National Podcast Post Month 2023 Jennifer Navarrete

So you've made the decision to take on the challenge of National Podcast Post Month. Maybe you've been planning for months or maybe you heard about this 5 minutes ago. Either way, you have thrown you hat into the ring and are ready to record 30 podcast episodes during the 30 days of November. Now what?















Hello, my name is Jennifer Navarrete and I am the founder of NaPodPoMo. I welcome you to the 16th annual global podcasting challenge. What I want you to know right up front is that this is going to be a bit of a roller coaster. In the beginning (like now) you are filled with excitement and the adrenaline is powering you into this challenge. It's fun and even a bit thrilling. (By the way we have a NaPodPoMo support community thanks to our collaboration with Creative Work Hour. Link in the show notes. Oh and by the way this year's NaPodPoMo is supported by the fab team at Blubrry Podcast Hosting. I've known Todd, Mike, Shawn, McKenzie etc for a very long time. So they are also on hand throughout the month to answer questions as well.) But I digress.







The Emotional Roller Coaster







These early days of National Podcast Post Month are amazing. You LOVE NaPodPoMo and you love podcasting. And it's all absolutely wonderful.







Hold onto that feeling because by the time week two rolls around life and work will begin to get in the way of NaPodPoMo. What? You mean the world didn't stop so you could revel in the wonder of podcasting? Nope!







Then when week three rolls around the shine will have fallen off just a bit or maybe more than just a bit. You begin to question your sanity. Who is the person that agreed to do this crazy challenge. I mean 30 podcast episodes in 30 days?! That's nuts! This is when you will want to quit. My advice? Ride it out. Put out a show that says, "I have no idea why I'm doing this and so I'm just recording how hard this is..." Yep. You have full permission (not that you need it) to grouse and grumble your way through week three.







Then week four rolls in and all of the sudden you can see the light at the end of the tunnel and your energy and enthusiasm returns! But something new pops up too. You begin to feel just a tiny bit sad. Sad?! Yes sad. Why? Well because it's almost over and even though you are still in the trenches of NaPodPoMo you sort of miss it already. 







Stay The Course







Why do I share all of that with you? Because I'm not just the founder of NaPodPoMo, I'm also in the trenches creating my own podcast episodes during the month. And that NaPodPoMo roller coaster ride is one I know all too well. So, strap in folks. You are in for one wild ride. One that will challenge you. Create new grooves in your brain. Light a fire in your creative life, and who knows you just might decide this is something you might want to do again next year...maybe. 

Okay, so you’ve made the NaPodPoMo commitment. Now what are you going to talk about for a whole month?























Welcome to the official National Podcast Post Month podcast. My name is Jennifer Navarrete and I am the host of this show and founder of NaPodPoMo. Whether you’re a first-time podcaster or a seasoned pro, this show is meant to offer information, insight, and perhaps a chuckle or two along the way.







I extend my thanks to both Blubrry Podcast Hosting and Creative Work Hour for supporting the 16th annual NaPodPoMo.







So you’ve got an idea for a podcast and are now looking at the 30 days on the calendar. What in the world are you going to talk about and how are you going to fill those days?











Let me set your mind at ease with what I have found to be a successful approach to NaPodPoMo.







Let’s start with your topic and break it down into weekly themes. Since November 2023 has 5 weeks, divide your topic into 5 weeks of content.







For example, If I was going to talk about a vegetable garden I would divide out the different aspects of a vegetable garden. Something like this :









* Week 1: Lay the foundation about vegetable gardens, why would you want to start a vegetable garden, what are the benefits and what are the challenges







* Week 2: Things to consider before getting started, the tools you will need to get started, bedding, soil, fertilizers







* Week 3: Planting schedules, what plants grow well together, what plants to NOT plant near another, how to keep pests away







* Week 4: When to harvest, meals to prepare with that harvest







* Week 5: Overview/recap of the previous weeks aka TL;DR episodes, steps for listeners to take action on their own garden, perhaps even a community where they can continue the gardening talk outside of the podcast









You get my drift, right? Another way to think about it is like a book. Each book starts with once upon a time and concludes with “the end” or “to be continued”. Start at the beginning and take people on the journey with you. Remember NaPodPoMo is a marathon and not a sprint. Short bite-sized nugget shows go a long way to keep this a manageable challenge. So say what you need to say and then stop. It doesn’t have to be any specific length of time. I know a few podcasters who are micro-podcasting which, as you may recall, is anywhere from 1-3 minutes. They are saying everything they need to say and then they are done.







You can do this!







Behind-The-Scenes of Adopting Podcasting 2.0's Live Item Tag







NaPodPoMo Podcasting 2.0 Live Item Tag Experiment via BluBrry’s PowerPress plugin:If you listened to this episode Live via the Live Item Tag on a modern podcast listening app like the ones on www.newpodcastapps.com then I appreciate your support. As I mentioned in the trailer, I am on a grand adventure jumping into Podcasting 2.0’s Live Item Tag. With Blubrry adopting these features into their PowerPress plugin, I can learn how this all works, share what I’ve learned with you so we can all grow together. I will begin sharing my experiences around this new method of podcasting in the second part of each upcoming episode. So if you like to geek out on the behind-the-scenes aspect of podcasting, then you’re gonna want to stay until the end of each episode.

You are all in NaPodPoMo and know exactly what you’re going to talk about but where are you going to record your podcast?







Welcome to the official National Podcast Post Month podcast. I am your host and the founder of NaPodPoMo, Jennifer Navarrete. This is a 30-part series with two distinct segments. The first segment is a guide for podcasters participating in National Podcast Post Month throughout the monthlong challenge that is the 16th annual NaPodPoMo. The second segment is the behind-the-scenes of how this particular podcast is coming together using Podcasting 2.0’s Live Item Tag done through Blubrry’s PowerPress plugin. 







In this episode we are kicking off the first of a three-part series. in the first part of this episode we are going to talk about the how of recording your NaPodPoMo podcast as it relates to environment, in the next episode it will be around gear and tech (four levels of podcasting). then in the final episode in this three part series I will wrap it up with a nice bow sharing tried and true practices I’ve found helpful through out the years.  







Now lets talk about what you can do to improve your recording environment no matter where you happen to record.







First consider where you will record your episodes for naPodPoMo. I recommend a small room with lots of soft surfaces. like your walk-in closet. Given this is audio only no one is going to know you are surrounded by clothes. Why a walk-in closet? I consider the walk-in closet the built-in sound booth in your home. If you live in a home that does not have a walk-in closet, consider a small bedroom with carpet, curtains, bedding. Or if you will be recording in your office space which has no soft surfaces then look at introducing soft surfaces like two pillows and a towel. Put the towel on the table underneath your keyboard. Put the pillows on either side of your monitor or laptop at a 45º angle. To know if adding these three items makes a difference I recommend recording yourself before and after. You will hear a difference.







Behind-the-Scenes







Now onto the second part of the episode where I share the behind-the-scenes of going live with Podcasting 2.0’s Live Item Tag via Blubrry’s PowerPress plugin. 







Yesterday I shared that it took me almost 1/3 of the way through NaPodPoMo to finally go live and begin the 30 podcast episode series. I also shared that the challenge of understanding all the moving pieces and my own second-guessing caused the delay. So, on this episode I’ll talk that through with you all in the hopes if you decide to use the Live Item Tag that you’ll have an easier go of it. 







First of all there are two tutorial videos by Blubrry I’ll link to in the show notes. These two videos are a good starting point. Once you watch them you’ll want to email todd@blubrry.com which is mentioned in the video. I did just that and told Todd my plans for NaPodPoMo. That was the beginning of my journey. Next was a session with Mike Dell to walk me through the process of setting up my podcast to go live. Which I will talk about in the next episode. For now, go watch those videos. We have 27 more episodes to dig into the nitty gritty. First we must start with the foundation of what it is and the basics of how to setup the PowerPress plugin on your site to make the magic happen. The video tutorials do just that. 













https://youtu.be/OZKk5Zk4c7Q?si=rCCkg1A1IWYvZJp-

Blubrry Live Item Tag (LIT) - PowerPress Plugin













https://youtu.be/xBk-v-36s1U?si=aQi4nk2LGz2vXu6d

Blubrry Podcast Hosting Dashboard - Live Item Tag (LIT) Feature

You’ve picked out your recording space all picked out, you’ve figured out the best environment to record for a good audio experience. Now what should you use to record your podcast? Well that depends…







Welcome to the official National Podcast Post Month podcast. I am your host and the founder of NaPodPoMo, Jennifer Navarrete. This podcast is presented in two segments. The first segment is a guide for podcasters participating in National Podcast Post Month throughout the monthlong challenge that is the 16th annual NaPodPoMo. The second segment is the behind-the-scenes of how this particular podcast is coming together using Podcasting 2.0’s Live Item Tag done through Blubrry’s PowerPress plugin.







Yesterday we focused on environment as it relates to delivering a good audio experience. Today we are going to spend a little time identifying the different podcast setups. There are a whole lot of options, but over the course of my 18+ years of podcasting, I’ve grouped them into what I call the Four Levels of Podcasting:







Level I: Mobile + AppsLevel II: USB Microphone + ComputerLevel III: Dedicated Podcast StudioLevel IV: Podcast Production Team







Which level do you need for NaPodPoMo? Level I: Mobile + Apps keeps things simple and easy to use. Pick a good environment and you'll be able to podcast with the best of them.







Behind-the-Scenes: Live Item Tag (LIT)







Now onto the second part of the episode where I share the behind-the-scenes of going live with Podcasting 2.0’s Live Item Tag via Blubrry’s PowerPress plugin.







In the last episode I shared the two Live Item Tag tutorial videos I watched from Blubrry which gave me the tiniest inkling of confidence that I could give it a go. Then once I spoke with Todd Cochrane about my plans and Mike Dell walked me through how to setup the backend of my website via the PowerPress plugin for live AND add in my wallet info for Value4Value AND sent me screenshots of how to setup the live broadcasting system, I was good to go…right? Well not so fast.







We’ll pick this back up in the next episode, because sometimes when it comes to something new and somewhat scary it’s not the tech that's the roadblock.

You've got your recording space. You know what level of podcasting you're moving forward with. Now it's time to talk about settings, mics, and headphone tips within the four levels of podcasting.









* Level I: A hidden iPhone audio feature + headphones...wear them!







* Level II: Good mic technique will even make the Yeti sound good







* Level III: Low profile boom arms are a nice option for your studio







* Level IV: Go on a mic field trip









Going Live: What's the Hold Up?







Even with the knowledge and tools needed to launch this podcast and go live...nothing was happening. Well not nothing. I was researching, going over my notes, reviewing my settings and a whole lot of other things...but not the thing I needed to do. So what was it that was holding me back?















The 16th Annual National Podcast Post Month 2023 is supported by Blubrry and Creative Work Hour.

You’ve been hearing about National Podcast Post Month online. Maybe you even have friends who are participating. Or maybe you just learned about it today. Now that the challenge is in full swing is it too late to join?







Welcome to the official National Podcast Post Month podcast for the 16th annual global podcast challenge. I am your host and the founder of NaPodPoMo, Jennifer Navarrete. 







This podcast is presented in two segments. The first segment is a guide for podcasters participating in National Podcast Post Month. The second segment is the behind-the-scenes of how this particular podcast is coming together using Podcasting 2.0’s Live Item Tag done through Blubrry’s PowerPress plugin. 







Now lets dig into today’s topic: Is it too late to join NaPodPoMo?







One of the things about NaPodPoMo is that it doesn't matter when you discover or when you join during the month. As long as you have 30 podcasts episodes, by the end of November 30th, in whatever time zone you're in around the world, then you will have successfully completed the challenge. 







Where to begin? Well, I personally think using your mobile phone with a podcast app is the low lift and easy to get started option. I call mobile + apps level one podcasting. I can tell you that I am a big fan of level one podcasting. Since I always have my phone with me, I’m always ready to podcast when I have a moment or when inspiration strikes. Plus since you already own your phone, you have everything you need to be successful right now. I recommend listening to episode four, The 4 Levels of Podcasting to learn more .







 You might be feeling the pressure to catch up with everyone else who has been podcasting since day one. I find it best to ease your way into NaPodPoMo. You can always batch record to get to your 30 episodes. Let’s just start with your first episode, then you next episode. Eventually you’ll find you groove and it’ll be easier. You just need to start with one. 







 Now what will you talk about? I suggest listening to episode two, What are you gong to talk about?







So is it too late to join NaPodPoMo? Nope! Even if you find out about this on November 30th, and you can record all 30 episodes in before the end of November 30th, you will still have successfully completed the challenge. So the goal is to take action, to try something new, to learn along the way.







Tech Challenges + Frustration = Live Podcasting







Now onto the second part of the episode where I share the behind-the-scenes of going live with Podcasting 2.0’s Live Item Tag via Blubrry’s PowerPress plugin. 







In the last episode I spoke about having eveything I needed to go live, but lacking the confidence to push the button and actually go live. At the end I mentioned I was going to share what caused me to finally push the button to go live. But I remembered afterward that there was one other stumbling block I encountered that set me back beyond that was an actual technical issue with the NaPodPoMo website. In the process of adding the SSL certificate to the NaPodPoMo.org site, I encountered some weird bug. I could create a post, but I could not publish the post. I also couldn’t upload any media. So I spent a couple of days trying to figure out what I had done wrong. I removed the SSL and everything worked fine. I added the SSL and things were wonky. I went down the rabbit trail of trying to find solutions. In an online forum, I saw a few folks who were encountering this issue which gave me hope.