This blog is a way to get aspiring podcasters the help they need, established podcasts to get new ears on their shows, and overall for people to share the podcast love.
Any tips on starting your own audio drama? Getting an aide, cast calling, production, etc?
My main tip is to be mindful of the scope in relation to your skills and resources. I developed the premise of ANA knowing that I didn't have any experience so I picked something that would be simple to sound design and wouldn't need a huge cast of characters. If I made it complicated to sound design, I'd have to pay my sound designer more. If I was good at doing it myself, then I might have picked a more complicated idea. Likewise, if I had artist friends who were eager to volunteer art and voice acting and music and stuff, I'd probably have more of that. But I knew that basically all I'd be doing was the writing and directing so I had to keep everything else as managable as possible.
Besides that, don't be afraid to reach out to creators to ask questions. I asked Hannah, the showrunner from Inn Between questions when I was just starting out and she was really gracious and helpful. Don't resort to AI for anything (art, voices, writing). It'll turn a lot of people off from the jump. If I catch a whiff of AI on anything, I'm not touching it on principle.
When you're ready to cast, look up casting calls and model your call after them. That's what I did. I post my casting calls on reddit, tumblr, and discord (there are groups for audio drama creators and for voice acting). I used to also post them on Twitter but I don't really use Twitter anymore so I post them on Bluesky instead. If your premise seems interesting and you come across professional, you'll likely get interested actors even if you're looking for volunteers, but you'll fill roles a lot faster and get people with more experience if you're paying them, even a token amount. If you're taking people on on a volunteer basis, you have to make sure you're not coming at them all demanding. They're doing a favor to you. You can't be hounding for them lines when you're not payng them and they're probably busy with their actual paying jobs. To be clear, be respectful to your actors no matter what, but be especially mindful if they're volunteers.
That's what I can think of off the top of my head besides make sure to have fun!
Thank you for tuning into The Podcast Hoard, the podcast about podcasts. I’m your resident dragon, Sydney.
One of the reasons I actually started this podcast was to listen to other podcasts regularly. I do enjoy it, I just have to set aside time to choose which ones and actually listen to them. I even have a spreadsheet where I categorize them all based on genre! Yes, I’m a nerd, but it makes it so much easier to choose one.
So for this first episode, and until I work through one or both of the shows, I chose two of them- one audio drama, one reality-based.
The reality-based podcast I’m in the midst of listening to is one by the creators of Welcome to Night Vale called ‘Start with This.’ The description of the podcast is “The creators of Welcome to Night Vale Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink believe the only bad writing is not writing. Start With This is a podcast gone creativity playground designed to put your ideas in motion. Each episode centers around a writing topic. Then they give listeners two short assignments: something to consume and something to create. Make something—anything. Then make something else.”
So basically, it’s a jumping off point. Most creative people have tons of ideas, but they don’t have enough juice to start one. Or, they suffer from the dreaded feeling of ‘If I can’t make it perfect the first time, then what’s the point?’ Doing the ‘assignments’ the podcast gives kind of jump starts the process of creating. Maybe it’s not exactly what you were planning on creating, but it gets you in motion. And, once the momentum is started, you can move to what you want to create yourself. Plus, it gets it into your brain that hey, not everything you write will be groundbreaking. You can make it groundbreaking later, and you can make it better, but you can’t do that if it doesn’t exist first. And a lot of creative people generally forget that in order to create good stuff, they need to watch and read and otherwise consume good stuff. Not only does it fill the well, it lets you see the finished product and be like ‘I can do that too.’
Start with This most recent episode is from September fourteenth of 20 21, so I’d consider the show idle at this point.
I’m working my way through the podcast slowly, because I’m actually doing the create and consume assignments that are given. I’m thoroughly enjoying listening to the host interview various creative people and have them discuss a topic. I’m technically going through the podcast backwards because I’m starting from the most recent and going to the oldest, but what can I say? I’m a rebel like that.
Since I’m a creative person myself, with far too many creative projects either in progress, percolating, on the back burner, or on deck, this podcast is not only super interesting as far as listening to the discussions, but the assignments are helpful, too. They get me to stretch my creative muscles in ways that I wouldn’t think to myself. Have all of my create assignments been what I might classify as ‘good’? Hell no. But they exist, and that’s something they never did before. Will I make them better? Mm. Debatable. But, like I said, it got my momentum started enough that I was able to do them and then most of the time pivot to an in-progress project.
I chose this podcast because Welcome to Night Vale was one of the first podcasts I ever listened to, something I suspect many people can relate to. So the idea of listening to the creators talk to other creative people was really exciting.
The audio drama I’m working through is called Lost Terminal. I started it years ago, before my unintentional podcast listening hiatus, so I barely remember most of it. But I remember it being good so I’m restarting. This podcast’s description is “How do you learn to be human if there's no-one around to teach you? A hopepunk podcast following the journey of a little satellite trying to understand what has happened after Earth stops returning his calls.” The last episode was posted April 15th of 2026, and the description says that season 22 will begin on June 3rd, so this podcast is active!
The audio drama is both endearing and entertaining, and I haven’t even re-listened to the first ten episodes yet. But I do remember that I got through I believe either season 1 or 2 on my first pass years ago, so the current existing 21 seasons seems daunting to me. But I’ll never finish if I don’t start. So I’m starting.
The reason I chose this podcast was because I think I came across it while doing research on ‘how to create an audio drama’ articles and videos, and the creator wrote an article about creating it. Since I found the article super helpful, I started listening to the podcast way back then. Plus, who doesn’t want to listen to a ‘hopepunk’ podcast? That sounds awesome.
As I continue to listen to the podcasts, I’ll let you know more of my thoughts.
Thanks for listening to this episode! Feel free to drop by my Tumblr The Podcast Hoard if you have any suggestions you want to throw my way. Otherwise- happy listening, and I’ll see you in two weeks.
So this article is by the creator of an audio drama called Lost Terminal.
As always, I encourage you to read the article in full!
The article starts by extolling the many virtues of podcasting that I hold dear myself- namely that they’re personal, there are no gatekeepers, no monopolizing companies, and no algorithms shoving stuff down your throat.
Once the idea of a computer that communicates through a text terminal came to the creator’s mind, they sat and thought of what they personally could do to bring that idea to life. And, apologies if the creator does not use they/them pronouns, I couldn’t find their real name or any preferred pronouns written.
The next point the creator brings up is to write stories that you want to hear. Basically, be as self indulgent as you want. When choosing a genre and setting, know that these should complement your likes and fit the story you’re telling.
As you’re having fun writing, the creator advises that you should pay attention to what themes keep resurfacing. Once you see them, lean into them. They’re what really make you write, and if you can tap into them, it makes your story far more cohesive and yourself far more interested in continuing.
The rest of the article is very singular to the creator’s specific experience, so I won’t quote every line. That’s it for this one! As always, I encourage you to read the article in full. You’ll find good stuff there that I didn’t summarize, and even more details on stuff that I did sum up!
Shore Scripts- Top 5 Things to Consider When Writing Your Podcast
This article is by Shore Scripts, which is a site dedicated to helping script writers- mainly of the TV and movie variety- get their work reviewed so that their best work can be shown to whatever powers that be that can get the script turned into something. The article, Top 5 Things to Consider When Writing Your Podcast, was written by Lee Hamilton in December of 2021. As always, I encourage you to read the article in full!
Hamilton starts the article by saying that fictional podcasts are a fantastic way for script writers to get their careers started, which it is! But a brief word from the editor (me)- that shouldn’t be the sole reason you get into fictional podcasting. Yes, it could turn into something down the line, but it’s just that- down the line. Writing regularly is the only way to get better at writing, just as every skill needs to be practiced to improve in it. But back to the article.
Hamilton admits that fictional podcasting can be daunting in knowing where to start, which is why this article was written.
The first thing up is the concept. Does your idea even work in a solely audio format?
The next point is scene description. Narration can’t be used for everything, so you should build the scene otherwise. Background noise, sound effects, and music all can be used together to indicate certain ambiances and settings.
The third point is hooks. Unlike movies, podcasts are typically listened to while doing other things. So as a writer, you’ll have to work harder to catch and keep your listener’s attention.
The fourth point is voice. Not only do the characters have to be compelling, but they need to literally sound different. If two characters sound similar, it’ll be really hard for a listener to tell them apart unless they focus super hard.
The fifth and final point is dialog. It is, most likely, the single most important driving force in your fictional podcast. So make sure to write in the script exactly how a line is said, not just what is spoken. How is a character feeling when they say the words? Angry? Sad? Grief-stricken? Sarcastic? Since the audio is all you have, there is no such thing as a telling look or a simple eye roll. Everything has to be filtered through the voice.
That’s it for this one! As always, I encourage you to read the article in full. You’ll find good stuff there that I didn’t summarize, and even more details on stuff that I did sum up!
Electric Literature- How to Write a Fiction Podcast
This article by Electric Literature was very informative. Electrical Literature is a digital based publisher that prides itself on giving marginalized creators of literature a leg up. I mostly knew it from the personal essays that are prevalent on their site, but somehow or another I came across this article. I encourage you to read the article in full, as well as check out the site itself if it seems up your alley.
The 2019 article by Marc Sollinger lists some podcasts that Sollinger was listening to- Welcome to Night Vale, which I’m sure even any passing podcast fan knows of; Orson Welles’ (of War of the Worlds fame) Mercury Theatre on the Air; The Bright Sessions; and The Truth. Sollinger writes that audio dramas can be a good fit for many writers just starting out- not only do audio dramas have a power to them that’s hard to describe, but they’re less complicated (not to mention expensive) to produce than a TV show or movie, and the audience for it can be more ready than one for a novel.
But, even though there are many positives to choosing an audio drama for your next endeavor, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Writing for audio dramas can be very difficult. And Sollinger should know, as the co-creator and writer of Archive 81. But the move from purely words to audio drama is a hard transition, one that Sollinger hopes to ease with the rest of the article.
While you may be tempted to think of audio drama as ‘TV/Movies without visuals,’ it’s a lot more complicated than that. Yes, it’s easy to explain a fictional podcast as that to someone who’s never heard the term, but that doesn’t mean that a TV/movie script will do well as an audio drama. Audio drama is a completely different medium, that needs a different mindset and set of tools to do well. You need to think of how it will sound, because that all you have to work with. So think of the kinds of sounds that you enjoy, and how those can shape and drive a story. The examples Sollinger gives are eerie banjo music over a car’s reapers and a father coldly dictating arcane rituals into a recorder.
Another tip that Sollinger gives is to keep the characters sounding very different to easily tell them apart, and to limit the number of voices in a single scene.
Don’t set your audio drama in a series of living rooms with nothing else going on. Put the characters in places that feel alive with background noise. Let the audience know exactly where they are with every scene change.
The urge might be great to give your audience the exact same picture of the scene you have in your head. But that’s something that would require an awful lot of stilted unnatural dialog to do. So give the audience enough dialog and other sounds to get the gist and let them fill in the gaps.
Sollinger wraps the article up by saying to think about sound at every stage when writing for audio drama, and to leverage the strengths of the medium to tell your stories. Sollinger also puts a hopeful message at the end of the article that I will put in quotes here because I found it so inspiring. “Because there are a lot of audio drama stories that can be told, and you should most certainly get started.” In other words- only you can tell your story, and you can only do it by starting to tell it.
That’s it for this one! As always, I encourage you to read the article in full. You’ll find good stuff there that I didn’t summarize, and even more details on stuff that I did sum up!
The Podcast Host- Part 7 of How to Make A Fiction Podcast, the Ultimate Guide
The eighth section is the final one of the article on The Podcast Host’s How to make a Fictional Podcast. The first seven parts- the categories fictional podcasts fall under, the story structures they tend to follow, tips about writing for audio, how to find voice actors, how to record, production tips, and how to launch- have all been summarized on this blog. So check those out if you need a refresher. As always, I encourage you to read the episode in full!
This part is about monetization.
There are several ways to get income from your podcast, and a million different reasons on why you might want to make money from it. There are also degrees to the amount of money you want to make, from just being able to recoup your production costs to making more outside of that.
But word to the aspiring fiction podcast creator who wants to make money- this will take a lot of time. It takes time to build a decent audience, and even more time to get even some of them to agree to support you.
There are a lot of things to consider when even trying to make money, even if you’re using mostly-freely supplied music and sound effects. You have actors, and they deserve to be compensated and taken into account with any money you make. As a show runner, just be honest with your co-creators and the people who help you, and be open with your plans and revenue streams. Agree on stuff early and get in writing everything you finally decide on.
As stated previously, there are different revenue streams you can utilize. The first of which are sponsors and ads. If you find them- or they find you- make sure that they fit tonally with your show. The Podcast Host as a more in-depth article on this topic here.
There’s also crowdfunding. I’m sure almost everyone has heard of this route, where people pledge a certain amount every month to help you along on a project. The most famous of these dedicated sites is probably patreon, and the Podcast Host has a specific article on that site here.
There are also the ideas of making some content paid only, along with different merchandise based on your show. You know your show best, so brainstorm as to what kind of products you can offer that would fit your show and fans. The Podcast Host has an in-depth article on merchandise here.
There’s also the route of recommending other people’s products and earning a commission based on that.
That’s all for this article! As always, I encourage you to read the article in full. You’ll find good stuff there that I didn’t summarize, and even more details on stuff that I did sum up!
if you use genAI in the cover/promotional art of your audio drama I am not touching it with a barge pole. have some respect for other artists, for the environment, fuck, even for your own artistic work, on the off-chance you didn't auto-generate that too
Welcome to The Podcast Hoard, the podcast about podcasts. In this show, I- your resident dragon Sydney- will try to start organizing at least the podcasts that I personally listen to. Feel free to drop me a line on Tumblr at The Podcast Hoard if you have any suggestions you want me to check out. I’m always open to hearing new recommendations.
I figured I’d take this trailer to talk about my personal experience in this very ambitious project of trying to organize at least some of the nigh-uncountable podcasts that are out there.
Ever since I first started listening to podcasts, pretty much since I first heard about them probably over a decade ago at this point, I wished there was some way of learning about them that wasn’t word of mouth. That there was a way to search by average length or genre.
This is my rudimentary way of starting that. I also wanted some way for people to share the podcasts they love and review them that was somewhat centralized. I know, there are directories and websites and other things, but there’s very little way to search them unless you have a specific podcast in mind.
So I started a blog on Tumblr and started with very very broad genres based on what I personally enjoy- science fiction, fantasy, TTRPG, horror, and arts. An additional tag indicating if it’s fictional or reality-based will be used with each one.
I also wanted a way for people to get help in making a podcast and maybe start to find like-minded people to build a team. So I have general podcast help and specifically audio drama or fictional podcast help.
I also made a tag for each length I thought of. The length is based on the average length of the show as told to me by podchaser, a distribution site. Bite-sized is under 10 minutes, 10-15 minutes is short, 15-45 minutes is medium, 45 minutes to an hour and a half is long, and anything over an hour and a half is extra long.
This is just the infancy of the blog, and I’m sure it’ll become much much more complicated in the future. But for now this works.
As far as what this podcast will be. Ror right now, it’ll be more in-depth reviews of the podcasts I’ve been listening to lately, interspersed with episodes where I give my experience of making a podcast myself.
I hope you tune in every other Wednesday as I fumble my way through this whole organizing thing. Thanks for listening to this episode. Feel free to drop by my Tumblr The Podcast Hoard if you have any suggestions you want to throw my way. Otherwise- happy listening, and I’ll see you in two weeks.
The Podcast Host- How to Make a Fiction Podcast Part 7
The seventh section of How to make a Fiction Podcast by the Podcast Host is all about launching and growing your show. The first six parts- the categories fictional podcasts fall under, the story structures they tend to follow, tips about writing for audio, how to find voice actors, how to record, and production tips- have all been summarized on this blog. So check those out if you need a refresher. As always, I encourage you to read the episode in full!
Once all the previous steps are done, it’s time to get it out into the world to find listeners.
Like all podcasts, audio dramas need a distribution site. So once you choose one, you can upload episodes there and get distributed from that. The Podcast Host has a in-depth article on how to do that here, which I will eventually get to summarizing.
The first thing most distribution sites require, besides a name and description of the podcast, is cover art. There’s another article from the Podcast Host on that topic here, so check that out if you need more specific help. But for now, the most common size in pixels is fourteen hundred square, with the size being below five hundred kilobytes.
There’s another step that this article recommends- a website. It’s not 100% necessary, but it’s helpful. You can control a website the way you can’t with other distribution sites. What would you do if suddenly the site you’re using to distribute your show or communicate with your fans goes off the internet? You need a space that’s specific to your show that you control. Some podcast host websites give you a basic website from their paid tier, so that’s an option, as well. But- again- you can’t control that. For 100% control, you have the option of acquiring a URL and starting your website there. There are countless ways to do this, and each site has its own quirks, so I recommend really looking into each option you can find and seeing which one works best for your show.
Promotion is a whole different beast. Telling friends and family by simple word of mouth is first, but then there’s social media. Don’t just promote yourself, though, you might be seen as just an ad machine. So take time on the platforms you choose and shout out other shows you yourself enjoy. React to them, share them, and communicate with those shows’ creators. There’s an article on the Podcast Host that goes into this topic with more depth here.
That’s all for this part! As always, I encourage you to read the article in full. You’ll find good stuff there that I didn’t summarize, and even more details on stuff that I did sum up!
Hi!! Just wanted to say I just found this blog and it’s been SO helpful + motivating for me as someone who wants to make an audio drama!! Wonderful work here, thanks so much!
Thank you so much! That's all I want to do, is help aspiring podcast creators collect as much information and get as much help as they can. Good luck on your endeavor!
The Podcast Host- How to Make A Fiction Podcast part 6
The sixth section in The Podcast Host’s How to Make a Fiction Podcast is all about production. The first five sections- the categories fictional podcasts fall under, the story structures they tend to follow, tips about writing for audio, how to find voice actors, and how to record- have all been summarized on this blog. So check those out if you need a refresher. As always, I encourage you to read the episode in full!
This section is all about producing your show.
The first resource the article mentions is Audacity, a completely-free DAW (Digital Audio Workstation- a fancy acronym for the software you use to edit audio). The Podcast Host has a video tutorial course on Audacity for paid subscribers, so I’ll let you check that out on your own. Disclaimer: I have not watched this video course myself, so I can’t swear by it personally. If you want a basic understanding of the software, I recommend checking out youtube for a tutorial/general tips.
There’s also Reaper- which The Podcast Host actually happens to have a summary for- for a one-time payment of $60, as well as Adobe Audition for $22.99 a month (though the article reads that at time of Matthew McLean writing it, it was $25). Again- I have not used these myself, so I can’t swear by either.
After the choice for a DAW is made, the next choice you make as an audio drama producer is how much you want to use sound effects and ambiance, and how much you want to use them. But no matter what, you need a source to actually get them. You can record them yourself, or use a site. The ones the article recommends are free sound dot org as well as ZapSplat. The Podcast Host has a complete article on how to find sound effects, which I will eventually get to after I go through my backlog of helpful articles/videos to summarize. But you can certainly read the article in full first, which I always recommend anyway!
The next decision you have to make is about music. Music is extremely powerful- think of any movie or TV show you’ve ever seen. Humans are conditioned to react to certain sound cues/music with certain emotions. A heavy string and sharp-sounding music often feature in horror movies, so it prepares your body to be fearful. Stirring music is in romance movies, so it prepares your body to feel good. Since you aren’t using any visuals, music is helpful. The resource this particular article mentions is a free one called Incompetech, so check that out if you want. The Podcast Host also has a summary of how to find podcast music so check that out too, if you so desire.
Organization is an absolute must with any audio drama. Named folders and sub folders within them are incredibly useful. Names such as music, sound effects, voices, with subfolders for the tones they set, are going to help you tremendously. Also! Some of the sites you use will require you to credit them to some degree. Keep a dedicated document where you note down which site requires what kind of credit.
Back up your work. Please. If your computer is lost or corrupted, you need a place where all your hard work lives.
The next step is to edit the voices of the actors. There’s some very useful technical stuff in this section, along with a link to a summary by the site about editing and producing an audio drama.
That’s it for this part! As always, I encourage you to read the article in full. You’ll find good stuff there that I didn’t summarize, and even more details on stuff that I did sum up!
How to Make a Fiction Podcast- The Ultimate Guide, Part 5
The fifth section in The Podcast Host’s How to Make a Fiction Podcast is all about recording. The first three sections- the categories fictional podcasts fall under, the story structures they tend to follow, tips about writing for audio, and how to find actors- have all been summarized on this blog.
This part of the article mostly focuses on on-location recording, but I’m sure some of the advice would also apply to if you do remote recording, where all your actors aren’t in the same room.
The first question that the article covers is where exactly to record. There are a few options. The first one is a paid recording studio you rent by the hour. This is a good option for those with some cash to spend because it’s a setup where everything is already in place- sound proofing, professional microphones, the whole nine yards.
The next option is to record in a studio you create in your home. When choosing a room, make sure it’s either a spare one with lots of fabric and not a lot of hard surfaces (this controls reverb and echoing), or a setup that you can take apart because you still need to live there.
The next option is to record not in a studio, in a location where it would make sense for your podcast to take place. But beware- with this option you have the least control of the space.
The next point the article covers is what equipment you need. Don’t be tempted to buy the best recording equipment when you don’t have any experience under your belt- a simple USB or lavalier mic you learn inside and out will be better than the most expensive equipment you have no idea how to use.
The next point is the settings you need to have enabled when you get ready to record. This is where it gets technical, folks, so bear with me while I directly quote the article without understanding the actual terms. The article says to have your ‘sample rate’ be 44100Hz, and your ‘bit depth’ be at least 24. Also, it has to export as a WAV file.
There are a myriad of other tips under this heading. The first of which is to have your scripts be digital rather than paper, to prevent shuffling and the sound of turning pages. A couple of the others are to state exactly what take is what scene so you don’t have to spend hours listening and tagging later, and to organize the recording schedule so that background actors don’t wait for several hours to say two lines.
There are other tips in the article, so I encourage you to read it in its entirety! The next part is about the production of your show, so stay tuned for that summary.
How to make a fiction podcast- the ultimate guide part 4
The fourth section in The Podcast Host’s How to Make a Fiction Podcast is all about finding voice actors. The first three sections- the categories fictional podcasts fall under, the story structures they tend to follow, and tips about writing for audio- have all been summarized on this blog. So check those out if you need a refresher. As always, I encourage you to read the article in full.
Once you have a script, you still need voices to bring it to life. So you’ll need voice actors. The easiest way is to ask supportive friends and family members to help you out. But if you still need more voices, there are a few options for you.
If you’re lucky enough to have a local theater group, go and ask members or join the group to get helpful volunteers! Don’t go full bore with the whole script. Start with a few pages and a few people to test it out.
You can also cast ‘remote and satellite’ actors. Those are just terms for people who have their own setups and are experienced in this kind of acting.
There are also entire websites dedicated to actors of this sort! A bit of research is sure to find you some sites to use to your advantage. Unfortunately, McLean didn’t offer any specific ones and I cannot vet every possible website across the web. Use your best judgement and read reviews carefully.
Then comes the aspect no one really likes to talk about- money. If you can’t afford to pay the actors, now or any point in the future, let that be abundantly clear in the casting call. You don’t want to alienate actors who think they’re being compensated for their time only for the rug to be pulled out from under them.
If you can afford to pay actors, then do so! They’re giving you their time and effort, so send a monetary thank you. Be clear about ownership of the show and how much money is coming in, and you’ll have a good foundation to start building a stellar reputation in the community.
That’s it for this part! As always, I encourage you to read the article in full. You’ll find good stuff there that I didn’t summarize, and even more details on stuff that I did sum up!
Listen on Podcast Addict, Podcast Index, Podchaser, and Listen Notes.
"The First Episode Of is a podcast about audio drama and the creative process hosted by W. Keith Tims. In each show, I listen to the first episode of an indie audio drama, then have a discussion with the creators about the show, their methods, their struggles, and successes. It's a great conversation for anyone interested in storytelling and creativity, and with so much talent and variety out there, you're sure to find your next favorite audio drama by listening."
As I've said multiple times on this blog, audio drama has been fascinating to me since I learned about it. This podcast is all about the first episode of a certain audio drama, with interviews between W. Keith Tims and the creator(s) of that audio drama. The questions are insightful and yet funny, and the interview is interspersed with audio clips from the first episode of whatever audio drama they're talking about. The only 'negative' to this podcast is that I added about fifty new audio dramas to my 'to listen to' list.
The fourth section in The Podcast Host’s How to Make a Fiction Podcast is all about finding voice actors. The first three sections- the categories fictional podcasts fall under, the story structures they tend to follow, and tips about writing for audio- have all been summarized on this blog. So check those out if you need a refresher. As always, I encourage you to read the article in full.
Once you have a script, you still need voices to bring it to life. So you’ll need voice actors. The easiest way is to ask supportive friends and family members to help you out. But if you still need more voices, there are a few options for you.
If you’re lucky enough to have a local theater group, go and ask members or join the group to get helpful volunteers! Don’t go full bore with the whole script. Start with a few pages and a few people to test it out.
You can also cast ‘remote and satellite’ actors. Those are just terms for people who have their own setups and are experienced in this kind of acting.
There are also entire websites dedicated to actors of this sort! A bit of research is sure to find you some sites to use to your advantage. Unfortunately, McLean didn’t offer any specific ones and I cannot vet every possible website across the web. Use your best judgement and read reviews carefully.
Then comes the aspect no one really likes to talk about- money. If you can’t afford to pay the actors, now or any point in the future, let that be abundantly clear in the casting call. You don’t want to alienate actors who think they’re being compensated for their time only for the rug to be pulled out from under them.
If you can afford to pay actors, then do so! They’re giving you their time and effort, so send a monetary thank you. Be clear about ownership of the show and how much money is coming in, and you’ll have a good foundation to start building a stellar reputation in the community.
That’s it for this part! As always, I encourage you to read the article in full. You’ll find good stuff there that I didn’t summarize, and even more details on stuff that I did sum up!
Listen on I Heart Radio, Podcast Addict, Podcast Index, Podchaser, and Listen Notes.
"How to make fiction podcasts, radio plays, and audio fiction. The Audio Drama Production Podcast covers all aspects of writing, recording and creating Audio Drama. That means radio drama, audio fiction, radio plays, & fiction podcasts."
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I've been interested in audio drama basically since I learned about it, and- like most creatives- I want to create my own. Now, it's still years off, but this podcast seemed like a good place to start just from the name. And I was right.
The podcast gives a bird's eye view of most topics, and the episode titles are based on what the episode covers, so if you take a look through the episodes and choose your pain points then you'll get a decent place to start. Of course, not everything can be covered in a single episode, so you'll have to do other research but this podcast is a tremendous resource that beginners can use to get a conceptual grasp of what goes into the making of an audio drama.
