A month ago, I started a series on podcasting for self-publishing authors. For more explanations of why podcasting is an important tool for authors, check out the second post in this series, and for my reflections on the nitty-gritty of recording and editing those Podcasts check out the third post in this series. This week, I’m back to complete the series with some final thoughts on podcasts and how they relate to self-publishing.

We are not the first blog to point out a connection between self-publishing and podcasting. Even a cursory Google search for the terms “self-publishing” and “podcast” together turns up thousands of relevant hits, including podcasts from self-publishing companies (e.g. the “story studio” Sterling & Stone), podcasts wherein the podcaster interviews famous and/or successful self-publishing authors (e.g. the Self-Publishing School), podcasts by self-publishing authors themselves (e.g. Mark Dawson’s Self-Publishing Formula and the Self-Publishing Authors podcast). These are just a few examples of the podcasts themselves, but there are also plenty of blogs who have put together lists of the top ten or so self-publishing related podcasts for you to peruse (we’re particular fans of Kindlepreneur’s list, as it mostly lines up with our own experience and has great rules for inclusion).

The downside of these lists, including our own mentions? You might become convinced that podcasting as a self-publishing author can or ought to only look one way, and that’s to say you might feel pressured to talk about the process of publishing and marketing your book, which may or may not be your comfort zone. Especially if you’re a self-publishing author just getting into the industry and you don’t feel as though you’ve got this polished life to offer up in thirty-minute chunks every month, podcasting the way that the podcasts on these lists do may feel preemptive.

The fact of the matter is, a podcast can look like whatever you want it to look like. And you don’t have to “have it all put together” (in your life or in respect to your publishing experience) in order to get started; many of the best podcasts today started with several extremely messy, experimental episodes as their creators worked out what they wanted the podcasts to be. You can use your podcast to read excerpts. You can use it to talk about your experience as it happens, warts and all. You can use it to talk about other self-published books, or engage with other self-publishing authors. Keeping a seed planted at the back of your mind that the podcast is another extension of your marketing strategy, do all the things you want to do and don’t wait to get started! That’s always the hardest part, isn’t it?

We hope you do decide to experiment with podcasting, and if you do, we’d love to boost your voice. Pop a link to your podcast in our comments, and we’ll happily make a mention on our blog!

You are not alone. ︎

ABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Director of Sales and Marketing for Outskirts Press. The Sales and Marketing departments are composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path.