Wondery vs. Profit, Cavecasting with a cat bed, TTRPG Pods Examined, and AudioFlux wants you to cast on

Issue 313 of The Fiction Podcast Weekly is brought to you by The Indie Podcasters’ Survey.

No, I’m not going to quit banging on about this, because we want to know what your podcasting challenges and strategies are. Take the Indie Podcasters’ Survey, because we truly want to know what’s going on for you in your podcasting life, so we can create resources that actually help you (and podcasters like you) bring a brilliant story to more audiences. Thank you for your time and effort.

News, Roundups, and Announcements

• Behind Wondery’s Break Up: Maximizing Podcast Profit Amid YouTube’s Video Dominance by Caitlin Huston for the Hollywood Reporter. “The podcasting company, which saw 110 layoffs, is the latest to pivot as the Google-owned video platform ecosystem pushes longform chats as a watchable format.” Of course, because that’s the only kind of podcasting there is. Hang on, I rolled my eyes so hard they fell out, again.

• Wondery: A Coming of Age Moment for Podcasting by John Wordock describes how tech companies find a good thing, absorb it, and then pretend it never happened. I’m honestly mad that The Cat in the Hat Cast now requires an Audible subscription.

• Amazon Audio Chief on Wondery 2.0 and Where Podcasts’ Big Money is Headed, by Natalie Jarvey for The Ankler. Podnews reports, “He also suggests that narrative shows are “monetized better [when] supported by a premium revenue stream” - by which he means subscriptions - “rather than purely an ads revenue stream”.

• Goodpods has released a social component to their podcast app, which should make sharing your favorite shows easier. I hope.

• Newick couple has book published based on podcast ranked in Top 10 by Annabel Stock for The Argus. “Launched in 2023, the podcast has just completed its sixth series, during which the pair completed their second lap around all 39 of England’s historic counties. During each episode, the couple takes one county and discusses its history and folklore.”

• Seattle’s audio drama, fiction podcast scene is booming by Gemma Wilson for the Seattle Times. Unfortunately, this article is paywalled, and my local library doesn’t seem to have access. You might not have the same problem.

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Creator Resources

• Emily Inkpen talked with The Fantasy and Sci-Fi Fanatic about audio drama’s power to excite the human imagination.

• Indie AF’s Pride Special- Part the Second is available for you, with Amber Devereaux, Fio Trethewey, Georgia Cook, Rhys Tirado, Andi White, and Lou Sutcliffe. 🌈 ❤️

• ICYMI: Don’t Publish Your Podcast Only on Spotify, by Rodrigo Ghedin for Manual de Usário.

• The Sound Session shares Audio vs. Video: What is a Podcast?

• 4 Untapped Podcast Audiences To Grow Your Show by Katie Paterson

• $20 Hack to Make Your Podcast Sound Great ANYWHERE (even a cave) Trust me, this is worth the time it’ll take you to watch it.

• Turn Any Headphones into a Mic Headset in Seconds! Matthew McLean’s DIY techniques save you loads of cash and won’t drive you crazy.

• Intro to Odd Pods, part X of N: TTRPG Pods! Kyle Decker of QuestFriends! and Lindsay Harris Friel will discuss tabletop role-playing game podcasts, highlighting their unique challenges and bright moments, and promote the cause of podcasts beyond talk shows. Tuesday, August 12, 1pm-2pm Eastern, in the Indiepod Community.

• Ever wanted to bring The Fiction Podcast Weekly with you while you walk the dog? Now you can, in super-condensed podcast form!

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Opportunities

• Lauren Shippen is casting for a new Atypical Artists project. There are two paid roles currently advertised, both of which will require acting and singing, though the singing is specified as 90s grunge, not musical theatre. Actors must be LA-based. Ella Watts is also producing on this.

• Knit one, Flux two… Circuit 06: Creative Tension is now open for submissions through Sept 15!

• Pitch Call, This Address Does Not Exist, “an audio anthology of epistolary haunted house stories, recounting the history of the house on the hill through the correspondence of its inhabitants.”

• Audio Production Awards (APAs) - awards for U.K.-based audio producers, or those who make content primarily for a U.K. audience. “Early Bird entry fee is £45+VAT for AudioUK Members and £55+VAT for non-members, and will run for 5 weeks until Sunday 31st August.”

• Sovas Voice Art Awards - a competition for media work that uses the human voice as a primary element for communicating. Early Bird Deadline: 25 August.

• Capacity-Building Program for Boston Artists - a professional development scheme for Boston-based artists of all disciplines. Selected artists will receive an unrestricted grant of $2000. Deadline: 14 August.

• The CALI Catalyst Grant - unrestricted grants of up to $7500 for California-based artists who are creating tangible impact within the arts and culture sector by shifting power and influence to underrepresented voices. Deadline: 15 August.

Milestones & Debuts

• Apollyon’s Season 3 has a premiere date: September 12!

• Shorts is a series of short-form audio dramas.

• Back to Back to the Future In 1985, actor Eric Stoltz was unceremoniously fired from Back to the Future and replaced by Michael J. Fox. Now, in this time-bending comedy podcast, a present-day Eric Stoltz tries to even the score.

• King Horatio The King of Meeyarsia does what all true Kings should! At the first sign of danger, he runs and hides behind his loyal subjects. But not in a cowardly way!

• Story Trails Tours Join ex-valkyrie, Val, as she tries to guide a tour group of humans safely through the enchanted world. What could possibly go wrong?

• Congratulations to The Dex Legacy on earning 350,000 downloads!

Keep sharing good stories.

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