
Issue 344 of The Fiction Podcast Weekly is brought to you by You’re The Last One.
In Silver Creek, there is only one Voice on the radio that plays on every frequency. There is a vague but ubiquitous power company infused with every aspect of day-to-day life. And there’s a gang of quirky teenagers that befriends Tommy Baxter as soon as he and his mother arrive; each inspired by another inverted horror archetype. But there is also a monster, and each episode follows a character as they’re hunted down by the shadowy creature, one by one. Find You’re The Last One wherever you get your podcasts.
I’ve posted one of our Supporters at the top of each issue of the Fiction Podcast Weekly (unless someone bought a Single Issue or Monthly Sponsorship) until they ran out, to celebrate the fact that SUPPORTER SPOTS ARE BACK! Add your podcast’s image, linked to your podcast’s website, for the low, low price of $4.99 a month or $50 per year. That’s like getting two months free! Such a bargain. Read on to find out how you can be one of the cool kids. And now, back to your Fiction Podcast newsletter. |
News, Roundups, and Announcements
Podnews reports that there are more new AI-generated podcasts than human ones. And companies like LightKnot Studios are cloning high-performing podcasts and passing off AI-generated text-to-speech recordings as original work. But, who’s listening to these podcasts? If the people making them swear this is the greatest thing since sliced bread, who is eating it? I eagerly await Sounds Profitable’s The AI-Generated Podcast Listener Report.
Speaking of audiences, the Audio Primes 2026 report is the latest research from Sounds Profitable, concerning “the 22% of podcast consumers who listen to at least 75% of their content as audio.” These people are “the word-of-mouth engine of podcasting,” and 48% are not interested in AI-generated voices.
Happy Birthday, Headliner! For a limited time, Headliner’s video tools are free to use, so get crackin’ on making those promos.
How Can You Tell It’s AI? The survey responses indicate that an imitation of human speech and ideas is a pretty clever trick, but doesn’t compare to context and connection.
Vacations Are a Trip is the latest collection of binge-ready podcasts, curated by Evo Terra for The End.
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Creator Resources
INDIE AF SEASON 4 is here! Weekly releases on Sundays, with groovy chats to the Wasteland Alt Stories team on studio rec and post production, and episodes on Voice Acting Auditions, Marketing successes, Auphonic and how to use it, Directing audio, and folks who make amazing audio geeking out about things they work on including Jonathan Pezza, Odin Zorn Hilmarsson and Pete Gold, Tanya Rich, Marta De Silva, Karim Kronfli, Dirk Maggs, and more!
Audible Dimensions The Immersive Audio Podcast traveled to Austin, Texas, for the 2026 edition of the SXSW festival to present the panel Audible Dimensions: Expanding Story Through Spatial Audio. They explore the latest innovations in immersive sound technology and practical applications from three different perspectives: software and hardware capabilities of hosting platforms, the spatial audio formats, and content production workflows that bring these experiences to life.
Studio Gear You Shouldn't Buy, According to Pros. The money you save could be your own.
First Look: Tascam DR-40XP Field Recorder, by Paul Virostek for Creative Field Recording
Writing Tips From Professor Daisy Fancourt: Write On! Audio Weekly. Daisy Fancourt is a professor of psychobiology and epidemiology at University College London. For her latest book, 'Art Cure: How the Arts Can Transform Your Health and Help You Live Longer', she has undertaken extensive research into the health and well-being benefits of participation in the arts and looked at how artists and writers can maximise benefits to both themselves and those who engage with their work. For this recording, Daisy was in conversation with playwright Lucy Kaufman and Write On! Editor Madeleine White.
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Opportunities
The Independent Podcast Awards are open for entry! The application process is slightly different this year, so make sure you read the fine print. Deadline: the 8th of June.
Casting Call: 'Interview With a Famous Filmmaker' seeks an improv-inclined actor and/or voice actor for the role of a famous filmmaker for a school project at Pratt Institute. You will have the freedom to craft your own character. Not Paid.
The Utrecht University Making Visible the Invisible Critical Pathways Fellowships are a 4-6 week residency in the Netherlands for artists, journalists, researchers, activists, and cross-disciplinary practitioners exploring sustainability, inequality, and hidden systems shaping ecological and social crises. The fellowship offers up to €10,000 covering travel, accommodation, living costs, and visa support, along with access to university resources and research spaces. Deadline: the 27th of April. How they expect to get American participants to leave at the end is anyone’s guess.
The Ohio Arts Council Artist Opportunities are grants for emerging and professional artists in Ohio, open to artists of all disciplines, at any stage of their career, and includes all types of artistic practice. Applicants must be over 18. The next deadline is the 1st of May.
The Studio KIND Artist Commission Open Call Back To The Market are three commissions for artists and researchers to explore the heritage of Barnstaple Pannier Market in North Devon, with a preference for South West-based practitioners. Each commission focuses on a different historical theme, including fascism and migration, LGBTQ+ political history, and musical heritage inspired by The Beggar’s Opera. Artists will develop research-based work culminating in a public exhibition in November 2026, alongside digital outputs and a workshop or talk. Fees range from £1500 to £2000, depending on the commission, with additional paid workshop opportunities. Deadline is 20th April, 11 pm BST.
Launches and Milestones
Last Resort. A troubled influencer looking for rest and rejuvenation at a private wellness resort gets more than she bargained for when a mysterious sound causes the guests to turn violent. An Official Selection of the Tribeca Festival, presented by Voyage Media. All episodes are now playing.
Andas Productions writes: “The finale of our weekly fiction podcast, Catskull, will air next Friday, April 24!”
Please Hear This. It's 2150, and humanity is almost lost. While running from the Scorched, Jay tries to send messages to the past in hopes of preventing humanity's self-destruction.
Beatrice Hart and the Curse of the Golden Fleece. London 1935. After a shocking and mysterious murder, investigative journalist Beatrice Hart embarks on a quest that pulls her into a swirling tornado of danger. This adventure will take Beatrice from the snowy streets of London to the winding tunnels underneath Istanbul to a forgotten island in the heart of the Black Sea. Along with her trusted Cairn Terrier Frank, Beatrice will race against a villainous woman and a shadowy organisation to find a treasure, shrouded in myth and legend: The Golden Fleece. (psst: the cover art for this podcast is made by Ruby Fresson: it’s dynamic, mysterious, and fun, strongly reminiscent of Tintin covers).
Beneath the Cosmic Waves. Running from her grief, Sloane moves to a seaside retirement community where all encounters point her toward the library, and it doesn’t take much reading between the lines to realize something very sinister is going on below the surface. With the help of her unusual neighbor Darcy, the only other young person in town, Sloane stumbles upon the adventure of a lifetime.
Lakecastle. When Danny Villanueva dies while working at a big tech billionaire's mysterious compound, his daughter Julia returns to her hometown of Lakecastle, Minnesota, to get to the bottom of what really happened.
Keep sharing good stories.















