Because I really need another project

The Muse just crept up behind me with a sap and slugged me on the back of the skull, and when I came to, I had this yen to do a podcast.

I’ve done some duo podcasts with Les, and probably it was the most recent one that got me thinking about it.

Of course, as the subject line indicates, it’s not like I’m sitting around, bored, in want of new things to take up my time.  So if I do this, I need to do it smart and simple.  Some thoughts:

1. A theme is probably a good idea, a focus for content.  If I have to figure out what to talk about, I’m more likely to give it a pass, week after week.
   One idea was to simply look at (and comment on) stuff I’d been blogging about, esp. the Unblogged Bits.  Which is fine, but … well … maybe boring. For me, if not for my several followers.
   Another idea, that seems even better (i.e., it’s what I’ll probably do), is to do a comic book review / commentary. That’s something I’ve done, but don’t do regularly (or as regularly as I’d like). Review the comics I’ve read during a week — say, on Tuesday — so that when folks hit the comic book store on Wednesday they have some recommendations of what to pick up from last week’s shelves, etc. This provides ready material (not even counting the graphic novels on my shelf), something I enjoy talking about, and gets some of the comic book monkey from my back given that Blogathon.org seems to be defunct.
   While it seems odd to use an audible medium to talk about a visual medium (i.e., I won’t be able to show covers, etc.), it’s also, paradoxically, less work speaking  than writing even a quick review. Assuming I ad lib. Which I will.
2. Keep it simple, keep it short. I’m thinking 15 minutes is short enough to listen to, short enough to schedule and do.  I know to a moral certainty that I can talk for 15 minutes, and I can find 15 minutes here or there on the night (TBD) I do this thing.
   In a tweet in response to my floating this idea, Meera suggested always have an “introductory graphic novel” and “this week’s kid-friendly pick.” Which is a fine idea, if for no other reason that it adds structure to what I’m doing, and structure makes it easier to do (when it’s good structure), which makes it more likely that I’ll do it.
3. I have what I’m told is now a decent headset to work with (according to Les from our last soiree), and Les has also recommended Audacity as a sound recorder/editor (it’s free), so I have what I need.  If I keep up something weekly for multiple months, then I’ll consider hardware/software upgrades. 🙂
4. Ditto for the infrastructure.  If this takes off I’ll consider putting the podcasts in their own blog, or domain, or open another Twitter account, or something … but for starters, I imagine I’ll just start off by embedding them as another object and see how I do.

Now the big question becomes, why am I actually doing this?  Just to hear myself talk? Because I think have something useful to add to the conversation?  Dunno. And do I feel impelled enough by this to actually seek to pick up listeners, advertising and leaving hints on appropriate web pages, or am I going to let word-of-mouth tell the tale, so to speak?

And, of course, there’s the irony that I am just not a podcast person as a listener.  I’ve never been someone to download and listen to podcasts; that’s not just the way I rock.  But I know there are people who do, so …

I dunno.  I don’t even know if I’m going to do it.  Or do it more than once.

But my Muse has a very smug look on her face, that’s all I know.