Reasons Why Not

There is always a reason not to do something. For podcasting, it's all about not knowing what to say, what the topic should be. It's fear that nobody will listen. It's a lack of technical know-how. Money's short. It's a time problem -- always a time problem. Always a reason why not.

Only one of them is legitimate, which is if you really don't have anything to say. If you don't have a clue what you want to talk about, that's a problem, because a point to it all is sort of a necessity. But once you have an idea of what you want to talk about, the rest... let's take them one at a time.

Nobody's listening? Who cares? If you're banking on this to make you rich or even pay for itself, that's an issue, but that shouldn't be the first impulse for most creators. Leave that to the podcast networks and big players. Just do good work, forget audience size, and enjoy the ride.

No technical know-how? Don't overthink this. Those slick story-telling podcasts have staffs and producers and studios and are burning a LOT of money doing it. Nobody expects you to be the same, and a LOT of shows are decidedly un-slick and DIY. So, well, DIY. A USB mic into your laptop and Audacity or GarageBand should get you rolling. Or your phone and the right app. Buy a Zoom recorder and an XLR mic if you're a little ambitious. And Google "making a podcast" to see how others manage; everyone does it a little differently, and next time, I'll tell you my process.

Money? Well, you already have the equipment. Recording is free. There are a lot of hosts out there, and their beginner plans aren't that pricey. They also don't give you a lot of room for your show, limiting bandwidth and storage space, but even the next one or two steps up aren't outrageously priced, and there are free options that I wouldn't recommend for long-term but might be a way to get your practice licks in.

And, finally, time. Nobody has the time, do they? Neither do I. You want a tip? Try doing a short show Really short. And do it at a frequency that's light -- weekly, monthly, in "seasons" of a few episodes apiece -- and in a format that's quick to record, edit, and upload. In other words, there's no rule that your show has to be a half-hour or more, there's no rule that it has to be every day or week, there ARE NO RULES. Do what you can and see how it goes. Once you're in a rhythm, you can expand if you want and can find more time.

Again, don't overthink any of this. And don't succumb to the "reasons why not," or rules you think you're supposed to follow. Make your own rules. And start your podcast already.

Got a question about podcasting? Go ahead, send it to psimon@allaccess.com or tweet it at @pmsimon. That's what I'm here for.