I’m a big fan of podcasts. I listen to them when I drive, filling my commute with entertainment rather than the usual ads and making the morning walk a little more tolerable. I listen to a lot of comedy and news podcasts, but I also offset that with a little extra writing talk. I don’t know many writers in real-life that I can talk shop with, so listening to other people talk about writing lets me learn in the precious moments when I can listen.
There are many, many, many writing podcasts out there. Here are a few of my favorite writing and storytelling podcasts as well as a few that I’m looking forward to trying in the future!
First up, Writing Excuses. In my opinion, this should be on every writer’s podcast library. Writers like Brandon Sanderson, Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, Howard Tayler, and a plethora of other guests talk about various writing subjects including plot development, story structure, the business of writing, and more! One thing that I really love about this podcast is the ‘Homework’ section at the very end. It’s a good jumping off point to get the writing juices flowing. There’s also a book of the week with a never ending list of good suggestions for a wide net to cast for your reading list.
Next, Lore. This was one of the first podcasts that really got me hooked on the medium. I love a good, spooky legend. Lore has always been an endless font of inspiration. Pretty much every time I listen to this podcast I’ll come up with a new story idea. The show is well-researched and equally educating and entertaining. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to try their hand at something a little spooky and wants a good jumping off point.
LeVar Burton Reads is another really good show, specifically from a learn by reading standpoint. I always love the stories that LeVar chooses. They’re always entertaining, often funny, and (as someone who grew up with Reading Rainbow) LeVar’s reading voice is top notch. Whenever I work on writing short fiction, I try to imagine how LeVar would read it on the show. The stories are always enjoyable and the podcast is just long enough for me to enjoy on my way to work.
My Brother, My Brother and Me is far from what I’d call a writing podcast, but hear me out. I write first thing in the morning and like having some background noise to try and keep me a bit more focused. I love this particular podcast because I call it ‘The Bit Show’. Three brothers talk in the framework of an “Advice Show”. I love listening to this while writing because I can tune in and out and not feel like I’ve missed anything.
Start with This is a show I’m eager to start listening to one of these days. It’s another one of those shows that presents the listener with some media to consume and a writing prompt to walk away with.
The Mycreant Podcast is a place for dissecting speculative fiction, both pre-existing and the technical aspects of storytelling. Looking at their blog, it seems like it’s something right up my alley as a combination of nerdy talk and writing talk. I’m gonna start listening to this one on my morning walks to see if it satisfies that itch for nerdy talk in my life.