For some time, I’ve been working toward launching a podcast about the poetry of Emily Dickinson. I’ve read two biographies and a novel I expected to be a biography. I’ve pondered the poems I know and read many new ones. I’ve even written four episodes.
Now for the hard part—technology. There are so many things to do:
come up with a catchy title and pay for a URL
design a logo that looks good in a thumbprint
record and edit the podcast
save that recording in the proper format
find a server on which it will be hosted
follow many steps in formatting and writing descriptions in order to have the podcast listed on iTunes and other podcatchers
design a webpage about my podcast on which to list sources, provide additional information, and ask for donations
set up a business PayPal account if I want to accept donations.
It’s entirely overwhelming, but I need a challenge. So does my youngest son. So I’ve “hired” Youngest to be my editor and producer. If and when we make some money, I will use it to pay him.
Youngest is a digital native, but not a tech geek. He will have to learn everything from scratch too. We are starting to learn together.
The very successful History of Rome podcast, by Mike Duncan, was recorded on Garage Band, so that is where we are starting. We sit together at my computer and listen to lessons I found on the App Store. Most of them don’t apply. As cool as it sounds, I don’t need a good drum loop or impressive bass line. So we skip and try to learn the important skills.
So far I have recorded one reading of the first poem on my iPad and moved it to the main computer. I’ve also found music to cut up for intro/outro and transitions. Goals for next week are to actually create the first complete podcast and start the web page.
Once we know what we are doing, Youngest will manage the webpage and do all the technical stuff to get the podcast on line and I can go back to focusing on research and writing. The goal is to have episodes ready to listen to by the end of February.
The old dog in the pictures is my Bingo. He’s about 11. Bingo walks with me and makes sure we know that people are at the door. Despite several years of obedience training, sit and stay would be a new trick for him.
p.s. Today is my wedding anniversary--27 years. I don't know how it happened, but my sweet husband and I have now been married longer than we have been alive.
THE KNITTING
I finished the feet bag and made a feet hat. I’m happy with the bag, but the hat is a little big. Footprints are a little bigger than ideal for colorwork in knitting. I may try them as a vertical pattern instead of a horizontal one if I start feeling footsy again. It may happen. I’m planning a new trip to the museum next week. If you are interested, both the hat and bag are available in my shop.
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