson, art of the interview, better interviewer, podcast host, kelly corrigan wonders, tell me more false full 7 3 da496347-1029-48b4-918d-740092e7a90a Introducing Podcast Perspectives: Audience Growth Lessons from Lemonada If you liked this bonus episode introducing Podcast Perspectives with host Jeff Umbro and guest Jessica Cordova Kramer of Lemonada Media, you'll love: 

SJ S1/E1: Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs. Not only is she an amazing, evocative storyteller who knows how to get the best out of her team and guests, but she's cofounder and chief creative officer of Lemonada Media. 

We love hearing from you and getting your support! Please give Sound Judgment a five-star rating and a review. Visit our website to easily give us a 5-star rating and a review that’ll go to Apple or Spotify instantly. We’re grateful. And please share Sound Judgment with a friend. 

The Sound Judgment team is: 
Host & Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant
Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson
Audio engineer/sound designer: Kevin Kline
Podcast manager: Tina Bassir

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC, a boutique production and consulting company serving chief creative officers and content directors in the media and at nonprofits, higher ed, and social impact businesses.


Contact Us
To contact us with collaborations, media interviews, speaking engagements, or sponsorships, email allies@podcastallies.com. We encourage your voice memos! Click the microphone icon at soundjudgmentpodcast.com. 

To follow Elaine Appleton Grant and the show: 
Subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling
Sound Judgment website
Elaine's LinkedIn

Elaine's Facebook

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Thu, 7 Dec 2023 09:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Jeff Umbro, Jessica Cordova Kramer, Tina Bassir, Kevin Kline, Elaine Appleton Grant) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ If you liked this bonus episode introducing Podcast Perspectives with host Jeff Umbro and guest Jessica Cordova Kramer of Lemonada Media, you'll love: 

SJ S1/E1: Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs. Not only is she an amazing, evocative storyteller who knows how to get the best out of her team and guests, but she's cofounder and chief creative officer of Lemonada Media. 

We love hearing from you and getting your support! Please give Sound Judgment a five-star rating and a review. Visit our website to easily give us a 5-star rating and a review that’ll go to Apple or Spotify instantly. We’re grateful. And please share Sound Judgment with a friend. 

The Sound Judgment team is: 
Host & Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant
Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson
Audio engineer/sound designer: Kevin Kline
Podcast manager: Tina Bassir

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC, a boutique production and consulting company serving chief creative officers and content directors in the media and at nonprofits, higher ed, and social impact businesses.


Contact Us
To contact us with collaborations, media interviews, speaking engagements, or sponsorships, email allies@podcastallies.com. We encourage your voice memos! Click the microphone icon at soundjudgmentpodcast.com. 

To follow Elaine Appleton Grant and the show: 
Subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling
Sound Judgment website
Elaine's LinkedIn

Elaine's Facebook

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Introducing Podcast Perspectives: Audience Growth Lessons from Lemonada Jeff Umbro, Jessica Cordova Kramer, Tina Bassir, Kevin Kline, Elaine Appleton Grant 00:29:29 How did Lemonada grow from one podcast in 2019 to a network of nearly 50 shows in 2023? Today on the podcast, we’re excited to feature a conversation from Podcast Perspectives, produced by our friends at The Podglomerate (the podcast firm specialized in producing, distributing, and monetizing podcasts for high-profile clients including Freakonomics Radio, PBS, NPR stations, Harvard Business School, and more). Podcast Perspectives brings on audio leaders and industry executives to walk through the biggest news of the day and to go deep on topics that podcasters need to know - like IP and rights issues, ad tech, podcasting’s role in media at-large, and more. In today’s episode, Podglomerate founder/CEO Jeff Umbro sits down with Lemonada co-founder and CEO Jessica Cordova Kramer. Listen to more episodes of Podcast Perspectives and follow the podcast: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives/ How did Lemonada grow from one podcast in 2019 to a network of nearly 50 shows in 2023? Today on the podcast, we’re excited to feature a conversation from Podcast Perspectives, produced by our friends at The Podglomerate (the podcast firm specialized in producing, distributing, and monetizing podcasts for high-profile clients including Freakonomics Radio, PBS, NPR stations, Harvard Business School, and more). Podcast Perspectives brings on audio leaders and industry executives to walk through the biggest news of the day and to go deep on topics that podcasters need to know - like IP and rights issues, ad tech, podcasting’s role in media at-large, and more. In today’s episode, Podglomerate founder/CEO Jeff Umbro sits down with Lemonada co-founder and CEO Jessica Cordova Kramer. Listen to more episodes of Podcast Perspectives and follow the podcast: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives/ podcast producer, podcast industry, audio storytelling, podglomerate, jessica cordova kramer, how to be a great host, audio storyteller, podcast market, podcast editor, podcast ads, lemonada media, podcasting true bonus 3 6e21a9f6-335f-4f57-a0a1-44c7efe68945 Secrets of Hosting In-Studio and Live from the Queen of Book Podcasts, Anne Bogel (Best-of Show) This episode was sponsored by Signal Hill Insights. 

Want to know how your podcast is affecting listeners? Need to plan to share outcomes with a branded client? 


Visit measureyourpodcast.com for a free 4-part email series that will tell you how and why to measure the unique impact of branded podcasts. Go beyond counting downloads. Instead, obtain real responses from real listeners to demonstrate the ROI of branded podcasts. You’ll learn how research generates practical insights to optimize your production and drive renewals. 


More on today's episode:
When Anne Bogel was offered the plum gig of moderating a panel discussion with four famous authors at the Bookmarks NC Festival of Books and Authors, she knew it would be fun. But she had no idea of the turn it would take when her guests — authors TJ Klune, Andrew Sean Greer, Brendan Slocumb, and Tia Williams — began one-upping each other with wild tales from book club experiences like no other. Anne Bogel's been hosting her literary matchmaking show since 2016. This show is always at the top of the charts, in great company with shows like Fresh Air, NPR’s Book of the Day, and The New York Times Book Review. 

There's a reason for that. Anne is purposeful about how she hosts, whether that's holding a deep conversation about a guest's reading life in-studio, or fielding unexpected stories, and a ton of laughs, on stage in front of hundreds.

Anne has spent the last seven years of her life doing something uncanny: Every week on her hit show, What Should I Read Next, she excavates a guest’s reading life in fine detail. Then she recommends books that always seem to be the perfect choices for that guest, no matter who they are.

It’s not just her unusual ability to pair book with reader that keeps her show at the top of the charts. It’s also the way Anne approaches hosting – as the art of practicing deep hospitality. That keeps her in listeners’ hearts, year after year. 

It also makes Anne in demand as a public speaker. As intimate as she is with her podcast guests, you might never guess how raucously fun she is in front of a live audience! 

If you dream of moving effortlessly between studio and stage, you’ll love this episode. 


Anne Bogel is an author, the creator of the blog Modern Mrs Darcy, and host of What Should I Read Next? podcast and Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club. Anne loves talking to readers about their favorite books, reading struggles, and of course what they should read next. Anne lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband, four children, and a yellow lab named Daisy. Follow Anne on Instagram.

What Should I Read Next episode discussed on today's show: 
Ep 351 “Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks!”

Anne Bogel's holiday gift book recommendations for your favorite hosts and producers: 

  1. The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker 
  2. Out on a Wire: The Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio by Jessica Abel with forward by Ira Glass 
  3. I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

Scroll down for hosting takeaways from today's show. 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect! Follow Elaine:

 Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

Let's talk!

✉️ Email me at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials
 

Anne Bogel's Takeaways for Podcasters and Public Speakers

1. Offer radical hospitality. We may not think of it this way, but the word “host” comes from the word “hospitality.” Anne takes that literally – she and her team practice hospitality consciously. They do everything they can to make their guests feel welcome and at ease. That hospitality starts with the way they invite guests, to how they prepare them, to the ways in which Anne calms their nerves at the start of an interview. The result of such care shows in the relationships she builds with her guests – and, as a consequence, with devoted listeners. 

2. State your purpose. Anne practices hospitality in the manner that Priya Parker describes in her book The Art of Gathering. That means understanding and explaining the purpose of that gathering or interview at the very beginning. “It can feel silly at first to name your purpose,” she said. But it helps you and your guests immensely to say: "What is our purpose in being here today, in having this conversation? What do we hope you take away from this?" Don’t let these important guideposts remain unspoken. 

3. Set the emotional stage. You’re not the same host in a quiet studio as you are in front of a live audience. Or at least you shouldn’t be. Before you host an episode or a live event, visualize how you want the audience to feel. As Anne says, the visual for a conversation with a single guest might be two people at a table leaning over their lattes. But the visual for a panel discussion in a room of hundreds of readers is big! As she put it, “Come on in. The water is warm! Big Momma’s shepherding! There’s room here for all of us, and we’re gonna have a ball.” They’re both positive kinds of energy, but they differ dramatically. 

4. Public speaking skills are complementary, not identical. Hosting a great roundtable takes a different kind of expertise than hosting an intimate conversation. It requires deft moderation, an ability to think like an orchestra conductor and sometimes a tightrope walker – along with the diplomacy to manage several egos. Anne plans ahead to give guests equal time and to ensure a lively flow of conversation. And she also thinks about how to inspire guests to tell stories that they haven’t told before by artfully asking for specifics, like she does in this episode by inquiring about a memorable book club experience. And remember – sometimes that first story sets the tone for all the rest. 

 

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson


 


 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Thu, 30 Nov 2023 09:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir, Anne Bogel, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ This episode was sponsored by Signal Hill Insights. 

Want to know how your podcast is affecting listeners? Need to plan to share outcomes with a branded client? 


Visit measureyourpodcast.com for a free 4-part email series that will tell you how and why to measure the unique impact of branded podcasts. Go beyond counting downloads. Instead, obtain real responses from real listeners to demonstrate the ROI of branded podcasts. You’ll learn how research generates practical insights to optimize your production and drive renewals. 


More on today's episode:
When Anne Bogel was offered the plum gig of moderating a panel discussion with four famous authors at the Bookmarks NC Festival of Books and Authors, she knew it would be fun. But she had no idea of the turn it would take when her guests — authors TJ Klune, Andrew Sean Greer, Brendan Slocumb, and Tia Williams — began one-upping each other with wild tales from book club experiences like no other. Anne Bogel's been hosting her literary matchmaking show since 2016. This show is always at the top of the charts, in great company with shows like Fresh Air, NPR’s Book of the Day, and The New York Times Book Review. 

There's a reason for that. Anne is purposeful about how she hosts, whether that's holding a deep conversation about a guest's reading life in-studio, or fielding unexpected stories, and a ton of laughs, on stage in front of hundreds.

Anne has spent the last seven years of her life doing something uncanny: Every week on her hit show, What Should I Read Next, she excavates a guest’s reading life in fine detail. Then she recommends books that always seem to be the perfect choices for that guest, no matter who they are.

It’s not just her unusual ability to pair book with reader that keeps her show at the top of the charts. It’s also the way Anne approaches hosting – as the art of practicing deep hospitality. That keeps her in listeners’ hearts, year after year. 

It also makes Anne in demand as a public speaker. As intimate as she is with her podcast guests, you might never guess how raucously fun she is in front of a live audience! 

If you dream of moving effortlessly between studio and stage, you’ll love this episode. 


Anne Bogel is an author, the creator of the blog Modern Mrs Darcy, and host of What Should I Read Next? podcast and Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club. Anne loves talking to readers about their favorite books, reading struggles, and of course what they should read next. Anne lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband, four children, and a yellow lab named Daisy. Follow Anne on Instagram.

What Should I Read Next episode discussed on today's show: 
Ep 351 “Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks!”

Anne Bogel's holiday gift book recommendations for your favorite hosts and producers: 

  1. The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker 
  2. Out on a Wire: The Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio by Jessica Abel with forward by Ira Glass 
  3. I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

Scroll down for hosting takeaways from today's show. 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect! Follow Elaine:

 Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

Let's talk!

✉️ Email me at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials
 

Anne Bogel's Takeaways for Podcasters and Public Speakers

1. Offer radical hospitality. We may not think of it this way, but the word “host” comes from the word “hospitality.” Anne takes that literally – she and her team practice hospitality consciously. They do everything they can to make their guests feel welcome and at ease. That hospitality starts with the way they invite guests, to how they prepare them, to the ways in which Anne calms their nerves at the start of an interview. The result of such care shows in the relationships she builds with her guests – and, as a consequence, with devoted listeners. 

2. State your purpose. Anne practices hospitality in the manner that Priya Parker describes in her book The Art of Gathering. That means understanding and explaining the purpose of that gathering or interview at the very beginning. “It can feel silly at first to name your purpose,” she said. But it helps you and your guests immensely to say: "What is our purpose in being here today, in having this conversation? What do we hope you take away from this?" Don’t let these important guideposts remain unspoken. 

3. Set the emotional stage. You’re not the same host in a quiet studio as you are in front of a live audience. Or at least you shouldn’t be. Before you host an episode or a live event, visualize how you want the audience to feel. As Anne says, the visual for a conversation with a single guest might be two people at a table leaning over their lattes. But the visual for a panel discussion in a room of hundreds of readers is big! As she put it, “Come on in. The water is warm! Big Momma’s shepherding! There’s room here for all of us, and we’re gonna have a ball.” They’re both positive kinds of energy, but they differ dramatically. 

4. Public speaking skills are complementary, not identical. Hosting a great roundtable takes a different kind of expertise than hosting an intimate conversation. It requires deft moderation, an ability to think like an orchestra conductor and sometimes a tightrope walker – along with the diplomacy to manage several egos. Anne plans ahead to give guests equal time and to ensure a lively flow of conversation. And she also thinks about how to inspire guests to tell stories that they haven’t told before by artfully asking for specifics, like she does in this episode by inquiring about a memorable book club experience. And remember – sometimes that first story sets the tone for all the rest. 

 

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson


 


 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Secrets of Hosting In-Studio and Live from the Queen of Book Podcasts, Anne Bogel (Best-of Show) Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir, Anne Bogel, Elaine Appleton Grant, Kevin Kline 00:42:17 Do you speak publicly or moderate discussions live on stage? Or do you dream about spending more time speaking to live audiences? If so, this episode is for you. Anne Bogel of What Should I Read Next is one of the original book podcasters. She’s so beloved that she is frequently asked to host conversations in front of live audiences – which can feel like being poised on a knife edge between success and failure. As she says, “Good panel moderation is invisible if you do it well. But if you do it poorly, there's a whole room of disappointed people who won't hesitate to let you know.” In this hilarious episode from our archives, Anne shares her hard-won secrets moving between two worlds: the intimate, personal world of talking with readers to the big, fun, performance-driven world of public speaking. Plus, Anne offers book recommendations for giving holiday gifts to your favorite audio storytellers. Do you speak publicly or moderate discussions live on stage? Or do you dream about spending more time speaking to live audiences? If so, this episode is for you. Anne Bogel of What Should I Read Next is one of the original book podcasters. She’s so beloved that she is frequently asked to host conversations in front of live audiences – which can feel like being poised on a knife edge between success and failure. As she says, “Good panel moderation is invisible if you do it well. But if you do it poorly, there's a whole room of disappointed people who won't hesitate to let you know.” In this hilarious episode from our archives, Anne shares her hard-won secrets moving between two worlds: the intimate, personal world of talking with readers to the big, fun, performance-driven world of public speaking. Plus, Anne offers book recommendations for giving holiday gifts to your favorite audio storytellers. emcee, "public speaking skills", bookmarks nc festival, holiday book lists, podcast producer, public speaking training, "better public speaker", live audience, anne bogel, book recommendations, moderate a panel, "reading life", podcast guest, public speaker, what should i read next, holiday book list true full 6 3 259a38ad-0082-45fa-b84b-9d6fc678ba94 How to Track a Liar with Believable: The Coco Berthmann Story Showrunner Karen Given The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Believable: The Coco Berthmann Story. Karen worked with reporter/host Sara Ganim to create Believable. 

This episode was sponsored by Signal Hill Insights. 

Want to know how your podcast is affecting listeners? Need to plan to share outcomes with a branded client? 
Visit measureyourpodcast.com for a free 4-part email series that will tell you how and why to measure the unique impact of branded podcasts. Go beyond counting downloads. Instead, obtain real responses from real listeners to demonstrate the ROI of branded podcasts. You’ll learn how research generates practical insights to optimize your production and drive renewals. 

Karen Given’s takeaways
These are the takeaways from the end of the episode. For more takeaways from all of our guests, subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter and visit our blog. 

  1. Karen set out to tell Coco Berthmann’s story as more than a basic scammer story. She wanted to investigate the social safety nets that allowed Coco’s deception to happen in the first place. It’s the concept of preventable harm: What makes for a much richer, more noteworthy and useful investigation is whether, in fact, the harm could have been prevented, by whom, and why it wasn’t. Especially with true crime, there’s a temptation to tell only a good yarn—the sensational one about the scammer. But those stories are like cotton candy — they might taste good at the time, but later you wonder why you bothered. 
     
  2. Avoid creating unintended consequences. One of the most important and interesting lessons from Believable comes from the tricky line Karen and Sara walked. They needed to investigate the validity of Coco’s story without casting doubt on the stories of every sex trafficking victim, which could have done significant harm. One way they did this — that I would certainly steal if I were you — was to establish early on what is generally known about a phenomenon or a process. We need to understand what’s typical in order to get clarity on what’s not.
     
  3. Storyboarding is a visual exercise. Karen’s a huge fan of sticky notes—in fact, 3M, if you’re listening, please name a line of Post-its after her. To get started, lay out your story beats on Post-its on a wall or in project management software like Trello or Asana. Trust me, you’ll be moving things around for your entire production process. Make it easy on yourself. 

Karen Given is a podcast story editor, producer and host. Her most recent project was Believable: the Coco Berthmann Story. A veteran of public radio, Karen started out as a technical director and worked her way up to executive producer and host. Along the way, she won the national Edward R. Murrow award twice, in 2007 and 2017. She also writes Narrative Beat, a free newsletter for journalists and podcast makers who want to tell better stories. 

Follow Karen Given: 

Subscribe to her newsletter, Narrative Beat

Website: Karen Given

Instagram: karengiven

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/klgiven/

Facebook: karenlgiven

If you liked my conversation with Karen Given, you’ll love: 

Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 8: The Heist: How to Produce an Award-Winning Investigative Series with Sally Herships

Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 5: Bone Valley: How to Produce a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference

We need your support! Please give Sound Judgment a five-star rating and a review. Visit our website to easily give us a 5-star rating and a review that’ll go to Apple or Spotify instantly. We’re grateful.

The Sound Judgment team is: 
Host & Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant
Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson
Audio engineer/sound designer: Kevin Kline
Podcast manager: Tina Bassir

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC, a boutique production and consulting company making magical podcasts for NGOs and nonprofits, higher ed, and social impact organizations. 


Contact Us
To contact us with collaborations, media interviews, speaking engagements, or sponsorships, email allies@podcastallies.com. We encourage your voice memos! Click the microphone icon at soundjudgmentpodcast.com. 

To follow Elaine Appleton Grant and the show: 
Subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling
Sound Judgment website
Elaine's LinkedIn

Elaine's Facebook

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Thu, 16 Nov 2023 09:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Paul Riismandel, Signal Hill Insights, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant, Karen Given, Kevin Kline, Audrey Nelson) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Believable: The Coco Berthmann Story. Karen worked with reporter/host Sara Ganim to create Believable. 

This episode was sponsored by Signal Hill Insights. 

Want to know how your podcast is affecting listeners? Need to plan to share outcomes with a branded client? 
Visit measureyourpodcast.com for a free 4-part email series that will tell you how and why to measure the unique impact of branded podcasts. Go beyond counting downloads. Instead, obtain real responses from real listeners to demonstrate the ROI of branded podcasts. You’ll learn how research generates practical insights to optimize your production and drive renewals. 

Karen Given’s takeaways
These are the takeaways from the end of the episode. For more takeaways from all of our guests, subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter and visit our blog. 

  1. Karen set out to tell Coco Berthmann’s story as more than a basic scammer story. She wanted to investigate the social safety nets that allowed Coco’s deception to happen in the first place. It’s the concept of preventable harm: What makes for a much richer, more noteworthy and useful investigation is whether, in fact, the harm could have been prevented, by whom, and why it wasn’t. Especially with true crime, there’s a temptation to tell only a good yarn—the sensational one about the scammer. But those stories are like cotton candy — they might taste good at the time, but later you wonder why you bothered. 
     
  2. Avoid creating unintended consequences. One of the most important and interesting lessons from Believable comes from the tricky line Karen and Sara walked. They needed to investigate the validity of Coco’s story without casting doubt on the stories of every sex trafficking victim, which could have done significant harm. One way they did this — that I would certainly steal if I were you — was to establish early on what is generally known about a phenomenon or a process. We need to understand what’s typical in order to get clarity on what’s not.
     
  3. Storyboarding is a visual exercise. Karen’s a huge fan of sticky notes—in fact, 3M, if you’re listening, please name a line of Post-its after her. To get started, lay out your story beats on Post-its on a wall or in project management software like Trello or Asana. Trust me, you’ll be moving things around for your entire production process. Make it easy on yourself. 

Karen Given is a podcast story editor, producer and host. Her most recent project was Believable: the Coco Berthmann Story. A veteran of public radio, Karen started out as a technical director and worked her way up to executive producer and host. Along the way, she won the national Edward R. Murrow award twice, in 2007 and 2017. She also writes Narrative Beat, a free newsletter for journalists and podcast makers who want to tell better stories. 

Follow Karen Given: 

Subscribe to her newsletter, Narrative Beat

Website: Karen Given

Instagram: karengiven

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/klgiven/

Facebook: karenlgiven

If you liked my conversation with Karen Given, you’ll love: 

Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 8: The Heist: How to Produce an Award-Winning Investigative Series with Sally Herships

Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 5: Bone Valley: How to Produce a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference

We need your support! Please give Sound Judgment a five-star rating and a review. Visit our website to easily give us a 5-star rating and a review that’ll go to Apple or Spotify instantly. We’re grateful.

The Sound Judgment team is: 
Host & Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant
Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson
Audio engineer/sound designer: Kevin Kline
Podcast manager: Tina Bassir

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC, a boutique production and consulting company making magical podcasts for NGOs and nonprofits, higher ed, and social impact organizations. 


Contact Us
To contact us with collaborations, media interviews, speaking engagements, or sponsorships, email allies@podcastallies.com. We encourage your voice memos! Click the microphone icon at soundjudgmentpodcast.com. 

To follow Elaine Appleton Grant and the show: 
Subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling
Sound Judgment website
Elaine's LinkedIn

Elaine's Facebook

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> How to Track a Liar with Believable: The Coco Berthmann Story Showrunner Karen Given Paul Riismandel, Signal Hill Insights, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant, Karen Given, Kevin Kline, Audrey Nelson 00:43:32 If you’ve ever worked on a serialized narrative podcast, at some point you may have gotten all tangled up. Did Miss Plum find the gun in the library in episode 1? Then why is that same dialogue here again in episode 4? Why was the victim found dead in episode 2 but somehow you forgot and he's alive and kicking three episodes later? Keeping a complicated narrative straight across multiple episodes is hard enough when you’re sure of all of the facts. When you’re investigating a compulsive liar, it’s almost impossible. That’s the situation showrunner Karen Given walked into when Dear Media hired her and reporter Sara Ganim to investigate a serial scammer for Believable: The Coco Berthmann Story. Coco claimed to have been sex-trafficked for years, after which she gained acclaim as an advocate for trafficking victims. She also claimed her therapist locked her in a basement, her mother killed her sister, and that she was dying of cancer. The more Given and Ganim investigated, the more it seemed reasonable to assume that Coco Berthmann lied about everything. But what if parts of her outlandish story were actually true? Karen Given and I dissect an episode of Believable: the Coco Berthmann Story to give you some hard-won lessons on how to create a serialized narrative podcast when you can’t be certain of anything. If you’ve ever worked on a serialized narrative podcast, at some point you may have gotten all tangled up. Did Miss Plum find the gun in the library in episode 1? Then why is that same dialogue here again in episode 4? Why was the victim found dead in episode 2 but somehow you forgot and he's alive and kicking three episodes later? Keeping a complicated narrative straight across multiple episodes is hard enough when you’re sure of all of the facts. When you’re investigating a compulsive liar, it’s almost impossible. That’s the situation showrunner Karen Given walked into when Dear Media hired her and reporter Sara Ganim to investigate a serial scammer for Believable: The Coco Berthmann Story. Coco claimed to have been sex-trafficked for years, after which she gained acclaim as an advocate for trafficking victims. She also claimed her therapist locked her in a basement, her mother killed her sister, and that she was dying of cancer. The more Given and Ganim investigated, the more it seemed reasonable to assume that Coco Berthmann lied about everything. But what if parts of her outlandish story were actually true? Karen Given and I dissect an episode of Believable: the Coco Berthmann Story to give you some hard-won lessons on how to create a serialized narrative podcast when you can’t be certain of anything. narrative storytelling, coco berthmann, how to be a great storyteller, how to be a better storyteller, investigative podcast, audio documentary, best podcast series, investigative journalism, human trafficking victims, how to be a great host, mormon scammer, creative nonfiction, longform journalism, narrative journalism, best narrative storytelling, human trafficking victim, sara ganim, believable: the coco berthmann story, best host, storyboarding false full 5 3 a6f98255-b755-4ffc-8b94-da49626efc5a How to Capture an Audience with Near Death’s Nikki Boyer  

The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Near Death: Death Party. Near Death is a Dying For Media production with sales and distribution by Lemonada Media.

Nikki Boyer's takeaways

These are the takeaways from the end of the episode. For more takeaways from all of our guests, subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter and visit our blog. 
 

  1. Nikki loves having uncomfortable conversations. She’ll ask almost anything, and she’ll share herself in order to create a welcoming, inviting environment. The result: healing conversations about the things that matter most. 
  2. It takes a lot of character to admit to the obstacles that stand in our way of doing our best, most honest work. For Nikki, the obstacle was her mindset: Before podcasting, she was an actress, a voice-over artist, and a TV personality. And, she says, she  was always seeking attention. Creating Dying for Sex changed all that. Now, she says, “I have this person’s story to tell and I can’t wait to share it with you.” She’s no longer chasing the spotlight, but giving a gift. 
  3. One thing Nikki has learned from doing podcasts about death? A lot of people wait to give themselves permission to do the thing they really want to be doing. And in the end, they regret having put it off. If there’s a project you’ve been putting off, don’t wait any longer. Give yourself permission and jump in.

Near Death: Credits
Nikki Boyer: Dying for Media CEO and cofounder and host, Near Death

Kevin Sabbe: Dying For Media cofounder and executive producer, Near Death

Reverend Peggy: cohost and executive producer

Katie Amanda Keane: producer/writer

Tommy Fields: head of audio

Nikki Boyer

Nikki Boyer is the founder and CEO of Dying For Media and a three-time Emmy® award-winning TV host, producer, actress and podcaster. She created, hosted, and is executive producer of the breakout Wondery podcast, “Dying for Sex,” which won the 2021 Ambie Award for Podcast of the Year — and was named one of Apple’s favorite podcasts of 2020.

In the midst of the global pandemic, Nikki hosted nearly 200 episodes of Wondery’s “The Daily Smile,” a podcast about good news, and recently launched “Call Me Curious” via Wondery+, a lighthearted investigative series that delves into offbeat topics. Nikki cohosts the popular weekly podcast, “Straight Talk with Ross Mathews,” which recently recorded its 400th episode. 

Nikki cohosted the 2021 Ambie Awards show and was a regular guest contributor to The Wendy Williams Show for over eight seasons. She has appeared on virtually every major television talk show, most recently as a guest on The Drew Barrymore Show, supporting the launch of “Call Me Curious.” Along with Kevin Sabbe, she co-created and was co-executive producer of Step Girlfriends, a television concept based on her real life, optioned by CBS Studios. 

Nikki made her mark hosting Yahoo!’s ultra-popular Daytime in No Time, where she was the most watched host on the internet during the series' five-year run. 


Follow Nikki Boyer: 

www.dyingformedia.com

www.nikkiboyer.com

Instagram: @nikkiboyer 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-boyer-6873b847/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsnikkiboyer

 

If you liked this episode, you’ll love: 


Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 10: How to Tell the Truth: The Art of Memoir with Dana Black

Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 2: Standing Ovation Host Jay Baer: How to Craft a Million-Dollar Story

Sound Judgment Season 1/Episode 8: How Top Hosts Hook Listeners in 60 Seconds or Less

 

We need your support! Please give Sound Judgment a five-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts. We’re grateful.

The Sound Judgment team is: 
Host & Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson
Audio engineer/sound designer: Kevin Kline
Podcast manager: Tina Bassir

Cover art by Sarah Edgell
Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC

Contact Us
To contact us with questions, collaborations, media interviews, speaking engagements, or sponsorships, write to us at allies@podcastallies.com. We encourage your voice memos! Click the microphone icon at soundjudgmentpodcast.com. 

To follow Elaine Appleton Grant and the show: 
Subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling
Sound Judgment website
Elaine's LinkedIn

Elaine's Facebook

Sound Judgment Instagram
http://podcastallies.com  Podcast Allies is a boutique production and consulting company making magical podcasts for NGOs and nonprofits, higher ed, and media organizations. 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Thu, 2 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Elaine Appleton Grant, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir, Kevin Kline, Nikki Boyer) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/  

The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Near Death: Death Party. Near Death is a Dying For Media production with sales and distribution by Lemonada Media.

Nikki Boyer's takeaways

These are the takeaways from the end of the episode. For more takeaways from all of our guests, subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter and visit our blog. 
 

  1. Nikki loves having uncomfortable conversations. She’ll ask almost anything, and she’ll share herself in order to create a welcoming, inviting environment. The result: healing conversations about the things that matter most. 
  2. It takes a lot of character to admit to the obstacles that stand in our way of doing our best, most honest work. For Nikki, the obstacle was her mindset: Before podcasting, she was an actress, a voice-over artist, and a TV personality. And, she says, she  was always seeking attention. Creating Dying for Sex changed all that. Now, she says, “I have this person’s story to tell and I can’t wait to share it with you.” She’s no longer chasing the spotlight, but giving a gift. 
  3. One thing Nikki has learned from doing podcasts about death? A lot of people wait to give themselves permission to do the thing they really want to be doing. And in the end, they regret having put it off. If there’s a project you’ve been putting off, don’t wait any longer. Give yourself permission and jump in.

Near Death: Credits
Nikki Boyer: Dying for Media CEO and cofounder and host, Near Death

Kevin Sabbe: Dying For Media cofounder and executive producer, Near Death

Reverend Peggy: cohost and executive producer

Katie Amanda Keane: producer/writer

Tommy Fields: head of audio

Nikki Boyer

Nikki Boyer is the founder and CEO of Dying For Media and a three-time Emmy® award-winning TV host, producer, actress and podcaster. She created, hosted, and is executive producer of the breakout Wondery podcast, “Dying for Sex,” which won the 2021 Ambie Award for Podcast of the Year — and was named one of Apple’s favorite podcasts of 2020.

In the midst of the global pandemic, Nikki hosted nearly 200 episodes of Wondery’s “The Daily Smile,” a podcast about good news, and recently launched “Call Me Curious” via Wondery+, a lighthearted investigative series that delves into offbeat topics. Nikki cohosts the popular weekly podcast, “Straight Talk with Ross Mathews,” which recently recorded its 400th episode. 

Nikki cohosted the 2021 Ambie Awards show and was a regular guest contributor to The Wendy Williams Show for over eight seasons. She has appeared on virtually every major television talk show, most recently as a guest on The Drew Barrymore Show, supporting the launch of “Call Me Curious.” Along with Kevin Sabbe, she co-created and was co-executive producer of Step Girlfriends, a television concept based on her real life, optioned by CBS Studios. 

Nikki made her mark hosting Yahoo!’s ultra-popular Daytime in No Time, where she was the most watched host on the internet during the series' five-year run. 


Follow Nikki Boyer: 

www.dyingformedia.com

www.nikkiboyer.com

Instagram: @nikkiboyer 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-boyer-6873b847/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsnikkiboyer

 

If you liked this episode, you’ll love: 


Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 10: How to Tell the Truth: The Art of Memoir with Dana Black

Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 2: Standing Ovation Host Jay Baer: How to Craft a Million-Dollar Story

Sound Judgment Season 1/Episode 8: How Top Hosts Hook Listeners in 60 Seconds or Less

 

We need your support! Please give Sound Judgment a five-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts. We’re grateful.

The Sound Judgment team is: 
Host & Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson
Audio engineer/sound designer: Kevin Kline
Podcast manager: Tina Bassir

Cover art by Sarah Edgell
Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC

Contact Us
To contact us with questions, collaborations, media interviews, speaking engagements, or sponsorships, write to us at allies@podcastallies.com. We encourage your voice memos! Click the microphone icon at soundjudgmentpodcast.com. 

To follow Elaine Appleton Grant and the show: 
Subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling
Sound Judgment website
Elaine's LinkedIn

Elaine's Facebook

Sound Judgment Instagram
http://podcastallies.com  Podcast Allies is a boutique production and consulting company making magical podcasts for NGOs and nonprofits, higher ed, and media organizations. 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> How to Capture an Audience with Near Death’s Nikki Boyer Elaine Appleton Grant, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir, Kevin Kline, Nikki Boyer 00:37:46 It's another stop on my quest to answer the question: What does it take to become a beloved audio storyteller? This time, the answer is that magical, almost impossible-to-define-quality: presence. My journey takes me to Nikki Boyer, the celebrated creator of Wondery's Dying for Sex and now, the co-host and executive producer of Near Death. Her magnetism is undeniable — so much so that it helped catapult Dying for Sex to win The Podcast Academy Podcast of the Year Award in 2021. But getting there took more than skill building. It took a personal transformation from being a self-admitted attention-seeking actress to a storyteller who now shines the spotlight on others. In this episode, we're looking at the inner, value-driven qualities of a great audio storyteller. (This episode includes a discussion of suicide, and conversation about the Death with Dignity (End of Life Option Act) and the dying process. Listen with care.) It's another stop on my quest to answer the question: What does it take to become a beloved audio storyteller? This time, the answer is that magical, almost impossible-to-define-quality: presence. My journey takes me to Nikki Boyer, the celebrated creator of Wondery's Dying for Sex and now, the co-host and executive producer of Near Death. Her magnetism is undeniable — so much so that it helped catapult Dying for Sex to win The Podcast Academy Podcast of the Year Award in 2021. But getting there took more than skill building. It took a personal transformation from being a self-admitted attention-seeking actress to a storyteller who now shines the spotlight on others. In this episode, we're looking at the inner, value-driven qualities of a great audio storyteller. (This episode includes a discussion of suicide, and conversation about the Death with Dignity (End of Life Option Act) and the dying process. Listen with care.) dying for sex, hospice, narrative storytelling, podcast producer, storytelling, interview, how to be a great storyteller, how to be a better storyteller, produce a podcast, host a podcast, podcast of the year 2021, spiritual care, the key to success as a storyteller, audio documentary, hosting, reverend peggy, how to be a great host, death with dignity, how to ask hard questions, memoir podcast, great podcast host, creative nonfiction, asking hard questions, ambie awards, longform journalism, great host, the art of the interview, narrative journalism, grieving process, producer, hostiness, the art of conversation, best host, vulnerability in storytelling true full 4 3 4d2a0c2d-15b4-48cc-80f3-61b1017c9b60 Weight for It’s Ronald Young Jr.: Unlocking the Key to Storytelling Success The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Weight for It: Episode 2, Shame Spiral. It’s produced by ohitsbigron Studios and distributed by Radiotopia. 

Ronald Young Jr. is a critically acclaimed audio producer, host, and storyteller, based in Alexandria, Va. He is an avid pop-culture enthusiast and the host of the television and film review podcast Leaving the Theater.  He is also a regular contributor to NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour as a guest panelist. He has hosted shows such as Pushkin’s Solvable and HBO Docs Club, from Pineapple Street Studios.  Selected as Vulture Magazine podcaster to watch, 2023 Ronald is currently developing new series, both scripted and narrative, that seek to unpack the human experience. His newest show, Weight For It, tells the vulnerable stories of fat folks and folks everywhere who think about their weight constantly.

Weight for It: Credits
Host/Producer: Ronald Young, Jr. 
Story Editor: Sarah Dealy

Sound Design/Mixing: John Delore

Theme music is The Talk, composed by Jey Redd

Follow Ronald Young, Jr.:

www.ohitsbigron.com
Instagram and Facebook: ohitsbigron

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronaldyoungjr/

Twitter/X: ohitsbigron

Follow the hashtags #ohitsbigron and #ohitsbigronstudios

If you liked my conversation with Ronald Young, Jr., you’ll love: 
Sound Judgment Season 1/Episode 2: The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth
Sound Judgment Season 3/Episode 1: Classy’s Jonathan Menjivar: The Fine, Awkward Art of the Personal Audio Documentary
Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 9: Best of: Emotional Bravery with Last Day’s Stephanie Wittels Wachs

We need your support! Please give Sound Judgment a five-star rating and a review. Visit our website to easily give us a 5-star rating and a review that’ll go to Apple or Spotify instantly. We’re grateful.
 

The Sound Judgment team is: 
Host & Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson
Audio engineer/sound designer: Kevin Kline
Podcast manager: Tina Bassir

Cover art by Sarah Edgell
Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC

Contact Us
To contact us with questions, collaborations, media interviews, speaking engagements, or sponsorships, write to us at allies@podcastallies.com. We encourage your voice memos! Click the microphone icon at soundjudgmentpodcast.com. 

To follow Elaine Appleton Grant and the show: 
Subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling
Sound Judgment website
Elaine's LinkedIn

Elaine's Facebook

Sound Judgment Instagram
http://podcastallies.com  Podcast Allies is a boutique production and consulting company making magical podcasts for NGOs and nonprofits, higher ed, and media organizations. 

Ronald Young, Jr’s takeaways
These are the takeaways from the end of the episode. For more takeaways from all of our guests, subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter and visit our blog. 

  1. Learn to draw upon rhythm and music to improve your delivery on the mic. Ronald grew up with the musicality of the storytelling and the singing he heard in church, and that turned him into a storyteller who is enchanting to listen to. But we can all do this by feeling the rhythm and cadence of language: Where are the beats? Where are the breaths? It’s not just storyboarding that makes great stories; it’s how we deliver our stories. 
  2. Don’t censor yourself. At the beginning of the scripting process, Ronald’s story editor, Sarah Deeley, had him write down all the ideas he had for each episode. Only then did they narrow those ideas down into a structured narrative. 
  3. Build stories in layers. Think about context: what does the listener need to know, right now, to understand this episode? To tell a story about his college girlfriend, Ronald had to first explain some stuff about his childhood. What context do you need to offer to make your story land?

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Thu, 19 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Kevin Kline, Elaine Appleton Grant, Ronald Young Jr., Audrey Nelson, Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Weight for It: Episode 2, Shame Spiral. It’s produced by ohitsbigron Studios and distributed by Radiotopia. 

Ronald Young Jr. is a critically acclaimed audio producer, host, and storyteller, based in Alexandria, Va. He is an avid pop-culture enthusiast and the host of the television and film review podcast Leaving the Theater.  He is also a regular contributor to NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour as a guest panelist. He has hosted shows such as Pushkin’s Solvable and HBO Docs Club, from Pineapple Street Studios.  Selected as Vulture Magazine podcaster to watch, 2023 Ronald is currently developing new series, both scripted and narrative, that seek to unpack the human experience. His newest show, Weight For It, tells the vulnerable stories of fat folks and folks everywhere who think about their weight constantly.

Weight for It: Credits
Host/Producer: Ronald Young, Jr. 
Story Editor: Sarah Dealy

Sound Design/Mixing: John Delore

Theme music is The Talk, composed by Jey Redd

Follow Ronald Young, Jr.:

www.ohitsbigron.com
Instagram and Facebook: ohitsbigron

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronaldyoungjr/

Twitter/X: ohitsbigron

Follow the hashtags #ohitsbigron and #ohitsbigronstudios

If you liked my conversation with Ronald Young, Jr., you’ll love: 
Sound Judgment Season 1/Episode 2: The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth
Sound Judgment Season 3/Episode 1: Classy’s Jonathan Menjivar: The Fine, Awkward Art of the Personal Audio Documentary
Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 9: Best of: Emotional Bravery with Last Day’s Stephanie Wittels Wachs

We need your support! Please give Sound Judgment a five-star rating and a review. Visit our website to easily give us a 5-star rating and a review that’ll go to Apple or Spotify instantly. We’re grateful.
 

The Sound Judgment team is: 
Host & Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson
Audio engineer/sound designer: Kevin Kline
Podcast manager: Tina Bassir

Cover art by Sarah Edgell
Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC

Contact Us
To contact us with questions, collaborations, media interviews, speaking engagements, or sponsorships, write to us at allies@podcastallies.com. We encourage your voice memos! Click the microphone icon at soundjudgmentpodcast.com. 

To follow Elaine Appleton Grant and the show: 
Subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling
Sound Judgment website
Elaine's LinkedIn

Elaine's Facebook

Sound Judgment Instagram
http://podcastallies.com  Podcast Allies is a boutique production and consulting company making magical podcasts for NGOs and nonprofits, higher ed, and media organizations. 

Ronald Young, Jr’s takeaways
These are the takeaways from the end of the episode. For more takeaways from all of our guests, subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter and visit our blog. 

  1. Learn to draw upon rhythm and music to improve your delivery on the mic. Ronald grew up with the musicality of the storytelling and the singing he heard in church, and that turned him into a storyteller who is enchanting to listen to. But we can all do this by feeling the rhythm and cadence of language: Where are the beats? Where are the breaths? It’s not just storyboarding that makes great stories; it’s how we deliver our stories. 
  2. Don’t censor yourself. At the beginning of the scripting process, Ronald’s story editor, Sarah Deeley, had him write down all the ideas he had for each episode. Only then did they narrow those ideas down into a structured narrative. 
  3. Build stories in layers. Think about context: what does the listener need to know, right now, to understand this episode? To tell a story about his college girlfriend, Ronald had to first explain some stuff about his childhood. What context do you need to offer to make your story land?

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Weight for It’s Ronald Young Jr.: Unlocking the Key to Storytelling Success Kevin Kline, Elaine Appleton Grant, Ronald Young Jr., Audrey Nelson, Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir 00:37:12 Some scientists say we think 70,000 thoughts a day. And a lot of those aren’t all that great. This episode is about how to make a narrative podcast about the thoughts we obsess about, and the thoughts that sometimes run our lives. Weight for It’s Ronald Young, Jr. shows us how to bring our inner lives to life in a way that makes for compelling, transformative storytelling, and that might call attention to the things we need to change in our outer world — in this case, how we, and society, feel about being fat. In this episode, you’ll learn how Ronald transforms ideas into compelling, propulsive narratives; about the roles rhythm and music play in writing and performance; and about the one thing Ronald believes makes the difference between failure and success in audio storytelling — and storytelling of any kind. Some scientists say we think 70,000 thoughts a day. And a lot of those aren’t all that great. This episode is about how to make a narrative podcast about the thoughts we obsess about, and the thoughts that sometimes run our lives. Weight for It’s Ronald Young, Jr. shows us how to bring our inner lives to life in a way that makes for compelling, transformative storytelling, and that might call attention to the things we need to change in our outer world — in this case, how we, and society, feel about being fat. In this episode, you’ll learn how Ronald transforms ideas into compelling, propulsive narratives; about the roles rhythm and music play in writing and performance; and about the one thing Ronald believes makes the difference between failure and success in audio storytelling — and storytelling of any kind. fat, podcast producer, how to be a great storyteller, weight, ronald young jr., how to be a better storyteller, body positivity, fat shaming, audio storytelling, weight for it, shame, audio documentary, best podcast series, damon young, how to write a memoir, john delore, memoir podcast, great podcast host, audio storyteller, creative nonfiction, body image, narrative journalism, longform, best narrative storytelling, radiotopia, fatness, story editing, sarah dealy, hostiness, emotional vulnerability, oh it's big ron studios, best host, vulnerability in storytelling true full 3 3 c87567e5-13a6-42bc-97f7-c0cf9d3c9e5e How Anna Sale invites listeners in The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Death, Sex & Money_—Bells & Bills: The Price You Paid for Your Wedding.

We also discuss Death, Sex & Money — A Headline Stays Static Even as a Life Transforms.

Anna Sale is the creator and host of Death, Sex & Money, the podcast about “the things we think about a lot and need to talk about more.” Anna won a Gracie for best podcast host in 2016 and the show won the 2018 Webby and 2021 Ambie for best interview show.  (Jan 2024 update: Slate acquires Death, Sex & Money from WNYC Studios)

Before launching Death, Sex & Money in 2014, Anna covered politics for nearly a decade. She is the author of the book Let's Talk About Hard Things, which The New Yorker wrote "shows us how supportive listening happens." She grew up in West Virginia and now lives in Berkeley, Calif. with her husband and two daughters.

Death, Sex & Money Credits
Host: Anna Sale 
Executive Producer: Liliana Maria Percy Ruiz
Producer: Zoe Azulay
Producer: Amy Pearl
Mix Engineer/Producer: Andrew Dunn

Follow Death, Sex & Money:
@deathsexmoney on Instagram

Subscribe to the DS&M weekly newsletter at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter for listener emails, recommendations from the team and a short essay from Anna Sale.

If you liked my conversation with Anna Sale, you’ll love:
Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 10: How to tell the truth: The art of memoir with Dana Black
and
Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 9: Best of: Emotional Bravery with Last Day’s Stephanie Wittels Wachs  

If you want to support Sound Judgment, please visit our website to easily leave us a 5-star rating and a review that’ll go to Apple or Spotify instantly. We’re grateful.

The Sound Judgment team is:
Host & Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant
Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson
Audio engineer/sound designer: Kevin Kline
Podcast manager: Tina Bassir
Cover art by Sarah Edgell
Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC, a boutique production and consulting company making magical podcasts for NGOs and nonprofits, higher ed, and media organizations. 

Contact Us
To contact us with questions,  collaborations, media inquiries, speaking engagements, or sponsorships, write to us at allies@podcastallies.com. We encourage listener voice memos! Click the microphone icon at soundjudgmentpodcast.com.

To follow Elaine Appleton Grant and the show:
Subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling
Sound Judgment website
Elaine's LinkedIn
Elaine's Facebook
Sound Judgment Instagram
http://podcastallies.com  Podcast Allies is 

Anna Sale’s takeaways
These are the takeaways from the end of the episode. For more takeaways from all of our guests, subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter and visit our blog.

  1. Anna and her team hold two conflicting realities in their heads all the time: The show exists to talk about the things we normally keep private. But podcasts exist online, for all the world to consume and Google to find. So be clear about your show’s values. Practice journalistic ethics, and also the specific principles around how you want to treat your guests. Know that you will deal with these kinds of human conflicts every day.
  2. How do you prep a guest? Before an interview, Anna shares how they plan to edit and use the interview. If a guest requests anonymity, she may grant it in order to protect them and their longterm digital record.
  3. Fact-checking is always important, especially these days. But if you allow anonymity, it becomes even more critical.
  4. Perhaps my biggest takeaway from this conversation is that Death, Sex and Money is one big, warm place, where listeners are invited in and welcomed. Anna is proud that she and her team make listeners feel accompanied, wherever they take them.
  5. Finally, your guests expect hard questions. Don’t wimp out.

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Thu, 12 Oct 2023 11:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Kevin Kline, Anna Sale, Audrey Nelson, Elaine Appleton Grant, Tina Bassir) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Death, Sex & Money_—Bells & Bills: The Price You Paid for Your Wedding.

We also discuss Death, Sex & Money — A Headline Stays Static Even as a Life Transforms.

Anna Sale is the creator and host of Death, Sex & Money, the podcast about “the things we think about a lot and need to talk about more.” Anna won a Gracie for best podcast host in 2016 and the show won the 2018 Webby and 2021 Ambie for best interview show.  (Jan 2024 update: Slate acquires Death, Sex & Money from WNYC Studios)

Before launching Death, Sex & Money in 2014, Anna covered politics for nearly a decade. She is the author of the book Let's Talk About Hard Things, which The New Yorker wrote "shows us how supportive listening happens." She grew up in West Virginia and now lives in Berkeley, Calif. with her husband and two daughters.

Death, Sex & Money Credits
Host: Anna Sale 
Executive Producer: Liliana Maria Percy Ruiz
Producer: Zoe Azulay
Producer: Amy Pearl
Mix Engineer/Producer: Andrew Dunn

Follow Death, Sex & Money:
@deathsexmoney on Instagram

Subscribe to the DS&M weekly newsletter at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter for listener emails, recommendations from the team and a short essay from Anna Sale.

If you liked my conversation with Anna Sale, you’ll love:
Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 10: How to tell the truth: The art of memoir with Dana Black
and
Sound Judgment Season 2/Episode 9: Best of: Emotional Bravery with Last Day’s Stephanie Wittels Wachs  

If you want to support Sound Judgment, please visit our website to easily leave us a 5-star rating and a review that’ll go to Apple or Spotify instantly. We’re grateful.

The Sound Judgment team is:
Host & Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant
Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson
Audio engineer/sound designer: Kevin Kline
Podcast manager: Tina Bassir
Cover art by Sarah Edgell
Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC, a boutique production and consulting company making magical podcasts for NGOs and nonprofits, higher ed, and media organizations. 

Contact Us
To contact us with questions,  collaborations, media inquiries, speaking engagements, or sponsorships, write to us at allies@podcastallies.com. We encourage listener voice memos! Click the microphone icon at soundjudgmentpodcast.com.

To follow Elaine Appleton Grant and the show:
Subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling
Sound Judgment website
Elaine's LinkedIn
Elaine's Facebook
Sound Judgment Instagram
http://podcastallies.com  Podcast Allies is 

Anna Sale’s takeaways
These are the takeaways from the end of the episode. For more takeaways from all of our guests, subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter and visit our blog.

  1. Anna and her team hold two conflicting realities in their heads all the time: The show exists to talk about the things we normally keep private. But podcasts exist online, for all the world to consume and Google to find. So be clear about your show’s values. Practice journalistic ethics, and also the specific principles around how you want to treat your guests. Know that you will deal with these kinds of human conflicts every day.
  2. How do you prep a guest? Before an interview, Anna shares how they plan to edit and use the interview. If a guest requests anonymity, she may grant it in order to protect them and their longterm digital record.
  3. Fact-checking is always important, especially these days. But if you allow anonymity, it becomes even more critical.
  4. Perhaps my biggest takeaway from this conversation is that Death, Sex and Money is one big, warm place, where listeners are invited in and welcomed. Anna is proud that she and her team make listeners feel accompanied, wherever they take them.
  5. Finally, your guests expect hard questions. Don’t wimp out.

 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> How Anna Sale invites listeners in Kevin Kline, Anna Sale, Audrey Nelson, Elaine Appleton Grant, Tina Bassir 00:41:57 There's this thing people say about podcasts. As if saying the earth is round, they say, "Podcasts are intimate." Because we listen to them by ourselves. In our ears. But we do that with a lot of things. How intimate is the ad you hear on hold? In truth, podcasts are only as intimate as we—the producers, hosts, and editors—strive to make them. Anna Sale, creator and host of the award-winning show Death, Sex & Money, is a master of making podcasts intimate. On this episode, Anna shares how she does it. In the course of breaking down the DS&M episode “Bells and Bills: The Price You Paid for Your Wedding,” Anna talks about asking blunt questions, carefully; the detailed ways she prepares people so they feel comfortable revealing their most personal stories; how to balance sharing highly personal conversations on an enormously public platform; and about making mistakes, repairing them, and having compassion for herself and for her guests and sources. And she talks about what she is most proud of: Creating deep connections with a devoted community of listeners by walking alongside them. There's this thing people say about podcasts. As if saying the earth is round, they say, "Podcasts are intimate." Because we listen to them by ourselves. In our ears. But we do that with a lot of things. How intimate is the ad you hear on hold? In truth, podcasts are only as intimate as we—the producers, hosts, and editors—strive to make them. Anna Sale, creator and host of the award-winning show Death, Sex & Money, is a master of making podcasts intimate. On this episode, Anna shares how she does it. In the course of breaking down the DS&M episode “Bells and Bills: The Price You Paid for Your Wedding,” Anna talks about asking blunt questions, carefully; the detailed ways she prepares people so they feel comfortable revealing their most personal stories; how to balance sharing highly personal conversations on an enormously public platform; and about making mistakes, repairing them, and having compassion for herself and for her guests and sources. And she talks about what she is most proud of: Creating deep connections with a devoted community of listeners by walking alongside them. death sex & money, interview, wnyc, audio documentary, chat show, talk about hard things, how to be a great host, slate, how to ask hard questions, talking about hard things, narrative podcasts, great podcast host, asking hard questions, longform journalism, great host, the art of the interview, anna sale, best interview show, the art of conversation, best host, interview show true full 2 3 23a1ee6a-e6c3-4914-a9b4-7346d83f7709 Classy's Jonathan Menjivar: The Fine, Awkward Art of the Personal Audio Documentary The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Classy with Jonathan Menjivar, Episode 1: Are Rich People Bad?

Jonathan Menjivar is a senior producer at Pineapple Street Studios and the creator and host of Classy with Jonathan Menjivar. He also made the hit shows Project Unabom and The Clearing. Prior to Pineapple, he was a longtime producer at the public radio show This American Life and also served as the show's music supervisor. He's also worked as a producer at Fresh Air with Terry Gross and contributed to numerous public radio outlets, including Marketplace and Transom.org. 

Classy with Jonathan Menjivar: Credits
Host Jonathan Menjivar also serves as senior producer on Classy. Additional credits: Kristen Torres, producer; Marina Henke, associate producer; Asha Saluja, senior managing producer; Haley Howle, editor; Joel Lovell, executive editor; Marina Paiz, senior engineer; Max Linsky and Jenna Weiss-Berman, executive producers.

You can follow Jonathan on X/Twitter; Instagram; and Threads or Pineapple Street Studios on X/Twitter and Instagram.

If you liked my conversation with Jonathan Menjivar, you’ll love: 

Sound Judgment Episode 16: How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story, with Katie Colaneri, senior podcast editor at New Hampshire Public Radio

If you love Sound Judgment, help us grow our show by giving us a five-star rating and a review. Visit soundjudgmentpodcast.com and click on Reviews – you can give us a five-star rating that’ll go to Apple or Spotify instantly. We’re grateful.

The Sound Judgment team is: 
Host & Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson
Audio engineer/sound designer: Kevin Kline
Podcast manager: Tina Bassir

Cover art by Sarah Edgell
Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC

Contact Us
To contact us with questions, comments, partnership and guesting requests, media interviews or speaking engagements, write to us at allies@podcastallies.com. We also welcome your voice memos; click the microphone icon at soundjudgmentpodcast.com. 

To follow Elaine Appleton Grant and the show: 
Subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling
Sound Judgment website
Elaine's LinkedIn

Elaine's Facebook

Sound Judgment Instagram
http://podcastallies.com  Podcast Allies is a boutique production and consulting company making magical podcasts for NGOs and nonprofits, higher ed, and media organizations. 

Jonathan’s takeaways
These are the takeaways from the end of the episode. For more takeaways from all of our guests, subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter and visit our blog. 

  1. Tough topics don’t have to sound dreary or earnest. Right from the very beginning, Jonathan sets a scene that evokes joy. It makes you want to dance. In this way, he’s letting listeners know that he’s talking about class, but it’s not a lesson. You’re going to be entertained. 
     
  2. It may be even more helpful to use humor when you’re tackling difficult topics than it is with anything else. When we add some jokes, people listen more. We can deal with hard stuff better. Make sure you point the jokes at yourself, though, not someone else. Jonathan says Classy listeners “should feel comfortable knowing that if I'm going to criticize anyone…it's going to be me first.”
     
  3.  Classy is very revealing. We learn a lot about Jonathan’s feelings. So when you write your own scripts, think about what’s personal versus what’s private? Set boundaries. Know what you’re willing to share and what you’re not. 
     
  4. Finding your own style of delivery is important, and it can be deceptively hard. It’s OK to start out copying someone else’s style, Jonathan says. Eventually, you’ll find what Jonathan found – his Hulk energy – the true voice that’s yours and nobody else’s.

     


 



 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Podcast Allies, LLC) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Classy with Jonathan Menjivar, Episode 1: Are Rich People Bad?

Jonathan Menjivar is a senior producer at Pineapple Street Studios and the creator and host of Classy with Jonathan Menjivar. He also made the hit shows Project Unabom and The Clearing. Prior to Pineapple, he was a longtime producer at the public radio show This American Life and also served as the show's music supervisor. He's also worked as a producer at Fresh Air with Terry Gross and contributed to numerous public radio outlets, including Marketplace and Transom.org. 

Classy with Jonathan Menjivar: Credits
Host Jonathan Menjivar also serves as senior producer on Classy. Additional credits: Kristen Torres, producer; Marina Henke, associate producer; Asha Saluja, senior managing producer; Haley Howle, editor; Joel Lovell, executive editor; Marina Paiz, senior engineer; Max Linsky and Jenna Weiss-Berman, executive producers.

You can follow Jonathan on X/Twitter; Instagram; and Threads or Pineapple Street Studios on X/Twitter and Instagram.

If you liked my conversation with Jonathan Menjivar, you’ll love: 

Sound Judgment Episode 16: How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story, with Katie Colaneri, senior podcast editor at New Hampshire Public Radio

If you love Sound Judgment, help us grow our show by giving us a five-star rating and a review. Visit soundjudgmentpodcast.com and click on Reviews – you can give us a five-star rating that’ll go to Apple or Spotify instantly. We’re grateful.

The Sound Judgment team is: 
Host & Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson
Audio engineer/sound designer: Kevin Kline
Podcast manager: Tina Bassir

Cover art by Sarah Edgell
Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC

Contact Us
To contact us with questions, comments, partnership and guesting requests, media interviews or speaking engagements, write to us at allies@podcastallies.com. We also welcome your voice memos; click the microphone icon at soundjudgmentpodcast.com. 

To follow Elaine Appleton Grant and the show: 
Subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling
Sound Judgment website
Elaine's LinkedIn

Elaine's Facebook

Sound Judgment Instagram
http://podcastallies.com  Podcast Allies is a boutique production and consulting company making magical podcasts for NGOs and nonprofits, higher ed, and media organizations. 

Jonathan’s takeaways
These are the takeaways from the end of the episode. For more takeaways from all of our guests, subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter and visit our blog. 

  1. Tough topics don’t have to sound dreary or earnest. Right from the very beginning, Jonathan sets a scene that evokes joy. It makes you want to dance. In this way, he’s letting listeners know that he’s talking about class, but it’s not a lesson. You’re going to be entertained. 
     
  2. It may be even more helpful to use humor when you’re tackling difficult topics than it is with anything else. When we add some jokes, people listen more. We can deal with hard stuff better. Make sure you point the jokes at yourself, though, not someone else. Jonathan says Classy listeners “should feel comfortable knowing that if I'm going to criticize anyone…it's going to be me first.”
     
  3.  Classy is very revealing. We learn a lot about Jonathan’s feelings. So when you write your own scripts, think about what’s personal versus what’s private? Set boundaries. Know what you’re willing to share and what you’re not. 
     
  4. Finding your own style of delivery is important, and it can be deceptively hard. It’s OK to start out copying someone else’s style, Jonathan says. Eventually, you’ll find what Jonathan found – his Hulk energy – the true voice that’s yours and nobody else’s.

     


 



 

Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

 

Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

Connect:

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✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

 

Credits 

Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

]]> Classy's Jonathan Menjivar: The Fine, Awkward Art of the Personal Audio Documentary Podcast Allies, LLC 00:40:58 Did you ever have something that troubled you for years — something so intense that it affected your entire life? That describes the issue of class for host and senior producer Jonathan Menjivar of Audacy’s Pineapple St. Studios. Jonathan, the son of immigrants, grew up in a working-class home. His life today is extraordinarily different — and, as he says, that change in class caused him “to act in strange and funny ways.” Class causes most of us to behave strangely, he believes — and that’s the thesis of his wildly thought-provoking, moving and funny narrative series “Classy.” You’ll learn how to transform an issue that largely plays out inside our heads into an entertaining series with characters, scenes, tension and emotion. You’ll learn how Jonathan decides what parts of his life to share (cashmere socks play a role) and what to keep private. You’ll learn how he and his team “found their collective voice.” You’ll learn how Jonathan, who was a producer at Fresh Air and This American Life, had an epiphany about his own voice; why he defends the “This American Life” style of delivery; and why he now compares himself to the Hulk. (After listening, you might do the same.) Classy is binge-worthy, sure to prompt conversations about your own life, and most importantly, so good that studying its lessons could serve as the backbone of a semester-long narrative audio journalism curriculum. Did you ever have something that troubled you for years — something so intense that it affected your entire life? That describes the issue of class for host and senior producer Jonathan Menjivar of Audacy’s Pineapple St. Studios. Jonathan, the son of immigrants, grew up in a working-class home. His life today is extraordinarily different — and, as he says, that change in class caused him “to act in strange and funny ways.” Class causes most of us to behave strangely, he believes — and that’s the thesis of his wildly thought-provoking, moving and funny narrative series “Classy.” You’ll learn how to transform an issue that largely plays out inside our heads into an entertaining series with characters, scenes, tension and emotion. You’ll learn how Jonathan decides what parts of his life to share (cashmere socks play a role) and what to keep private. You’ll learn how he and his team “found their collective voice.” You’ll learn how Jonathan, who was a producer at Fresh Air and This American Life, had an epiphany about his own voice; why he defends the “This American Life” style of delivery; and why he now compares himself to the Hulk. (After listening, you might do the same.) Classy is binge-worthy, sure to prompt conversations about your own life, and most importantly, so good that studying its lessons could serve as the backbone of a semester-long narrative audio journalism curriculum. true full 1 3 0415a7a7-6f59-4f8e-9dba-868e966b9508 Introducing Season 3: Inside the Minds of Today's Top Storytellers
  • Follow Sound Judgment on your favorite podcast app. 

    For more information on the show and to browse the back catalog, visit our website: www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com.

    Leave a voicemail for us! Just click on the microphone icon on our website. 

    Sign up for our twice-monthly Sound Judgment newsletter on the art and craft of audio storytelling. 

    Follow Elaine Appleton Grant on LinkedIn. 

    Email us! allies@podcastallies.com. 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. We make beautifully crafted shows for social impact and higher ed organizations, NGOs, the media — and ourselves. Work with us. 

    • Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 14 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Anna Sale, Jonathan Menjivar, Ronald Young Jr., Nikki Boyer, Karen Given, Elaine Appleton Grant, Glynn Washington) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/
  • Follow Sound Judgment on your favorite podcast app. 

    For more information on the show and to browse the back catalog, visit our website: www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com.

    Leave a voicemail for us! Just click on the microphone icon on our website. 

    Sign up for our twice-monthly Sound Judgment newsletter on the art and craft of audio storytelling. 

    Follow Elaine Appleton Grant on LinkedIn. 

    Email us! allies@podcastallies.com. 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. We make beautifully crafted shows for social impact and higher ed organizations, NGOs, the media — and ourselves. Work with us. 

    • Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Introducing Season 3: Inside the Minds of Today's Top Storytellers Anna Sale, Jonathan Menjivar, Ronald Young Jr., Nikki Boyer, Karen Given, Elaine Appleton Grant, Glynn Washington 00:01:59 Wish you could be in the studio with your favorite audio storytellers — journalists like Anna Sale of Death, Sex and Money and Classy's Jonathan Menjivar, a Fresh Air and This American Life alum? Sit around editorial meetings with their teams, learning how they're making ambitious, engaging, and often deeply personal work? Be there "backstage" as they voice their doubts, make mistakes, learn from their experiments — and listen back with them as, together, we deconstruct their stories? Join me on my journey as I explore the art and craft of audio storytelling in a "live learning lab" with some of today's most interesting hosts, producers and editors. Also coming up in this season: Storyboarding investigative series with Karen Given of Believable: The Coco Berthmann Story; vunerability with Weight for It's Ronald Young; and "uncomfortable" conversations with Nikki Boyer of Dying for Sex and Near Death. And plenty more. Coming September 28. Wish you could be in the studio with your favorite audio storytellers — journalists like Anna Sale of Death, Sex and Money and Classy's Jonathan Menjivar, a Fresh Air and This American Life alum? Sit around editorial meetings with their teams, learning how they're making ambitious, engaging, and often deeply personal work? Be there "backstage" as they voice their doubts, make mistakes, learn from their experiments — and listen back with them as, together, we deconstruct their stories? Join me on my journey as I explore the art and craft of audio storytelling in a "live learning lab" with some of today's most interesting hosts, producers and editors. Also coming up in this season: Storyboarding investigative series with Karen Given of Believable: The Coco Berthmann Story; vunerability with Weight for It's Ronald Young; and "uncomfortable" conversations with Nikki Boyer of Dying for Sex and Near Death. And plenty more. Coming September 28. podcast producer, storytelling, audio storytelling, investigative podcast, interviewing skills, art of the interview, podcast host, podcaster, podcasting true trailer 3     426dd02d-ae77-488b-8e78-aae8f13b4699 How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the hosts of Famous & Gravy The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Famous & Gravy: Poetic Justice (Maya Angelou).  

    Amit Kapoor is co-host and co-creator of the podcast Famous & Gravy.   Amit has spent nearly two decades in management positions for media organizations, both commercial and non-profit, ranging from Match.com to Wikipedia.  He is also a stand-up comic, former Wienermobile driver, video game voice actor, and a certified meditation instructor.  Amit has an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in American Studies from The University of Texas.

    Michael Osborne is co-host of Famous & Gravy – a conversation about quality of life, one dead celebrity at a time."  Michael has over twelve years of experience as a podcast creator and host. He currently heads 14th Street Studios, a podcast production and marketing firm based in Austin, Texas. Michael started his first podcast, Generation Anthropocene, while he was finishing his PhD in climate science at Stanford. After completing his degree, he spent five years running a podcast incubator for Stanford. During that time he created his second show, Raw Data, which partnered with PRX. In his role at 14th Street Studios, Michael specializes in creative development and podcast marketing for individuals and organizations.

    Websites
    14th Street Studios

    Famous & Gravy

     

    Socials:

    Facebook

    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076654703402

    LinkedIn links

    Famous & Gravy

    Michael Osborne

    Twitter handles
     

    @famousandgravy
    @osbornemc

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 29 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Michael Osborne, Amit Kapoor, Elaine Appleton Grant, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir, Andrew Parella) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Famous & Gravy: Poetic Justice (Maya Angelou).  

    Amit Kapoor is co-host and co-creator of the podcast Famous & Gravy.   Amit has spent nearly two decades in management positions for media organizations, both commercial and non-profit, ranging from Match.com to Wikipedia.  He is also a stand-up comic, former Wienermobile driver, video game voice actor, and a certified meditation instructor.  Amit has an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in American Studies from The University of Texas.

    Michael Osborne is co-host of Famous & Gravy – a conversation about quality of life, one dead celebrity at a time."  Michael has over twelve years of experience as a podcast creator and host. He currently heads 14th Street Studios, a podcast production and marketing firm based in Austin, Texas. Michael started his first podcast, Generation Anthropocene, while he was finishing his PhD in climate science at Stanford. After completing his degree, he spent five years running a podcast incubator for Stanford. During that time he created his second show, Raw Data, which partnered with PRX. In his role at 14th Street Studios, Michael specializes in creative development and podcast marketing for individuals and organizations.

    Websites
    14th Street Studios

    Famous & Gravy

     

    Socials:

    Facebook

    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076654703402

    LinkedIn links

    Famous & Gravy

    Michael Osborne

    Twitter handles
     

    @famousandgravy
    @osbornemc

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     How to Make Serious Topics Fun with the hosts of Famous & Gravy Michael Osborne, Amit Kapoor, Elaine Appleton Grant, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir, Andrew Parella 00:38:33 Famous & Gravy is hilarious and philosophical, funny and thought-provoking. It’s about dead celebrities, but really it's about life’s biggest questions. Cohosts Michael Osborne and Amit Kapoor reflect on aspects of a dead celebrity ranging from love and work to their inner lives. That leads them to reflect on their own lives, and on it will lead you to reflect on yours. All while laughing. You’ll learn a lot about creative constraints, and how crafting an extremely structured show can make audio storytelling easier, more efficient, and more creative. You’ll learn a fresh approach to co-hosting. And you’ll learn how to hook your listener in the first 30 seconds – and equally important, how to end episodes in a way that keeps your listeners coming back. This is Sound Judgment, where we investigate just what it takes to become a beloved podcast host – by pulling apart one episode at a time, together. Famous & Gravy is hilarious and philosophical, funny and thought-provoking. It’s about dead celebrities, but really it's about life’s biggest questions. Cohosts Michael Osborne and Amit Kapoor reflect on aspects of a dead celebrity ranging from love and work to their inner lives. That leads them to reflect on their own lives, and on it will lead you to reflect on yours. All while laughing. You’ll learn a lot about creative constraints, and how crafting an extremely structured show can make audio storytelling easier, more efficient, and more creative. You’ll learn a fresh approach to co-hosting. And you’ll learn how to hook your listener in the first 30 seconds – and equally important, how to end episodes in a way that keeps your listeners coming back. This is Sound Judgment, where we investigate just what it takes to become a beloved podcast host – by pulling apart one episode at a time, together. audio creator, podcast producer, storytelling, produce a podcast, host a podcast, hosting, great podcast host, celebrity, great host, podcast host, celebrity worship, producer, hostiness true full 14 2     51a7a281-8f35-4d5e-aca3-376275a9c595 Pushkin's Julia Barton on The Best Audio Storytelling of the Year [Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show.]

    Win prizes! Tell us your favorite Sound Judgment episode
    Deadline: 6.30.23

    This Sound Judgment season is quickly coming to an end. Our season finale airs Thursday, June 29. We go behind the scenes with the hilarious hosts of Famous & Gravy, the podcast that asks, “Would you like to have had this dead celebrity’s life?” 

    To celebrate, we need your help! Please tell us your favorite and/or most useful Sound Judgment episode and why. In return, we’re selecting a winner, at random, to receive merch from their favorite podcaster. If that podcaster doesn’t offer merch, you’ll receive NEW Sound Judgment merch!

    To enter, respond to this quick questionnaire   by Friday, June 30, 2023, midnight EST. 

    Would you like Sound Judgment listeners to hear your voice on our podcast? Record a brief voice memo and email it to us at allies@podcastallies.com by Friday, June 30. 

    If selected, we’ll run your voice memo on a future episode of Sound Judgment. (Be sure to include your name, the name of your podcast or business, your favorite or most useful Sound Judgment episode, and why you chose it.) 

    Thank you. We love our listeners!

    ... 

    Julia Barton is the executive editor of Pushkin Industries, following a long career in public radio. She helped develop Revisionist History and Against the Rules, among other chart-topping shows. She’s the editor of Malcolm Gladwell’s audiobook The Bomber Mafia, Michael Specter’s Fauci, and Michael Lewis’s unabridged Liar’s Poker and companion podcast. Her 2019 series for PRX’s Radiotopia, Spacebridge, was called “dazzling” by The New Yorker.

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to producers whenever it’s possible to do so. 
     

    Discussed on this Sound Judgment episode: 
    The Best Audio Storytelling: 2022
    Foreword by David Sedaris
    Get 15% off The Best Audio Storytelling: 2022 with the promo code BestAudioSJ15 here.

    The anthology features many different podcasts. We examined: 
    "I Can Do Anything" by Jason Reynolds, from his Radiotopia podcast, My Mother Made Me

    "Armand's Garden" by Erica Heilman, from her podcast, Rumble Strip

    "The Tunnel,"  featuring reporter Andrea Bernstein, from Pineapple St. Studios/Wondery's Will Be Wild

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 22 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Julia Barton, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ [Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show.]

    Win prizes! Tell us your favorite Sound Judgment episode
    Deadline: 6.30.23

    This Sound Judgment season is quickly coming to an end. Our season finale airs Thursday, June 29. We go behind the scenes with the hilarious hosts of Famous & Gravy, the podcast that asks, “Would you like to have had this dead celebrity’s life?” 

    To celebrate, we need your help! Please tell us your favorite and/or most useful Sound Judgment episode and why. In return, we’re selecting a winner, at random, to receive merch from their favorite podcaster. If that podcaster doesn’t offer merch, you’ll receive NEW Sound Judgment merch!

    To enter, respond to this quick questionnaire   by Friday, June 30, 2023, midnight EST. 

    Would you like Sound Judgment listeners to hear your voice on our podcast? Record a brief voice memo and email it to us at allies@podcastallies.com by Friday, June 30. 

    If selected, we’ll run your voice memo on a future episode of Sound Judgment. (Be sure to include your name, the name of your podcast or business, your favorite or most useful Sound Judgment episode, and why you chose it.) 

    Thank you. We love our listeners!

    ... 

    Julia Barton is the executive editor of Pushkin Industries, following a long career in public radio. She helped develop Revisionist History and Against the Rules, among other chart-topping shows. She’s the editor of Malcolm Gladwell’s audiobook The Bomber Mafia, Michael Specter’s Fauci, and Michael Lewis’s unabridged Liar’s Poker and companion podcast. Her 2019 series for PRX’s Radiotopia, Spacebridge, was called “dazzling” by The New Yorker.

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to producers whenever it’s possible to do so. 
     

    Discussed on this Sound Judgment episode: 
    The Best Audio Storytelling: 2022
    Foreword by David Sedaris
    Get 15% off The Best Audio Storytelling: 2022 with the promo code BestAudioSJ15 here.

    The anthology features many different podcasts. We examined: 
    "I Can Do Anything" by Jason Reynolds, from his Radiotopia podcast, My Mother Made Me

    "Armand's Garden" by Erica Heilman, from her podcast, Rumble Strip

    "The Tunnel,"  featuring reporter Andrea Bernstein, from Pineapple St. Studios/Wondery's Will Be Wild

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Pushkin's Julia Barton on The Best Audio Storytelling of the Year Julia Barton, Audrey Nelson, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella 00:41:03 Pushkin Industries VP and Executive Editor Julia Barton had a dream: To create the first-ever anthology of the best audio storytelling. Fittingly, it would be in audiobook form, and it would call out the most powerful and innovative stories of the year. Barton had already been shaping Pushkin's catalogue of successful shows for years — shows like Revisionist History with Malcolm Gladwell, Against the Rules with Michael Lewis, A Slight Change of Plans with Maya Shankar, and The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos. As a lifelong journalist and editor, Barton is a master of story structure and story editing. She knows (and shares) how to engage listeners. Barton finally realized her dream. Pushkin recently released its first anthology — The Best Audio Storytelling: 2022. We go under the covers on how to craft and perform a great audio essay, with Jason Reynolds' My Mother Made Me; how to make a poetic audio documentary shine, with Erica Heilman's Rumble Strip, and how to be transparent about process, with the hit investigative podcast Will Be Wild (Andrea Bernstein). Pushkin Industries VP and Executive Editor Julia Barton had a dream: To create the first-ever anthology of the best audio storytelling. Fittingly, it would be in audiobook form, and it would call out the most powerful and innovative stories of the year. Barton had already been shaping Pushkin's catalogue of successful shows for years — shows like Revisionist History with Malcolm Gladwell, Against the Rules with Michael Lewis, A Slight Change of Plans with Maya Shankar, and The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos. As a lifelong journalist and editor, Barton is a master of story structure and story editing. She knows (and shares) how to engage listeners. Barton finally realized her dream. Pushkin recently released its first anthology — The Best Audio Storytelling: 2022. We go under the covers on how to craft and perform a great audio essay, with Jason Reynolds' My Mother Made Me; how to make a poetic audio documentary shine, with Erica Heilman's Rumble Strip, and how to be transparent about process, with the hit investigative podcast Will Be Wild (Andrea Bernstein). voiceover, storyteller, story editor, malcolm gladwell, podcast producer, storytelling, story structure, julia barton, jason reynolds, will be wild, andrea bernstein, my mother made me, executive editor, how to pitch a podcast, voice talent, podcast awards, writing advice, great podcast host, pushkin industries, audio storyteller, jason reynolds i can do anything, the best audio storytelling 2022, great host, pushkin, producer, rumble strip, erica heilman, wondery, wondery/amazon, podcasting, best host, armand's garden, pineapple street studios true full 13 2     1d529fa7-e19a-4f2c-bf06-b03b86fb7cbd The Art of the Interview with Conversation Expert Celeste Headlee Celeste Headlee has anchored many programs, including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, Here and Now, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as co-host of the national morning news show, The Takeaway, and served as executive producer of Georgia Public Radio’s On Second Thought.

    Her best-selling books include We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations That Matter, Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing and Underliving, and Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk about Racism — and How to Do It. She also wrote Heard Mentality, a book specifically for journalists and podcasters.

    ***

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment: "A National Divorce Would Be a Good Thing," from  Hear Me Out

    Hear Me Out is a podcast from Slate. The show is produced by Maura Currie. Ben Richmond is the Senior Director of Podcast Operations, and Alicia Montgomery is VP of Slate Audio. Celeste Headlee is the host. 

    Links mentioned in this episode:

    • Sound Judgment Episode 10: Snap Judgment’s Glynn Washington: Lessons from a Master Storyteller
    • Bring lessons on hosting and producing into your inbox!  Did you know Sound Judgment is also a free newsletter? Every two weeks, get storytelling, hosting, and journalism strategies taken straight from the on-the-ground experiences of today’s best audio makers, no matter the genre. Newsletters feature examples for you to try in your studio; essays on the challenges and rewards of this craft; and news about fellow audio creatives making the kind of work we all aspire to. Click here to subscribe. 

    ***

    At the end of every episode, I give you a few of the many takeaways from these conversations. Here are today’s:  

    1. There are big and important differences between interviewing to report a story, where you’re using selected sound bites, and hosting an interview. Celeste was initially dismayed that her vast experience as a reporter hadn’t prepared her to sit in that host chair. As a host of a conversation, you have to care about creating a story arc; about the order of your questions; and about the way in which you ask your questions. None of those apply universally to reporting.
    2. A lot of what we think is true about good communication doesn’t prove to be true. Celeste says her research shows that tactics like making eye contact, saying uh-huh, nodding your head, and even repeating back what you heard – aren’t effective. It’s sharing perspectives that actually creates a connection, an empathic bond.
    3. Learning to communicate well with one another could not be more important – because to communicate well is to survive. One thing that Celeste told me that took my breath away is that it is not true that the human species survived because of some innate higher intelligence. Rather, she said, “The way that we survived is through our communities. If you’re messing with one human being, you are almost always messing with more.”
    4. To talk with those with whom you disagree, learn their arguments. You need to understand them as well as you know your own. Otherwise, they will dismiss your objection as coming from someone who simply doesn’t understand.

    ***

    Work with us!

    • We make original podcasts for NGOs, purpose-driven brands, and universities
    • We also offer podcast strategy and consulting services
    • Or contact us about our public media and individual training services for content creators and on-air talent

    Visit podcastallies.com or email us at allies@podcastallies.com for more information. 

    ***

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 8 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Celeste Headlee, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant, Tina Bassir) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Celeste Headlee has anchored many programs, including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, Here and Now, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as co-host of the national morning news show, The Takeaway, and served as executive producer of Georgia Public Radio’s On Second Thought.

    Her best-selling books include We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations That Matter, Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing and Underliving, and Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk about Racism — and How to Do It. She also wrote Heard Mentality, a book specifically for journalists and podcasters.

    ***

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment: "A National Divorce Would Be a Good Thing," from  Hear Me Out

    Hear Me Out is a podcast from Slate. The show is produced by Maura Currie. Ben Richmond is the Senior Director of Podcast Operations, and Alicia Montgomery is VP of Slate Audio. Celeste Headlee is the host. 

    Links mentioned in this episode:

    • Sound Judgment Episode 10: Snap Judgment’s Glynn Washington: Lessons from a Master Storyteller
    • Bring lessons on hosting and producing into your inbox!  Did you know Sound Judgment is also a free newsletter? Every two weeks, get storytelling, hosting, and journalism strategies taken straight from the on-the-ground experiences of today’s best audio makers, no matter the genre. Newsletters feature examples for you to try in your studio; essays on the challenges and rewards of this craft; and news about fellow audio creatives making the kind of work we all aspire to. Click here to subscribe. 

    ***

    At the end of every episode, I give you a few of the many takeaways from these conversations. Here are today’s:  

    1. There are big and important differences between interviewing to report a story, where you’re using selected sound bites, and hosting an interview. Celeste was initially dismayed that her vast experience as a reporter hadn’t prepared her to sit in that host chair. As a host of a conversation, you have to care about creating a story arc; about the order of your questions; and about the way in which you ask your questions. None of those apply universally to reporting.
    2. A lot of what we think is true about good communication doesn’t prove to be true. Celeste says her research shows that tactics like making eye contact, saying uh-huh, nodding your head, and even repeating back what you heard – aren’t effective. It’s sharing perspectives that actually creates a connection, an empathic bond.
    3. Learning to communicate well with one another could not be more important – because to communicate well is to survive. One thing that Celeste told me that took my breath away is that it is not true that the human species survived because of some innate higher intelligence. Rather, she said, “The way that we survived is through our communities. If you’re messing with one human being, you are almost always messing with more.”
    4. To talk with those with whom you disagree, learn their arguments. You need to understand them as well as you know your own. Otherwise, they will dismiss your objection as coming from someone who simply doesn’t understand.

    ***

    Work with us!

    • We make original podcasts for NGOs, purpose-driven brands, and universities
    • We also offer podcast strategy and consulting services
    • Or contact us about our public media and individual training services for content creators and on-air talent

    Visit podcastallies.com or email us at allies@podcastallies.com for more information. 

    ***

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     The Art of the Interview with Conversation Expert Celeste Headlee Celeste Headlee, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant, Tina Bassir 00:49:07 Do high-stakes interviews make you nervous? Do you want to communicate better across partisan, racial, or gender divides? Or do you want to make any interview you conduct more compelling? You couldn't ask for a better teacher than Celeste Headlee. A best-selling author and global speaker, this veteran NPR reporter and host has interviewed everyone from presidents to KKK members to authors like Toni Morrison and John Updike. She's also literally written THE books on the art of conversation. Her TED talk, "10 Ways to Have Better Conversations," has been viewed 38 million times. Today, she is the host of the Slate debate podcast, Hear Me Out. In this episode, you'll learn how to interview people who hold vastly different beliefs than you do; how to have illuminating conversations, not confrontations; a helpful mindset shift for when you're nervous about conducting a hostile or difficult interview; and the brain science that explains what makes a good conversation (prepare to have some myths busted), and more strategies that serious audio creators can put to good use in their own work immediately. Do high-stakes interviews make you nervous? Do you want to communicate better across partisan, racial, or gender divides? Or do you want to make any interview you conduct more compelling? You couldn't ask for a better teacher than Celeste Headlee. A best-selling author and global speaker, this veteran NPR reporter and host has interviewed everyone from presidents to KKK members to authors like Toni Morrison and John Updike. She's also literally written THE books on the art of conversation. Her TED talk, "10 Ways to Have Better Conversations," has been viewed 38 million times. Today, she is the host of the Slate debate podcast, Hear Me Out. In this episode, you'll learn how to interview people who hold vastly different beliefs than you do; how to have illuminating conversations, not confrontations; a helpful mindset shift for when you're nervous about conducting a hostile or difficult interview; and the brain science that explains what makes a good conversation (prepare to have some myths busted), and more strategies that serious audio creators can put to good use in their own work immediately. celeste headlee, npr, secession, dei, david black, inclusion, alternative facts, diversity, american secession, public media, how to interview, art of conversation, john lansing, crossing the divide, art of the interview, frank buckley, partisanship, how to be a better interviewer, equity, slate podcasts, hear me out, interview tips true full 12 2     e4f36968-bd55-4382-8b50-b477685a92da How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins About Sam Mullins

    Sam Mullins is a writer, comedian and journalist based in Toronto, and is the host of the critically acclaimed podcast series “Chameleon: Wild Boys” and “Chameleon: Dr Dante” from Campside Media and Sony Music. For the past decade, he's been writing comedy for TV + radio, and performing his award-winning solo shows all over North America. His stories have been featured on This American Life, The Moth, and CBC's The Doc Project.

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    Chameleon: Wild Boys  Episode 1. Arrival

    We believe that no podcast host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, editors, and engineers -- the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to every podcast team whenever it’s possible to do so. 

    Wild Boys Credits: Host: Sam Mullins; Producer: Abukar Adan; Senior Producer: Ashleyanne Krigbaum; Executive Producer: Matt Shaer; Editor: Karen Duffin; Sound Design and Mixing: Hannis Brown and Garrett Tiedemann

    At the end of every episode, I give you a few of the many takeaways from these conversations. Here are today’s:  

    1. As storytellers, we already know that curiosity is critical. But are you as curious as you can be? When Sam first started looking into this old story, he discovered that reporters had only skimmed the surface. Sam was driven by a need to understand how this situation could have happened. He began asking questions like what was their childhood like? What would drive two young men to do something like this?
    2. Trust your instincts. If you think there’s more to a story than meets the eye, you’re probably right. Sam trusted his when he said, “There has to be much more here than they were just jerks messing with us.” And there was.
    3. Working with a good editor is a godsend -  it can mean the difference between a memorable story or series and one that falls flat. But, as Sam says, the relationship with an editor is a scary one, because it’s so intimate. You have to earn each other’s trust and be completely honest with each other.
    4. The creative work you do without recognition or outward signs of success is never wasted. I’m a sucker for an overnight success story – which is what Sam’s story initially sounded like. But I’m also a sucker for most people’s real overnight success stories – which is that good fortune isn’t sudden at all; it’s the outcome of years of building skills.

    Links mentioned in this episode:

    ***

    Bring lessons on hosting and producing into your inbox! 

    Did you know Sound Judgment is also a free newsletter? Every two weeks, get storytelling, hosting, and journalism strategies taken straight from the on-the-ground experiences of today’s best audio makers, no matter the genre. Newsletters feature examples for you to try in your studio; essays on the challenges and rewards of this craft; and news about fellow audio creatives making the kind of work we all aspire to. Click here to subscribe. 

    ***

    Work with us!

    • We make original podcasts for NGOs, purpose-driven brands, and universities
    • We also offer podcast strategy and consulting services
    • Or contact us about our public media and individual training services for content creators and on-air talent

    Visit podcastallies.com or email us at allies@podcastallies.com for more information. 

    ***

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 25 May 2023 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Sam Mullins, Tina Bassir, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ About Sam Mullins

    Sam Mullins is a writer, comedian and journalist based in Toronto, and is the host of the critically acclaimed podcast series “Chameleon: Wild Boys” and “Chameleon: Dr Dante” from Campside Media and Sony Music. For the past decade, he's been writing comedy for TV + radio, and performing his award-winning solo shows all over North America. His stories have been featured on This American Life, The Moth, and CBC's The Doc Project.

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    Chameleon: Wild Boys  Episode 1. Arrival

    We believe that no podcast host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, editors, and engineers -- the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to every podcast team whenever it’s possible to do so. 

    Wild Boys Credits: Host: Sam Mullins; Producer: Abukar Adan; Senior Producer: Ashleyanne Krigbaum; Executive Producer: Matt Shaer; Editor: Karen Duffin; Sound Design and Mixing: Hannis Brown and Garrett Tiedemann

    At the end of every episode, I give you a few of the many takeaways from these conversations. Here are today’s:  

    1. As storytellers, we already know that curiosity is critical. But are you as curious as you can be? When Sam first started looking into this old story, he discovered that reporters had only skimmed the surface. Sam was driven by a need to understand how this situation could have happened. He began asking questions like what was their childhood like? What would drive two young men to do something like this?
    2. Trust your instincts. If you think there’s more to a story than meets the eye, you’re probably right. Sam trusted his when he said, “There has to be much more here than they were just jerks messing with us.” And there was.
    3. Working with a good editor is a godsend -  it can mean the difference between a memorable story or series and one that falls flat. But, as Sam says, the relationship with an editor is a scary one, because it’s so intimate. You have to earn each other’s trust and be completely honest with each other.
    4. The creative work you do without recognition or outward signs of success is never wasted. I’m a sucker for an overnight success story – which is what Sam’s story initially sounded like. But I’m also a sucker for most people’s real overnight success stories – which is that good fortune isn’t sudden at all; it’s the outcome of years of building skills.

    Links mentioned in this episode:

    ***

    Bring lessons on hosting and producing into your inbox! 

    Did you know Sound Judgment is also a free newsletter? Every two weeks, get storytelling, hosting, and journalism strategies taken straight from the on-the-ground experiences of today’s best audio makers, no matter the genre. Newsletters feature examples for you to try in your studio; essays on the challenges and rewards of this craft; and news about fellow audio creatives making the kind of work we all aspire to. Click here to subscribe. 

    ***

    Work with us!

    • We make original podcasts for NGOs, purpose-driven brands, and universities
    • We also offer podcast strategy and consulting services
    • Or contact us about our public media and individual training services for content creators and on-air talent

    Visit podcastallies.com or email us at allies@podcastallies.com for more information. 

    ***

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     How to Make Listeners Breathless for More with Wild Boys' Sam Mullins Sam Mullins, Tina Bassir, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant 00:55:53 When Sam Mullins was growing up in a small, almost utopian Canadian town, two boys appeared one summer as if from nowhere. They said they'd been raised in the woods, which accounted for why they were so...strange. And skinny. And would only eat fruit, and seemed to have only the ragged clothes on their backs. Sam was a teenager when a scandal exploded around the boys...and he remembered it 20 years later, when as a struggling — maybe failed — actor and writer, he was searching for a podcast to make and a mystery to unravel. On the basis of a cold email pitch from a novice podcaster, Sam's story became the acclaimed, award-winning Campside Media series Chameleon: Wild Boys. You'll learn from Sam the kinds of questions he asked multiple sources; how he convinced a reluctant protagonist to talk with him; why he didn't take the existing reporting at face value; how he uses language expertly to evoke characters and places; the critical role of the editor-writer relationship; and how to structure a series not just for plot but for momentum, emotional affect on the listener, and always for a bigger vision. And you'll learn what it means to ask, "But what is this story about, about?" The charming Sam Mullins is a gold mine of information and inspiration for any storyteller — in audio and beyond. A word of caution: There is a brief mention of suicide in this episode. Please use care while listening. When Sam Mullins was growing up in a small, almost utopian Canadian town, two boys appeared one summer as if from nowhere. They said they'd been raised in the woods, which accounted for why they were so...strange. And skinny. And would only eat fruit, and seemed to have only the ragged clothes on their backs. Sam was a teenager when a scandal exploded around the boys...and he remembered it 20 years later, when as a struggling — maybe failed — actor and writer, he was searching for a podcast to make and a mystery to unravel. On the basis of a cold email pitch from a novice podcaster, Sam's story became the acclaimed, award-winning Campside Media series Chameleon: Wild Boys. You'll learn from Sam the kinds of questions he asked multiple sources; how he convinced a reluctant protagonist to talk with him; why he didn't take the existing reporting at face value; how he uses language expertly to evoke characters and places; the critical role of the editor-writer relationship; and how to structure a series not just for plot but for momentum, emotional affect on the listener, and always for a bigger vision. And you'll learn what it means to ask, "But what is this story about, about?" The charming Sam Mullins is a gold mine of information and inspiration for any storyteller — in audio and beyond. A word of caution: There is a brief mention of suicide in this episode. Please use care while listening. storyteller, listener engagement, story editor, podcast producer, storytelling, podcast academy, podcast, podcast industry, lede, campside media, vernon, narrative, hook your listener, be a great host, audio documentary, true crime, audio, audio storyteller, sam mullins, creative nonfiction, host, ambie awards, limited series, podcast host, serialized narrative, longform, listeners, wild boys, podcast of the year, producer, editor, audience engagement true full 11 2     43340477-2042-4b85-b327-e607ac9db716 How to Tell the Truth: The Art of Memoir with Dana Black Mother's Day seems like it should be a Hallmark moment. But for many, reality is far different. Dana Black started her very personal podcast, I Swear on My Mother's Grave, for listeners suffering from complex mother loss — meaning not only people who have lost their mothers to death, but also, in life  by estrangement, illness, addiction, circumstance. 

    Sensitivity warning: This conversation touches on alcoholism and addiction. 

    Audio storytellers can learn design the tone, writing, and mood of a podcast to foster  intimacy with listeners. They can grapple with the defining the role of the podcast host. They will learn how to make guests, and listeners, feel seen, and to create a sense of belonging. We also discuss the power of scenes to convey memory, character, relationship and feelings. 

    At the end of every episode, I give you a few of the many takeaways from these conversations. Here are today’s:  

    1. We say podcasts are an intimate medium. But that’s really not the case. What’s true is that podcasts have the capacity to feel intimate – but it takes a clear sound vision to make that happen.  Dana has it. She thinks carefully about how she wants her listeners to feel. “Come here come here come here,” she whispers. She talks to them directly, as if they’re right there. “Sit by the fire with me. Grab a cup of cocoa. Put on warm socks.” She wants them to feel they’re in on a secret and so she writes, voices, and sound designs with that goal in mind. 
       
    2. There’s no intimacy without trust. “The only way to gain the trust of someone I’ve never met,” Dana says, “I have to share myself, so that they will share themselves.” 
       
    3.  There is so much power in scenes. A 45-second scene – in Dana’s case, about getting American girl dolls for Christmas – we get a distillation of who her mother was. Scenes done well are beautiful shortcuts to both facts and feelings – and inevitably have listeners conjuring up memories from their own lives. 
       
    4. One reason listeners are hooked on I Swear on My Mother’s Grave: At the end of every episode, Dana reflects on what that conversation meant to her, often in surprising ways. Listeners can’t wait to find out what she’ll say. 

    Links mentioned in this episode:

    ***

    Bring lessons on hosting and producing into your inbox! 

    Did you know Sound Judgment is also a free newsletter? Every two weeks, get storytelling, hosting, and journalism strategies taken straight from the on-the-ground experiences of today’s best audio makers, no matter the genre. Newsletters feature examples for you to try in your studio; essays on the challenges and rewards of this craft; and news about fellow audio creatives making the kind of work we all aspire to. Click here to subscribe. 

    ***

    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!  Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Work with us!

    • We make original podcasts for NGOs, purpose-driven brands, and universities
    • We also offer podcast strategy and consulting services
    • Or contact us about our public media and individual training services for content creators and on-air talent

    Visit podcastallies.com or email us at allies@podcastallies.com for more information. 

    ***
    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    • Host: Elaine Appleton Grant
    • Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir
    • Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella
    • Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 11 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Dana Black, Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Mother's Day seems like it should be a Hallmark moment. But for many, reality is far different. Dana Black started her very personal podcast, I Swear on My Mother's Grave, for listeners suffering from complex mother loss — meaning not only people who have lost their mothers to death, but also, in life  by estrangement, illness, addiction, circumstance. 

    Sensitivity warning: This conversation touches on alcoholism and addiction. 

    Audio storytellers can learn design the tone, writing, and mood of a podcast to foster  intimacy with listeners. They can grapple with the defining the role of the podcast host. They will learn how to make guests, and listeners, feel seen, and to create a sense of belonging. We also discuss the power of scenes to convey memory, character, relationship and feelings. 

    At the end of every episode, I give you a few of the many takeaways from these conversations. Here are today’s:  

    1. We say podcasts are an intimate medium. But that’s really not the case. What’s true is that podcasts have the capacity to feel intimate – but it takes a clear sound vision to make that happen.  Dana has it. She thinks carefully about how she wants her listeners to feel. “Come here come here come here,” she whispers. She talks to them directly, as if they’re right there. “Sit by the fire with me. Grab a cup of cocoa. Put on warm socks.” She wants them to feel they’re in on a secret and so she writes, voices, and sound designs with that goal in mind. 
       
    2. There’s no intimacy without trust. “The only way to gain the trust of someone I’ve never met,” Dana says, “I have to share myself, so that they will share themselves.” 
       
    3.  There is so much power in scenes. A 45-second scene – in Dana’s case, about getting American girl dolls for Christmas – we get a distillation of who her mother was. Scenes done well are beautiful shortcuts to both facts and feelings – and inevitably have listeners conjuring up memories from their own lives. 
       
    4. One reason listeners are hooked on I Swear on My Mother’s Grave: At the end of every episode, Dana reflects on what that conversation meant to her, often in surprising ways. Listeners can’t wait to find out what she’ll say. 

    Links mentioned in this episode:

    ***

    Bring lessons on hosting and producing into your inbox! 

    Did you know Sound Judgment is also a free newsletter? Every two weeks, get storytelling, hosting, and journalism strategies taken straight from the on-the-ground experiences of today’s best audio makers, no matter the genre. Newsletters feature examples for you to try in your studio; essays on the challenges and rewards of this craft; and news about fellow audio creatives making the kind of work we all aspire to. Click here to subscribe. 

    ***

    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!  Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Work with us!

    • We make original podcasts for NGOs, purpose-driven brands, and universities
    • We also offer podcast strategy and consulting services
    • Or contact us about our public media and individual training services for content creators and on-air talent

    Visit podcastallies.com or email us at allies@podcastallies.com for more information. 

    ***
    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    • Host: Elaine Appleton Grant
    • Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir
    • Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella
    • Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     How to Tell the Truth: The Art of Memoir with Dana Black Dana Black, Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir 00:45:50 Actor Dana Black started her memoir and conversation show “I Swear on My Mother’s Grave” on the fourth anniversary of her mother’s death. She was grieving her loss, but she’d been grieving for years, long before her mother died. She started her show as so many podcasters do – as a way to express the unexpressed. To share the once unshareable, in hopes that we will find that, in fact, we’re not alone. That we’ve never, actually, been alone. More than most podcasters, Dana takes advantage of the audio medium to create intimacy with her listeners -- and she's created loyal fans as a result. Listen to our Mother's Day episode to learn how you can do it, too. Actor Dana Black started her memoir and conversation show “I Swear on My Mother’s Grave” on the fourth anniversary of her mother’s death. She was grieving her loss, but she’d been grieving for years, long before her mother died. She started her show as so many podcasters do – as a way to express the unexpressed. To share the once unshareable, in hopes that we will find that, in fact, we’re not alone. That we’ve never, actually, been alone. More than most podcasters, Dana takes advantage of the audio medium to create intimacy with her listeners -- and she's created loyal fans as a result. Listen to our Mother's Day episode to learn how you can do it, too. audience growth, podcast producer, audio storytelling, voiceover talent, mother's day, voiceover artist, grief, on-air talent, grieving, memoir podcast, solo podcast, audio storyteller, mother loss, sam mullins, best podcast, memoir, podcast host, conversation podcast, i swear on my mother's grave, radio host, audience engagement, ambies, dana black, mother death true full 10 2     c47ba2f1-a0d4-4c2f-a055-1d8f9c7bfa2b Best Of: Emotional Bravery with Last Day's Stephanie Wittels Wachs One day in the summer of 2022, Lemonada Media’s Stephanie Wittels Wachs received a surprise: an invitation to the White House to witness the signing of a gun safety bill. The invitation was sparked by the tremendous emotional impact of their hit show, Last Day, and especially of this episode, "A Love Story." If you strive to make audio documentaries on the toughest problems we face today, this behind-the-scenes conversation is your road map. 

    Scroll down for several actionable takeaways from this episode. 

    Stephanie Wittels Wachs is a longtime actor, voice-over artist, theater teacher, author and the co-founder, with Jessica Cordova Cramer, of Lemonada Media. Last Day is only one of Lemonada’s 30-plus podcasts, including chart-topping Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Lemonada Media's tag line matches Stephanie’s personality: Humanity. Unfiltered. 

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers. We strive to give credit to producers – the true behind-the-scenes talent – whenever it’s possible to do so. 

    The episode: A Love Story

    Executive Producers: Jessica Cordova Cramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs

    Supervising Producer: Jackie Danziger

    Producers: Kagan Zema and Giulia Hjort

    Associate Producers: Hannah Boomershine and Erianna Jiles 

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter.  Improve your craft! Read our free, twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in podcasting and radio. Join subscribers from PRX, AIR (Association for Independents in Radio), Hindenburg, PRPD (Public Radio Program Directors Association), Pacific Content, NPR affiliates, and more.  

    Help us grow: Please share this episode with a fellow creator. 

    Stay in touch!
    Follow Elaine:

    Facebook

    LinkedIn

    Instagram

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Work with us! Looking for a production company that understands audiences and puts storytelling first? Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    How to tell sensitive, impactful stories: Stephanie’s takeaways

    1. Be curious. Frame your story around a central question.
      “I'm a central question psychopath… I'm always saying, okay, but what's the question? What are we trying to figure out? What's the point? That's really critical to any storytelling, but I think it [emerges] over time. And it's so baked into the process of revision and collaboration. And you know when you’ve found it… If the episode isn't working, it's typically because you haven't nailed down what that central question is.”
       
    2. To be vulnerable on tape, you need at least one partner who encourages vulnerability. Stephanie relies on her team of skilled and sensitive producers.
      “I am used to collaborating very deeply and closely and trusting one another through that process. I don't know how I would do this with a team I didn't trust and feel safe with. The show is a real team sport.” 
       
    3. To help a host be authentic in front of a mic, give them permission to have feelings.
      “Gloria Rivera [host of No One’s Coming to Save Us and a veteran news broadcaster] was doing tracking…using her broadcast voice. And I was like, “Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, that microphone hates that. Let's shake that off. We're gonna play this tape. Can you just listen to this woman talking about how hard it is for her to juggle a newborn with a toddler with her own job? And I know you've experienced some of that yourself. And can you just close your eyes and then respond to it, just however you feel. And Gloria…she's so full of heart and soul and vulnerability herself. Once she had that permission, she started crying. And she started talking about her own experience having to go to war zones with little kids at home, and how painful that was for her to have to balance. And we kept that as the first moment of the first episode.”
       
    4. Have fun making the show. It shows. 
      “We have fun making the show, and that feels important, because it’s real dark.” (Elaine’s note: If you’re not having fun, it might be time to reevaluate how you’re creating it, what you’re creating, and whether to continue.) 
       
    5. Great storytelling is built on truth, contrast, and unexpected turns — or why Stephanie led an episode about suicide with a scene of her team whooping it up at a shooting range. 
      “I had never understood how hunting could bring somebody joy until I shot a gun that morning. I had a ton of fun. Seven hours later, we were in a living room talking to a family who lost their son. Because he took his life with a hunting rifle. I didn't know how else to tell that story honestly… And I always [pleading with my team] ‘show not tell, show not tell!’ And the way that we showed it was to have fun shooting the guns. And then let's see the pain that this causes. You have to have both of those to understand the issue.” 
       
    6. To make a gripping narrative podcast, use scenes, as often as possible (but only good ones).
      “This is the theater part, right? It's about character and it's about humanity and that's the stuff we try to capture, right? What are the human things about you? And what are the human things about me? And then when we put those things in a room together, human things happen. And that's interesting.”
       
    7. Make choices about the quantity of your narration on a case-by-case basis. 
      “We typically have a lot of tracking in these episodes. And we made a very conscious choice with this one to keep a lot of the conversation intact. They were so honest, and we had this really amazing moment together.  And let's just try to keep a lot of that together. And take me as narrator out as much as we could…A lot of our episodes are seven voices…really woven together and patchworked.”  
       
    8. Find a champion. 
      How do you find people willing to share deeply personal stories? You need what Stephanie calls a “credible messenger,” someone trusted in a community, to show you the ropes and introduce you to people. 
      “We had a lot of trouble tracking down people to talk to us in Montana. To be honest, it took many, many months. We started with this guy named Carl…who heads up mental health for the Department of Health and Human Services in Montana… In our very first call…Carl said you're gonna have to fix your poker face before you come into Montana or no one's going to talk to you. And we kept that in. We wanted to show everyone there's barrier to entry. And if we came in with [the stance that] you shouldn't have guns, we would not get anywhere. So he culturally put us through the wringer. Once he could see that we were down to not come in and tell everyone the way that they should live their lives, he opened the gate, and connected us to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in Montana.”

      Credits 
      Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 
      Host: Elaine Appleton Grant
      Project Manager: Tina Bassir
      Sound Designer: Andrew Parella
      Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 4 May 2023 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Tina Bassir, Stephanie Wittels Wachs, Andrew Parella) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ One day in the summer of 2022, Lemonada Media’s Stephanie Wittels Wachs received a surprise: an invitation to the White House to witness the signing of a gun safety bill. The invitation was sparked by the tremendous emotional impact of their hit show, Last Day, and especially of this episode, "A Love Story." If you strive to make audio documentaries on the toughest problems we face today, this behind-the-scenes conversation is your road map. 

    Scroll down for several actionable takeaways from this episode. 

    Stephanie Wittels Wachs is a longtime actor, voice-over artist, theater teacher, author and the co-founder, with Jessica Cordova Cramer, of Lemonada Media. Last Day is only one of Lemonada’s 30-plus podcasts, including chart-topping Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Lemonada Media's tag line matches Stephanie’s personality: Humanity. Unfiltered. 

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers. We strive to give credit to producers – the true behind-the-scenes talent – whenever it’s possible to do so. 

    The episode: A Love Story

    Executive Producers: Jessica Cordova Cramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs

    Supervising Producer: Jackie Danziger

    Producers: Kagan Zema and Giulia Hjort

    Associate Producers: Hannah Boomershine and Erianna Jiles 

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter.  Improve your craft! Read our free, twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in podcasting and radio. Join subscribers from PRX, AIR (Association for Independents in Radio), Hindenburg, PRPD (Public Radio Program Directors Association), Pacific Content, NPR affiliates, and more.  

    Help us grow: Please share this episode with a fellow creator. 

    Stay in touch!
    Follow Elaine:

    Facebook

    LinkedIn

    Instagram

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Work with us! Looking for a production company that understands audiences and puts storytelling first? Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    How to tell sensitive, impactful stories: Stephanie’s takeaways

    1. Be curious. Frame your story around a central question.
      “I'm a central question psychopath… I'm always saying, okay, but what's the question? What are we trying to figure out? What's the point? That's really critical to any storytelling, but I think it [emerges] over time. And it's so baked into the process of revision and collaboration. And you know when you’ve found it… If the episode isn't working, it's typically because you haven't nailed down what that central question is.”
       
    2. To be vulnerable on tape, you need at least one partner who encourages vulnerability. Stephanie relies on her team of skilled and sensitive producers.
      “I am used to collaborating very deeply and closely and trusting one another through that process. I don't know how I would do this with a team I didn't trust and feel safe with. The show is a real team sport.” 
       
    3. To help a host be authentic in front of a mic, give them permission to have feelings.
      “Gloria Rivera [host of No One’s Coming to Save Us and a veteran news broadcaster] was doing tracking…using her broadcast voice. And I was like, “Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, that microphone hates that. Let's shake that off. We're gonna play this tape. Can you just listen to this woman talking about how hard it is for her to juggle a newborn with a toddler with her own job? And I know you've experienced some of that yourself. And can you just close your eyes and then respond to it, just however you feel. And Gloria…she's so full of heart and soul and vulnerability herself. Once she had that permission, she started crying. And she started talking about her own experience having to go to war zones with little kids at home, and how painful that was for her to have to balance. And we kept that as the first moment of the first episode.”
       
    4. Have fun making the show. It shows. 
      “We have fun making the show, and that feels important, because it’s real dark.” (Elaine’s note: If you’re not having fun, it might be time to reevaluate how you’re creating it, what you’re creating, and whether to continue.) 
       
    5. Great storytelling is built on truth, contrast, and unexpected turns — or why Stephanie led an episode about suicide with a scene of her team whooping it up at a shooting range. 
      “I had never understood how hunting could bring somebody joy until I shot a gun that morning. I had a ton of fun. Seven hours later, we were in a living room talking to a family who lost their son. Because he took his life with a hunting rifle. I didn't know how else to tell that story honestly… And I always [pleading with my team] ‘show not tell, show not tell!’ And the way that we showed it was to have fun shooting the guns. And then let's see the pain that this causes. You have to have both of those to understand the issue.” 
       
    6. To make a gripping narrative podcast, use scenes, as often as possible (but only good ones).
      “This is the theater part, right? It's about character and it's about humanity and that's the stuff we try to capture, right? What are the human things about you? And what are the human things about me? And then when we put those things in a room together, human things happen. And that's interesting.”
       
    7. Make choices about the quantity of your narration on a case-by-case basis. 
      “We typically have a lot of tracking in these episodes. And we made a very conscious choice with this one to keep a lot of the conversation intact. They were so honest, and we had this really amazing moment together.  And let's just try to keep a lot of that together. And take me as narrator out as much as we could…A lot of our episodes are seven voices…really woven together and patchworked.”  
       
    8. Find a champion. 
      How do you find people willing to share deeply personal stories? You need what Stephanie calls a “credible messenger,” someone trusted in a community, to show you the ropes and introduce you to people. 
      “We had a lot of trouble tracking down people to talk to us in Montana. To be honest, it took many, many months. We started with this guy named Carl…who heads up mental health for the Department of Health and Human Services in Montana… In our very first call…Carl said you're gonna have to fix your poker face before you come into Montana or no one's going to talk to you. And we kept that in. We wanted to show everyone there's barrier to entry. And if we came in with [the stance that] you shouldn't have guns, we would not get anywhere. So he culturally put us through the wringer. Once he could see that we were down to not come in and tell everyone the way that they should live their lives, he opened the gate, and connected us to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in Montana.”

      Credits 
      Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 
      Host: Elaine Appleton Grant
      Project Manager: Tina Bassir
      Sound Designer: Andrew Parella
      Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Best Of: Emotional Bravery with Last Day's Stephanie Wittels Wachs Tina Bassir, Stephanie Wittels Wachs, Andrew Parella 00:44:56 As writers, journalists, podcasters, we often deal with hard subjects – topics that are painful to explore and to tell. So why do we do it? Because, done well, telling the hard stories lead to change. They can lead to help and healing. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. We could think of no better way to help raise awareness than to re-release one of my favorite episodes of Sound Judgment. It’s a conversation with Stephanie Wittels Wachs, host of Last Day. We talked about the Last Day episode "A Love Story." In it, we meet a couple named Larry and Shannon, who lost their son to suicide. And just like life, it’s tragic, but there’s also laughter and pride and celebration. "A Love Story" won a 2023 Webby Award for best documentary. There's a lot to learn from how Wittels Wachs and her team researched this story, built a relationship with sources, did tricky field reporting on a gun range in Montana and in the living room of a grieving couple, and wrote, edited, and voiced an episode that strikes just the right chords. If you or someone you know is in crisis, get help by calling or texting 988, the U.S. national crisis line. As writers, journalists, podcasters, we often deal with hard subjects – topics that are painful to explore and to tell. So why do we do it? Because, done well, telling the hard stories lead to change. They can lead to help and healing. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. We could think of no better way to help raise awareness than to re-release one of my favorite episodes of Sound Judgment. It’s a conversation with Stephanie Wittels Wachs, host of Last Day. We talked about the Last Day episode "A Love Story." In it, we meet a couple named Larry and Shannon, who lost their son to suicide. And just like life, it’s tragic, but there’s also laughter and pride and celebration. "A Love Story" won a 2023 Webby Award for best documentary. There's a lot to learn from how Wittels Wachs and her team researched this story, built a relationship with sources, did tricky field reporting on a gun range in Montana and in the living room of a grieving couple, and wrote, edited, and voiced an episode that strikes just the right chords. If you or someone you know is in crisis, get help by calling or texting 988, the U.S. national crisis line. mental health awareness month, podcast producer, narrative series, last day, audio storytelling, documentary, be a great host, narrative podcasting, executive producer, jessica cordova kramer, audio storyteller, gun control, great host, podcast host, longform, webby awards, suicide prevention, stephanie wittels wachs, lemonada, lemonada media true full 9 2     e82d7af7-c974-4b5c-a21c-2bdf3f6497d8 The Heist: How to Produce an Award-Winning Investigative Series with Sally Herships The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment: 

    • The Heist: https://apps.publicintegrity.org/theheist/
    • Episode 2: Mnuchin's World was reported and hosted by Sally Herships. Our editor was Curtis Fox, with help from consulting editor Alison MacAdam and Center for Public Integrity’s Tax Project editor Allan Holmes. Production help from Lucas Brady Woods, Brett Forrest, Camille Petersen, and Ali Swenson. Theme music and original score by composer Nina Perry and performed by musicians Danny Keane, Dawne Adams, and Oli Langford. Engineer is Peregrine Andrews. The Heist is executive produced by Sally Herships and the Center for Public Integrity’s Mei Fong. 

    Sound Judgment episodes mentioned in today’s episode:

    ***

    About Sally Herships:

    Sally Herships is an award-winning freelance audio journalist and Director of the Audio Program at Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism. Recently she covered the pandemic and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for NPR’s National Desk. She's a frequent contributor to the “Indicator," a daily economics podcast from NPR's Planet Money Team. 

    Her reporting has been included in multiple shows and outlets including the BBC, The New York Times, Morning Edition, All Things Considered, WNYC and Studio 360. 

    The Heist, an investigative series examining President Trump’s 2017 tax bill, which Sally hosted and co-Executive Produced, was honored as a finalist for the 2022 DuPont awards. The judges wrote: “A forensic review of the 2017 Tax bill, The Heist managed to be both an informative and wildly entertaining”

    Connect with Sally on LinkedIn or Twitter or at https://www.sallyherships.com/

    ***

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly publication about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    ***

    Work with us!

    • We make original podcasts for NGOs, purpose-driven brands, and universities
    • We also offer podcast strategy and consulting services
    • Or contact us about our public media and individual training services for content creators and on-air talent

    Visit podcastallies.com or email us at allies@podcastallies.com for more information. 

    ***
    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    • Host: Elaine Appleton Grant
    • Project Manager: Tina Bassir
    • Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella
    • Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 20 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Sally Herships, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant, Tina Bassir) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment: 

    • The Heist: https://apps.publicintegrity.org/theheist/
    • Episode 2: Mnuchin's World was reported and hosted by Sally Herships. Our editor was Curtis Fox, with help from consulting editor Alison MacAdam and Center for Public Integrity’s Tax Project editor Allan Holmes. Production help from Lucas Brady Woods, Brett Forrest, Camille Petersen, and Ali Swenson. Theme music and original score by composer Nina Perry and performed by musicians Danny Keane, Dawne Adams, and Oli Langford. Engineer is Peregrine Andrews. The Heist is executive produced by Sally Herships and the Center for Public Integrity’s Mei Fong. 

    Sound Judgment episodes mentioned in today’s episode:

    ***

    About Sally Herships:

    Sally Herships is an award-winning freelance audio journalist and Director of the Audio Program at Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism. Recently she covered the pandemic and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for NPR’s National Desk. She's a frequent contributor to the “Indicator," a daily economics podcast from NPR's Planet Money Team. 

    Her reporting has been included in multiple shows and outlets including the BBC, The New York Times, Morning Edition, All Things Considered, WNYC and Studio 360. 

    The Heist, an investigative series examining President Trump’s 2017 tax bill, which Sally hosted and co-Executive Produced, was honored as a finalist for the 2022 DuPont awards. The judges wrote: “A forensic review of the 2017 Tax bill, The Heist managed to be both an informative and wildly entertaining”

    Connect with Sally on LinkedIn or Twitter or at https://www.sallyherships.com/

    ***

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly publication about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    ***

    Work with us!

    • We make original podcasts for NGOs, purpose-driven brands, and universities
    • We also offer podcast strategy and consulting services
    • Or contact us about our public media and individual training services for content creators and on-air talent

    Visit podcastallies.com or email us at allies@podcastallies.com for more information. 

    ***
    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    • Host: Elaine Appleton Grant
    • Project Manager: Tina Bassir
    • Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella
    • Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     The Heist: How to Produce an Award-Winning Investigative Series with Sally Herships Sally Herships, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant, Tina Bassir 00:48:52 When the Center for Public Integrity decided to look into who was pulling the strings behind Trump's 2017 tax bill — one reporters would ultimately call a swindle that benefited only the wealthiest Americans — they turned to award-winning reporter Sally Herships. In this episode, Herships pulls back the covers on the making of The Heist, and in particular, an investigation of Trump's treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin -- the man once known as the "foreclosure king." If you've ever wanted to report, host, or produce a longform audio documentary series or an investigative piece, this is the episode for you. You'll learn several ways to add drama to a complex story; how to use scenes wisely and ethically to immerse listeners; tactics for persuading people to talk with you, even if they're scared to talk; how to make sure you have the facts; and when a red Porsche says something important about a character's personality — and about how power works in Washington. And you'll get to watch Elaine squirm in an awkward moment. Herships directs the audio journalism program at Columbia University and is the founder of Radio Bootcamp. When the Center for Public Integrity decided to look into who was pulling the strings behind Trump's 2017 tax bill — one reporters would ultimately call a swindle that benefited only the wealthiest Americans — they turned to award-winning reporter Sally Herships. In this episode, Herships pulls back the covers on the making of The Heist, and in particular, an investigation of Trump's treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin -- the man once known as the "foreclosure king." If you've ever wanted to report, host, or produce a longform audio documentary series or an investigative piece, this is the episode for you. You'll learn several ways to add drama to a complex story; how to use scenes wisely and ethically to immerse listeners; tactics for persuading people to talk with you, even if they're scared to talk; how to make sure you have the facts; and when a red Porsche says something important about a character's personality — and about how power works in Washington. And you'll get to watch Elaine squirm in an awkward moment. Herships directs the audio journalism program at Columbia University and is the founder of Radio Bootcamp. podcast producer, investigative reporter, narrative series, business reporter, master's degree in journalism, investigative reporting, political reporter, how to start a podcast, how to pitch a podcast, radio reporter, center for public integrity, audio documentary, the heist, columbia journalism school, sally herships, public radio, podcast host, journalism school, 2017 tax cuts, radio host, longform narrative, radio bootcamp, dupont awards true full 8 2     1daf6ec3-65b0-47f5-b0ed-d26d3aa4eac6 How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story The episode(s) discussed on today’s Sound Judgment: This American Life Episode 776, “I Work Better on Deadline.” Segment: “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum.”

    Reporter: Sarah Gibson, NHPR

    Producer: Chris Benderev

    How to be a great host: Katie’s takeaways: 

    1. What are your holy shit moments? 
      We need holy shit moments. What are those surprises – in the story, or about the people in your story – that make you say, “Wow, you’re never going to believe this!” Holy shit moments help get your pitch accepted – and they generate word of mouth.
    2. In your pitch, identify people – characters – who have high stakes and are in conflict with each other. Make sure you have access to them, too. Care about these people and frame your story through their eyes – in the This American Life story we dissected here, why it matters that one man imagines an eight-year-old breaking a violin, and another is terrified at the prospect of paying thousands to send his kid to a public high school. Snowshoes and violins make important things memorable. Issues alone do not.
    3. Here’s a three step pitch process for longform narrative: First, write a text-based pitch. This can be a short query letter or a full-fledged slide deck. Then, produce a sizzle reel. Use your best tape from whatever you’ve collected so far. If audio production isn’t your strong suit, ask for help. Finally, get feedback from friends or colleagues. Choose good storytellers or folks who have a great understanding of your potential audiences. Revise as necessary.
    4. Editors and program directors in public media have tough decisions to make about podcasts. Done well, they can grow your audience enormously. 96% of the NHPR Document feed’s audience is from outside New Hampshire (Katie corrected that figure post-production). But managed poorly, podcasts can rob newsrooms of talent and even hurt local news. As Katie says, the Daily News needs of the state are great. A longform project has to meet a high bar if we’re going to take a reporter out of the newsroom. The new greenlight process helps them decide how to vet story pitches and decide what’s worth listeners’ time - and reporters’ time. This process can help any newsroom, and any podcast network.

    About Katie Colaneri

    Katie Colaneri is the senior editor of New Hampshire Public Radio’s Document team, which produces longform narrative audio documentaries. The team’s most recent work includes season 2 of the acclaimed true crime podcast, Bear Brook. Before joining NHPR in February 2022, she was the assistant news director at WHYY in Philadelphia, where she helped lead the newsroom for about five years. During that time, Katie also grew the station’s podcast portfolio, launching a daily news podcast and leading production of the Peabody-nominated investigative series Half Vaxxed. Katie is a graduate of Wellesley College. 

    Connect with Katie on LinkedIn
     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly publication about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Share the show!
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Work with us

    • We make original podcasts for NGOs, purpose-driven brands, and universities
    • We also offer podcast strategy and consulting services
    • Or contact us about our public media and individual training services for content creators and on-air talent

    Visit podcastallies.com or email us at allies@podcastallies.com for more information. 


     


     


     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell


     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 6 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Katie Colaneri, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ The episode(s) discussed on today’s Sound Judgment: This American Life Episode 776, “I Work Better on Deadline.” Segment: “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum.”

    Reporter: Sarah Gibson, NHPR

    Producer: Chris Benderev

    How to be a great host: Katie’s takeaways: 

    1. What are your holy shit moments? 
      We need holy shit moments. What are those surprises – in the story, or about the people in your story – that make you say, “Wow, you’re never going to believe this!” Holy shit moments help get your pitch accepted – and they generate word of mouth.
    2. In your pitch, identify people – characters – who have high stakes and are in conflict with each other. Make sure you have access to them, too. Care about these people and frame your story through their eyes – in the This American Life story we dissected here, why it matters that one man imagines an eight-year-old breaking a violin, and another is terrified at the prospect of paying thousands to send his kid to a public high school. Snowshoes and violins make important things memorable. Issues alone do not.
    3. Here’s a three step pitch process for longform narrative: First, write a text-based pitch. This can be a short query letter or a full-fledged slide deck. Then, produce a sizzle reel. Use your best tape from whatever you’ve collected so far. If audio production isn’t your strong suit, ask for help. Finally, get feedback from friends or colleagues. Choose good storytellers or folks who have a great understanding of your potential audiences. Revise as necessary.
    4. Editors and program directors in public media have tough decisions to make about podcasts. Done well, they can grow your audience enormously. 96% of the NHPR Document feed’s audience is from outside New Hampshire (Katie corrected that figure post-production). But managed poorly, podcasts can rob newsrooms of talent and even hurt local news. As Katie says, the Daily News needs of the state are great. A longform project has to meet a high bar if we’re going to take a reporter out of the newsroom. The new greenlight process helps them decide how to vet story pitches and decide what’s worth listeners’ time - and reporters’ time. This process can help any newsroom, and any podcast network.

    About Katie Colaneri

    Katie Colaneri is the senior editor of New Hampshire Public Radio’s Document team, which produces longform narrative audio documentaries. The team’s most recent work includes season 2 of the acclaimed true crime podcast, Bear Brook. Before joining NHPR in February 2022, she was the assistant news director at WHYY in Philadelphia, where she helped lead the newsroom for about five years. During that time, Katie also grew the station’s podcast portfolio, launching a daily news podcast and leading production of the Peabody-nominated investigative series Half Vaxxed. Katie is a graduate of Wellesley College. 

    Connect with Katie on LinkedIn
     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly publication about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Share the show!
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Work with us

    • We make original podcasts for NGOs, purpose-driven brands, and universities
    • We also offer podcast strategy and consulting services
    • Or contact us about our public media and individual training services for content creators and on-air talent

    Visit podcastallies.com or email us at allies@podcastallies.com for more information. 


     


     


     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell


     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story Katie Colaneri, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant 00:45:19 How do you successfully pitch a narrative story or series to podcast network or a public radio station? If you dream about making an audio documentary or a limited series, this episode is for you. Katie Colaneri is the thoughtful, fast-rising editor at the head of New Hampshire Public Radio’s audio documentary team — the same team behind the blockbuster hit "Bear Brook." She spent the last year crafting one of the clearest greenlight processes in public media and podcasting. She spec’ed out what pitches this station says yes to, what it says no to, and along the way, what makes for suspenseful, impactful longform storytelling – storytelling that matters in New Hampshire, across the country, and even across the globe. She shares that pitch process with us. And we dissect a This American Life story that started in a one-room New Hampshire school house. How do you successfully pitch a narrative story or series to podcast network or a public radio station? If you dream about making an audio documentary or a limited series, this episode is for you. Katie Colaneri is the thoughtful, fast-rising editor at the head of New Hampshire Public Radio’s audio documentary team — the same team behind the blockbuster hit "Bear Brook." She spent the last year crafting one of the clearest greenlight processes in public media and podcasting. She spec’ed out what pitches this station says yes to, what it says no to, and along the way, what makes for suspenseful, impactful longform storytelling – storytelling that matters in New Hampshire, across the country, and even across the globe. She shares that pitch process with us. And we dissect a This American Life story that started in a one-room New Hampshire school house. new hampshire public radio, podcast producer, storytelling, greenlight process, rebecca lavoie, audio documentary, dan barrick, stranglehold, public media, this american life, public radio, podcast editor, producer, editor, nhpr, bear brook, pitch process true full 7 2     27366ce3-c771-45d3-98b2-75fe535aec65 Why Should Audiences Trust You? with Audio Branding Host Jodi Krangle, Part 2 Did you miss Part 1 of my conversation with Audio Branding's Jodi Krangle? 
    Listen to it here. 

    Takeaways from today's episode: 


    1. Imposter syndrome and the art of the interview 

    When she started hosting, Jodi Krangle, who makes her living using her voice, had to overcome one big negative belief.  “I didn’t think I was a speaker of any kind!” she says. It was hard for her to speak her own words, believe she had something worth saying, and be passionate enough to get her thoughts across. That was all harder than she expected – but she persevered. All of this is learnable, and mindset is the first thing we often need to change.

    2. Why does sound matter?

    Let’s take a look at the advertising industry for some clues. They spend millions of dollars crafting the right sounds and voices. Why? Because they know that sound can create deeper connections with the audience. We don’t buy things because of logic, but because of emotion. Brands use sound to communicate something distinct, unique, and ownable – so how are you using audio to communicate just how special, and different, you are from the crowd? 

    3. Your sonic brand is worth millions.

    If you work for an organization or a brand, you may already have a podcast or be thinking about starting one. When you do, make sure your show not only integrates with the rest of your communications, but also that it’s as high quality as everything else you put out into the world. Audio creates a brand, just as much as your visuals do. 



    Do you know we have a free Sound Judgment newsletter, full of guidance on how to make great creative choices in audio storytelling?Join subscribers from NPR, PRX,  PRPD, Stanford, Spotify and more. Subscribe here and become a more confident host, audio storyteller or producer today. 

    If you want to know more about how sound influences our behavior and how creators in the audio branding world make their work,  follow Audio Branding. 

    Both parts of this conversation are also running on Audio Branding. Thanks to Audio Branding editor Humberto Franco for his beautiful work in audio and video. 

    To learn more about Jodi Krangle and connect with her, visit voiceoversandvocals.com.

    To watch shorts from this episode and other Audio Branding episodes, visit Jodi’s Youtube channel, JodiKrangleVO. 


    Share this episode!
    Follow Elaine on Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts.
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, your favorite host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our consulting, production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Want to work with Elaine Appleton Grant or Podcast Allies? 

    Visit the following for information on:
    Coaching  and workshops for individuals, public media, nonprofits and universities

    Online course

    Production

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 30 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella, Jodi Krangle, Humberto Franco) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Did you miss Part 1 of my conversation with Audio Branding's Jodi Krangle? 
    Listen to it here. 

    Takeaways from today's episode: 


    1. Imposter syndrome and the art of the interview 

    When she started hosting, Jodi Krangle, who makes her living using her voice, had to overcome one big negative belief.  “I didn’t think I was a speaker of any kind!” she says. It was hard for her to speak her own words, believe she had something worth saying, and be passionate enough to get her thoughts across. That was all harder than she expected – but she persevered. All of this is learnable, and mindset is the first thing we often need to change.

    2. Why does sound matter?

    Let’s take a look at the advertising industry for some clues. They spend millions of dollars crafting the right sounds and voices. Why? Because they know that sound can create deeper connections with the audience. We don’t buy things because of logic, but because of emotion. Brands use sound to communicate something distinct, unique, and ownable – so how are you using audio to communicate just how special, and different, you are from the crowd? 

    3. Your sonic brand is worth millions.

    If you work for an organization or a brand, you may already have a podcast or be thinking about starting one. When you do, make sure your show not only integrates with the rest of your communications, but also that it’s as high quality as everything else you put out into the world. Audio creates a brand, just as much as your visuals do. 



    Do you know we have a free Sound Judgment newsletter, full of guidance on how to make great creative choices in audio storytelling?Join subscribers from NPR, PRX,  PRPD, Stanford, Spotify and more. Subscribe here and become a more confident host, audio storyteller or producer today. 

    If you want to know more about how sound influences our behavior and how creators in the audio branding world make their work,  follow Audio Branding. 

    Both parts of this conversation are also running on Audio Branding. Thanks to Audio Branding editor Humberto Franco for his beautiful work in audio and video. 

    To learn more about Jodi Krangle and connect with her, visit voiceoversandvocals.com.

    To watch shorts from this episode and other Audio Branding episodes, visit Jodi’s Youtube channel, JodiKrangleVO. 


    Share this episode!
    Follow Elaine on Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts.
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, your favorite host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our consulting, production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Want to work with Elaine Appleton Grant or Podcast Allies? 

    Visit the following for information on:
    Coaching  and workshops for individuals, public media, nonprofits and universities

    Online course

    Production

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Why Should Audiences Trust You? with Audio Branding Host Jodi Krangle, Part 2 Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella, Jodi Krangle, Humberto Franco 00:47:41 Why do we trust one voice over another? Why do we find one voice trustworthy — and a different host or producer, perhaps with equal knowledge, not? In Part 2 of my conversation with voice actor and Audio Branding host Jodi Krangle, we explore what it takes for audiences to trust us. We explore: What we mean when we want “authenticity?” How do we get there? How audiences are changing, and how hosts and voice actors need to change in response What Gen Z audiences want now (hint: belonging and feeling seen, not talked down to) The role of diversity and cultural competence in being a great host or voice actor The art of the interview — and why learning this was so challenging for Jodi, even though she’s one of the most successful voice actors in North America! Why do we trust one voice over another? Why do we find one voice trustworthy — and a different host or producer, perhaps with equal knowledge, not? In Part 2 of my conversation with voice actor and Audio Branding host Jodi Krangle, we explore what it takes for audiences to trust us. We explore: What we mean when we want “authenticity?” How do we get there? How audiences are changing, and how hosts and voice actors need to change in response What Gen Z audiences want now (hint: belonging and feeling seen, not talked down to) The role of diversity and cultural competence in being a great host or voice actor The art of the interview — and why learning this was so challenging for Jodi, even though she’s one of the most successful voice actors in North America! audio producer, how to grow a podcast, storyteller, jodi krangle, sonic logo, podcast producer, storytelling, interview, audience development, voiceover training, trust, audio storytelling, v/o, host a podcast, voice talent, voice acting, audio director, voice actor, leadership, how to be a good interviewer, how to grow my podcast, interviewing tips, great podcast host, audio storyteller, thought leader, commercial production, voiceover coaching, great host, art of the interview, show host, how to be a trusted voice, audio branding, listeners, media production, sonic branding, voiceover work, trustworthy true bonus 2     7be51c33-b85c-43aa-8f62-4cb08063cf03 Grow Your Audience with Voiceover Talent Jodi Krangle We’re doing something different on this episode. Jodi and I interview each other – and discover some real similarities and big differences between voice acting & hosting. One of the biggest similarities: As hosts and voice actors, we need to communicate emotion authentically. That’s where the joy and the success lies – and where many of the problems do, too. 

    Parts 1 and 2 of this conversation with Jodi Krangle are running on Sound Judgment and also on Audio Branding. Thanks to Audio Branding editor Humberto Franco for doing beautiful work in audio and video. 

    Follow Audio Branding here.

    To learn more about Jodi Krangle and connect with her, visit voiceoversandvocals.com.

    To watch shorts from this episode and other Audio Branding episodes, visit Jodi’s Youtube channel, JodiKrangleVO. 

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter that will help you make creative choices in audio storytelling. Join subscribers from NPR, PRX, PRPD, Stanford, Spotify and more. 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, your favorite host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our consulting, production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    How to be a great host: Jodi Krangle’s takeaways

    1. Sound needs to change as culture changes. 
    Remember the old movie trailers with The Voice of God? We don’t hear those much any more, and for a good reason. Younger generations experience sound in a very different way – they want to be shown what’s will be on the movie screen, for instance, not told to. They do not want to be sold to at all. So if we’re not hearing the Voice of God from voice actors any more, we’re also not wanting that newscaster, anchor voice – the Walter Cronkite voice – in journalism and podcasting, either. 

    2. Emotional context is what sound does for us.

    I was surprised to hear Jodi say, when she’s recording a commercial, for instance – “If I don’t have a movie or play going on in my head, it’s hard for the person listening to understand the emotion that’s coming across.” Storytellers, when you’re using a script, this is key to avoiding sounding like you’re reading. We need to embody what we’re saying. 
     

    3. Hosting is strategic. We need to start treating it that way. 
    In the advertising industry, directors often make the mistake of tacking on voiceover at the end of a production, rather than thinking about it strategically from the beginning. Many folks in Jodi’s industry mistakenly believe voice acting is just standing at a mic and talking. That’s my pet peeve as well.  We should be thinking about hosting – and creating an intentional sound for our shows – at the beginning of the process, not throwing in a voice at the end. Hosting well is how you engage listeners, and hosting poorly can lose them. 

    Tune in next week for Part 2, a bonus episode.  

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Want to work with Elaine Appleton Grant or Podcast Allies? 

    Visit the following for information on:
    Coaching  and workshops for individuals, public media, nonprofits and universities

    Online course

    Production

     


     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 23 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Jodi Krangle, Humberto Franco, Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ We’re doing something different on this episode. Jodi and I interview each other – and discover some real similarities and big differences between voice acting & hosting. One of the biggest similarities: As hosts and voice actors, we need to communicate emotion authentically. That’s where the joy and the success lies – and where many of the problems do, too. 

    Parts 1 and 2 of this conversation with Jodi Krangle are running on Sound Judgment and also on Audio Branding. Thanks to Audio Branding editor Humberto Franco for doing beautiful work in audio and video. 

    Follow Audio Branding here.

    To learn more about Jodi Krangle and connect with her, visit voiceoversandvocals.com.

    To watch shorts from this episode and other Audio Branding episodes, visit Jodi’s Youtube channel, JodiKrangleVO. 

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter that will help you make creative choices in audio storytelling. Join subscribers from NPR, PRX, PRPD, Stanford, Spotify and more. 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, your favorite host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our consulting, production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    How to be a great host: Jodi Krangle’s takeaways

    1. Sound needs to change as culture changes. 
    Remember the old movie trailers with The Voice of God? We don’t hear those much any more, and for a good reason. Younger generations experience sound in a very different way – they want to be shown what’s will be on the movie screen, for instance, not told to. They do not want to be sold to at all. So if we’re not hearing the Voice of God from voice actors any more, we’re also not wanting that newscaster, anchor voice – the Walter Cronkite voice – in journalism and podcasting, either. 

    2. Emotional context is what sound does for us.

    I was surprised to hear Jodi say, when she’s recording a commercial, for instance – “If I don’t have a movie or play going on in my head, it’s hard for the person listening to understand the emotion that’s coming across.” Storytellers, when you’re using a script, this is key to avoiding sounding like you’re reading. We need to embody what we’re saying. 
     

    3. Hosting is strategic. We need to start treating it that way. 
    In the advertising industry, directors often make the mistake of tacking on voiceover at the end of a production, rather than thinking about it strategically from the beginning. Many folks in Jodi’s industry mistakenly believe voice acting is just standing at a mic and talking. That’s my pet peeve as well.  We should be thinking about hosting – and creating an intentional sound for our shows – at the beginning of the process, not throwing in a voice at the end. Hosting well is how you engage listeners, and hosting poorly can lose them. 

    Tune in next week for Part 2, a bonus episode.  

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Want to work with Elaine Appleton Grant or Podcast Allies? 

    Visit the following for information on:
    Coaching  and workshops for individuals, public media, nonprofits and universities

    Online course

    Production

     


     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Grow Your Audience with Voiceover Talent Jodi Krangle Jodi Krangle, Humberto Franco, Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella 00:43:37 Audio — whether used in podcast, radio, or marketing — is great at storytelling and conveying emotion. We know this intuitively. It’s how we react to a scene or an idea that often prompts us to share with others and generate word of mouth. We say, “This spoke to me, you have to hear it.” But why and how? Today’s conversation: How great storytelling and hosting engages audiences and influences listener behavior! We’re going under the covers with Jodi Krangle, host of Audio Branding. Curious about how a professional voice actor engages audiences? Welcome to Part 1 of a two-part episode with Jodi Krangle. In addition to hosting Audio Branding, Jodi is a Toronto-based voice actor whose voice is heard on commercials for Dell, HGTV, Nespresso & Kraft, among thousands of others. Audio — whether used in podcast, radio, or marketing — is great at storytelling and conveying emotion. We know this intuitively. It’s how we react to a scene or an idea that often prompts us to share with others and generate word of mouth. We say, “This spoke to me, you have to hear it.” But why and how? Today’s conversation: How great storytelling and hosting engages audiences and influences listener behavior! We’re going under the covers with Jodi Krangle, host of Audio Branding. Curious about how a professional voice actor engages audiences? Welcome to Part 1 of a two-part episode with Jodi Krangle. In addition to hosting Audio Branding, Jodi is a Toronto-based voice actor whose voice is heard on commercials for Dell, HGTV, Nespresso & Kraft, among thousands of others. how to grow a podcast, on-air talent training, story editor, how to be a great podcast host, producing, podcast producer, storytelling, podcast writer, audio storytelling, media, voice talent, be a great host, hosting, on-air talent, voice actor, public media, producer training, fans, great podcast host, podcast production, great host, public radio, podcast host, audio branding, host training, learn how to host true full 6 2     c9e9b13e-2250-4d06-8d3d-b2e034eb9c5d Bone Valley: How to Create a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference If you like this episode, you’ll also like Episode 3: 
    Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show’s Emma Courtland

    and Episode 1: Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs. 

    Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show. 
     

    About the creators
    Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker are the team behind Bone Valley, a groundbreaking, 9-episode true crime podcast from Lava For Good. The series explores the case of Leo Schofield, a man convicted of murder in a gross miscarriage of justice. King, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Devil in the Grove, and Decker, a producer with a background in sociology and oral history, came together in a four-year quest to peel back the layers of Schofield’s case, uncovering startling new evidence and chilling confessions that are a call to action for long-awaited justice and redemption.

    Takeaways from Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

    1. Does your idea need to be told in audio? Bone Valley did.  
    As storytellers, we have many formats to choose from. So how do you know when your idea is well-suited to audio, versus a book, a film, or a video? As an author, King’s first instinct was to write a longform article about Leo Schofield’s case. But as soon as he and Decker talked with Leo, they realized that the story begged for audio. “The power of their voices made us pivot,” King says. “I don't think they would have been the same in print. I love the way their voices break and crackle and emote.”

    2. Start with a sound vision
    Second, you may have noticed that King and Decker had a pretty clear “sound vision” for Bone Valley. I always remember producer John Barth saying, in episode 2, “You have to have a distinctive sound vision.” When he develops a new show, he imagines the kind of listener he wants to attract. That determines what the show needs to sound like. In Bone Valley, the two producers made sure to simply lay out fact after fact, so the listener couldn’t escape the conclusion or emotion. They used both sound design and language to create a work of narrative nonfiction and made sure not to sensationalize or cheapen the story. Furthermore, Decker could hear how the narration should sound in her head. She and other  producers directed King to voice the narration to match that sound. And sound designer Britt Spangler attended story conferences – and helped shape the scripts from the start.

    3. Podcasts are a team sport
    Gilbert King won a Pulitzer for his book Devil in the Grove. So you might imagine he had nothing else to learn as a writer. But he’d never done a podcast before. His early drafts were written for the page, with too much narration, and quotes, which don’t work in audio. When he and Decker hooked up with the production company Lava for Good, he learned from their producers how to write for the ear. 

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter

    Want more of this kind of audio storytelling analysis? Sign up for our Sound Judgment newsletter and join subscribers from NPR, PRX, PRPD, Stanford, Spotify and more. 


    Connect with Gilbert King

    On his website
    On Facebook

    On Twitter

    Connect with Kelsey Decker

    On Twitter

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    Bone Valley, Episode 5: Bam Bam
    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no podcast host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to every podcast producer whenever it’s possible to do so. 

    Bone Valley’s team is: 

    Executive Producer Kevin Wortis

    Producers Kara Kornhaber and Britt Spangler

    Sound designer Britt Spangler

    Story editor Ruxandra Guidi

    Bone Valley is produced by Lava for Good. 


    Connect with Sound Judgment

    Elaine welcomes genuine connections on LinkedIn.

    Visit Podcast Allies to learn about our individual and team training; podcast development consulting; podcast production services; podcast host coaching; and podcast producer coaching. 

    Speaking: To hire Elaine to speak at your event, email allies@podcastallies.com.


    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Share your Sound Judgment dream guest with us. Who’s your favorite podcast host? Drop us an email at allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Say Thank You
    Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.
    On the show page on your phone, scroll to the bottom of the episodes. Click on the stars to rate; click on “Write a Review” to tell us what you think! 

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Design and Audio Editing: Andrew Parrella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell


     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 9 Mar 2023 09:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker, Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ If you like this episode, you’ll also like Episode 3: 
    Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show’s Emma Courtland

    and Episode 1: Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs. 

    Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show. 
     

    About the creators
    Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker are the team behind Bone Valley, a groundbreaking, 9-episode true crime podcast from Lava For Good. The series explores the case of Leo Schofield, a man convicted of murder in a gross miscarriage of justice. King, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Devil in the Grove, and Decker, a producer with a background in sociology and oral history, came together in a four-year quest to peel back the layers of Schofield’s case, uncovering startling new evidence and chilling confessions that are a call to action for long-awaited justice and redemption.

    Takeaways from Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker

    1. Does your idea need to be told in audio? Bone Valley did.  
    As storytellers, we have many formats to choose from. So how do you know when your idea is well-suited to audio, versus a book, a film, or a video? As an author, King’s first instinct was to write a longform article about Leo Schofield’s case. But as soon as he and Decker talked with Leo, they realized that the story begged for audio. “The power of their voices made us pivot,” King says. “I don't think they would have been the same in print. I love the way their voices break and crackle and emote.”

    2. Start with a sound vision
    Second, you may have noticed that King and Decker had a pretty clear “sound vision” for Bone Valley. I always remember producer John Barth saying, in episode 2, “You have to have a distinctive sound vision.” When he develops a new show, he imagines the kind of listener he wants to attract. That determines what the show needs to sound like. In Bone Valley, the two producers made sure to simply lay out fact after fact, so the listener couldn’t escape the conclusion or emotion. They used both sound design and language to create a work of narrative nonfiction and made sure not to sensationalize or cheapen the story. Furthermore, Decker could hear how the narration should sound in her head. She and other  producers directed King to voice the narration to match that sound. And sound designer Britt Spangler attended story conferences – and helped shape the scripts from the start.

    3. Podcasts are a team sport
    Gilbert King won a Pulitzer for his book Devil in the Grove. So you might imagine he had nothing else to learn as a writer. But he’d never done a podcast before. His early drafts were written for the page, with too much narration, and quotes, which don’t work in audio. When he and Decker hooked up with the production company Lava for Good, he learned from their producers how to write for the ear. 

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter

    Want more of this kind of audio storytelling analysis? Sign up for our Sound Judgment newsletter and join subscribers from NPR, PRX, PRPD, Stanford, Spotify and more. 


    Connect with Gilbert King

    On his website
    On Facebook

    On Twitter

    Connect with Kelsey Decker

    On Twitter

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    Bone Valley, Episode 5: Bam Bam
    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no podcast host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to every podcast producer whenever it’s possible to do so. 

    Bone Valley’s team is: 

    Executive Producer Kevin Wortis

    Producers Kara Kornhaber and Britt Spangler

    Sound designer Britt Spangler

    Story editor Ruxandra Guidi

    Bone Valley is produced by Lava for Good. 


    Connect with Sound Judgment

    Elaine welcomes genuine connections on LinkedIn.

    Visit Podcast Allies to learn about our individual and team training; podcast development consulting; podcast production services; podcast host coaching; and podcast producer coaching. 

    Speaking: To hire Elaine to speak at your event, email allies@podcastallies.com.


    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Share your Sound Judgment dream guest with us. Who’s your favorite podcast host? Drop us an email at allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Say Thank You
    Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.
    On the show page on your phone, scroll to the bottom of the episodes. Click on the stars to rate; click on “Write a Review” to tell us what you think! 

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Design and Audio Editing: Andrew Parrella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell


     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Bone Valley: How to Create a True Crime Podcast That Makes a Difference Gilbert King, Kelsey Decker, Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant 00:52:08 Go behind the scenes with me as I talk with Bone Valley co-hosts Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker about the making of their award-winning audio documentary series. (2023 Ambie winners for Best Reporting and Best Documentary Podcast) The podcast has been called anything from "one of the best of 2022" to "the best true crime podcast ever" by outlets ranging from The New Yorker to Slate to The Atlantic. The New York Times continues to report on developments in the case Bone Valley explores — the wrongful conviction of Leo Schofield, who has been in prison for the murder of his wife, Michelle, for 35 years. So do other publications from around the world. To create a good work of narrative nonfiction, let alone a great one, requires phenomenal reporting, story structuring and writing skills. Gilbert King is a master. He’s written several books about wrongful convictions, including Devil in the Grove, which won a Pulitzer. But Bone Valley is King's first foray into audio journalism. It would take him on a wild ride into a new world of sound-designed, multi-voiced, intimate storytelling. He would grow a whole new set of skills, from writing for the ear, to voicing narration, to writing and producing collaboratively. So collaboratively, in fact, that over the course of the four-year investigation, Bone Valley would be heavily shaped by King’s researcher-turned-producer-turned-co-host, Kelsey Decker. She was only 23 when King hired her. She had no idea of the explosive nature of what she was about to get into. Nor of how their story would have the potential – maybe – to help an innocent man get out of a prison he should never have been in. Neither did King. There's a ton to learn here about how to have an intentional "sound vision" from the start, and how that vision translates into the use of language, tone of voice, sound design, and editorial choices about what to put in and what to leave out. There's also a lot to learn about character development and the role empathy played for Kelsey and Gilbert as they considered how to report on this story and how to shape the writing and the sound. The Podcast Academy has nominated Bone Valley for three Awards of Excellence in Audio (The Ambies): best documentary, best reporting, and best hosts. At the third annual Ambies, Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker and the Bone Valley team won for Best Reporting and Best Documentary Podcast. This episode includes discussions of murder and sexual assault, so listen with care. Go behind the scenes with me as I talk with Bone Valley co-hosts Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker about the making of their award-winning audio documentary series. (2023 Ambie winners for Best Reporting and Best Documentary Podcast) The podcast has been called anything from "one of the best of 2022" to "the best true crime podcast ever" by outlets ranging from The New Yorker to Slate to The Atlantic. The New York Times continues to report on developments in the case Bone Valley explores — the wrongful conviction of Leo Schofield, who has been in prison for the murder of his wife, Michelle, for 35 years. So do other publications from around the world. To create a good work of narrative nonfiction, let alone a great one, requires phenomenal reporting, story structuring and writing skills. Gilbert King is a master. He’s written several books about wrongful convictions, including Devil in the Grove, which won a Pulitzer. But Bone Valley is King's first foray into audio journalism. It would take him on a wild ride into a new world of sound-designed, multi-voiced, intimate storytelling. He would grow a whole new set of skills, from writing for the ear, to voicing narration, to writing and producing collaboratively. So collaboratively, in fact, that over the course of the four-year investigation, Bone Valley would be heavily shaped by King’s researcher-turned-producer-turned-co-host, Kelsey Decker. She was only 23 when King hired her. She had no idea of the explosive nature of what she was about to get into. Nor of how their story would have the potential – maybe – to help an innocent man get out of a prison he should never have been in. Neither did King. There's a ton to learn here about how to have an intentional "sound vision" from the start, and how that vision translates into the use of language, tone of voice, sound design, and editorial choices about what to put in and what to leave out. There's also a lot to learn about character development and the role empathy played for Kelsey and Gilbert as they considered how to report on this story and how to shape the writing and the sound. The Podcast Academy has nominated Bone Valley for three Awards of Excellence in Audio (The Ambies): best documentary, best reporting, and best hosts. At the third annual Ambies, Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker and the Bone Valley team won for Best Reporting and Best Documentary Podcast. This episode includes discussions of murder and sexual assault, so listen with care. how to be a great podcast host, producing, podcast academy awards for excellence 2023, podcast producer, ambie awards best documentary, michelle schofield, lava for good, audio storytelling, kelsey decker, hosting, ambie awards best reporting, true crime, michele schofield, podcast academy awards for excellence, innocence project, fans, narrative nonfiction, great podcast host, podcast production, gilbert king, ambie awards, ambies 2023, great host, podcast host, listeners, leo schofield, wrongful conviction, ambie awards best host, bone valley, ambies, ambie nominee true full 5 2     2ccd66be-90d6-40a5-b4b8-e73c0ccf105a Juleyka Lantigua: What if all of your editorial choices were to serve one person? Juleyka Lantigua is the Founder/CEO of LWC Studios, which received a Peabody Award nomination and won a Third Coast Award “Director’s Prize.” A Fulbright Scholar and Tory Burch Fellow, Juleyka holds a Master’s in Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing. 

    Connect with Juleyka at LWCStudios.com. 

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    How to Talk to [Mamí and Papí] About Anything, Episode 112, “Convincing Mamí My Depression is Not About Her.”

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no podcast host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers and editors, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to every podcast team member whenever it’s possible to do so.

    The team at How to Talk to [Mamí and Papí] About Anything includes:

    Producer  Virginia Lora

    Managing Producer Paulina Velasco

    Lead Producer Kojin Tashiro
     

    Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show. 
     

    Congratulations to our Name Our Listeners Contest Winners!  
    Almost 30 of you entered our contest to name our listeners, offering at least twice that many name suggestions. 

    Congratulations to winners Carolyn Kiel and Áine Pennello, who both suggested our prize-winning entry: “storytellers.”  

    In the end, sifting through a wide variety of creative and often pun-inspired names, the simplest seemed to us the best. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t all storytellers. Many of you work in sound. Some make films and TV. Others are writers. A handful speak on stage, or want to. And an increasing number work across many media. What holds us all together is a devotion to creating and presenting stories and conversations in ways that magnetize listeners, viewers, and readers. 

    Carolyn Kiel hosts Beyond 6 Seconds. Her podcast features personal stories from neurodivergent entrepreneurs, creators, and advocates that shatter misconceptions, break stigma and showcase the vibrance of neurodiversity. 

    Áine Pennello (AWN-YA Pen-nell-low) is a documentary film and radio producer. She recently worked on the Hulu series "Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields," which premiered at Sundance this year. 

    The other big win for us? You offered up 30 of your favorite hosts as dream guests for Sound Judgment. 

    Thank you!
     

    Connect 
    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Elaine welcomes genuine connections on LinkedIn.

    Speaking: To hire Elaine to speak at your event, email allies@podcastallies.com.

    Visit Podcast Allies to learn about:
    — Radio show development services and talent, producer and editor training for public media
    — Podcast development consulting for nonprofits, social impact businesses and higher ed

    — Full-service podcast production services
    — Training, coaching and online courses for individual creators. 

    Say Thank You
    Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.
    On the show page on your phone, scroll to the bottom of the episodes. Click on the stars to rate; click on “Write a Review” to tell us what you think! 
     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host and Executive Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Design and Audio Editing: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell
     

    Juleyka’s Takeaways (To read a more comprehensive discussion of all of these takeaways, visit our blog.) 

    1. You are not simply delivering content to your listeners; you are creating and fostering a community—what Juleyka calls a “shared space” with listeners.
    2. Test every original show idea with two questions for your avatar: Will they listen to it? Will they share it?
    3. The editor is the listener's advocate; the producer is the sound advocate.
    4. Non-narrated pieces may sound easy, but they’re hard to do well.
    5. Why choose a non-narrated approach?
    6. When jobseeking, amplify your cultural competence—your lived experience.
    7. When hiring, diversify your content teams to expand perspectives and opportunities. Determine the importance of cultural competence to your show, and add it to hiring criteria when relevant.
    8. Cultivate failure in order to succeed. Stop rejecting yourself first.
    9. Don't succumb to doom and gloom over the current podcast industry headlines. Focus on how you are serving your audience.

    * * *

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 23 Feb 2023 09:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Juleyka Lantigua, Elaine Appleton Grant, Tina Bassir, Andrew Parella) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Juleyka Lantigua is the Founder/CEO of LWC Studios, which received a Peabody Award nomination and won a Third Coast Award “Director’s Prize.” A Fulbright Scholar and Tory Burch Fellow, Juleyka holds a Master’s in Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing. 

    Connect with Juleyka at LWCStudios.com. 

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    How to Talk to [Mamí and Papí] About Anything, Episode 112, “Convincing Mamí My Depression is Not About Her.”

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no podcast host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers and editors, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to every podcast team member whenever it’s possible to do so.

    The team at How to Talk to [Mamí and Papí] About Anything includes:

    Producer  Virginia Lora

    Managing Producer Paulina Velasco

    Lead Producer Kojin Tashiro
     

    Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show. 
     

    Congratulations to our Name Our Listeners Contest Winners!  
    Almost 30 of you entered our contest to name our listeners, offering at least twice that many name suggestions. 

    Congratulations to winners Carolyn Kiel and Áine Pennello, who both suggested our prize-winning entry: “storytellers.”  

    In the end, sifting through a wide variety of creative and often pun-inspired names, the simplest seemed to us the best. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t all storytellers. Many of you work in sound. Some make films and TV. Others are writers. A handful speak on stage, or want to. And an increasing number work across many media. What holds us all together is a devotion to creating and presenting stories and conversations in ways that magnetize listeners, viewers, and readers. 

    Carolyn Kiel hosts Beyond 6 Seconds. Her podcast features personal stories from neurodivergent entrepreneurs, creators, and advocates that shatter misconceptions, break stigma and showcase the vibrance of neurodiversity. 

    Áine Pennello (AWN-YA Pen-nell-low) is a documentary film and radio producer. She recently worked on the Hulu series "Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields," which premiered at Sundance this year. 

    The other big win for us? You offered up 30 of your favorite hosts as dream guests for Sound Judgment. 

    Thank you!
     

    Connect 
    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Elaine welcomes genuine connections on LinkedIn.

    Speaking: To hire Elaine to speak at your event, email allies@podcastallies.com.

    Visit Podcast Allies to learn about:
    — Radio show development services and talent, producer and editor training for public media
    — Podcast development consulting for nonprofits, social impact businesses and higher ed

    — Full-service podcast production services
    — Training, coaching and online courses for individual creators. 

    Say Thank You
    Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.
    On the show page on your phone, scroll to the bottom of the episodes. Click on the stars to rate; click on “Write a Review” to tell us what you think! 
     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host and Executive Producer: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Design and Audio Editing: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell
     

    Juleyka’s Takeaways (To read a more comprehensive discussion of all of these takeaways, visit our blog.) 

    1. You are not simply delivering content to your listeners; you are creating and fostering a community—what Juleyka calls a “shared space” with listeners.
    2. Test every original show idea with two questions for your avatar: Will they listen to it? Will they share it?
    3. The editor is the listener's advocate; the producer is the sound advocate.
    4. Non-narrated pieces may sound easy, but they’re hard to do well.
    5. Why choose a non-narrated approach?
    6. When jobseeking, amplify your cultural competence—your lived experience.
    7. When hiring, diversify your content teams to expand perspectives and opportunities. Determine the importance of cultural competence to your show, and add it to hiring criteria when relevant.
    8. Cultivate failure in order to succeed. Stop rejecting yourself first.
    9. Don't succumb to doom and gloom over the current podcast industry headlines. Focus on how you are serving your audience.

    * * *

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Juleyka Lantigua: What if all of your editorial choices were to serve one person? Juleyka Lantigua, Elaine Appleton Grant, Tina Bassir, Andrew Parella 00:52:07 Whether you’re building a new show or developing a single story, the first question you should ask yourself is always, “Who is my listener?” The second: “Why do they care about this story or show right now?” Spend time with LWC Studios founder and CEO Juleyka Lantigua, and you’ll come away knowing the third question: “Am I doing everything in my power to put my listener at the heart of everything I produce?” Lantigua knows exactly who her listener is. Her name is Kenya. She is a 32-year-old Afro-Latina. She got married last year. She’s a digital native, college-educated, culturally fluid, multi-lingual, and a bridge between generations. Kenya is ever present within the walls of LWC Studios, the podcast and film company Lantigua founded in 2017, after working as a writer, editor and producer in places like TED, The Atlantic, and NPR. She and her staff talk about Kenya’s exploits, her favorite music, and what her mother said to her this time. She’s a friend. There’s just one thing. Kenya doesn’t exist. She is the avatar of the audience that LWC serves with everything they do. That includes 70 Million, the Peabody-nominated criminal justice reform podcast; Latina to Latina, which recently crossed two million downloads; Driving the Green Book; and many other podcasts and films intended to serve not simply a Latino audience—but an audience full of Kenyas. Juleyka and I dissect an episode of How to Talk to [Mamí and Papí] About Anything. You’ll be fascinated by the precise choices about pre-interviews, guest curation, hosting, producing and hiring practices that go into making this show – and LWC Studios – succeed. If you like this episode, you’ll also like Episode 6: A host on a mission with ¿Quién Tú Eres? host Pabel Martinez and Episode 1: Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs. Whether you’re building a new show or developing a single story, the first question you should ask yourself is always, “Who is my listener?” The second: “Why do they care about this story or show right now?” Spend time with LWC Studios founder and CEO Juleyka Lantigua, and you’ll come away knowing the third question: “Am I doing everything in my power to put my listener at the heart of everything I produce?” Lantigua knows exactly who her listener is. Her name is Kenya. She is a 32-year-old Afro-Latina. She got married last year. She’s a digital native, college-educated, culturally fluid, multi-lingual, and a bridge between generations. Kenya is ever present within the walls of LWC Studios, the podcast and film company Lantigua founded in 2017, after working as a writer, editor and producer in places like TED, The Atlantic, and NPR. She and her staff talk about Kenya’s exploits, her favorite music, and what her mother said to her this time. She’s a friend. There’s just one thing. Kenya doesn’t exist. She is the avatar of the audience that LWC serves with everything they do. That includes 70 Million, the Peabody-nominated criminal justice reform podcast; Latina to Latina, which recently crossed two million downloads; Driving the Green Book; and many other podcasts and films intended to serve not simply a Latino audience—but an audience full of Kenyas. Juleyka and I dissect an episode of How to Talk to [Mamí and Papí] About Anything. You’ll be fascinated by the precise choices about pre-interviews, guest curation, hosting, producing and hiring practices that go into making this show – and LWC Studios – succeed. If you like this episode, you’ll also like Episode 6: A host on a mission with ¿Quién Tú Eres? host Pabel Martinez and Episode 1: Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs. how to be a great podcast host, producing, podcast producer, hosting, latina to latina, latina, great podcast host, lwc studios, podcast production, podcast listeners, great host, how to talk to mami and papi about anything, podcast host, latino podcast listeners, podcasting seriously, 70 million, juleyka lantigua, afro-latina, podcast listener true full 4 2     3c3cd7f0-8445-4b47-9c7c-8d1b95f086b6 The Dinner Sisters: Navigating a Breakout Opportunity—and Devastating Grief Dinner Sisters Producer and Co-Host Betsy Wallace is an editorial director for podcasting at WebMD. Her career pivot into podcasting started in 2018 with the first episode of the Dinner Sisters, a cooking podcast she produces and co-hosts with her sister, Kate. Through the Dinner Sisters, Betsy has cooked and reviewed more than 500 recipes from popular food blogs, interviewed dozens of New York Time bestselling cookbook authors and competed on Season 15 of The Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race. 

    Together, Betsy and her sister, Kate Schulz, prepare three recipes each week, compare experiences and informal reviews, and run the Dinner Sisters Facebook Group.

    When they're not cooking or recording, they can be found hunting through the millions of online recipes and food blogs to discover timeless classics (Smitten Kitchen’s Oven Braised Beef with Tomatoes and Garlic, anyone?) and hidden gems just waiting to be cooked up. 

    Kate lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. She loves collecting regional jams and jellies, recipes that claim to be THE BEST or WORLD CHANGING and baking overly complicated German holiday cookies.

    Betsy lives and work in Atlanta, Georgia and cooks dinner for five. She has three kids with lots of opinions. She’s a fan of one-bowl baking recipes and is significantly better at making dinner since starting this podcast.

    For takeaways from today's episode about purpose, structure, values, building a successful Facebook community, and podfading, visit www.podcastallies.com/blog.

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    Dinner Sisters Episode 210: Spinach Lasagna Dinner Party

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no podcast host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to every podcast producer whenever it’s possible to do so. Betsy and Kate produce and host Dinner Sisters on their own. Kate plans episodes and meals; Betsy handles the post-production. 

    Connect 
    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Elaine welcomes genuine connections on LinkedIn.

    Work with us. Visit Podcast Allies to learn about our show development services, podcast development services, host and editor training and coaching for public radio stations and mission driven-organizations, including NGOs and higher ed.  

    Speaking: To hire Elaine to speak at your event, email allies@podcastallies.com.

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Share your Sound Judgment dream guest with us. Who’s your favorite podcast host? Drop us an email at allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Say Thank You
    Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.
    On the show page on your phone, scroll to the bottom of the episodes. Click on the stars to rate; click on “Write a Review” to tell us what you think! 

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Design and Audio Editing: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 9 Feb 2023 09:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Betsy Wallace, Kate Schulz, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant, Tina Bassir) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Dinner Sisters Producer and Co-Host Betsy Wallace is an editorial director for podcasting at WebMD. Her career pivot into podcasting started in 2018 with the first episode of the Dinner Sisters, a cooking podcast she produces and co-hosts with her sister, Kate. Through the Dinner Sisters, Betsy has cooked and reviewed more than 500 recipes from popular food blogs, interviewed dozens of New York Time bestselling cookbook authors and competed on Season 15 of The Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race. 

    Together, Betsy and her sister, Kate Schulz, prepare three recipes each week, compare experiences and informal reviews, and run the Dinner Sisters Facebook Group.

    When they're not cooking or recording, they can be found hunting through the millions of online recipes and food blogs to discover timeless classics (Smitten Kitchen’s Oven Braised Beef with Tomatoes and Garlic, anyone?) and hidden gems just waiting to be cooked up. 

    Kate lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. She loves collecting regional jams and jellies, recipes that claim to be THE BEST or WORLD CHANGING and baking overly complicated German holiday cookies.

    Betsy lives and work in Atlanta, Georgia and cooks dinner for five. She has three kids with lots of opinions. She’s a fan of one-bowl baking recipes and is significantly better at making dinner since starting this podcast.

    For takeaways from today's episode about purpose, structure, values, building a successful Facebook community, and podfading, visit www.podcastallies.com/blog.

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    Dinner Sisters Episode 210: Spinach Lasagna Dinner Party

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no podcast host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to every podcast producer whenever it’s possible to do so. Betsy and Kate produce and host Dinner Sisters on their own. Kate plans episodes and meals; Betsy handles the post-production. 

    Connect 
    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Elaine welcomes genuine connections on LinkedIn.

    Work with us. Visit Podcast Allies to learn about our show development services, podcast development services, host and editor training and coaching for public radio stations and mission driven-organizations, including NGOs and higher ed.  

    Speaking: To hire Elaine to speak at your event, email allies@podcastallies.com.

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Share your Sound Judgment dream guest with us. Who’s your favorite podcast host? Drop us an email at allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Say Thank You
    Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.
    On the show page on your phone, scroll to the bottom of the episodes. Click on the stars to rate; click on “Write a Review” to tell us what you think! 

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Design and Audio Editing: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     The Dinner Sisters: Navigating a Breakout Opportunity—and Devastating Grief Betsy Wallace, Kate Schulz, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant, Tina Bassir 00:52:23 When I invited Dinner Sisters Co-Host Betsy Wallace on the show, it was with a couple of aims in mind. First, with Valentine’s Day approaching, I wanted to speak with a cooking show host to find out what she'd learned—over 200 episodes and the growth of a wildly devoted Facebook community—about the connection between food and relationships. Second, I wanted to unpack what Betsy and her sister and co-host, Kate Schultz, had created that inspires so much love from listeners. One answer: An impeccably crafted structure and the discipline to stick to it. Another: As a listener, you probably won't notice the structure, because the rapport between the sisters and their comfort on the mic is so evident. They work hard behind the scenes to make this production-heavy show easy on the ears. So easy, in fact, that the Food Network came calling, and the sisters found themselves contestants on the Great Food Truck Race. Listen to this episode to learn about setting purpose, values, and structure for your show, and for examples of how to grow wildly enthusiastic fans. But also, this episode became something very different, and bigger than that, as you will hear. It's also about the things we never talk about: Podfading. The intersection of life, death, and work. How we make choices we don’t want to make. About whether opportunity lost is lost forever. And about how we deal with loss when we are public figures. Should you share your personal life with your listeners? Betsy Wallace has a lot to say about this. If you like this episode, you’ll also like Episode 1: Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs. When I invited Dinner Sisters Co-Host Betsy Wallace on the show, it was with a couple of aims in mind. First, with Valentine’s Day approaching, I wanted to speak with a cooking show host to find out what she'd learned—over 200 episodes and the growth of a wildly devoted Facebook community—about the connection between food and relationships. Second, I wanted to unpack what Betsy and her sister and co-host, Kate Schultz, had created that inspires so much love from listeners. One answer: An impeccably crafted structure and the discipline to stick to it. Another: As a listener, you probably won't notice the structure, because the rapport between the sisters and their comfort on the mic is so evident. They work hard behind the scenes to make this production-heavy show easy on the ears. So easy, in fact, that the Food Network came calling, and the sisters found themselves contestants on the Great Food Truck Race. Listen to this episode to learn about setting purpose, values, and structure for your show, and for examples of how to grow wildly enthusiastic fans. But also, this episode became something very different, and bigger than that, as you will hear. It's also about the things we never talk about: Podfading. The intersection of life, death, and work. How we make choices we don’t want to make. About whether opportunity lost is lost forever. And about how we deal with loss when we are public figures. Should you share your personal life with your listeners? Betsy Wallace has a lot to say about this. If you like this episode, you’ll also like Episode 1: Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs. how to be a great podcast host, producing, podcast producer, dinner sisters, betsy wallace, hosting, kate schulz, food network, fans, great podcast host, podcast production, great host, great food truck race, dinner sisters facebook group, podcast host, great food truck race season 15, listeners, podcast community, cooking show true full 3 2     9954919c-a679-4207-b852-80baf9e303da Standing Ovation Host Jay Baer: How to Craft a Million-Dollar Story Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show. 


    Enter the Sound Judgment Listener Name Contest! 
    On Standing Ovation, Jay calls his listeners “clappers.” Glynn Washington of Snap Judgment calls his listeners “snappers.” What Should I Read Next? host Anne Bogel talks to her “readers.” What should we call you? 

    Enter our contest, inspired by Jay Baer. Here’s how it works: 
    Submit your ideas (as many as you would like) here.

    Deadline: Saturday, February 4. 

    Prize: We’ll choose the best, most fun name from the entries. Jay Baer,  the second most popular tequila influencer in the world, will send the winner a bottle of tequila from his personal stash. 
    We’ll also promote you in our newsletter, on an episode of Sound Judgment, in our show notes and on our social channels. Don’t wait! 


    Jay Baer 
    Hall of Fame keynote speaker Jay Baer has lost count of the number of podcasts he has produced and hosted. He is also a New York Times bestselling author of six books and founder of five multi-million dollar companies. Filled with real-world case studies, Jay’s programs teach companies how to turn customer experience, customer service, and marketing into their biggest business growth advantage. Jay has advised Caterpillar, Nike, IBM, Allstate, The United Nations, and 32 of the FORTUNE 500. He is the founder of Convince & Convert, a strategy consulting firm that owns the world’s #1 content marketing blog and the world’s top marketing podcast. He is also a tequila sommelier and the second most popular tequila influencer in the world.
    Connect with Jay at Jaybaer.com and thebaerfacts.com.

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    Standing Ovation, David Horsager
    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no podcast host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to every podcast producer whenever it’s possible to do so. Jay both produces and hosts Standing Ovation on his own. 
     

    Connect 
    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Elaine welcomes genuine connections on LinkedIn.

    Visit Podcast Allies to learn about our individual and team training; podcast development consulting; podcast production services; podcast host coaching; and podcast producer coaching. 

    Speaking: To hire Elaine to speak at your event, email allies@podcastallies.com.

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Share your Sound Judgment dream guest with us. Who’s your favorite podcast host? Drop us an email at allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Say Thank You

    Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.
    On the show page on your phone, scroll to the bottom of the episodes. Click on the stars to rate; click on “Write a Review” to tell us what you think! 

    Takeaways from this episode
    1. Your story could be worth millions of dollars. Why aren’t you analyzing what makes it good? 
    Like the typical podcast host, the typical speaker—no matter how successful— doesn’t know why their material is good. They’re just operating on instinct. Which also means you don’t know how to improve your work. 

    As Jay said, a good keynote speaker tells the same story many, many different times a year, often for several years. As he says, that means their “signature story” could be worth millions and millions of dollars. He’s dumbfounded by the lack of insight most speakers have about these extraordinarily valuable stories. “To not know how or why it’s good, or how it’s gotten better over time, is amazing,” he says.

    That’s one reason he started Standing Ovation and a big reason why I started Sound Judgment and am on a quest to identify the universal skills of hostiness. While you’re not likely to make millions directly from your podcast, if you use it as the linchpin of your business or your social impact organization, you could count its value in the millions. That’s just one of many superb reasons to keep learning. Dissect your own episodes, on your own or with a guide. Also, deconstruct podcasts you love. You’ll learn a ton and your work will become far more valuable in the process.  


    2. Bob Ross had it right. Remember the painting instructor on PBS? Millions of people watched his show, because he instructed while he painted pictures – and made the process understandable through example. Jay Baer loves what I call “living case studies” because they do what Bob Ross did – they entertain while they inform. Everybody tuning into a show like Standing Ovation, or Bob Ross, envisions themselves practicing the craft themselves. It’s vicarious, which is fun, and inspiring. And, as Jay says, if you’re asking someone to invest their very precious time listening to your show, “you darn well better both entertain them and improve them in some way.” That’s especially true for business, personal development, and educational shows of all kinds. 

    3. When and why should you tell a personal story, if your podcast isn’t personal? Say you run a podcast for small business owners, fitness enthusiasts, or fly fishermen? There are two tests: Is it relevant to your ideal listener? Can you tie a lesson back to the topic at hand? Two, does it elicit an emotion? As Jay said, if you barrage listeners with one piece of data after another, they won’t remember it. But they will remember how you make them feel, as Maya Angelou so famously said. 

    4. Name your listeners! It’s a great way to create a community. When we’re identified by a name we feel good about, we feel like we’ve made it into a special club. It’s a metaphorical shirt we can put on.  Glynn Washington calls Snap Judgment listeners Snappers; Jay calls his Standing Ovation listeners Clappers.

    What should I call you? What metaphorical shirt do you want to wear?

    We are running a contest, inspired by Jay. Whomever comes up with the best, most fun name for yourself and your fellow listeners will get a bottle of tequila from Jay’s personal stash. That’s really cool, because in addition to being a marketing guru, Jay is the second most popular tequila influencer in the world.

    Here's the link again to enter. 

    Submit your ideas now. The deadline is Saturday, February 4, 2023. Winners will get a shoutout in our newsletter, on the podcast and in our social channels. 

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Design and Audio Editing: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell


     


     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 26 Jan 2023 09:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Tina Bassir, Jay Baer, Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show. 


    Enter the Sound Judgment Listener Name Contest! 
    On Standing Ovation, Jay calls his listeners “clappers.” Glynn Washington of Snap Judgment calls his listeners “snappers.” What Should I Read Next? host Anne Bogel talks to her “readers.” What should we call you? 

    Enter our contest, inspired by Jay Baer. Here’s how it works: 
    Submit your ideas (as many as you would like) here.

    Deadline: Saturday, February 4. 

    Prize: We’ll choose the best, most fun name from the entries. Jay Baer,  the second most popular tequila influencer in the world, will send the winner a bottle of tequila from his personal stash. 
    We’ll also promote you in our newsletter, on an episode of Sound Judgment, in our show notes and on our social channels. Don’t wait! 


    Jay Baer 
    Hall of Fame keynote speaker Jay Baer has lost count of the number of podcasts he has produced and hosted. He is also a New York Times bestselling author of six books and founder of five multi-million dollar companies. Filled with real-world case studies, Jay’s programs teach companies how to turn customer experience, customer service, and marketing into their biggest business growth advantage. Jay has advised Caterpillar, Nike, IBM, Allstate, The United Nations, and 32 of the FORTUNE 500. He is the founder of Convince & Convert, a strategy consulting firm that owns the world’s #1 content marketing blog and the world’s top marketing podcast. He is also a tequila sommelier and the second most popular tequila influencer in the world.
    Connect with Jay at Jaybaer.com and thebaerfacts.com.

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    Standing Ovation, David Horsager
    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no podcast host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to every podcast producer whenever it’s possible to do so. Jay both produces and hosts Standing Ovation on his own. 
     

    Connect 
    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Elaine welcomes genuine connections on LinkedIn.

    Visit Podcast Allies to learn about our individual and team training; podcast development consulting; podcast production services; podcast host coaching; and podcast producer coaching. 

    Speaking: To hire Elaine to speak at your event, email allies@podcastallies.com.

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Share your Sound Judgment dream guest with us. Who’s your favorite podcast host? Drop us an email at allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Say Thank You

    Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.
    On the show page on your phone, scroll to the bottom of the episodes. Click on the stars to rate; click on “Write a Review” to tell us what you think! 

    Takeaways from this episode
    1. Your story could be worth millions of dollars. Why aren’t you analyzing what makes it good? 
    Like the typical podcast host, the typical speaker—no matter how successful— doesn’t know why their material is good. They’re just operating on instinct. Which also means you don’t know how to improve your work. 

    As Jay said, a good keynote speaker tells the same story many, many different times a year, often for several years. As he says, that means their “signature story” could be worth millions and millions of dollars. He’s dumbfounded by the lack of insight most speakers have about these extraordinarily valuable stories. “To not know how or why it’s good, or how it’s gotten better over time, is amazing,” he says.

    That’s one reason he started Standing Ovation and a big reason why I started Sound Judgment and am on a quest to identify the universal skills of hostiness. While you’re not likely to make millions directly from your podcast, if you use it as the linchpin of your business or your social impact organization, you could count its value in the millions. That’s just one of many superb reasons to keep learning. Dissect your own episodes, on your own or with a guide. Also, deconstruct podcasts you love. You’ll learn a ton and your work will become far more valuable in the process.  


    2. Bob Ross had it right. Remember the painting instructor on PBS? Millions of people watched his show, because he instructed while he painted pictures – and made the process understandable through example. Jay Baer loves what I call “living case studies” because they do what Bob Ross did – they entertain while they inform. Everybody tuning into a show like Standing Ovation, or Bob Ross, envisions themselves practicing the craft themselves. It’s vicarious, which is fun, and inspiring. And, as Jay says, if you’re asking someone to invest their very precious time listening to your show, “you darn well better both entertain them and improve them in some way.” That’s especially true for business, personal development, and educational shows of all kinds. 

    3. When and why should you tell a personal story, if your podcast isn’t personal? Say you run a podcast for small business owners, fitness enthusiasts, or fly fishermen? There are two tests: Is it relevant to your ideal listener? Can you tie a lesson back to the topic at hand? Two, does it elicit an emotion? As Jay said, if you barrage listeners with one piece of data after another, they won’t remember it. But they will remember how you make them feel, as Maya Angelou so famously said. 

    4. Name your listeners! It’s a great way to create a community. When we’re identified by a name we feel good about, we feel like we’ve made it into a special club. It’s a metaphorical shirt we can put on.  Glynn Washington calls Snap Judgment listeners Snappers; Jay calls his Standing Ovation listeners Clappers.

    What should I call you? What metaphorical shirt do you want to wear?

    We are running a contest, inspired by Jay. Whomever comes up with the best, most fun name for yourself and your fellow listeners will get a bottle of tequila from Jay’s personal stash. That’s really cool, because in addition to being a marketing guru, Jay is the second most popular tequila influencer in the world.

    Here's the link again to enter. 

    Submit your ideas now. The deadline is Saturday, February 4, 2023. Winners will get a shoutout in our newsletter, on the podcast and in our social channels. 

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Design and Audio Editing: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell


     


     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Standing Ovation Host Jay Baer: How to Craft a Million-Dollar Story Tina Bassir, Jay Baer, Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella 00:48:46 Jay Baer’s binge-worthy podcast, Standing Ovation, does for public speakers what Sound Judgment does for podcast hosts – but he did it first. On every episode, Baer, a member of the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame, and another famous speaker unpack a story from a guest’s keynote speech. The goal: To learn exactly what makes that story work. To me, his show was popcorn: Once I started listening, I couldn’t stop. Jay is funny, snappy, and — as you can see — wears plaid suits as just one of many deliberate tactics he’s used to build thought leadership in marketing communications. (Read one of his six books on attention and marketing for many more.) He’s also one of the nicest, most thought-provoking, curious podcast hosts I’ve met. Today, Jay and I dissect an episode of Standing Ovation. We pull apart a hilarious piece told by top speaker David Horsager. In the process, we learn: * How to stand out in an increasingly crowded field * How tiny shifts in craft and performance make the difference between a hit — or a miss * When and why you should tell personal stories to business listeners — and when you shouldn’t * Why your story, speech or podcast could be worth millions. * Why, as a podcast host or podcast producer, it’s vital to continue studying your craft no matter how successful you get. If you like this episode, you’ll also like Episode 2: The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth. Jay Baer’s binge-worthy podcast, Standing Ovation, does for public speakers what Sound Judgment does for podcast hosts – but he did it first. On every episode, Baer, a member of the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame, and another famous speaker unpack a story from a guest’s keynote speech. The goal: To learn exactly what makes that story work. To me, his show was popcorn: Once I started listening, I couldn’t stop. Jay is funny, snappy, and — as you can see — wears plaid suits as just one of many deliberate tactics he’s used to build thought leadership in marketing communications. (Read one of his six books on attention and marketing for many more.) He’s also one of the nicest, most thought-provoking, curious podcast hosts I’ve met. Today, Jay and I dissect an episode of Standing Ovation. We pull apart a hilarious piece told by top speaker David Horsager. In the process, we learn: * How to stand out in an increasingly crowded field * How tiny shifts in craft and performance make the difference between a hit — or a miss * When and why you should tell personal stories to business listeners — and when you shouldn’t * Why your story, speech or podcast could be worth millions. * Why, as a podcast host or podcast producer, it’s vital to continue studying your craft no matter how successful you get. If you like this episode, you’ll also like Episode 2: The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth. talk triggers, how to be a great podcast host, producing, podcast producer, national speakers association, national speakers association hall of fame, standing ovation, public speaking, stage, marketing, hosting, signature story, customer experience, podcast production, david horsager, great host, podcast host, jay baer, tequila true full 2 2     fd9e3b27-4ba5-4a58-a59f-3c86b4b017fa Snap Judgment's Glynn Washington: Lessons from a Master Storyteller Before creating the Snap Judgment radio show, Glynn worked as an educator, diplomat, community activist, actor, political strategist, fist-shaker, mountain-hollerer, and foot stomper. 
    Snap Judgment is heard on about 500 public radio stations in the U.S. and on podcasts everywhere. 

    Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show.

    The episode discussed on today's show

    "Zoo Nebraska," a Snap Classic, Season 13, Episode 18.

    The story of a chimpanzee and a man whose dream brought disaster to a small American town.

    This story details violence against animals. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.

    Read more about Zoo Nebraska in Carson’s book, Zoo Nebraska: The Dismantling of an American Dream.

    Additional thanks to Patti Ragan from the Center for Great Apes.

    Produced by John Fecile and Carson Vaughan, original score by Renzo Gorrio

    Additional production by Jesse Dukes and Pat Mesiti-Miller

    Artwork by Teo Ducot

    Interested in protecting Great Apes? Learn more at the Center for Great Apes

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on  Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    Takeaways from today's show: 

    1. What you’re doing is taking the listener on a journey with you. That takes intention. 

    From the very beginning of any episode, Glynn is thinking about how to persuade the listener to go on a journey with him. He’s taking you into a different world, introducing you to the interior lives of the characters in these stories. He wants you to be curious, surprised, to feel things. He asks this question: “What piece of myself can act as an avatar for this journey I want to take people on? What piece of me can do that? That’s the hostiness of it all.” 

    2. To have hostiness is to be animated by a question – and the question that lights you up will be different than the one that lights me up. Snap Judgment is all about empathy - how to evoke, how to get listeners to walk in someone else’s shoes for  a little while. But Jad Abumrad of RadioLab’s animating force was curiosity. What animates you? Stay true to that. 

    3. To Glynn, the best characters are not the famous and successful.  They’re the people who’ve made mistakes; who don’t want to face the ramifications of their actions, who’ve had some hard knocks – like Dick, the zookeeper in Zoo Nebraska who didn’t want his story told. Rarely – if ever – are people villains on purpose. 

    4. You don’t have to be Batman to have a good story to tell. In fact, you may be able to tell an amazing story about walking across the street, if we learn what it took for you to get from one side of the street to the other, and how high the stakes are. 

    5. And five…Don’t leave out the washing machine. It’s the ordinary details of life – even when they happen in the middle of a chimp escape – that make stories real for listeners. 

     

     

     

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 12 Jan 2023 09:28:41 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Glynn Washington, Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Before creating the Snap Judgment radio show, Glynn worked as an educator, diplomat, community activist, actor, political strategist, fist-shaker, mountain-hollerer, and foot stomper. 
    Snap Judgment is heard on about 500 public radio stations in the U.S. and on podcasts everywhere. 

    Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show.

    The episode discussed on today's show

    "Zoo Nebraska," a Snap Classic, Season 13, Episode 18.

    The story of a chimpanzee and a man whose dream brought disaster to a small American town.

    This story details violence against animals. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.

    Read more about Zoo Nebraska in Carson’s book, Zoo Nebraska: The Dismantling of an American Dream.

    Additional thanks to Patti Ragan from the Center for Great Apes.

    Produced by John Fecile and Carson Vaughan, original score by Renzo Gorrio

    Additional production by Jesse Dukes and Pat Mesiti-Miller

    Artwork by Teo Ducot

    Interested in protecting Great Apes? Learn more at the Center for Great Apes

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on  Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    Takeaways from today's show: 

    1. What you’re doing is taking the listener on a journey with you. That takes intention. 

    From the very beginning of any episode, Glynn is thinking about how to persuade the listener to go on a journey with him. He’s taking you into a different world, introducing you to the interior lives of the characters in these stories. He wants you to be curious, surprised, to feel things. He asks this question: “What piece of myself can act as an avatar for this journey I want to take people on? What piece of me can do that? That’s the hostiness of it all.” 

    2. To have hostiness is to be animated by a question – and the question that lights you up will be different than the one that lights me up. Snap Judgment is all about empathy - how to evoke, how to get listeners to walk in someone else’s shoes for  a little while. But Jad Abumrad of RadioLab’s animating force was curiosity. What animates you? Stay true to that. 

    3. To Glynn, the best characters are not the famous and successful.  They’re the people who’ve made mistakes; who don’t want to face the ramifications of their actions, who’ve had some hard knocks – like Dick, the zookeeper in Zoo Nebraska who didn’t want his story told. Rarely – if ever – are people villains on purpose. 

    4. You don’t have to be Batman to have a good story to tell. In fact, you may be able to tell an amazing story about walking across the street, if we learn what it took for you to get from one side of the street to the other, and how high the stakes are. 

    5. And five…Don’t leave out the washing machine. It’s the ordinary details of life – even when they happen in the middle of a chimp escape – that make stories real for listeners. 

     

     

     

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Snap Judgment's Glynn Washington: Lessons from a Master Storyteller Glynn Washington, Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir 00:45:26 To a lot of listeners, Glynn Washington is a legend. His show, Snap Judgment, has been on the air across the country and in our ears continuously since 2010. It’s snapped up two million times a month by people who love his particular, recognizable brand of storytelling—as he calls it, storytelling with a beat. He’s one of only three people in the world who have had three podcasts hit number one on the Apple charts at the same time—Snap Judgment and his two other shows, Spooked, and a limited series called Heaven’s Gate. When people describe Glynn, and Snap Judgment, the words that come up are curiosity. Music. Empathy…and WONDER. And… no wonder. Because who else other than Glynn would include this statement in the credits of a podcast episode? “We love the universe of life in its glorious splendor.” Glynn and I delve into hostiness, empathy, surprise and why you should go small when storytelling, not big, on this episode of Sound Judgment, where we investigate just what it takes to become a beloved podcast host – by pulling apart one episode at a time, together. To a lot of listeners, Glynn Washington is a legend. His show, Snap Judgment, has been on the air across the country and in our ears continuously since 2010. It’s snapped up two million times a month by people who love his particular, recognizable brand of storytelling—as he calls it, storytelling with a beat. He’s one of only three people in the world who have had three podcasts hit number one on the Apple charts at the same time—Snap Judgment and his two other shows, Spooked, and a limited series called Heaven’s Gate. When people describe Glynn, and Snap Judgment, the words that come up are curiosity. Music. Empathy…and WONDER. And… no wonder. Because who else other than Glynn would include this statement in the credits of a podcast episode? “We love the universe of life in its glorious splendor.” Glynn and I delve into hostiness, empathy, surprise and why you should go small when storytelling, not big, on this episode of Sound Judgment, where we investigate just what it takes to become a beloved podcast host – by pulling apart one episode at a time, together. greathost, podcast producer, storytelling, glynn washington, snap judgment, hosting, prx, how to be a great host, audio storyteller, public radio, podcast host, producer, editor true full 1 2     6bef78dc-4292-4aad-b765-49f49f73e01b Six Unexpected (Life) Lessons from Great Hosts to Prepare You for 2023 The Six Biggest, Most Surprising or Useful Lessons our Hosts Identified in 2022

    1. The host defines the brand of your show.

    2. Hosting changes the host—not just as a storyteller and performer, but as a human being. 

    3. Great performances are valuable, whether that's a million-dollar signature story in a keynote speech or the captivating storytelling and connection skills of a great host.  

    4. We must challenge unconscious bias about the kinds of voices that are perceived as acceptable. 

    5. Narrative isn't simply important, it's the way we experience the world, define our identities, and make meaning. Sharing stories builds empathy. When we revise our own stories, we change our lives. 

    6. To stand out from the competition, we need to constantly think of how to be "better than good," as Jay Baer puts it. 

    BONUS: Podcasting is a team sport—not simply because of the variety of skills and tasks involved in producing a great show, but because collaboration with colleagues who make you feel safe enables courageous, vulnerable creativity. We will almost always do better work in collaboration than we will completely alone. 


    The episode(s) discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth, Sound Judgment Ep. 2
    A Host on a Mission with Quien tu Eres host Pabel Martinez, Sound Judgment Ep. 6

    Finding Your Voice with Shelter in Place Host Laura Joyce Davis, Sound Judgment Ep. 5

    A "Yes, And" Approach to Cohosting with Pantsuit Politics, Sound Judgment Ep. 3

    Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland, Sound Judgment Ep. 4

    The podcast Standing Ovation with host Jay Baer: A sneak peek of a Season 2 Sound Judgment episode 

    The podcast Snap Judgment with host Glynn Washington: A sneak peek of Season 2, Episode 1, coming January 12, 2023
    Sound Judgment Ep. 1, “Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs”

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling.

    Captivate Your Listeners, Improve Your Hostiness and Grow Your Show in 2023!
    What’s it like for you to face the blank page of your script – or that "blank tape" on the mic? As any writer knows, a blank page is intimidating. It can be even harder when we’re using our voice  – because we only have 30 seconds or so to hook new listeners. That’s a lot of pressure. There’s a lot that goes into starting your episode with a bang, keeping listeners enthralled throughout, and especially providing enough value that they’ll come back again and again.

    Don’t stay stuck! Get a half-price Hook Your Listener Audit now. As a veteran story and program editor, producer and host, I’ll work with you personally to get over the stress of the "blank page" and help you improve your hostiness. You'll send us  a link to one episode ahead of time, and in one 45-minute session, I’ll identify several ways that you can tune up your show fast, painlessly, and without any extra cost – so you can get critical acclaim and, most importantly, grow your show. In just one session, we’ll uncover and build on your unique strengths. You'll tune up the sound and promise of your show. You’ll be more likely to captivate listeners. And most importantly, you’ll quickly feel – and sound – more confident! Now through January 31, you can get a personalized Hook-Your-Listener Audit for half price — only $149. We've only set aside a handful of these packages (we give them a lot of time and attention in addition to our face-to-face 45-minutes session). And because they're so affordable, they’re going fast. 

    Click here to purchase your own HYL Audit now. But if you still have questions, no worries! Email us at allies@podcastallies.com for answers. 

    Help us grow!

    Rate and review the show or your favorite episode on Apple Podcasts 

    Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn

    Celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Help lift up indie podcast hosts and producers! Bring untold stories to our ears with this worthy cause

    We’re delighted to support the Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund. LWC Studios launched the fund to support independent BIPOC, Queer and Trans audio producers in submitting high-quality work to media/journalism awards and receiving production education and training. Diversifying audio storytelling enriches all of us. Please support the fund in whatever way works for you.  

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. For more information on our production, launch and training services for social impact organizations and mission-driven individual creators, visit us at www.podcastallies.com. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 29 Dec 2022 09:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Jay Baer, Glynn Washington, Stephanie Wittels Wachs, John Barth, Pabel Martinez, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant, Sarah Stewart Holland, Laura Joyce Davis, Andrew Parella) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ The Six Biggest, Most Surprising or Useful Lessons our Hosts Identified in 2022

    1. The host defines the brand of your show.

    2. Hosting changes the host—not just as a storyteller and performer, but as a human being. 

    3. Great performances are valuable, whether that's a million-dollar signature story in a keynote speech or the captivating storytelling and connection skills of a great host.  

    4. We must challenge unconscious bias about the kinds of voices that are perceived as acceptable. 

    5. Narrative isn't simply important, it's the way we experience the world, define our identities, and make meaning. Sharing stories builds empathy. When we revise our own stories, we change our lives. 

    6. To stand out from the competition, we need to constantly think of how to be "better than good," as Jay Baer puts it. 

    BONUS: Podcasting is a team sport—not simply because of the variety of skills and tasks involved in producing a great show, but because collaboration with colleagues who make you feel safe enables courageous, vulnerable creativity. We will almost always do better work in collaboration than we will completely alone. 


    The episode(s) discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    The Host Defines the Brand with John Barth, Sound Judgment Ep. 2
    A Host on a Mission with Quien tu Eres host Pabel Martinez, Sound Judgment Ep. 6

    Finding Your Voice with Shelter in Place Host Laura Joyce Davis, Sound Judgment Ep. 5

    A "Yes, And" Approach to Cohosting with Pantsuit Politics, Sound Judgment Ep. 3

    Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland, Sound Judgment Ep. 4

    The podcast Standing Ovation with host Jay Baer: A sneak peek of a Season 2 Sound Judgment episode 

    The podcast Snap Judgment with host Glynn Washington: A sneak peek of Season 2, Episode 1, coming January 12, 2023
    Sound Judgment Ep. 1, “Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs”

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling.

    Captivate Your Listeners, Improve Your Hostiness and Grow Your Show in 2023!
    What’s it like for you to face the blank page of your script – or that "blank tape" on the mic? As any writer knows, a blank page is intimidating. It can be even harder when we’re using our voice  – because we only have 30 seconds or so to hook new listeners. That’s a lot of pressure. There’s a lot that goes into starting your episode with a bang, keeping listeners enthralled throughout, and especially providing enough value that they’ll come back again and again.

    Don’t stay stuck! Get a half-price Hook Your Listener Audit now. As a veteran story and program editor, producer and host, I’ll work with you personally to get over the stress of the "blank page" and help you improve your hostiness. You'll send us  a link to one episode ahead of time, and in one 45-minute session, I’ll identify several ways that you can tune up your show fast, painlessly, and without any extra cost – so you can get critical acclaim and, most importantly, grow your show. In just one session, we’ll uncover and build on your unique strengths. You'll tune up the sound and promise of your show. You’ll be more likely to captivate listeners. And most importantly, you’ll quickly feel – and sound – more confident! Now through January 31, you can get a personalized Hook-Your-Listener Audit for half price — only $149. We've only set aside a handful of these packages (we give them a lot of time and attention in addition to our face-to-face 45-minutes session). And because they're so affordable, they’re going fast. 

    Click here to purchase your own HYL Audit now. But if you still have questions, no worries! Email us at allies@podcastallies.com for answers. 

    Help us grow!

    Rate and review the show or your favorite episode on Apple Podcasts 

    Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn

    Celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Help lift up indie podcast hosts and producers! Bring untold stories to our ears with this worthy cause

    We’re delighted to support the Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund. LWC Studios launched the fund to support independent BIPOC, Queer and Trans audio producers in submitting high-quality work to media/journalism awards and receiving production education and training. Diversifying audio storytelling enriches all of us. Please support the fund in whatever way works for you.  

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. For more information on our production, launch and training services for social impact organizations and mission-driven individual creators, visit us at www.podcastallies.com. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Six Unexpected (Life) Lessons from Great Hosts to Prepare You for 2023 Jay Baer, Glynn Washington, Stephanie Wittels Wachs, John Barth, Pabel Martinez, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant, Sarah Stewart Holland, Laura Joyce Davis, Andrew Parella 00:22:17 What are the biggest questions you have about becoming the best podcast host you can be? And how podcasting affects not just your work, but your life? We're answering your deepest questions on today's episode, a look back at Season 1 and the surprising things we learned in 2022. And our hosts share the unexpected ways in which hosting their shows has changed their lives. Hosts and producers featured on this episode include John Barth of Marketplace and PRX; Pabel Martinez of Quien tu Eres?, Laura Joyce Davis of Shelter in Place and the Stanford Storytelling Project, Sarah Stewart Holland, co-host of Pantsuit Politics, Jay Baer of Standing Ovation, Emma Courtland of Crime Show, and Glynn Washington of Snap Judgment, sharing some of their most heartfelt dilemmas and joys. I share some deep lessons that I learned in this first season of Sound Judgment — insights and ideas that changed me—and my perspectives on hosting—in ways I didn't see coming. Here are six lessons, with accompanying questions—and a few tough challenges—to take you into a very creative 2023. What are the biggest questions you have about becoming the best podcast host you can be? And how podcasting affects not just your work, but your life? We're answering your deepest questions on today's episode, a look back at Season 1 and the surprising things we learned in 2022. And our hosts share the unexpected ways in which hosting their shows has changed their lives. Hosts and producers featured on this episode include John Barth of Marketplace and PRX; Pabel Martinez of Quien tu Eres?, Laura Joyce Davis of Shelter in Place and the Stanford Storytelling Project, Sarah Stewart Holland, co-host of Pantsuit Politics, Jay Baer of Standing Ovation, Emma Courtland of Crime Show, and Glynn Washington of Snap Judgment, sharing some of their most heartfelt dilemmas and joys. I share some deep lessons that I learned in this first season of Sound Judgment — insights and ideas that changed me—and my perspectives on hosting—in ways I didn't see coming. Here are six lessons, with accompanying questions—and a few tough challenges—to take you into a very creative 2023. storyteller, producing, podcast producer, storytelling, podcast, performer, public speaking, creator, stage, editing, audience, great podcast host, great host, grow your podcast, great hosting, become a great podcast host, podcasts, listeners, producer, public speaker, podcaster, editor, podcasting, grow your show true full 9 1     23239b33-d393-4add-8f92-6298b2ab3390 How Top Hosts Hook Listeners in 60 Seconds or Less Listeners to Sound Judgment know I’m on a quest to unpack how today’s best hosts make their magic — and to define the universal skills and qualities of “hostiness.” What makes some hosts stars, while we don’t remember the rest? 

    Today, we name and explore the first of these universal skills: 

    #1: Sparkling, Attention-Grabbing Intros
    Compelling hosts know how to grab and hold listeners' attention from the very first seconds of an episode. A great intro, also called a "lede," relies on the elements of: 
    — Surprise
    — Curiosity
    — Scene setting
    — For interview and conversation shows, stating your purpose

    We explore how three hosts, of two narrative podcasts and one interview show, use these elements in dramatically different ways to create remarkably effective ledes.

    (Please note: This episode includes the sounds of guns and a brief discussion of some tough topics, including suicide, during my exploration of Stephanie Wittels Wachs’ lede into the Last Day episode, “A Love Story.” The third season of Last Day is about guns. If you’re a host or producer thinking about the tenth anniversary of the Sandy Hook school shooting yesterday, and how to report movingly and sensitively about guns, Last Day is a model of how to do this beautifully and ethically.)  

    The episode(s) discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:
    Last Day, A Love Story, from Sound Judgment Ep. 1, “Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs”

    Crime Show, Paging Dr. Barnes, from Sound Judgment Ep. 4, “Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show’s Emma Courtland.” 

    What Should I Read Next, Ep 350: “Book mail keeps us together” and 

    Ep 351 “Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks!”, from Sound Judgment Ep. 7, “Secrets of Hosting Live and In-Studio with the Queen of Book Podcasts, Anne Bogel.” 

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling.


    Here’s a unique, last-minute gift idea for you or the podcast host in your life!

    Make sure you’re doing everything you can to hook your listener with a personalized Hook-Your-Listener Audit. You or your podcaster will share an episode with us. We’ll examine the intro, sound quality, structure, relatability, credibility, pacing and more, all through the lens of hostiness. For the holidays, this 45-minute session, filled with action-packed takeaways specific to your show, is only $149. If your loved one (or you) has resolved to grow their show in 2023, this is a quick and painless way to transform your show – and more importantly, you as a host – from good to great! Get one of the last remaining sessions now through New Year’s Eve and schedule your audit for January or February. The price goes back up to $300 on January 1. What could be a more personal gift? Click here for this special holiday Hook-Your-Listener Audit. 

    Help us grow! Rate and review the show or your favorite episode on Apple Podcasts 

    Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Help lift up indie podcast hosts and producers! Bring untold stories to our ears with this worthy cause

    We’re delighted to support the Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund. LWC Studios launched the fund to support independent BIPOC, Queer and Trans audio producers in submitting high-quality work to media/journalism awards and receiving production education and training. Diversifying audio storytelling enriches all of us. Please support the fund in whatever way works for you.  

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. For more information on our production and training services, visit us at www.podcastallies.com. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Stephanie Wittels Wachs, Emma Courtland, Elaine Appleton Grant, Anne Bogel) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Listeners to Sound Judgment know I’m on a quest to unpack how today’s best hosts make their magic — and to define the universal skills and qualities of “hostiness.” What makes some hosts stars, while we don’t remember the rest? 

    Today, we name and explore the first of these universal skills: 

    #1: Sparkling, Attention-Grabbing Intros
    Compelling hosts know how to grab and hold listeners' attention from the very first seconds of an episode. A great intro, also called a "lede," relies on the elements of: 
    — Surprise
    — Curiosity
    — Scene setting
    — For interview and conversation shows, stating your purpose

    We explore how three hosts, of two narrative podcasts and one interview show, use these elements in dramatically different ways to create remarkably effective ledes.

    (Please note: This episode includes the sounds of guns and a brief discussion of some tough topics, including suicide, during my exploration of Stephanie Wittels Wachs’ lede into the Last Day episode, “A Love Story.” The third season of Last Day is about guns. If you’re a host or producer thinking about the tenth anniversary of the Sandy Hook school shooting yesterday, and how to report movingly and sensitively about guns, Last Day is a model of how to do this beautifully and ethically.)  

    The episode(s) discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:
    Last Day, A Love Story, from Sound Judgment Ep. 1, “Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs”

    Crime Show, Paging Dr. Barnes, from Sound Judgment Ep. 4, “Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show’s Emma Courtland.” 

    What Should I Read Next, Ep 350: “Book mail keeps us together” and 

    Ep 351 “Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks!”, from Sound Judgment Ep. 7, “Secrets of Hosting Live and In-Studio with the Queen of Book Podcasts, Anne Bogel.” 

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling.


    Here’s a unique, last-minute gift idea for you or the podcast host in your life!

    Make sure you’re doing everything you can to hook your listener with a personalized Hook-Your-Listener Audit. You or your podcaster will share an episode with us. We’ll examine the intro, sound quality, structure, relatability, credibility, pacing and more, all through the lens of hostiness. For the holidays, this 45-minute session, filled with action-packed takeaways specific to your show, is only $149. If your loved one (or you) has resolved to grow their show in 2023, this is a quick and painless way to transform your show – and more importantly, you as a host – from good to great! Get one of the last remaining sessions now through New Year’s Eve and schedule your audit for January or February. The price goes back up to $300 on January 1. What could be a more personal gift? Click here for this special holiday Hook-Your-Listener Audit. 

    Help us grow! Rate and review the show or your favorite episode on Apple Podcasts 

    Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    Help lift up indie podcast hosts and producers! Bring untold stories to our ears with this worthy cause

    We’re delighted to support the Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund. LWC Studios launched the fund to support independent BIPOC, Queer and Trans audio producers in submitting high-quality work to media/journalism awards and receiving production education and training. Diversifying audio storytelling enriches all of us. Please support the fund in whatever way works for you.  

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. For more information on our production and training services, visit us at www.podcastallies.com. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     How Top Hosts Hook Listeners in 60 Seconds or Less Stephanie Wittels Wachs, Emma Courtland, Elaine Appleton Grant, Anne Bogel 00:19:33 As hosts, we have very little time to hook new listeners. We know this, because as listeners ourselves, we make decisions to listen to a new show—or abandon it—almost instantly. Likewise, we may have only half a minute for someone new to decide our show isn’t for them. So how do the best hosts hook their listeners—and what can we learn from them? In this solo-hosted episode, I explore four elements of effective intros through the insights and practices of Last Day’s Stephanie Wittels Wachs; Crime Show’s Emma Courtland; and Anne Bogel of What Should I Read Next? As hosts, we have very little time to hook new listeners. We know this, because as listeners ourselves, we make decisions to listen to a new show—or abandon it—almost instantly. Likewise, we may have only half a minute for someone new to decide our show isn’t for them. So how do the best hosts hook their listeners—and what can we learn from them? In this solo-hosted episode, I explore four elements of effective intros through the insights and practices of Last Day’s Stephanie Wittels Wachs; Crime Show’s Emma Courtland; and Anne Bogel of What Should I Read Next? story editor, producing, podcast producer, storytelling, hosting, grow your audience, anne bogel, how to interview, great podcast host, interview podcast, audio storyteller, best hosts, great host, podcast editor, great hosts, producer, podcast growth, narrative podcast, best podcast host, best host true full 8 1     3dd4a6e3-83a8-423d-b722-b67c2a15e550 Secrets of Hosting In-Studio and Live from the Queen of Book Podcasts, Anne Bogel Anne Bogel has spent the last six years of her life doing something uncanny: Every week on her hit show, What Should I Read Next, she excavates a guest’s reading life in fine detail. Then she recommends books that always seem to be the perfect choices for that guest, no matter who they are.

    It’s not just her unusual ability to pair book with reader that keeps her show at the top of the charts. It’s also the way Anne approaches hosting – as the art of practicing deep hospitality for her guests. That keeps her in listeners’ hearts, year after year. 

    It also makes Anne in-demand as public speaker. As intimate as she is with her podcast guests, you might never guess how raucously fun she is in front of a live audience! 

    If you dream of moving effortlessly between studio and stage, this episode is for you. 

    Anne Bogel is an author, the creator of the blog Modern Mrs Darcy, and host of What Should I Read Next? podcast and Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club. Anne loves talking to readers about their favorite books, reading struggles, and of course what they should read next. Anne lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband, four children, and a yellow lab named Daisy. Follow Anne on Instagram.

    What Should I Read Next episodes discussed on today's show: 
    Ep 350: “Book mail keeps us together”
    Ep 351 “Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks!”

    Anne Bogel's holiday gift book recommendations for your favorite hosts and producers: 

    1. The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker (discussed at 38:54)
    2. Out on a Wire: The Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio by Jessica Abel with forward by Ira Glass (39:29)
    3. I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai, due out in February 2023 (40:13)

    Scroll down for hosting takeaways from today's show. 

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect! Follow Elaine: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    Say thanks! 

    ✉️ Email me at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials
     

    Takeaways

    1. We may not think of it this way, but the word “host” comes from the word “hospitality.” Anne takes that literally – she and her team practice hospitality consciously. They do everything they can to make their guests feel welcome and at ease. That hospitality starts with the way they invite guests, to how they prepare them, to the ways in which Anne calms their nerves at the start of an interview. The result of such care shows in the relationships she builds with her guests – and, as a consequence, with devoted listeners. 

    2. Anne practices hospitality in the manner that Priya Parker describes in her book The Art of Gathering – and that means understanding and explaining the purpose of that gathering or interview at the very beginning. “It can feel silly at first to name your purpose,” she said. But it helps you and your guests immensely to say: "What is our purpose in being here today, in having this conversation? What do we hope you take away from this?" Don’t let these important guideposts remain unspoken. 

    3. You’re not the same host in a quiet studio as you are in front of a live audience. Or at least you shouldn’t be. Before you host an episode – or a live event – visualize how you want the audience to feel. As Anne says, the visual for a conversation with a single guest might be two people at a table leaning over their lattes. But the visual for a panel discussion in a room of hundreds of readers is big! As she put it, “Come on in. The water is warm! Big Momma’s shepherding! There’s room here for all of us, and we’re gonna have a ball.” They’re both positive kinds of energy, but they differ dramatically. 

    4. Hosting a great roundtable takes a different kind of expertise than hosting a conversation with a single person. It requires deft moderation, an ability to think like an orchestra conductor and sometimes a tightrope walker – along with the diplomacy to manage several egos. Anne plans ahead to give guests equal time and to ensure a lively flow of conversation. And she also thinks about how to inspire guests to tell stories that they haven’t told before – by artfully asking for specifics…like a memorable experience at a book club. And remember – sometimes that first story sets the tone for all the rest. 

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 1 Dec 2022 06:25:30 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Anne Bogel, TJ Klune, Andrew Sean Greer, Brendan Slocumb, Tia Williams, Elaine Appleton Grant) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Anne Bogel has spent the last six years of her life doing something uncanny: Every week on her hit show, What Should I Read Next, she excavates a guest’s reading life in fine detail. Then she recommends books that always seem to be the perfect choices for that guest, no matter who they are.

    It’s not just her unusual ability to pair book with reader that keeps her show at the top of the charts. It’s also the way Anne approaches hosting – as the art of practicing deep hospitality for her guests. That keeps her in listeners’ hearts, year after year. 

    It also makes Anne in-demand as public speaker. As intimate as she is with her podcast guests, you might never guess how raucously fun she is in front of a live audience! 

    If you dream of moving effortlessly between studio and stage, this episode is for you. 

    Anne Bogel is an author, the creator of the blog Modern Mrs Darcy, and host of What Should I Read Next? podcast and Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club. Anne loves talking to readers about their favorite books, reading struggles, and of course what they should read next. Anne lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband, four children, and a yellow lab named Daisy. Follow Anne on Instagram.

    What Should I Read Next episodes discussed on today's show: 
    Ep 350: “Book mail keeps us together”
    Ep 351 “Book Club Favorites: LIVE from Bookmarks!”

    Anne Bogel's holiday gift book recommendations for your favorite hosts and producers: 

    1. The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker (discussed at 38:54)
    2. Out on a Wire: The Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio by Jessica Abel with forward by Ira Glass (39:29)
    3. I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai, due out in February 2023 (40:13)

    Scroll down for hosting takeaways from today's show. 

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect! Follow Elaine: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    Say thanks! 

    ✉️ Email me at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials
     

    Takeaways

    1. We may not think of it this way, but the word “host” comes from the word “hospitality.” Anne takes that literally – she and her team practice hospitality consciously. They do everything they can to make their guests feel welcome and at ease. That hospitality starts with the way they invite guests, to how they prepare them, to the ways in which Anne calms their nerves at the start of an interview. The result of such care shows in the relationships she builds with her guests – and, as a consequence, with devoted listeners. 

    2. Anne practices hospitality in the manner that Priya Parker describes in her book The Art of Gathering – and that means understanding and explaining the purpose of that gathering or interview at the very beginning. “It can feel silly at first to name your purpose,” she said. But it helps you and your guests immensely to say: "What is our purpose in being here today, in having this conversation? What do we hope you take away from this?" Don’t let these important guideposts remain unspoken. 

    3. You’re not the same host in a quiet studio as you are in front of a live audience. Or at least you shouldn’t be. Before you host an episode – or a live event – visualize how you want the audience to feel. As Anne says, the visual for a conversation with a single guest might be two people at a table leaning over their lattes. But the visual for a panel discussion in a room of hundreds of readers is big! As she put it, “Come on in. The water is warm! Big Momma’s shepherding! There’s room here for all of us, and we’re gonna have a ball.” They’re both positive kinds of energy, but they differ dramatically. 

    4. Hosting a great roundtable takes a different kind of expertise than hosting a conversation with a single person. It requires deft moderation, an ability to think like an orchestra conductor and sometimes a tightrope walker – along with the diplomacy to manage several egos. Anne plans ahead to give guests equal time and to ensure a lively flow of conversation. And she also thinks about how to inspire guests to tell stories that they haven’t told before – by artfully asking for specifics…like a memorable experience at a book club. And remember – sometimes that first story sets the tone for all the rest. 

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Secrets of Hosting In-Studio and Live from the Queen of Book Podcasts, Anne Bogel Anne Bogel, TJ Klune, Andrew Sean Greer, Brendan Slocumb, Tia Williams, Elaine Appleton Grant 00:47:02 On Sound Judgment, today's best hosts unpack their magic. When Anne Bogel was offered the plum gig of moderating a panel discussion with four famous authors at the Bookmarks NC Festival of Books and Authors, she knew it would be fun. But she had no idea of the turn it would take when her guests -- authors TJ Klune, Andrew Sean Greer, Brendan Slocumb, and Tia Williams, began one-upping each other with wild tales from book club experiences like no other. Anne Bogel's been hosting her literary matchmaking show since 2016. As of this moment, it's at the top of the Apple charts, just below the New York Times Review of Books podcast and well above the New Yorker's show. There's a reason for that: Anne is purposeful about how she hosts, whether that's holding a deep conversation about a guest's reading life in the studio, or fielding unexpected stories, and a ton of laughs, on stage in front of hundreds. This episode is full of actionable takeaways that will help you improve your hosting -- and enable you to move back and forth between the studio and live events, using very different skills, with equal success. Plus, holiday gift-giving: Anne recommends three books for the host or producer in your life. On Sound Judgment, today's best hosts unpack their magic. When Anne Bogel was offered the plum gig of moderating a panel discussion with four famous authors at the Bookmarks NC Festival of Books and Authors, she knew it would be fun. But she had no idea of the turn it would take when her guests -- authors TJ Klune, Andrew Sean Greer, Brendan Slocumb, and Tia Williams, began one-upping each other with wild tales from book club experiences like no other. Anne Bogel's been hosting her literary matchmaking show since 2016. As of this moment, it's at the top of the Apple charts, just below the New York Times Review of Books podcast and well above the New Yorker's show. There's a reason for that: Anne is purposeful about how she hosts, whether that's holding a deep conversation about a guest's reading life in the studio, or fielding unexpected stories, and a ton of laughs, on stage in front of hundreds. This episode is full of actionable takeaways that will help you improve your hosting -- and enable you to move back and forth between the studio and live events, using very different skills, with equal success. Plus, holiday gift-giving: Anne recommends three books for the host or producer in your life. producing, bookmarks festival of books and authors, be a great podcast host, book podcasts, podcast producing, hosting, anne bogel, book clubs, bookmarks nc, book podcast, tj klune, book club favorites, andrew sean greer, tia williams, great podcast host, great host, brendan slocumb, book festivals, what should i read next, bookstagram, live show hosting true full 7 1     b193850e-255d-464a-9531-37fd238f2925 A host on a mission with ¿Quién Tú Eres? host Pabel Martinez Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling.

    Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show.

    Pabel Martinez is a native New Yorker, storyteller, and former tech executive. 

    Throughout his career, Pabel struggled balancing two jobs…tech employee and actor.  As an actor, he would focus on assimilation because he was trained to believe that many parts of his identity were unprofessional. Pabel would dedicate days out of the week to study “white popular American culture” and memorize scripts he would later use for work conversations. He knew that talking about Bad Bunny and shows like Insecure would not make him relatable. Instead, he would binge-watch seasons of Riverdale since it would help him build relationships with colleagues and senior leaders. The assimilation became overwhelming, and it was at the expense of his identity & mental health. As a result, Pabel's mission in life became redefining professionalism by empowering authenticity. In 2020, he launched his company, Plurawl, to bring this mission to life.

    Pabel's Takeaways

    1. Interrupting is often helpful and we need to learn how to do it deftly. Interrupting is cultural – it’s governed by what we consider polite, which is different everywhere. My husband, from Ohio where everyone is awfully nice, used to be horrified by what I see as my enthusiasm, which means I interrupt far more often than he does. I grew up in Boston and, later, New York. 

      The skill of interrupting may seem pretty small, inconsequential, even, but it’s not – it’s about being a host who can create a good flow to a conversation, and stay in control of it so you can serve your listeners. 
       
    2. Is there an injustice you see, one that isn’t being addressed? You can use a podcast to fill that need, both by having the courage to share your own difficult story, and by encouraging guests to share their untold stories on your show. Representation matters. We know this, but Pabel is showing it. Listeners tell Pabel that because of quien tu eres, they no longer feel alone. And that gives them strength to make changes they didn’t have the courage to do before.

      That response says a lot about the connection a host on a mission can create with their audience. Could you help your audience know they’re not alone? 
       
    3. While I believe there are universal qualities and skills to hostiness – I’m on that quest to uncover them – I also believe there is no single definition of a “great” or “best” host. Because, like my mother used to always say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That said, we can certainly know when a host is beloved. Not everyone will love you. But your ideal audience will, if: you understand who you’re talking to. 

      Are you serving that person? Do you know what they need to hear, and are you willing to go there? Pabel admitted that it’s hard for him to share episodes like the one he did about his salary, and the one he did about quitting his job at TikTok – but that they were among the most popular of all of his episodes. So get to know your ideal listeners very well. Care for them. Let your work speak to them. And, depending on your goals, speak out FOR them.
    4. Who we are as a human has everything to with who we are on the mic. 
      And what I realized is that who we are as human beings has everything to do with who we are on the mic. 
      If we are courageous, it shows. 
      If we know who our listeners are and love them, it shows. 
      If we are ashamed of something in our lives and that holds us back from expressing our full selves as hosts, it shows. 
      If we are making our podcast (or giving our speech or writing our story) solely to support our business and make money – purely for our own ends – it shows. 
      It doesn’t matter if we’re actually sharing personal stories or not: listeners hear and respond to our character in our voices, regardless of the format.
      So Pabel’s question — ¿Quién Tú Eres? — applies to all of us.
      Before you turn on the mic, spend some time with his question.  
      Who are you? 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us on our quest to uncover the universal skills and qualities of hostiness! 
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information…

    on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 17 Nov 2022 09:12:53 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Pabel Martinez, Molly Sider, Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling.

    Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show.

    Pabel Martinez is a native New Yorker, storyteller, and former tech executive. 

    Throughout his career, Pabel struggled balancing two jobs…tech employee and actor.  As an actor, he would focus on assimilation because he was trained to believe that many parts of his identity were unprofessional. Pabel would dedicate days out of the week to study “white popular American culture” and memorize scripts he would later use for work conversations. He knew that talking about Bad Bunny and shows like Insecure would not make him relatable. Instead, he would binge-watch seasons of Riverdale since it would help him build relationships with colleagues and senior leaders. The assimilation became overwhelming, and it was at the expense of his identity & mental health. As a result, Pabel's mission in life became redefining professionalism by empowering authenticity. In 2020, he launched his company, Plurawl, to bring this mission to life.

    Pabel's Takeaways

    1. Interrupting is often helpful and we need to learn how to do it deftly. Interrupting is cultural – it’s governed by what we consider polite, which is different everywhere. My husband, from Ohio where everyone is awfully nice, used to be horrified by what I see as my enthusiasm, which means I interrupt far more often than he does. I grew up in Boston and, later, New York. 

      The skill of interrupting may seem pretty small, inconsequential, even, but it’s not – it’s about being a host who can create a good flow to a conversation, and stay in control of it so you can serve your listeners. 
       
    2. Is there an injustice you see, one that isn’t being addressed? You can use a podcast to fill that need, both by having the courage to share your own difficult story, and by encouraging guests to share their untold stories on your show. Representation matters. We know this, but Pabel is showing it. Listeners tell Pabel that because of quien tu eres, they no longer feel alone. And that gives them strength to make changes they didn’t have the courage to do before.

      That response says a lot about the connection a host on a mission can create with their audience. Could you help your audience know they’re not alone? 
       
    3. While I believe there are universal qualities and skills to hostiness – I’m on that quest to uncover them – I also believe there is no single definition of a “great” or “best” host. Because, like my mother used to always say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That said, we can certainly know when a host is beloved. Not everyone will love you. But your ideal audience will, if: you understand who you’re talking to. 

      Are you serving that person? Do you know what they need to hear, and are you willing to go there? Pabel admitted that it’s hard for him to share episodes like the one he did about his salary, and the one he did about quitting his job at TikTok – but that they were among the most popular of all of his episodes. So get to know your ideal listeners very well. Care for them. Let your work speak to them. And, depending on your goals, speak out FOR them.
    4. Who we are as a human has everything to with who we are on the mic. 
      And what I realized is that who we are as human beings has everything to do with who we are on the mic. 
      If we are courageous, it shows. 
      If we know who our listeners are and love them, it shows. 
      If we are ashamed of something in our lives and that holds us back from expressing our full selves as hosts, it shows. 
      If we are making our podcast (or giving our speech or writing our story) solely to support our business and make money – purely for our own ends – it shows. 
      It doesn’t matter if we’re actually sharing personal stories or not: listeners hear and respond to our character in our voices, regardless of the format.
      So Pabel’s question — ¿Quién Tú Eres? — applies to all of us.
      Before you turn on the mic, spend some time with his question.  
      Who are you? 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us on our quest to uncover the universal skills and qualities of hostiness! 
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information…

    on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     A host on a mission with ¿Quién Tú Eres? host Pabel Martinez Pabel Martinez, Molly Sider, Elaine Appleton Grant, Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir 00:35:24 Sound Judgment has become a quest to identify the universal qualities and skills of "hostiness." If I’m on a quest, Pabel Martinez is on a mission—in his case, to redefine professionalism and to empower members of Latinx community to be their authentic selves 100% of the time. He’s sharing stories of Latinx professionals who are tired of playing the assimilation game in corporate America. Like him, they are rebelling against it, after lifetimes of pretending to be other than who they actually are. And we discover a new hostiness quality: That who we are as human beings has everything to do with how we show up on the mic, and whether—or not—we connect to our audiences. Sound Judgment has become a quest to identify the universal qualities and skills of "hostiness." If I’m on a quest, Pabel Martinez is on a mission—in his case, to redefine professionalism and to empower members of Latinx community to be their authentic selves 100% of the time. He’s sharing stories of Latinx professionals who are tired of playing the assimilation game in corporate America. Like him, they are rebelling against it, after lifetimes of pretending to be other than who they actually are. And we discover a new hostiness quality: That who we are as human beings has everything to do with how we show up on the mic, and whether—or not—we connect to our audiences. producing, mental health, storytelling, advocacy, latinx, stories, dei, bipoc, podcast, inclusion, latine, corporate america, pabel martinez, hosting, quien tu eres, diversity, racism, latina, fortune 500, corporate ladder, host, podcasts, writing, producer, equity, career, authenticity, podcasting, latino, poc true full 6 1     3f5fbb04-9e56-4cf6-8a4e-639649f39c80 Finding your voice with Shelter in Place host Laura Joyce Davis Laura Joyce Davis, Host/Executive Producer, Shelter in Place

    Laura Joyce Davis is the host and executive producer of Shelter in Place, which won the “Changing the World One Moment at a Time” award at the International Women’s Podcast Awards. She is a full-time lecturer and managing editor at Stanford University's Storytelling Project, the CEO and co-founder of Narrative Podcasts (an online course), and one of Podcast Magazine's Top 22 Influencers in Podcasting in 2022. Her work has been recognized with a PR News Social Impact Award, a Fulbright scholarship, and occasional praise from her three children.

    Her favorite project management tools: Butcher block paper, nice markers, post-its, white boards, and gel roller pens. 

    Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show. 

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to producers whenever it’s possible to do so. 

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment: 

    March 2022, Season 3, Episode 25: Cloud Cuckoo Land

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment and shower you with gratitude and a decent cup of coffee.

    For more information…

    on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    Takeaways from Laura Joyce Davis, host of Shelter in Place

    1. You need a strong hook to entice listeners. And you might have heard that there’s an unwritten 30-second rule – that’s all the time you’ve got. But you can get away with a lot longer lead if you create suspense.
       
    2. How can you voice a script naturally, and avoid that awful “readerly” quality? Take a tip from Laura’s Broadway actor brother:  Stop focusing on the words in every sentence. Instead, focus on the whole thought you’re conveying. 
       
    3. At some point, you’ll need to grapple with how much of yourself to share with your listeners. This is a big part of finding your voice. There are huge payoffs to sharing parts of yourself…and this is a question that you may need to wrestle with over and over again.

    More takeaways coming soon! 

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

     

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 10 Nov 2022 09:37:52 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Laura Joyce Davis, Elaine Appleton Grant) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Laura Joyce Davis, Host/Executive Producer, Shelter in Place

    Laura Joyce Davis is the host and executive producer of Shelter in Place, which won the “Changing the World One Moment at a Time” award at the International Women’s Podcast Awards. She is a full-time lecturer and managing editor at Stanford University's Storytelling Project, the CEO and co-founder of Narrative Podcasts (an online course), and one of Podcast Magazine's Top 22 Influencers in Podcasting in 2022. Her work has been recognized with a PR News Social Impact Award, a Fulbright scholarship, and occasional praise from her three children.

    Her favorite project management tools: Butcher block paper, nice markers, post-its, white boards, and gel roller pens. 

    Scroll down for takeaways you can use from today’s show. 

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to producers whenever it’s possible to do so. 

    The episode discussed on today’s Sound Judgment: 

    March 2022, Season 3, Episode 25: Cloud Cuckoo Land

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment and shower you with gratitude and a decent cup of coffee.

    For more information…

    on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    Takeaways from Laura Joyce Davis, host of Shelter in Place

    1. You need a strong hook to entice listeners. And you might have heard that there’s an unwritten 30-second rule – that’s all the time you’ve got. But you can get away with a lot longer lead if you create suspense.
       
    2. How can you voice a script naturally, and avoid that awful “readerly” quality? Take a tip from Laura’s Broadway actor brother:  Stop focusing on the words in every sentence. Instead, focus on the whole thought you’re conveying. 
       
    3. At some point, you’ll need to grapple with how much of yourself to share with your listeners. This is a big part of finding your voice. There are huge payoffs to sharing parts of yourself…and this is a question that you may need to wrestle with over and over again.

    More takeaways coming soon! 

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

     

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Finding your voice with Shelter in Place host Laura Joyce Davis Laura Joyce Davis, Elaine Appleton Grant 00:47:19 How do you know who, exactly, you ARE behind the mic? What you sound like versus what you wish you sounded like? How to stand out as a host while being your unique self? Not to mention telling a gripping story or weaving a conversation listeners won't stop talking about tomorrow? Laura Joyce Davis, host and executive producer of the award-winning show Shelter in Place has answers...and they're gems. We learn what the rules are for hooking listeners and how to break them, with an example from Laura's interview with her friend, Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Anthony Doerr (Cloud Cuckoo Land, All the Light We Cannot See, and more). You'll hear Laura grapple with how much of her doubts and fears to share, along with how much of her personal life (Kids' names? Fights with her spouse?) and get tips from her Broadway-actor brother on how to get over the dreaded readerly voice on the mic for a natural, conversational, intimate sound. You'll be a better host after listening to this episode — and you'll enjoy it more, too. How do you know who, exactly, you ARE behind the mic? What you sound like versus what you wish you sounded like? How to stand out as a host while being your unique self? Not to mention telling a gripping story or weaving a conversation listeners won't stop talking about tomorrow? Laura Joyce Davis, host and executive producer of the award-winning show Shelter in Place has answers...and they're gems. We learn what the rules are for hooking listeners and how to break them, with an example from Laura's interview with her friend, Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Anthony Doerr (Cloud Cuckoo Land, All the Light We Cannot See, and more). You'll hear Laura grapple with how much of her doubts and fears to share, along with how much of her personal life (Kids' names? Fights with her spouse?) and get tips from her Broadway-actor brother on how to get over the dreaded readerly voice on the mic for a natural, conversational, intimate sound. You'll be a better host after listening to this episode — and you'll enjoy it more, too. find your voice, audio storytelling, hooking listeners, great host, podcast host true full 5 1     6e393f4a-5898-4de3-8005-ef1c2f1ae68e Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland Emma Courtland

    Emma Courtland is an award-winning podcast producer and oral historian. In 2020, she created Crime Show, an episodic documentary series "about people -- and sometimes crime." The show peaked at #2 on Spotify's podcast charts. Her work in audio has been recognized by the Podcast Academy (Nominee - Best Host, 2022), the Clue Awards (Nominee - Outstanding Episodic Series, 2022) and the National Council on Public History (Winner - Excellence in New Media).

    Emma holds a BA in English from UCLA and a MA in oral history from Columbia University.

    We believe that no host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to producers whenever it’s possible to do so. 

    The episode(s) discussed on today’s Sound Judgment: 

    September 2021, Paging Dr. Barnes

    March 2021: 18 Minutes

    Senior producer: Mitch Hansen

    Producers: Jade Abdul-Malik, Cat Schuknecht, Jerome Campbell

    Editor: Devon Taylor 

    Sound: Daniel Ramirez

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Coming soon: Takeaways from Emma Courtland, host of Crime Show

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 27 Oct 2022 17:44:38 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Emma Courtland, Tina Bassir, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Emma Courtland

    Emma Courtland is an award-winning podcast producer and oral historian. In 2020, she created Crime Show, an episodic documentary series "about people -- and sometimes crime." The show peaked at #2 on Spotify's podcast charts. Her work in audio has been recognized by the Podcast Academy (Nominee - Best Host, 2022), the Clue Awards (Nominee - Outstanding Episodic Series, 2022) and the National Council on Public History (Winner - Excellence in New Media).

    Emma holds a BA in English from UCLA and a MA in oral history from Columbia University.

    We believe that no host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to producers whenever it’s possible to do so. 

    The episode(s) discussed on today’s Sound Judgment: 

    September 2021, Paging Dr. Barnes

    March 2021: 18 Minutes

    Senior producer: Mitch Hansen

    Producers: Jade Abdul-Malik, Cat Schuknecht, Jerome Campbell

    Editor: Devon Taylor 

    Sound: Daniel Ramirez

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Coming soon: Takeaways from Emma Courtland, host of Crime Show

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Cinematic Storytelling with Crime Show's Emma Courtland Emma Courtland, Tina Bassir, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant 00:43:44 Last year, Crime Show's Emma Courtland was nominated for a Podcast Academy Ambie Award for best host -- most likely because of her measured, engaging delivery; her vivid, cinematic storytelling; and the humanity, nuance, and suspense of the stories she and her team uncovered. We dissect "Paging Dr. Barnes," an episode rescued from the cutting room floor and transformed into a beautiful exploration of a son discovering that his father was a con artist. Last year, Crime Show's Emma Courtland was nominated for a Podcast Academy Ambie Award for best host -- most likely because of her measured, engaging delivery; her vivid, cinematic storytelling; and the humanity, nuance, and suspense of the stories she and her team uncovered. We dissect "Paging Dr. Barnes," an episode rescued from the cutting room floor and transformed into a beautiful exploration of a son discovering that his father was a con artist. spotify, podcast academy, audio storytelling, narrative, crime show, true crime, con artist, ambie awards, great host, gimlet media, narrative podcast, paging dr. barnes, medical fraud, best host, good host true full 4 1     d23180ca-d0df-4a16-8276-07df29641ab1 Master the Secrets of Successful Cohosting with Pantsuit Politics Scroll down for takeaways about co-hosting well from Sarah and Beth

    About the guests: Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers host the popular podcast Pantsuit Politics, which was named one of 2021’s best shows by Apple Podcasts and has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Good Morning America 3, The Guardian, Elle Magazine, and Parents Magazine. They are also the authors of Now What? How to Move Forward When We’re Divided (About Basically Everything) (2022) and  I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversation (2019), which was featured on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. Sarah and Beth met in college before going their separate ways for law school. Sarah pursued a career in politics as a congressional staffer and campaign aide and Beth practiced law before serving as a human resources executive. Sarah lives in Paducah, KY, with her spouse, Nicholas, and children Griffin, Amos, and Felix. Beth lives in Union, KY, with her spouse, Chad, and children Jane and Ellen. Sarah’s dog, Cookie, and Beth’s dog, Lucy, are beloved (and involuntary) contributors to their work.

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    Share Sound Judgment!
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    How to be a great podcast co-host: Takeaways from Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers

    1. Respond from a place of humanity.
         As co-hosts of a news and politics show, Sarah and Beth are driven by what’s happening in the world. 
         “A lot of the news media and a lot of the political podcasters are in that same reactive posture. We just try to take a very different approach. We try to react from a place of humanity, instead of a place of expertise; a place of lived experience, instead of a place of … ‘decided-upon’ perspective. We really just try to show up as our whole selves.” 

    2. Don’t try to be a brand. Be yourself. 
         “We are here to be Sarah and Beth. And so our honest reactions after the [2016] election, I hope are the kinds of honest reflections that you get anytime you listen to our show.”

    3. Take your listeners on your journey, no matter where it takes you. 
         Accepting and being transparent about her own evolution was particularly important for Beth. In 2015, when they launched Pantsuit Politics, their premise was that although they came from opposite sides of the political spectrum — Beth was a Republican, Sarah a Democrat — they could hold nuanced, “grace-filled conversations.” That changed after the 2016 election, Beth says — a change that easily could have threatened the show.
         “Trump was the beginning of the end for me as anything that someone in 2022 would identify as conservative,” Beth says. “And I've tried to be really honest with our audience about that. We didn’t get stuck in a brand.” Instead, the podcast evolved as they evolved. 
         “What we're doing is changing all the time,” Sarah says. “That's what’s so life-giving about it. That's why we like to do it. That's why I think our audience is so invested. The work at Pantsuit Politics — it's an invitation to just take a journey with us.”

    4. Their secret to producing Pantsuit Politics for more than seven years
         “We know that we can continue to do this at the rate that we do because it's always met a need for us. And it continues to meet the need… We really wanted to sit down and have this conversation that we weren't hearing somewhere else.... And when it stops feeling like that, we check in with each other and say, 'Do we need to take a break? Do we need to shift the topics?' If we started down a path, we [may] need to ditch that path because we want to come back to meeting this need that we have.
         “And so that's our guiding light: If it doesn't feel helpful to us as individuals, it’s not going to be good content for the audience. And we need to take a step back.” — Beth

    5. Differences are essential for a good co-hosting partnership. Lean in.
         It’s not just OK to look at the world through different lenses. It’s a fundamental reason to have a co-host in the first place.  
         “Our general thesis from the beginning of the show [has been that] personality is a huge part of politics. And our personalities are different… you hear that a lot in the show. And I think our strength is that we allow both things to be true. We allow both perspectives to live and thrive and trust that the audience will gain something from each of them, because we absolutely gain something from each of them.” — Sarah
         How are you similar to and different from your co-host? When you’re different, like Sarah and Beth, the sum of your parts is greater than the whole. As Beth says, “I can't imagine doing this with someone who was just like me, or really with anyone else. I think it is the contrast that is interesting to listen to.”

    6. Who are you? What do you value? Who do you want to be to your listeners? 
         Beth can sound professorial — wise and a bit distant. Sarah is more emotional and expressive. As she says, “It’s not unusual for me to cry on the show.” These two personalities, both naturally who they are, complement each other like interlocking puzzle pieces.

    7. Resist the temptation to sacrifice deep thinking for speed. 
         Being first with a scoop may feel crucial. But often the more valuable content is not that which we can publish immediately. Thoughtfully unpacking the news, a cultural phenomenon, or a feeling, is often far more valuable to listeners.
         “Honestly, just can we slow down for a second? Not compete for the hottest take or the correct take? For the one-liner that's quotable… but instead really figure out what are we talking about? Why is [that headline] so captivating to everybody? What is it touching that we aren’t naming, [the real reason] that makes us fascinated by it?” — Beth

    8. When you know your listeners well, you can meet their needs.
    “Sometimes, we have a really in-depth look at an issue planned. And we realize our audience is worn out right now. We're just hearing it in emails, they're tired. They need something… people need some delight. How can we serve up some delight right now? Maybe we need it too.” — Beth

    9. A simple way to understand what your audience wants: real-life avatars
         “We have an amazing community manager, Maggie Penton, who just reads the room. She’s really good at [knowing] this is where people are at right now; this is what we're struggling with. She's also just an excellent listener avatar. She’s been listening to our show for a really long time.” — Sarah

    10. Listen to your audience — and your heart
         “We're not going to produce a show that we feel everyone's consumed with if we don't want to talk about it ourselves.” — Sarah

    11. How to avoid perfectionism
         “I just tell myself, we're gonna make another one. We can get that wrong. There are two a week, you know, we will have another chance if we feel like we missed the mark.” – Sarah

    12. Set yourself apart from the competition
         “We’re constantly pushing ourselves to say, ‘what could we add?’ Because every conversation is so saturated. When we started Pantsuit Politics, there weren't a million…news and politics podcasts, it was a totally different time…. Quiet quitting is a good example. When we discussed having this as a topic, [we asked] what could we possibly say about this that hasn't been said? We are challenging ourselves all the time to ask, what's new? Or what could we say differently? Or how are we thinking about this that we haven't heard somewhere else or read somewhere else?” — Beth

    13. The value of premium channels goes far beyond revenue
         Rather than reporting on and analyzing every headline, Sarah and Beth confine themselves to a few well-chosen topics each week. The freedom they feel to be selective comes in part from having “escape valves” — premium feeds that satisfy the needs of different listeners. 
         “In the beginning, we felt like we had to…report on every news story. We don't do that anymore. Because there's lots of new summary podcasts. We produce one every day, so if you’re into that, you can get it on our premium channel…. Our premium content that we produce has…freed us up to approach the show differently, because we know there's other places where if that's what the listener is looking for, they can find it.” — Sarah

    14. Emotional intimacy builds devoted communities.
         “I didn’t understand how deeply people connect with a voice that they listen to. Sarah says, all the time, ‘You can't skim a podcast.’ People do connect, because you're in their ears and they are paying attention. And there's something really powerful about spending almost two hours a week with the two of us just in your headphones, as you're buzzing about doing other things — when we are a part of dog walks and laundry and dinner preparation and commutes.” — Beth

    15. Stop overthinking.
         What Beth wishes she’d known about hosting when they started: “Understanding the entire premise of your show — that it is about the host. I am not trying to make something. I'm just being and letting people into the experience of me being. Developing that trust in myself is a journey that I'm still on…. If I could go back, I would say to myself, ‘Don't overthink this. Just trust that you can just be you and that's what people are here for.’”

     

    Credits

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 13 Oct 2022 07:01:58 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Beth Silvers, Sarah Stewart Holland, Tina Bassir, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Scroll down for takeaways about co-hosting well from Sarah and Beth

    About the guests: Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers host the popular podcast Pantsuit Politics, which was named one of 2021’s best shows by Apple Podcasts and has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Good Morning America 3, The Guardian, Elle Magazine, and Parents Magazine. They are also the authors of Now What? How to Move Forward When We’re Divided (About Basically Everything) (2022) and  I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversation (2019), which was featured on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. Sarah and Beth met in college before going their separate ways for law school. Sarah pursued a career in politics as a congressional staffer and campaign aide and Beth practiced law before serving as a human resources executive. Sarah lives in Paducah, KY, with her spouse, Nicholas, and children Griffin, Amos, and Felix. Beth lives in Union, KY, with her spouse, Chad, and children Jane and Ellen. Sarah’s dog, Cookie, and Beth’s dog, Lucy, are beloved (and involuntary) contributors to their work.

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    Share Sound Judgment!
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    How to be a great podcast co-host: Takeaways from Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers

    1. Respond from a place of humanity.
         As co-hosts of a news and politics show, Sarah and Beth are driven by what’s happening in the world. 
         “A lot of the news media and a lot of the political podcasters are in that same reactive posture. We just try to take a very different approach. We try to react from a place of humanity, instead of a place of expertise; a place of lived experience, instead of a place of … ‘decided-upon’ perspective. We really just try to show up as our whole selves.” 

    2. Don’t try to be a brand. Be yourself. 
         “We are here to be Sarah and Beth. And so our honest reactions after the [2016] election, I hope are the kinds of honest reflections that you get anytime you listen to our show.”

    3. Take your listeners on your journey, no matter where it takes you. 
         Accepting and being transparent about her own evolution was particularly important for Beth. In 2015, when they launched Pantsuit Politics, their premise was that although they came from opposite sides of the political spectrum — Beth was a Republican, Sarah a Democrat — they could hold nuanced, “grace-filled conversations.” That changed after the 2016 election, Beth says — a change that easily could have threatened the show.
         “Trump was the beginning of the end for me as anything that someone in 2022 would identify as conservative,” Beth says. “And I've tried to be really honest with our audience about that. We didn’t get stuck in a brand.” Instead, the podcast evolved as they evolved. 
         “What we're doing is changing all the time,” Sarah says. “That's what’s so life-giving about it. That's why we like to do it. That's why I think our audience is so invested. The work at Pantsuit Politics — it's an invitation to just take a journey with us.”

    4. Their secret to producing Pantsuit Politics for more than seven years
         “We know that we can continue to do this at the rate that we do because it's always met a need for us. And it continues to meet the need… We really wanted to sit down and have this conversation that we weren't hearing somewhere else.... And when it stops feeling like that, we check in with each other and say, 'Do we need to take a break? Do we need to shift the topics?' If we started down a path, we [may] need to ditch that path because we want to come back to meeting this need that we have.
         “And so that's our guiding light: If it doesn't feel helpful to us as individuals, it’s not going to be good content for the audience. And we need to take a step back.” — Beth

    5. Differences are essential for a good co-hosting partnership. Lean in.
         It’s not just OK to look at the world through different lenses. It’s a fundamental reason to have a co-host in the first place.  
         “Our general thesis from the beginning of the show [has been that] personality is a huge part of politics. And our personalities are different… you hear that a lot in the show. And I think our strength is that we allow both things to be true. We allow both perspectives to live and thrive and trust that the audience will gain something from each of them, because we absolutely gain something from each of them.” — Sarah
         How are you similar to and different from your co-host? When you’re different, like Sarah and Beth, the sum of your parts is greater than the whole. As Beth says, “I can't imagine doing this with someone who was just like me, or really with anyone else. I think it is the contrast that is interesting to listen to.”

    6. Who are you? What do you value? Who do you want to be to your listeners? 
         Beth can sound professorial — wise and a bit distant. Sarah is more emotional and expressive. As she says, “It’s not unusual for me to cry on the show.” These two personalities, both naturally who they are, complement each other like interlocking puzzle pieces.

    7. Resist the temptation to sacrifice deep thinking for speed. 
         Being first with a scoop may feel crucial. But often the more valuable content is not that which we can publish immediately. Thoughtfully unpacking the news, a cultural phenomenon, or a feeling, is often far more valuable to listeners.
         “Honestly, just can we slow down for a second? Not compete for the hottest take or the correct take? For the one-liner that's quotable… but instead really figure out what are we talking about? Why is [that headline] so captivating to everybody? What is it touching that we aren’t naming, [the real reason] that makes us fascinated by it?” — Beth

    8. When you know your listeners well, you can meet their needs.
    “Sometimes, we have a really in-depth look at an issue planned. And we realize our audience is worn out right now. We're just hearing it in emails, they're tired. They need something… people need some delight. How can we serve up some delight right now? Maybe we need it too.” — Beth

    9. A simple way to understand what your audience wants: real-life avatars
         “We have an amazing community manager, Maggie Penton, who just reads the room. She’s really good at [knowing] this is where people are at right now; this is what we're struggling with. She's also just an excellent listener avatar. She’s been listening to our show for a really long time.” — Sarah

    10. Listen to your audience — and your heart
         “We're not going to produce a show that we feel everyone's consumed with if we don't want to talk about it ourselves.” — Sarah

    11. How to avoid perfectionism
         “I just tell myself, we're gonna make another one. We can get that wrong. There are two a week, you know, we will have another chance if we feel like we missed the mark.” – Sarah

    12. Set yourself apart from the competition
         “We’re constantly pushing ourselves to say, ‘what could we add?’ Because every conversation is so saturated. When we started Pantsuit Politics, there weren't a million…news and politics podcasts, it was a totally different time…. Quiet quitting is a good example. When we discussed having this as a topic, [we asked] what could we possibly say about this that hasn't been said? We are challenging ourselves all the time to ask, what's new? Or what could we say differently? Or how are we thinking about this that we haven't heard somewhere else or read somewhere else?” — Beth

    13. The value of premium channels goes far beyond revenue
         Rather than reporting on and analyzing every headline, Sarah and Beth confine themselves to a few well-chosen topics each week. The freedom they feel to be selective comes in part from having “escape valves” — premium feeds that satisfy the needs of different listeners. 
         “In the beginning, we felt like we had to…report on every news story. We don't do that anymore. Because there's lots of new summary podcasts. We produce one every day, so if you’re into that, you can get it on our premium channel…. Our premium content that we produce has…freed us up to approach the show differently, because we know there's other places where if that's what the listener is looking for, they can find it.” — Sarah

    14. Emotional intimacy builds devoted communities.
         “I didn’t understand how deeply people connect with a voice that they listen to. Sarah says, all the time, ‘You can't skim a podcast.’ People do connect, because you're in their ears and they are paying attention. And there's something really powerful about spending almost two hours a week with the two of us just in your headphones, as you're buzzing about doing other things — when we are a part of dog walks and laundry and dinner preparation and commutes.” — Beth

    15. Stop overthinking.
         What Beth wishes she’d known about hosting when they started: “Understanding the entire premise of your show — that it is about the host. I am not trying to make something. I'm just being and letting people into the experience of me being. Developing that trust in myself is a journey that I'm still on…. If I could go back, I would say to myself, ‘Don't overthink this. Just trust that you can just be you and that's what people are here for.’”

     

    Credits

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Master the Secrets of Successful Cohosting with Pantsuit Politics Beth Silvers, Sarah Stewart Holland, Tina Bassir, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant 00:41:15 Research shows that young podcast listeners seek two specific things: a fresh, unique perspective and a sense of belonging. At Pantsuit Politics, co-hosts Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland have been bringing fresh perspectives and a sense of belonging to their listeners — who now number in the millions — for seven years. From the start, Pantsuit Politics was different. They were analyzing the ways politics shape how we live and how we feel about it. It takes skill, chemistry, and diplomacy to work together seamlessly the way Silvers and Stewart Holland do. We talk about their very different approaches to hosting, and how they perform as interlocking puzzle pieces — and why they feel it's even more important for the show to serve them than to serve their ever-growing, devoted audience. Research shows that young podcast listeners seek two specific things: a fresh, unique perspective and a sense of belonging. At Pantsuit Politics, co-hosts Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland have been bringing fresh perspectives and a sense of belonging to their listeners — who now number in the millions — for seven years. From the start, Pantsuit Politics was different. They were analyzing the ways politics shape how we live and how we feel about it. It takes skill, chemistry, and diplomacy to work together seamlessly the way Silvers and Stewart Holland do. We talk about their very different approaches to hosting, and how they perform as interlocking puzzle pieces — and why they feel it's even more important for the show to serve them than to serve their ever-growing, devoted audience. sarah stewart holland, news podcasts, pantsuit politics, hosting, host, politics, co-hosts, beth silvers, politics podcast true full 3 1     edb54d82-cd10-45ce-b14c-906e20e838d3 The host defines the brand with John Barth How to be a great host: John Barth’s takeaways

    1. What is “hostiness?” 
    This is where John shines as both a talent recruiter and a content developer. As he says, he’s always looking for ‘the blue M&M” — “that special voice.” 

    “It’s a combination of very different factors. There’s a likability in someone's voice or style. There's this innate sense that I’d really like to spend more time with them. There’s also this range of curiosity and joy and versatility that comes across when you encounter hostiness. But it’s that compelling nature, that if you saw them live on stage, you’d never want the show to end.” 

    2. Consistent sound matters, and improves with a good host-producer partnership.
    “Anybody who uses their voice professionally, you want to get to a consistent sound. If a good host can hear what makes them sound good in front of an audience, you want to implant that sound in their head. [As a host], after a while, you know your own range — and even on an off day, you can pull that out.” John’s job as an executive producer? “Helping talent be the very best talent they could be behind a mic.”

    3. For a more natural and dynamic sound, talk about your passions before taping.  
    John coached a reporter who’d never before had voice coaching. 
    “First, I let her talk about the story, about her passions. When people talk about their passions, they automatically get a bigger range. You hear more color in their voice. So then, when it came to reading a script, we would do it again and again. And I would listen for moments of passion…and hold up the mirror. After a while, you hear the joy come out.” And then, John says, they would rehearse that script again and again, going over the most difficult and most promising parts. Often, he would direct her, saying, “Take me back to that scene that you're describing and feel that in the sentence.” When they finished, she couldn’t believe how great she sounded. “Sometimes, we just don't know what our own voice can do. And you need a coach, another pair of ears to say, ‘Ooh, that really did work.’”

    4. “We’re not enthralled by copies. We’re enthralled by originals.” 
    “The goal is certainly to read the script, but your voice and style is loose enough that you can really bring some expression of life to it. There's nothing worse than sounding like Walter Cronkite with the forced intonation and forced pattern. That doesn't mean credibility.”

    5. A host defines the brand of the show. 
    “When you're hiring a host, the host really does imprint their own sound, voice, and style on the show. So it actually begins to define the brand that you're creating. [On Marketplace] it took me a while to get to a host who embodied the sound that I heard from the show… There was an editorial vision, but there was also a sound vision. And it needed to be distinctive. I always imagined how the audience was listening to the show and the kind of listener I wanted to attract. So that had to be a certain sound.”

    6. How to prep before taping. 

    “Our goal (at Marketplace)  was to laugh uproariously before we went into the studio to do the live show. So we would tell a funny joke or dirty joke; we would be really snarky in his (David Brancaccio’s) office. My job was to get [David Brancaccio], as a host, not only loosened up, but comfortable with a real range of emotion. So by the time that mic went on, he could really bring his full self to whatever he had to do in those 30 minutes. I mean, it was so much fun.”

    7. What producers do 

    “It's sort of like directing theater and being a writer and being a cat herder. And, you know, everything all at once. People have no idea what producers really do.” (Elaine) 

    8. Choose to learn storytelling from the very best — The Moth

    When John first saw The Moth on stage, he went back to his boss at PRX, Jake Shapiro, and said, “We have just found our first hit.” He then became a key member of the team that developed The Moth Radio Hour. 
    “The Moth knows probably more about hostiness than anyone. So if you think that storytelling is just getting somebody on a stage to tell their story into a mic, you don't appreciate what The Moth does to get to The Moth sound. Their  process is so respectful of finding not only the true story of the storyteller, but the voice of the storyteller and the hostiness of the storyteller.” 

    9. Just because we are accustomed to a conventional broadcast voice does not mean it remains relevant today. Experiment. 
    [About the search for a host of Reveal and the choice to hire Al Letson]

    “What we needed for that show was a voice and a host who would help us redefine what investigative reporting would sound like. And that's why Al  was a natural choice for that job.”

    10. Bring your identity to your story, and be transparent about it. 
    In Mississippi Goddamn, Al Letson and producer Jonathan Jones (J.J.), tell the listener where they were born, what their races are (Black and white) and where they have lived. 
    “Most journalists are trained to remove themselves from the story,” John says. ‘But that’s a false construct; you never really do.” Of course, he says, there are objective facts. “[And] it’s your eyes, your ears, your notes… And then it's also layered by all the experiences that help you see what you see or what you notice or what you miss…It's a false neutrality [to remove oneself from the story], because we're all individuals…It's rare to hear this acknowledged so plainly, but it really does need to happen that way, especially in a story like this.”

    More about John Barth

    Today, John Barth runs his own firm, Creative Media LLC. He does talent recruitment and content development for clients in public media, news and social impact. He also coaches people in their media careers. For 16 years, John was the Chief Content Officer of PRX, named by Fast Company magazine as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative media companies. He led the design and launch of Reveal with The Center for Investigative Reporting and The Moth Radio Hour, both Peabody Award winners. He was the founding producer of Marketplace and worked at Audible as director of original content.

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to producers when it’s possible to do so. 
     

    The episodes and shows discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    Reveal: Mississippi Goddamn,

    Host: Al Letson

    Executive Producers: Kevin Sullivan

    Series producer: Michael I Schiller

    Producers: Al Letson and Jonathan Jones

    Production manager: Amy Mostafa

    Bunga Bunga
    Network: Wondery

    Host: Whitney Cummings

    The episode: Trailer

    The Daily
    Network: New York Times
    Host: Sabrina Tavernise
    The episode: Utah’s ‘Environmental Nuclear Bomb’

    Marketplace

    The Moth Radio Hour

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information…

    on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.


    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Tue, 4 Oct 2022 06:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (John Barth, Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ How to be a great host: John Barth’s takeaways

    1. What is “hostiness?” 
    This is where John shines as both a talent recruiter and a content developer. As he says, he’s always looking for ‘the blue M&M” — “that special voice.” 

    “It’s a combination of very different factors. There’s a likability in someone's voice or style. There's this innate sense that I’d really like to spend more time with them. There’s also this range of curiosity and joy and versatility that comes across when you encounter hostiness. But it’s that compelling nature, that if you saw them live on stage, you’d never want the show to end.” 

    2. Consistent sound matters, and improves with a good host-producer partnership.
    “Anybody who uses their voice professionally, you want to get to a consistent sound. If a good host can hear what makes them sound good in front of an audience, you want to implant that sound in their head. [As a host], after a while, you know your own range — and even on an off day, you can pull that out.” John’s job as an executive producer? “Helping talent be the very best talent they could be behind a mic.”

    3. For a more natural and dynamic sound, talk about your passions before taping.  
    John coached a reporter who’d never before had voice coaching. 
    “First, I let her talk about the story, about her passions. When people talk about their passions, they automatically get a bigger range. You hear more color in their voice. So then, when it came to reading a script, we would do it again and again. And I would listen for moments of passion…and hold up the mirror. After a while, you hear the joy come out.” And then, John says, they would rehearse that script again and again, going over the most difficult and most promising parts. Often, he would direct her, saying, “Take me back to that scene that you're describing and feel that in the sentence.” When they finished, she couldn’t believe how great she sounded. “Sometimes, we just don't know what our own voice can do. And you need a coach, another pair of ears to say, ‘Ooh, that really did work.’”

    4. “We’re not enthralled by copies. We’re enthralled by originals.” 
    “The goal is certainly to read the script, but your voice and style is loose enough that you can really bring some expression of life to it. There's nothing worse than sounding like Walter Cronkite with the forced intonation and forced pattern. That doesn't mean credibility.”

    5. A host defines the brand of the show. 
    “When you're hiring a host, the host really does imprint their own sound, voice, and style on the show. So it actually begins to define the brand that you're creating. [On Marketplace] it took me a while to get to a host who embodied the sound that I heard from the show… There was an editorial vision, but there was also a sound vision. And it needed to be distinctive. I always imagined how the audience was listening to the show and the kind of listener I wanted to attract. So that had to be a certain sound.”

    6. How to prep before taping. 

    “Our goal (at Marketplace)  was to laugh uproariously before we went into the studio to do the live show. So we would tell a funny joke or dirty joke; we would be really snarky in his (David Brancaccio’s) office. My job was to get [David Brancaccio], as a host, not only loosened up, but comfortable with a real range of emotion. So by the time that mic went on, he could really bring his full self to whatever he had to do in those 30 minutes. I mean, it was so much fun.”

    7. What producers do 

    “It's sort of like directing theater and being a writer and being a cat herder. And, you know, everything all at once. People have no idea what producers really do.” (Elaine) 

    8. Choose to learn storytelling from the very best — The Moth

    When John first saw The Moth on stage, he went back to his boss at PRX, Jake Shapiro, and said, “We have just found our first hit.” He then became a key member of the team that developed The Moth Radio Hour. 
    “The Moth knows probably more about hostiness than anyone. So if you think that storytelling is just getting somebody on a stage to tell their story into a mic, you don't appreciate what The Moth does to get to The Moth sound. Their  process is so respectful of finding not only the true story of the storyteller, but the voice of the storyteller and the hostiness of the storyteller.” 

    9. Just because we are accustomed to a conventional broadcast voice does not mean it remains relevant today. Experiment. 
    [About the search for a host of Reveal and the choice to hire Al Letson]

    “What we needed for that show was a voice and a host who would help us redefine what investigative reporting would sound like. And that's why Al  was a natural choice for that job.”

    10. Bring your identity to your story, and be transparent about it. 
    In Mississippi Goddamn, Al Letson and producer Jonathan Jones (J.J.), tell the listener where they were born, what their races are (Black and white) and where they have lived. 
    “Most journalists are trained to remove themselves from the story,” John says. ‘But that’s a false construct; you never really do.” Of course, he says, there are objective facts. “[And] it’s your eyes, your ears, your notes… And then it's also layered by all the experiences that help you see what you see or what you notice or what you miss…It's a false neutrality [to remove oneself from the story], because we're all individuals…It's rare to hear this acknowledged so plainly, but it really does need to happen that way, especially in a story like this.”

    More about John Barth

    Today, John Barth runs his own firm, Creative Media LLC. He does talent recruitment and content development for clients in public media, news and social impact. He also coaches people in their media careers. For 16 years, John was the Chief Content Officer of PRX, named by Fast Company magazine as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative media companies. He led the design and launch of Reveal with The Center for Investigative Reporting and The Moth Radio Hour, both Peabody Award winners. He was the founding producer of Marketplace and worked at Audible as director of original content.

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers, the hidden hands that enable a host to shine. We strive to give credit to producers when it’s possible to do so. 
     

    The episodes and shows discussed on today’s Sound Judgment:

    Reveal: Mississippi Goddamn,

    Host: Al Letson

    Executive Producers: Kevin Sullivan

    Series producer: Michael I Schiller

    Producers: Al Letson and Jonathan Jones

    Production manager: Amy Mostafa

    Bunga Bunga
    Network: Wondery

    Host: Whitney Cummings

    The episode: Trailer

    The Daily
    Network: New York Times
    Host: Sabrina Tavernise
    The episode: Utah’s ‘Environmental Nuclear Bomb’

    Marketplace

    The Moth Radio Hour

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information…

    on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production and training company, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.


    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Project Manager: Tina Bassir

    Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella

    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     The host defines the brand with John Barth John Barth, Andrew Parella, Tina Bassir, Elaine Appleton Grant 00:44:23 What does it mean to have “hostiness?” That’s the question that John Barth has been asking — and answering — for decades. John is one of most well-known and respected producers and talent recruiters in audio storytelling. For 16 years, he served as chief content officer of PRX. He was the founding producer of Marketplace and a key developer of shows ranging from The Moth Radio Hour to Reveal. He shares his behind-the-scenes methods for spotting great hosts and coaching them to be their most natural, dynamic selves on the mic in this ‘don’t-miss’ episode. We dissect Reveal’s Mississippi Goddamn (host Al Letson), and discuss Wondery’s Bunga Bunga and The Daily. What does it mean to have “hostiness?” That’s the question that John Barth has been asking — and answering — for decades. John is one of most well-known and respected producers and talent recruiters in audio storytelling. For 16 years, he served as chief content officer of PRX. He was the founding producer of Marketplace and a key developer of shows ranging from The Moth Radio Hour to Reveal. He shares his behind-the-scenes methods for spotting great hosts and coaching them to be their most natural, dynamic selves on the mic in this ‘don’t-miss’ episode. We dissect Reveal’s Mississippi Goddamn (host Al Letson), and discuss Wondery’s Bunga Bunga and The Daily. coach, storytelling, podcast, mic, be a great host, hosting, script, audio storyteller, start a podcast, host, great host, microphone, producer, podcasting, best host true full 2 1     3ff40d9f-7b3e-4ae4-8125-88814623a209 Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs Stephanie Wittels Wachs is a longtime actor, voice-over artist, theater teacher, author and the co-founder, with Jessica Cordova Cramer, of Lemonada Media. Last Day is only one of Lemonada’s 30-plus podcasts and growing. Wittels Wachs and Cordova Cramer founded Lemonada three years ago. Its tag line matches Stephanie’s personality: Humanity. Unfiltered. 

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers. We will strive to give credit to producers – the true behind-the-scenes talent – whenever it’s possible to do so. 

    The episode: A Love Story

    Executive Producers: Jessica Cordova Cramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs

    Supervising Producer: Jackie Danziger

    Producers: Kagan Zema and Giulia Hjort

    Associate Producers: Hannah Boomershine and Erianna Jiles 

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production training and studio, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    How to be a great host: Stephanie’s takeaways

    1. Be curious. Frame your story around a central question.
      “I'm a central question psychopath… I'm always saying, okay, but what's the question? What are we trying to figure out? What's the point? That's really critical to any storytelling, but I think it [emerges] over time. And it's so baked into the process of revision and collaboration. And you know when you’ve found it… If the episode isn't working, it's typically because you haven't nailed down what that central question is.”
    2. To be vulnerable on tape, you need at least one partner who encourages vulnerability. Stephanie relies on her team of skilled and sensitive producers.
      “I am used to collaborating very deeply and closely and trusting one another through that process. I don't know how I would do this with a team I didn't trust and feel safe with. The show is a real team sport.” 
    3. To help a host be authentic in front of a mic, give them permission to have feelings.
      “Gloria Rivera [host of No One’s Coming to Save Us and a veteran news broadcaster] was doing tracking…using her broadcast voice. And I was like, “Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, that microphone hates that. Let's shake that off. We're gonna play this tape. Can you just listen to this woman talking about how hard it is for her to juggle a newborn with a toddler with her own job? And I know you've experienced some of that yourself. And can you just close your eyes and then respond to it, just however you feel. And Gloria…she's so full of heart and soul and vulnerability herself. Once she had that permission, she started crying. And she started talking about her own experience having to go to war zones with little kids at home, and how painful that was for her to have to balance. And we kept that as the first moment of the first episode.”
    4. Have fun making the show. It shows. 
      “We have fun making the show, and that feels important, because it’s real dark.” (Elaine’s note: If you’re not having fun, it might be time to reevaluate how you’re creating it, what you’re creating, and whether to continue.) 
    5. Great storytelling is built on truth, contrast, and unexpected turns — or why Stephanie led an episode about suicide with a scene of her team whooping it up at a shooting range. 
      “I had never understood how hunting could bring somebody joy until I shot a gun that morning. I had a ton of fun. Seven hours later, we were in a living room talking to a family who lost their son. Because he took his life with a hunting rifle. I didn't know how else to tell that story honestly… And I always [pleading with my team] ‘show not tell, show not tell!’ And the way that we showed it was to have fun shooting the guns. And then let's see the pain that this causes. You have to have both of those to understand the issue.” 
    6. To make a gripping narrative podcast, use scenes, as often as possible (but only good ones).
      “This is the theater part, right? It's about character and it's about humanity and that's the stuff we try to capture, right? What are the human things about you? And what are the human things about me? And then when we put those things in a room together, human things happen. And that's interesting.”
    7. Make choices about the quantity of your narration on a case-by-case basis. 
      “We typically have a lot of tracking in these episodes. And we made a very conscious choice with this one to keep a lot of the conversation intact. They were so honest, and we had this really amazing moment together.  And let's just try to keep a lot of that together. And take me as narrator out as much as we could…A lot of our episodes are seven voices…really woven together and patchworked.”  
    8. Find a champion. 
      How do you find people willing to share deeply personal stories? You need what Stephanie calls a “credible messenger,” someone trusted in a community, to show you the ropes and introduce you to people. 
      “We had a lot of trouble tracking down people to talk to us in Montana. To be honest, it took many, many months. We started with this guy named Carl…who heads up mental health for the Department of Health and Human Services in Montana… In our very first call…Carl said you're gonna have to fix your poker face before you come into Montana or no one's going to talk to you. And we kept that in. We wanted to show everyone there's barrier to entry. And if we came in with [the stance that] you shouldn't have guns, we would not get anywhere. So he culturally put us through the wringer. Once he could see that we were down to not come in and tell everyone the way that they should live their lives, he opened the gate, and connected us to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in Montana.”

    Credits 
    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 
    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant
    Project Manager: Tina Bassir
    Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella
    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

     

     

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Thu, 29 Sep 2022 06:00:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Tina Bassir, Stephanie Wittels Wachs, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ Stephanie Wittels Wachs is a longtime actor, voice-over artist, theater teacher, author and the co-founder, with Jessica Cordova Cramer, of Lemonada Media. Last Day is only one of Lemonada’s 30-plus podcasts and growing. Wittels Wachs and Cordova Cramer founded Lemonada three years ago. Its tag line matches Stephanie’s personality: Humanity. Unfiltered. 

    A note about Sound Judgment: We believe that no host does good work alone. All hosts rely on their producers. We will strive to give credit to producers – the true behind-the-scenes talent – whenever it’s possible to do so. 

    The episode: A Love Story

    Executive Producers: Jessica Cordova Cramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs

    Supervising Producer: Jackie Danziger

    Producers: Kagan Zema and Giulia Hjort

    Associate Producers: Hannah Boomershine and Erianna Jiles 

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our once- or twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Share the show! 
    Follow Elaine on LinkedIn

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts!
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Share them with us! Write us: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

    For more information on Sound Judgment and Podcast Allies, our production training and studio, visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

    How to be a great host: Stephanie’s takeaways

    1. Be curious. Frame your story around a central question.
      “I'm a central question psychopath… I'm always saying, okay, but what's the question? What are we trying to figure out? What's the point? That's really critical to any storytelling, but I think it [emerges] over time. And it's so baked into the process of revision and collaboration. And you know when you’ve found it… If the episode isn't working, it's typically because you haven't nailed down what that central question is.”
    2. To be vulnerable on tape, you need at least one partner who encourages vulnerability. Stephanie relies on her team of skilled and sensitive producers.
      “I am used to collaborating very deeply and closely and trusting one another through that process. I don't know how I would do this with a team I didn't trust and feel safe with. The show is a real team sport.” 
    3. To help a host be authentic in front of a mic, give them permission to have feelings.
      “Gloria Rivera [host of No One’s Coming to Save Us and a veteran news broadcaster] was doing tracking…using her broadcast voice. And I was like, “Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, that microphone hates that. Let's shake that off. We're gonna play this tape. Can you just listen to this woman talking about how hard it is for her to juggle a newborn with a toddler with her own job? And I know you've experienced some of that yourself. And can you just close your eyes and then respond to it, just however you feel. And Gloria…she's so full of heart and soul and vulnerability herself. Once she had that permission, she started crying. And she started talking about her own experience having to go to war zones with little kids at home, and how painful that was for her to have to balance. And we kept that as the first moment of the first episode.”
    4. Have fun making the show. It shows. 
      “We have fun making the show, and that feels important, because it’s real dark.” (Elaine’s note: If you’re not having fun, it might be time to reevaluate how you’re creating it, what you’re creating, and whether to continue.) 
    5. Great storytelling is built on truth, contrast, and unexpected turns — or why Stephanie led an episode about suicide with a scene of her team whooping it up at a shooting range. 
      “I had never understood how hunting could bring somebody joy until I shot a gun that morning. I had a ton of fun. Seven hours later, we were in a living room talking to a family who lost their son. Because he took his life with a hunting rifle. I didn't know how else to tell that story honestly… And I always [pleading with my team] ‘show not tell, show not tell!’ And the way that we showed it was to have fun shooting the guns. And then let's see the pain that this causes. You have to have both of those to understand the issue.” 
    6. To make a gripping narrative podcast, use scenes, as often as possible (but only good ones).
      “This is the theater part, right? It's about character and it's about humanity and that's the stuff we try to capture, right? What are the human things about you? And what are the human things about me? And then when we put those things in a room together, human things happen. And that's interesting.”
    7. Make choices about the quantity of your narration on a case-by-case basis. 
      “We typically have a lot of tracking in these episodes. And we made a very conscious choice with this one to keep a lot of the conversation intact. They were so honest, and we had this really amazing moment together.  And let's just try to keep a lot of that together. And take me as narrator out as much as we could…A lot of our episodes are seven voices…really woven together and patchworked.”  
    8. Find a champion. 
      How do you find people willing to share deeply personal stories? You need what Stephanie calls a “credible messenger,” someone trusted in a community, to show you the ropes and introduce you to people. 
      “We had a lot of trouble tracking down people to talk to us in Montana. To be honest, it took many, many months. We started with this guy named Carl…who heads up mental health for the Department of Health and Human Services in Montana… In our very first call…Carl said you're gonna have to fix your poker face before you come into Montana or no one's going to talk to you. And we kept that in. We wanted to show everyone there's barrier to entry. And if we came in with [the stance that] you shouldn't have guns, we would not get anywhere. So he culturally put us through the wringer. Once he could see that we were down to not come in and tell everyone the way that they should live their lives, he opened the gate, and connected us to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in Montana.”

    Credits 
    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 
    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant
    Project Manager: Tina Bassir
    Sound Designer: Andrew Parrella
    Illustrator: Sarah Edgell

     

     

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Emotional Bravery on Last Day with Stephanie Wittels Wachs Tina Bassir, Stephanie Wittels Wachs, Andrew Parella, Elaine Appleton Grant 00:42:41 One day this summer, Lemonada Media’s Stephanie Wittels Wachs received a surprise: an invitation to the White House, because of the emotional impact of her hit show, Last Day. Come with us on her raw, sad, funny, intimate journey to make “A Love Story,” her favorite episode. Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at a creative process informed by love and courage. (Please note: This episode discusses guns and suicide.) See the show notes for takeaways you can use from today’s show. One day this summer, Lemonada Media’s Stephanie Wittels Wachs received a surprise: an invitation to the White House, because of the emotional impact of her hit show, Last Day. Come with us on her raw, sad, funny, intimate journey to make “A Love Story,” her favorite episode. Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at a creative process informed by love and courage. (Please note: This episode discusses guns and suicide.) See the show notes for takeaways you can use from today’s show. podcast producer, audio storytelling, podcast training, narrative, be a great host, podcast awards, best podcast, great host, podcast host, producer, best host true full 1 1     52f70663-57d3-49a8-a5ef-1b8c633578f6 Introducing Sound Judgment The beautiful voices included in this trailer are: 

    John Barth

    Former chief content officer, PRX

    Current principal, Creative Media  LLC

    Stephanie Wittels Wachs
    Host, Last Day

    Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer

    Lemonada Media

    The episode Stephanie mentions is A Love Story from Last Day, Season 2

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter
    Read it first here. 

    Who am I  go behind the scenes to help explain the craft of hosting? 
    Read my bio here. 
     

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Sun, 4 Sep 2022 15:10:00 +0000 elaine@podcastallies.com (Podcast Allies, LLC) https://www.soundjudgmentpodcast.com/ The beautiful voices included in this trailer are: 

    John Barth

    Former chief content officer, PRX

    Current principal, Creative Media  LLC

    Stephanie Wittels Wachs
    Host, Last Day

    Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer

    Lemonada Media

    The episode Stephanie mentions is A Love Story from Last Day, Season 2

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter
    Read it first here. 

    Who am I  go behind the scenes to help explain the craft of hosting? 
    Read my bio here. 
     

     

    Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, guesting, scriptwriting and more. 

    Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Effective Storytelling; Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Success in Guesting, and much more. 

    Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com.

     

    Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. 

    Connect:

    Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

    ✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com

    💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

    🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify 

    🗣️ Share the show by word of mouth and on your socials

    Help us find and celebrate today’s best hosts
    Who’s your Sound Judgment dream guest? Email me: allies@podcastallies.com. Because of you, that host may appear on Sound Judgment.

     

    Credits 

    Sound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLC. 

    Host: Elaine Appleton Grant

    Podcast Manager: Tina Bassir

    Production Manager: Andrew Parrella

    Audio Engineer: Kevin Kline

    Production Assistant: Audrey Nelson

    ]]>     Introducing Sound Judgment Podcast Allies, LLC 00:01:49 If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t stop listening to some podcasts and why you can’t start listening to others, it all comes down to the storytelling decisions we makers make. Sound Judgment explores the ingredients and methods — the creative choices — that make audio storytelling magic. We dissect hosting skills, editorial strategies, character, scene-setting, formats, writing and revisions, and the psychology behind the art form. Come behind the scenes with us! If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t stop listening to some podcasts and why you can’t start listening to others, it all comes down to the storytelling decisions we makers make. Sound Judgment explores the ingredients and methods — the creative choices — that make audio storytelling magic. We dissect hosting skills, editorial strategies, character, scene-setting, formats, writing and revisions, and the psychology behind the art form. Come behind the scenes with us! false trailer 1