When my commute to work was 45 minutes, I listened to podcasts all the time. It was a great way to stay informed, and I would arrive at the office feeling like I already accomplished something. After I left that job, though, the daily ride fell to five minutes, and my podcast journey was over.

That is, until I was invited to join, As We Create, a podcast run by the CT Art Director’s Club. I’d never been so nervous in my life. I kept emailing the host, Michael Marques, to provide some of the questions ahead of time. Of course, he never did and I recently came to understand why — he wanted the conversation to feel authentic. 

While I’m not exactly sure if Mr. Marques achieved his goal, the experience weighed heavily when it came time to plan my own podcast. The one thing I didn’t realize? How much planning actually goes into making something feel off-the-cuff. Being a guest on a podcast is not the same thing is producing one. This article recounts the initial stage of creating my first podcast. It  starts with research and inspiration that both help to inform a detailed plan. Consider it a work in progress.

Reading & Writing

Chapter 8 of The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video is all about Sound. Author Tom Schroeppel provides an excellent recap of what causes sound waves, and how to measure frequency and amplitude. With regards to recording, he introduces the reader to various types of microphones and their pickup patterns, including omnidirectional, carioid, and shotgun. It’s crucial to consider the type of microphone to capture the best sound, and Schroeppel provides best practices for each. He explains that the dynamic hand mic would be his go-to option if he had only one to choose for all situations.

In addition to capturing the necessary clean recording, Schroeppel offers practical advice on other sounds to capture. Presence, or ambience, wild effects, and sync effects make it easier to create audio bridges and help to establish context when it’s time to edit. Choosing the right equipment, being aware of various sound situations, and keeping detailed logs are just as important as understanding the basic principles of sound. Schroeppel explains how to capture professional sound clearly and succinctly, and I’ll need to carefully consider each element in the recording and post-production of my first podcast. 

Next, I discovered valuable tips for planning a successful podcast.  

In, The Art of Creating an Invisible Podcast Episode Script, author Kevin Anderson explains how to appropriately outline a podcast. How do all those professional podcasts seem so natural and effortless? They are thoughtfully planned. Invisible podcast scripts, he argues, provide structure, ensure flow, and even cut down on production time. It starts by mapping a powerful narrative that captures attention. Anderson provides practical advice, like using contractions and short sentences. The invisible script should, in fact, include elements that are scripted verbatim. The welcome message, topics of discussion, guest introduction, and closing call to action can all be written ahead of time to keep the podcast linear and logical.

As the titles suggest, Creating a Great Podcast Script: 3 Methods Top Podcasters Use, by Colin Gray, provides helpful pros and cons for three different podcast script-writing methods. Option 1 is to write out every word. The full-scripted method ensures detail and confidence, but takes the most time. Gray points out that scripts can often lead to a “stilted, monotone” delivery (Gray, 2024). Option 2 is to write a detailed episode outline, which consists of the top-level topics, and supporting bullet points. Last, Option 3 is to develop a quick, rough bullet point plan. The goal here is to ensure a conversational quality, though it’s very likely to get off topic quickly. Gray recommends that new podcasters start out with a full script, and work their way towards creating a personal style that may only need an invisible script as they become more comfortable behind the mic.

Taglines and hooks are powerful tools for making any podcast more memorable and recognizable. In, Podcast Taglines, Hooks, & the Power of Words, author Kevin Anderson explains how a strong tagline helps to communicate the show’s purpose and values in just a few words. Hooks, or recurring phrases or segment intros, help to structure episodes and keep listeners engaged. Crafting these elements with clarity and consistency strengthens the podcast’s brand and builds listener loyalty. 

When it comes to recording audio equipment, I can use all the helpful resources available. Matthew McLean provides a great list “non-techy” gadgets in, Best Podcast Tool in 2025: Make, Market, & Monetise Your Show. It’s only appropriate that AI is included in McLean’s list, with an interesting tool called the Alitu Showplanner. The Alitu Showplanner promises to create a “free podcast plan in minutes.” Other tools include recommendations for microphones, recorders, all-in-one podcast apps, web development tools, and more. I bookmarked this page for future reference.

Last, strong podcast presentation skills help hosts sound confident, natural, and engaging to their audience. In, Podcast Presentation Skills | Honing Your Speechcraft, Robert Cudmore outlines seven presentation skills necessary to becoming a better, more engaging podcast hose. Among them, he recommends learning to become “formal but friendly.” He also offers tips to overcoming fear of public speaking, and how to get the most out of interviews. The article highlights the importance of vocal tone, pacing, and breathing to maintain listener interest and reduce nerves. Podcast hosts are encouraged to tailor their language to their audience and use storytelling techniques to enhance impact and strengthen overall presentation quality. There’s a lot more to recall and consider in this article but, in general, Cudmore suggests avoiding scripted delivery by speaking more conversationally. 

Research to Inform

Design Matters: Debbie Millman
I wanted to get a sense for the tone of voice that podcasters dealing with art or design use, so I revisited a series that I used to listen to quite regularly: Design Matters. After 18 years as the host, Debbie Millman has an uncanny ability to get her guests to reveal hidden truths about their creative process. I think she does that by expressing an authentic interest in her audience’s passions, no matter what kind of creativity they’re involved with. 

For example, in a 2022 episode, Millman interviews Jack White, of White Stripes fame, and Ben Jenkins. Their conversation weaves in and out of personal stories and seemingly pre-planned topics. Aside from bringing a music icon to the stage, Millman intrigues the listeners by doing her research ahead of time. She digs deep to find tidbits of information that people haven’t read about in all the tabloids, and she approaches the topics in a relatable way. That’s probably why people listen, despite the fact that the underlying objective is to provide Jenkins, a relatively unknown designer, with PR for his sporting goods brand, Warstic. For Debbie Millman and Design Matters, it’s actually the stories that matter.

Design As: Lee Moreau
While searching for Design Matters, I came across a similar podcast called, Design As. Featured on the blog, Designer Observer, Design As is hosted by Lee Moreau, a Professor at Northeastern and found of Other Tomorrows, a design and strategy consultancy in Boston. As the introduction suggests, his podcast simply “asks a diverse array of design practitioners and leaders to explain the vital forces impacting design today, and to imagine a better world together.”

Being a first time listener, I love how simply Moreau introduced the most recent episode, Design as Creation, Design as Consumption. “Welcome to Design As,” he starts, “a show that’s intended to speculate on the future of design from a range of different perspectives. This season, like everyone else, we’re talking about AI.” With a dramatic musical score in the background, Moreau introduces himself, the topic, and his special guest within the first :40 seconds. He also plays a clip of his guest speaking, which nicely foreshadows the type of content to come. We know the real content is about to begin when the background music stops. It also acts as a bridge when a new speaker is introduced to the conversation. 

TED Radio Hour
To get a sense for what a shorter podcast could sound like, I headed over to NPR’s podcast directory. Under the technology category, I discovered TED Radio Hour, which promises to explore “the biggest questions of our time with the help of the world's greatest thinkers.” With TED Talks and Conferences being so ubiquitous, I was interested in a recent announcement featuring Chris Anderson, the global head of TED. The dialogue begins with a casual introduction by the host, Manoush Zomorodi. “Hey TED Radio Hour listener,” she says, “it’s Manoush, and today we’re going behind the scenes a bit, with an update about TED.” String instruments are introduced, and she excitedly begins to talk about Anderson’s background. We all know that announcement is going to be made but, before we ever get to hear about it, Zomorodi helps paint a picture by asking Anderson to speak about how became the head of TED. The storytelling helps to formulate context for new listeners. In some ways, the special announcement — a new brand steward, visionary, and CEO — almost seems anticlimactic.

Create

With a solid understanding of the planning process, I began my first podcast by developing a comprehensive creative brief. Trust me when I say there’s nothing brief about it. First, it includes overall concepts like name, tagline, and hook ideas. I’m calling the podcast Topographic, just like my blog, and it’s going to be all about exploring the brand landscape.

The creative brief also includes details about length, target audience, and tone of voice. Many of these details were first conceived of by creating a Mind Map, which helped to streamline the focus of the podcast. Ideas for music, ambient audio, and sound effects are also suggested. The objective is to plan for every detail to make both recording and post-production easier.

Last, but not least, is a detailed script. The script outlines every single word — I’m not the type of person who can just wing it from bullet points. I have no doubt that multiple takes will be needed in order to achieve the tone of voice I’m striving for. I want to sound curious and well-informed, and that takes practice. Though I know the topic well, I want this introductory podcast to intrigue listeners to come back for the next episode. In the end, isn’t that the whole idea?