Turns out I’m doing this podcasting thing all wrong.
I started a podcast with only one episode. (Apparently I was supposed to have 3 to 8 to start.)
I’ve got no editorial calendar, because I talk about what my peeps are talking about, and I can’t know what they’ll be talking about in six to nine months. (PARTY FOUL. Big time.)
I’ve got short episodes with no editing, no intro or outro, no witty theme song, and no sponsors. (Only a voice and a mic? Holy fuck, SO WRONG.)
I don’t have the big fancy epic podcast hosting package that assures me I’ll be successful. I don’t pay $200-$300 an episode for a transcript because I write most of what I’m going to say out beforehand. (UGH NO TRANSCRIPT! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT’S HOLY, HOW COULD YOU!?)
I don’t care about whether I’m featured in the New & Noteworthy section of iTunes. (Shit, I probably put myself in the wrong category, because there is no ‘Swears a lot, gives a shit, and helps you get in touch with the truest parts of yourself’ category anyway.)
I’M DOING IT ALL WRONG.
Every part of it, and there’s this Facebook group teeming with other people’s anxiety because they want to do it right.
1782 people committed to doing it right, with endless questions and concerns and ‘I want to start but I don’t know how and how did YOU start and I think I’ll start in a few weeks or months’ type questions.
One thousand, seven-hundred and eight-two people.
I quit that group today.
I dare you to quit the Facebook groups that make your stomach hurt, your palms sweat, or your heart race because they stress you out.
I dare you to do it all wrong.
To start. Even if you don’t know where it’s going.
Even if your gear is wrong.
Even if haven’t got a soundproof booth and a solid gold microphone that cost more than your car.
Start.
Even if you’re sure you’re not ready, or you’re sure you’re never going to be a hit on any sort of Apple platform.
Start now.
Just…start.
It’s okay to do it wrong. I’ll be cheering you on, too loudly and wearing mismatched jewelry, shouting, “I’m so proud of you,” but you won’t be able to hear me because my mic has got it all wrong, too. (I once laundered a mic by accident. ::shakes head at self::)
I dare you to ignore the well-meaning advice of strangers and just fucking dive all the way in, without infoproducts or the help of Facebook groups or the endless streams of articles you can read before you begin.
Make your stuff.
Do your work.
Start.
And if you haven’t yet, please subscribe to That’s What She Said in iTunes and listen for yourself. It’s all wrong, but lovely nonetheless.
Peeps in 46 countries are listening in, and your e-mails are moving my heart and my work in ways I couldn’t possibly have imagined. (Read: I cry when I think about how grateful I am to have your ear.)
P.S. I also write books the wrong way. (Six weeks, no book deal, pizza delivery all the way…)
