Blubrry's pricing, the simplest mics, Indie AF's behind-the-scenes chats with David Ault, Renfield and Give Me Away's hivemind, and more

Issue 317 of The Fiction Podcast Weekly is brought to you by How to Start a Podcast in 2025: The Complete Beginner’s Guide.

Next time someone says to you, “I should start a podcast,” give them How to Start a Podcast in 2025: The Complete Beginner’s Guide, which Matthew and I wrote with love and care expressly for people who need help with their big ideas.

News, Roundups, and Announcements

• News for audio drama and fiction podcasters is pretty sparse this week. Either everyone’s still recovering from Podcast Movement, or hunkered down in editing town, preparing for the annual blast of horror podcasts in October. Meanwhile…

•  The London Podcast Festival has begun, with performances and presentations by The Beef & Dairy Network, Camlann, Crowley Time, Wolf 359, Wooden Overcoats, and many more. Go get ‘em, tiger!

• Kechi Playhouse adds history to radio play performance by David Burke for the Wichita Eagle, sharing Misty Maynard’s challenges with adapting Pygmalion for audio.

• Blubrry increased its prices for the first time in 20 years, and will add AI tools in October.

• “Podcasts are becoming one of the hottest (and lucrative) spaces in the live events business — and we’ve got data to prove it,” says Ashley Carman in a LinkedIn post. Fiction podcasters are theatre kids at heart; we can produce way better live events than Call Her Daddy.

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Creator Resources

• Best Wireless Lav & Clip-On Mics (2025) I’m happy with my Harlan Hogan XLR mic, but this roundup makes me consider adding one of these little gems to my Christmas list.

• The Micro-Speak Plus is the most beginner-friendly recorder I’ve ever tested, says Matthew McLean. Come for the cutest digital recorder ever, stay for the unicorns and coconuts. This article will make you cherish the magic of audio storytelling even more.

• Indie AF has been busy AF. Sarah interviews the creative team behind The Bloody Life of R.M. Renfield in Oh, The Wireless Theatre Audio Horror! Then, she and David Ault share the secrets of The Art of Ault Acting, and finally, in Give Me Awayyyy! Mac Rogers, Jordana Williams, and Sean Williams tell Sarah not only about writing, directing, and producing Give Me Away, but also share their industry insights about audio drama, streaming media, and consensual bodysnatching.

• Do Expensive Shoes Really Sound Expensive? Reel Foley Sound compares the sound of footsteps in Jimmy Choos and $10 thrifted heels. But one pair is wedges, so is the comparison really faur?

• The world of independent fiction podcasting Eurowaves interviews Samy Souissi about Desperado, Levian, Hug House Productions, and the power of collaboration.

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Opportunities

• The Flemish Audiovisual Fund Development Support for Podcasts provides funding for audio-makers connected to the Flemish cultural community in the development stage of a narrative podcast. Applicants may be of any nationality, as long as they belong to the Flemish cultural community in some capacity. The deadline is 16th September.

• Casting Call: Home for the Holidays. Listing expires 28 September.

• Casting Call: Tarot Man. Listing expires 11 September.

• Casting Call: To-be-titled Audio Drama Anthology seeks talent in Vancouver. Deadline: 21 September.

• Artist Residency: Walking Tour Ludic Rooms in the West Midlands offers a 5-day residency in Coventry, England, focused on developing an audible walking tour. It appears the organization will use NAIAD, “a new platform for integrating audience smartphones into outdoor arts performances & immersive experiences", which seems interesting. The deadline is 15th September.

Milestones & Debuts

• The Trinity Squad follows a ragtag team of heroes as they navigate intergalactic empires, unlock their elemental powers, and take on villains with both wit and warrior skills.

• Syncopa. When detective Mia Stephens receives a white envelope containing a newspaper clipping of disappearances that never happened, it leads her down a path full of twists and turns that she never expected.

• Two Thousand and Late Harper’s life is upended when she’s possessed by a demon hell-bent on bringing about the apocalypse. Harper doesn’t want to end the world, but the demon gives her more power than she’s had in her life in a long time. In a world where so many people abuse their power, will Harper be any different?

Keep sharing good stories.

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