Issue 339 of The Fiction Podcast Weekly is brought to you by How i Died.
Bodies are piling up in the strange town of Springfield, and forensic pathologist Jonathan Spacer intends to find out why. But Jon isn’t without his own secrets. He can talk to the dead, for starters. Learn more about How i Died at Audiohm Media or wherever you get your podcasts.
I’m posting one of our Supporters at the top of each issue of the Fiction Podcast Weekly (unless someone buys a Single Issue or Monthly Sponsorship) until they run out. And, I think the Supporters are working together to make sure nobody sponsors an issue, so they all get an extra bump up top. Sure, they’re all excellent podcasters, but what wouldn’t a podcaster do to promote their show? Don’t answer that. Too scary. And now, back to your newsletter.
News, Roundups, and Announcements
Viva the narrative podcast - the case against video Siobhán McHugh gave this inspiring speech at the Radio and Audio Studies Symposium last month, and Podnews shared it recently.
Wondery+ is closing in the coming months. However, Wondery+ subscribers can listen to Wondery+ podcasts on Audible for only $5.99/mo for the first year, and Audible’s launched an $8.99 “standard” plan. I’ve reached out to Wondery+ to find out when The Cat In The Hat Cast will return, because I needs it, my precious.
Headliner has launched a social media scheduling tool. It’s available to Pro users only.
New podcast roundup: Thoughts & Prayers is a collection of faith-based fiction podcasts, curated by Evo Terra for The End.
Promote Your Podcast, Business, or Service to Audio Fiction Enthusiasts
With over 2400 subscribers and an average open rate of 50%, the Fiction Podcast Weekly is a brilliant place to advertise. We have options to fit every need, want, and budget.
The Top: Be the main sponsor of an issue for $99 per week or $340 for four weeks.
The Middle: Purchase a Classified Ad for $28. These sit in the middle of the email and have no accompanying graphics.
The Bottom: Get your link and logo in our Supporter Gallery for $4.99 a month or $50 a year. Possibly the most cost-effective option you’ll find in podcast promotion.
Do you have audio drama or fiction podcast news to share with us? Let us know!
In case you need it, here is The Fiction Podcast Weekly’s editorial policy.
Creator Resources
The Best Mic Noise & Mouth Click Solutions (Audacity, Audition, OBS) GamerZakh shares strategies to eliminate irritating mouth sounds on YouTube. Thanks to William J. Meyer for sharing this tutorial with us. If you think mouth sounds don’t matter, listen to Michael Ian Black’s monologue about banana noises.
Has Plugin Abundance Reduced Creative Discipline? by Russ Hughes for Production Expert. “I know the less I push myself, the greater chance of creative atrophy. And just like driving instead of walking, if I don’t continue to exercise any part of my body or brain, then decline sets in.”
Writing Podcasts: From Concept to Complete Script is a course available through Faber Creative Academy. From the seed of an idea to a production-ready pilot episode, this course is designed to take students at any level of experience along a streamlined path to creating compelling audio stories.
Discord: How to Use It for AF! is the latest panel discussion from IndieAF. Sarah Golding shares insights from AJ Fidalgo, Allison Cossitt, Brady Flanagan, Emily Inkpen, and a cat.
Reddit user Walkie57 posted in r/audiodrama, sharing a resource to create “some chic minimalist public domain cover art.” They’re far from wrong. The Noun Project is “the world’s largest and most diverse collection of high-quality vector icons and photos, crafted and curated by real human creators.” The site includes an icon editor, straightforward licensing, and the paid resources aren’t bad either.
Fiction writers, want to play with a brand new interactive fiction tool? Check out myweft.com. No, this isn’t podcast-specific, but I think you may enjoy it.
Classified Ads
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Opportunities
Casting Call: My Brilliant Apocalypse II: The Wish Fulfilment seeks talent from Melbourne, Australia. Pay is deferred. Listing expires 31st March.
Casting Call: Project Gnosis, Season 3 Isfet. The casting call is also available here: Project Gnosis Season 3 Isfet on Casting Call Club. Deadline: 5th of April. Paid.
Wiki Loves Folklore is an open media contest inviting international contributors to document folk culture and traditional heritage, including audio submissions. Best audio wins $200. Deadline: 31st of March.
The Mary Kiesau Community Fellowship Fund provides two awards of $1000 each for creative and educational independent projects of artists, photographers, naturalists, and naturalist educators with a connection to the Methow Valley in Washington. I’m told that the owls are not what they seem. Deadline: 11th of March.
The Philadelphia Student Mediamaker Fund (Spring) offers grants for student media makers who want to produce a digital video or audio project. Applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 30, and live in specific counties in PA, NJ or DE (see site for details). Deadline: 15th of March.
The Koestler Awards are a free-to-enter competition celebrating art made by people incarcerated in U.K. prisons. Deadline: 17th of April. I doubt this newsletter is readable for people in prison, so, if you know someone who fits this criteria, pass it on.
The Pen to Print Audio Play Competition in Partnership with Alternative Stories Win a Tablet PC and have your work fully produced as an audio play by Alternative Stories and broadcast on Alternative Stories and Fake Realities podcast channel and on Write On! Audio. Deadline: 12 Noon, Monday 23 March 2026.
Launches and Milestones
Laura. Mark has done something bad with Laura and he confesses to his wife.
The Absurd Files. The Shepherd Company is releasing select case files in the interest of maintaining public awareness. New materials are published typically every other Friday, documenting paradoxical incidents under Milton's review. Reality is a suggestion. Paperwork is binding.
Wasteland Broadcasting Network. In a world where radio has been silent for fifteen years, the Wasteland Broadcasting Network becomes the first signal to break through the static. Sponsored by Happy Fallout Media, WBN brings news, stories, survivor commentary, and the kind of entertainment only a post‑apocalyptic world could inspire.
Keep sharing good stories.
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