#audio drama help

[thepodcasthoard]

I've been skipping around in The Audio Drama Production Podcast, and the creators are funny and insightful and share a lot of interesting tidbits that should help people get a foundation!

The podcast's average length is probably about half an hour, but they have 175 episodes so my math might be iffy because I looked at just the first page.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

I know those eyes.

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[totallynormals4]

I desperately need more podcast recommendations

I have a list of them but like it’s never enough /silly

I’m mainly into fiction stuff and horror

But I’ll try basically anything and everything

[tellnotalespod]

List: Queer creatives to spend your money on instead half-arsed pride merch from Target 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

We're all aware by now that when you buy pride merch from one of Those Companies, your money is just going to a CEO who half-heartedly told someone to slap a rainbow on it and call it a day. So why not use that money to support an actual queer person who’s working hard to make art?

I've collected a(n incomplete) list of queer creatives who would benefit from your support this Pride Month - this is fairly limited in scope, as it only includes creators who responded to my call for links (or whose links were sent by friends & fans). It is also, for that reason, fairly audio-drama-heavy, but not exclusively so! It includes sections for crowdfunds, online stores, ttrpgs, and ko-fis and patreons for creators of a variety of different art forms.

The list is long, but worth a look through. Have a browse, see if anything appeals, and if you'd like to add any links, please do! Share the list around, shout out your friends and peers, boost your favourite artist, and vitally, self-promo is strongly encouraged!

Crowdfund campaigns:

Starting off strong with Forged Bonds @forgedbondspod — A queer, myth-bending audio drama retelling of Aphrodite and Hephaestus's love story.

This one takes pride of place as the inspiration for this post. Pine is working SO hard to make sure their cast gets paid regardless of crowdfunding outcomes, even if that means paying out-of-pocket. Help them avoid having to do that by supporting a truly kind and wonderful creator. (Crowdfund ends in a little over two weeks!)

We've also got a tight time-sensitive crowdfund for Waiting For October @monkeymanproductions — an upcoming queer supernatural audio drama series from the creators of Moonbase Theta, Out.

At the time of posting, they only have 13 hours left on their crowdfund, but they're 93% there! Help them cross the threshold and tell what I'm sure will be another gorgeous and wild story.

And for the horror lovers, a new crowdfund from The Morbid Forest — a deep dive into all things grusesome!

They are hoping to fund their fifth season, and it's looking to be their biggest yet. A lot of what they're asking for will be used to pay guest authors they're bringing in for the new season, allowing platforms for up-and-coming writers. Help them make this a reality!

All three of these creators also have Patreons you can subscribe to instead of (or in addition to!) their crowdfund: Pine Tree Pods, Monkeyman Productions, Morbid Forest

Buy yourself a little treat:

Saph the Something creates ethically handmade clothes made with vintage materials by a non-binary queer individual, with an emphasis on non-default clothes for non-default people.

You can find Saph's physical goods on xaer ko-fi (including a GORGEOUS loose-knit subtle trans flag tee)! Or support xem on Patreon for early access to content, behind-the-scenes updates, and more

For prints and pins of some truly stunning art, visit Survival of the Artist's ko-fi!

If you love gorgeous, unsettling underwater horror, you're going to absolutely love these prints

Eeler's Choice @eelerschoice is offering their season 1 soundtrack on Bandcamp!

Eeler’s Choice is a maritime horror fantasy podcast that serves as a reminder that the ocean never gives back what it takes unchanged. The music is GORGEOUS and if you love sea shanties, folk music, and eerie ambient instrumentals, you'll love this album.

They also have merch on sale, the logo sweatshirt is one of the best things I own

Pyon is an afro-latino freelance artist, writer, designer, and indie game developer

He is currently working on a visual novel magical girl project, @magicalwarriordiamondheart and you can buy prints, plushies, apparrel, charms and more from their store (or support him on Ko-fi!)

Xan Larson is an Illustrator, Comic Artist and Content Creator with a specialty and marked enthusiasm for mythological creatures of all kinds and all cultures.

She offers a huge range of treats on her website, including art prints (& original paintings), resin art, and books

Dylan Birtolo is a writer, a gamer, and a professional sword-swinger

Dylan has a huge number of books on offer, primarily fantasy, including anthologies, novellas, and novels.

TTRPGs galore:

(these also fall under the little treat category, but there were so many that I felt they needed their own section)

Sunken Rust are a game company run by married couple Dave Eisinger and Jazz Eisinger, and they offer a range of absolutely delightful TTRPGs, ranging from a wholesome GBBO-inspired micro RPG, to a solo journaling game about exploring an abandoned mansion.

Tea Witch Games is run by Anna Landin, a queer Swedish illustrator, comic artist and game designer. She offers games that run the gamut from sweet and cozy to weird, sad and spooky.

K. Petker offers games from wonderfully unique perspecitves including heroines of the princess council, children facing the apocalypse, and cats protecting their humans from the supernatural.

Christine Prevas is a writer, designer, PhD student & erstwhile librarian offering TTRPGs that range from two-player steamy horror to theatrical tragedy, and more.

Unseeliejess is a game designer and social worker, and my personal favourites from her offerings include Oops! All Draculas! and multiple sapphic-focused TTRPGs

Thoughty is run by Beau Jágr Sheldon, including innovative TTRPGs in a range of formats, as well as some games that break away from the table entirely.

Riverhouse Games includes a ton of fun concepts, including a micro-game about cleaning your kitchen and a game about telling your hot gay (dragon) boyfriend you love him. They also offer a guide to writing your own RPG!

E. Chris Garrison is the proprietor of Chris's Compendium of Free RPGs, one of the oldest game repositories on the web. They are also the designer of Saving People / Hunting Things, a TTRPG inspired by monster-of-the-week style television shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Supernatural. They also have a ton of fantasy, supernatural, and sci-fi books on offer

Handsofblue offers a campy horror game about awful people and a serial killer, and a solo knitting game

Drazillion is an award-winning narrative designer, writer, and artist, offering a huge portfolio of games with a strong focus on queer narratives and themes. You can also support her on Patreon

Patreons & Ko-Fis:

Finally we have some ways to directly support the creators you love or their ongoing projects!

Soul Operator @souloperatorpod is a multi-genre fiction podcast, created to highlight solo ttrpgs.

If you haven't listened yet, you absolutely should - this show will rip out your heart and you'll be grateful for it. Support them for behind-the-scenes content, exclusive short stories, and more

Divine Rodentia Studios @divinerodentiastudios is releasing a new fiction anthology audio drama, Sixth Door to the Left

This is some truly intriguing and wonderful storytelling, and you can support them through the development of their upcoming project, The Loser's Game.

YamiKakyuu @yamikakyuu is a writer, photographer, amateur digital artist, and horror podcast enthusiast.

Supporting them will help an up-and-coming voice actor invest in decent equipment (a huge barrier to so many incredibly talented VAs breaking into the industry!)

Daisy McNamara is an *incredibly prolific* podcaster, the co-creator of Eeler's Choice and Waterlogged, and has contributed his talents to so many more

Daisy has made such a huge contribution to the audio drama world, so if you've listened to any podcasts to speak of, you've probably enjoyed some of her work. Your support can help him make ends meet and continue creating!

And finally (because I fave a few pals who'd kill me dead if I didn't do a bit of self-promo), I'm Leanne Egan, the creator of Tell No Tales, an audio drama about ghosts and the people who refuse to hunt them. While there is currently no way to support the show financially, my debut novel, Lover Birds, releases soon!

As a bonus, if you're in the UK, you can pre-order it from a North-West-based queer indie bookshop too!

[cauterizedpod]

The casting call for Cauterized is live! The survival/horror audiodrama features a doomed sub and misfit team tasked with making the transition to the surface possible. It's a task that might be stacked against them after every other attempt has failed.

There are four very different roles up for grab! Butch eldest sister, cool older woman who loves plants, bastard snake secretary, and the big man in command (who's not really a great guy, to no one's surprise)

You can find all the information on the project, roles, guidelines, and submission details here!

[grimalditeuthis]

me (lying on the floor being obnoxious): i havent even listened to ANY podcasts today :(

my mother, without missing a beat: well that explains a lot

[fablesaesops]

i am BEGGING for someone to compile like a list of thoschei content so it's easier to get the Lore TM without having to wade through thousands of hours of content with minimal organization. what I wouldn't give for just a list era by era of what episodes to watch and where to find them

[ashes-in-a-jar]

Absolutely love being basically the only one on Tumblr using a specific fandom's tag because it's so damn small

I feel like I'm just talking to myself, having two or three people nod in my direction when I say something and knowing one day someone else will become as obsessed as I am with the show and go through the tag, only to find me and only me in it, waving excitedly at them and nodding vigorously if they choose to talk to themselves about it as well

[free-boundsoul]

I kinda want Kody to make an appearance during the Damn fam's roadtrip, see Freelancer and Dear hanging out together and immediately get jealous that they're with a different water elemental

"Oh I see you finally completed your little elemental collection, Raincloud."

And Dear just looks Kody up and down and says "If you were the first candidate, no wonder they waited."

[thepodcasthoard]

Advice for beginner audio drama writers- Gabriel Urbina

Gabriel Urbina is known for Wolf 359, and as humble as he is, I feel like anyone with a published show as popular as that one is qualified to offer at least a few tips for newbies. His article on his blog can be found here.

Do your homework

The first step to figuring out how to write an audio drama is to listen to a lot of audio dramas. Not just in your genre, either! The more you listen to, the more you understand how it's done. I suppose trying to write one purely from how-to articles is like trying to write a novel purely from craft books. It will feel formulaic and not quite 'right.' You need to see a story played out and the devices writers use to get a feel for it.

Urbina points out that you might be able to be inspired by a technique you find interesting or a way to get around something that might just not be possible in audio drama. He likens it to building an arsenal before going into battle.

And don't just listen to modern ones! Urbina recommends Wyllis Cooper, the Mercury Theater, and Lucille Fletcher from the "Golden Age" of the 1930s-1950s.

2. Put fuel in the tank

Listen, read, and watch things that get you excited, not just audio dramas. Watch your favorite movie again, or read your favorite book. Anything that lights up your brain and gets you inspired to create something that awesome. As Urbina puts it- 'if something can give you the drive to spend another day or hour or minute toiling away at your story it's worth it.'

3. Write for the ears

Constantly think about how the audience is going to be listening- and they will be listening. So some things just won't work- you won't be able to pull off visual gags or complex scenes that require the audience to see what's going on to get it. Find another way to do it or somehow sum it up in an interesting way, or leave the idea by the wayside. [And a side note from me: keep those ideas in a separate document. You'll never know when you'll think of a way to use them.]

In general, make sure the story is clear and focused, and give enough information that the audience fills in the gaps in the way they need to.

4. Structure backwards

Start with the last piece of the puzzle- where does the plot end at the episode, season, or series? If you don't know that yet, try to see if you know where the audience needs to be emotionally and mentally. What will they have learned by the end? How will you leave them? If you know your destination as well as your starting point, the journey there is easier.

And don't be afraid to get messy with it. Urbina says he uses notebook pages and scrawls down bad ideas to get them 'out of the way' so he can get the writing done. But the bad ideas are just as useful as the good ones. Think of it like clearing a pipe. You're gonna have to get the gunk out and run the dirty water until you get to the usable stuff. And if you keep going, you will get to the good stuff. I promise.

5. Restrictions are your friends

Urbina uses a simile that writing is like a jigsaw puzzle, but the pieces are mixed in with different puzzles' pieces. If you keep trying to dump out every piece of every box, you'll end up with far too many pieces. Resist that urge and instead say 'I'll only let myself get more pieces once I've done everything I can with the pieces I have out right now.' Urbina says it's helped him be more efficient with his writing.

Wolf 359, if you don't know the story, is about four characters' audio diaries recorded in and about an isolated space they can't leave. Even with these fairly limited conditions, Urbina sometimes made even stricter ones- only two characters, or only in one room. Figuring out how those pieces fit will stretch your writing capabilities for sure, and it will also make you a better writer.

6. Don't be defined by the medium's strengths and limitations but be aware of what they are

There are some stories that are better suited for audio- comedies and horror, for example- and some that aren't, like romances. But that doesn't mean it can't be done. You're the creator of your world, and if you figure out how to do something, all the more power to you. You should experiment and innovate. At the same time, be aware of how hard the process will be and gather supplies as needed.

7. Listen

Read your script out loud at least once. The written word is one thing, speech is a different beast altogether. Read it by yourself, of course, but also listen to your actors. You'll catch awkward phrasing. And this step also encapsulates listening to suggestions from others. If you try out the suggestion, something that will probably only take a couple of minutes, you'll feel if it's working or not nearly immediately.

8. Don't follow every piece of advice

If a bunch of people are bringing up the same problem in your writing, then it probably is a problem and you should work to fix it. If only one person says it's a problem, it may be more of a taste thing, or even something you intended! If you, say, laid some foreshadowing and someone picked it up without realizing its importance, then leave it. But if ten people say 'this part was confusing,' then maybe work to straighten it out and not make it as obscure.

As Urbina writes, 'sometimes [criticisms] have as much to do with the individual who's engaging with your work and their subjectivity as much as with your work itself.' In other words, everyone brings their own experience and hang-ups and preferences to every work they read, so don't be surprised when two people have vastly different opinions about the same line.

9. Be kind to yourself

Be proud of smaller accomplishments along the way, not just the very end. After all, the only way to get to the finish line is to pass a whole lot of mile markers. Doing anything creative at all almost requires anxiety and despair and self-doubt, but most of the time you have to ignore those voices. Sure, sometimes tough love is necessary, but if you let yourself be ruled by those feelings, this thing you love will turn into something you despise.

10. Be ready for it to be difficult

You will most likely not nail the whole 'audio drama' thing your first go-around. Audio drama, as a medium, are hard. They require the audience's undivided attention but offer less stimuli than TV, movies, and books. You can't exactly do chores and read a physical book at the same time. I personally don't know a single person who sits and listen to a podcast without doing anything else. It happens. But don't let the fear of sucking stop you. The only way to get better is to do more. And while podcasts are becoming more popular than ever, the subset of those people who listen to audio dramas is incredibly small compared to the rest of the world. It's niche, and the truth is that not everyone will like your particular story.

Be patient. It might take years for people to discover your work, but if you don't create it in the first place, then there's nothing to be discovered.

11. Be ready for it to be amazing

As much as the last ten points cautioned you, this point is about all the positives. Audio dramas are fast- you can finish a script on Monday, rehearse on Tuesday-Thursday, record on Friday, and have a finished product by the start of the following week. It's fast in a way that TV shows, movies, and novels aren't.

And, if you'll tolerate an aside from me: audio dramas don't need to be pitched to seven major companies that run everything in the medium. You can do it with yourself, some friends, and a little bit of spare money if you really want. There's no one saying you can't, so you might as well give yourself permission to say 'I can.'

12. Finally

Your process is just that- yours. You can read all the guides and advice you want, but you will have to find ways for you to do it yourself. It's just you, your brain, and a keyboard/notebook in the end. If some piece of advice everyone swears by doesn't work for you, disregard it! Try everything of course, but don't try to adhere to something that 'everyone uses so it must be the way to do it.' As Urbina writes: 'the products of your writing are for the world to enjoy, but the steps you take to get there are for an audience of you alone, so be as selfish, self-centered, and self-aware as you possibly can.'

Another aside from me: there's nothing wrong with making stupid jokes in the margins. I remember personally writing in religion class that Jesus Christ and His Apostles were 'J.C. and The Boys.' It's for you, and just have as much fun as you can. Like Urbina points out, your process is private. You don't have to share every (or any!) part of it with anyone.

Urbina finishes the article with a 'TL:DR' that sums up the main points, as well as shares a guide from Stephen Sondheim's 'Finishing the Hat:'

Content dictates form

Less is more

God is in the details

which all serves

CLARITY.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

An unbothered queen has entered, and subsequently left.

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[doortotomorrow]

THE NINTH DOCTOR - Portrayed by Christopher Eccleston

[izel-scribbles]

guys what do i do (podcast-wise)?

i need something to listen to while i wait for malevolent 43 bc i can't take this no more

[allmosses]

talking about ep43 malevolent i have some things to say (spoilers below ofc)

first of all, how THE FUCK did harlan manage to scream like that

second, god this scream, it's not only pain as someone already mentioned and i reblogged it literally 2 seconds ago, it's something more. have you seen death now, arthur???

and at last, what's the music thing. the suffering ended so abruptly and we've got radio haha NOT FUNNY I'LL BE INSANE WHEN THE NEXT EPISODE RELEASES

[lesbian-jack-barnabas]

audio drama side of tumblr im once again begging for recs. can yall give me some space based scifi. im an avatar of the Vast in the worst way possible and i need something to make me think about the mysteries of the universe or i’ll die

[thelaurenshippen]

HI HELLO DO YOU LIKE AUDIO DRAMAS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE YOUR OWN AUDIO DRAMA well do I have news for you

for quite some time, I have been working on putting every bit of practical information I have about making a podcast into some kind of readable resource and I'm very happy to say that, by george, I think I've done it.

that link will take you to our resource page which has links to a 35-page handbook that takes you through every step of podcast production (on our merch page, but you can download for zero dollars! do it!) and a direct download of a 15-page pdf about how I take an idea from development through scripting.

this is by no means the be-all-end-all definitive correct guide on how to make an audio drama. as I emphasize many times throughout, this is just how I do things, but it's a pretty thorough rundown of how I do things. if you've been too overwhelmed to start your own show, I sincerely hope this helps you!