You — yes, you — can encourage an aspiring podcaster! Namely, me.
Those of you who listen to podcasts probably know about the Podcast Pickle, a kind of directory/clearinghouse where you can learn about many excellent ’casts being produced. If you don’t yet listen to podcasts, I recommend that you check them out, for reasons we’ve already discussed; and the Pickle — under the direction of Gary “P. Dilly” Leland (don’t shoot me; I’m just the messenger) — is a good place to start. (Hey, there’s no point in letting all those empty megabytes on your MP3 player go to waste, is there? And if you don’t have an MP3 player, the podcast files can be converted to the kind that can be burned onto a conventional CD and listened to anywhere, as I do while driving to and from work.)
I bring this up today because — trumpet fanfare, please — you now have something new to which you may listen … and respond. Television has American Idol and Project Runway; podcasting now has “Pickle Tales.”
I kid thee not. Created and emceed by the delightful Christiana Ellis (who wrote and podcast the likewise delightful novel Nina Kimberly the Merciless) and hosted by the Podcast Pickle, Pickle Tales is a competition for podcasters, a talent show for writers and voices, old and new.
I’m one of the new ones.
The competition will be in five rounds. Each of the twelve competitors in the first round has submitted a five-minute-or-less story, poem, skit, whatever. The entries have been evaluated and critiqued by various podcasting veterans, but the final decision on them will be made by YOU. Six contestants will proceed to Round 2, five to Round 3, and so on, until one contestant remains. That’s it in a pistachio shell; a larger exposition can be found at the Pickle Tales web page.
My initial entry is a short-short story entitled “Distinctive.” It’s in Round 1B — the second group of six entries — which will be released on Monday, November 13. Listeners will be able to vote for their favorites until midnight NOON, November 16. Round 1A — the other six entries — has now been released and can be downloaded here. Please listen to them, and vote for your favorite by midnight NOON, November 9. Each entry is no longer than five minutes, so it doesn’t demand a huge blocked-time commitment, if that’s a concern.
And when “Distinctive” appears on the 13th, please give it a listen and, if you think it’s good, vote for it!
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Congrats and kudos on your Pickle Tales!!! Love it even tho others don’t seem to get it! OK I looked for you on the podcast pickle to add you to my favorite’s lists and voted for you. Where’s your Pickle page? You have all these links to Podcast Pickle but I can’t find you there. Keep up the great work and let me know when you joined or add me to your list so I will get a notify notice and can add you. Peace out and pod-on, Diggersstory
Hey, DS! Thanks for looking me up at the Pickle — and sorry you couldn’t find my Pickle page. The reason is simple, I’m afraid: there isn’t one. I don’t yet have a podcast; I’m living proof that one can make a noise at the Pickle simply by hanging around and making a nuisance of oneself at the forums. I’m hoping that in the future I’ll have (1) a block of time to devote to this instead of snatching moments here and there and (2) an audio mission. When that happens … get set for Brother Osric’s Poditorium!
And remember, folks, that’s http://www.diggersstory.com. Check it out — I know I plan to.