8/01/21 – Sunday
The day was dedicated to sound design on “Calling Out of Time.” I’m getting used to Adobe Audition. Compared to the way I did things previously, there is so much more control compared to what I previously used. It’s not a matter of not knowing all the old editor could do — Audition does so many things better.
Little things, like controlling sound levels of effects and fading things in and out are much easier. And that makes what can sometimes feel like a bit of a slog…not as sloggy.
Putting episodes together is always filled with steps that make me think, “Why do I put so much effort into a thing so few people listen to?” But I know, even with a larger following, I’d still feel that way—there are moments of drudgery in every creative thing that can be so tiring. (I think that’s why so many people try something and stop. They envision grand creative energy washing over them, but some aspects of everything can be rather boring.)
It’s part of the process.
But another part of the process is remembering that it’s always worth it when everything is put together and a thing released into the world.
I should have “Calling Out of Time” out tomorrow.
8/02/21 – Monday
I released “Calling Out of Time” today. I put together the episode art before work and got things online. During my lunch break, I posted on Facebook and Twitter that it’s out there.
I got a text message from Rick Coste during the day that he loved the episode…that the consistency of stories and sound always work for him. And that means a lot to me because Rick’s podcast, Evolution Talk, was one of the things that inspired me to start Not About Lumberjacks…just the effort and quality he puts into all he does. I may never feel I hit his levels of production, but I’m happy to have a good target.
After work, I sat down with my wife, Cynthia, and listened to “Calling Out of Time.” I love this story and the way it turned out.
Maybe tomorrow, I’ll get back to “Godspeed, Crazy Mike.”
8/03/21 – Tuesday
“Calling Out of Time,” had a bit of a slow day yesterday.
It happens.
To be clear, no episode of Not About Lumberjacks gets the kind of downloads that would keep a saner person putting in so much for the show. With 40-60 hours going into most episodes (that includes writing the stories) — only to have 22 people listen on a release day — would be considered time wasted to a lot of podcasters.
But…I like doing it—writing, recording, and editing short stories. And the people who love the show really love it! (If I get 50 unique listens in the first week, it’s a good week. Most episodes have a total of 100 – 400 listens.)
It does make me think about ways to get more people listening, but it’s definitely a thing worth doing.
As far as productive work, I cut all the bad takes from the next Behind the Cut and roughly pieced it together on lunch break.
8/04/21 – Wednesday
Woke up and went for a walk with Cynthia, so it wasn’t until lunch break that I got busy. But the Behind the Cut episode for “Calling Out of Time” is done, meaning almost all attention will now shift to “Godspeed, Crazy Mike.”
If you’re following along, I recorded “Calling Out of Time” on Saturday, July 24. All work shifted to that, and the episode was released nine days later on August 2. A couple days for Behind the Cut, which usually takes longer because I rarely record the behind-the-scenes look at the time of the story.
Add in the time to write “Calling Out of Time,” and I think you can see why I rarely release monthly episodes. Six to eight episodes a year is pretty ambitious.
It’s probably best to shoot for an every-other month schedule.
8/05/21 – Thursday
Got back to writing “Godspeed, Crazy Mike.” Just roughing out scenes with dialogue and seeing what more pops up.
All the whodunit aspects are done, but…while I don’t like to deliberately create red herrings (again, listen to the Behind the Cut episode about “Under the Big Top” for my thoughts about mysteries), this is where playing with how humans think can be fun.
People naturally make their own assumptions about things, and that’s how I prefer handling some of the misdirection in a mystery…because it’s more real to me than planting things that seem forced.
When you let human tendencies shape things, it’s fun to write…and carries possibilities without deliberately planting them, just to give readers and listeners something to chew on.
8/06/21 – Friday
Some days, it’s good to take a break.
This was one of those days.
I researched some video stuff, but didn’t do much with any Not About Lumberjacks things.
8/07/21 – Saturday
It was a lazy Saturday around here, which meant I had time to work on “Godspeed, Crazy Mike.”
I’m still roughing things out and jumping around, shaping scenes with dialogue because…detectives ask questions. From there, I’m able to write other scenes completely–and make sure nothing contradicts earlier scenes.
I know there are mind mapping programs, and that even Scrivener has ways to plot everything out, but I find you can’t know everything until you get into a story and realize, “That thing I thought about while plotting gets negated by this…or makes no sense once I really look at it.”
With many other things going on right now, in ways, a mystery is welcomed. I almost chose a literary story, but that always requires more focus and staying in a certain mindset for weeks, and that’s not happening right now.
I’m pleased with “Godspeed, Crazy Mike” so far, and suspect I’ll only like it more as the story takes a better shape.
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A Bonus Thing
Click here if you’ve listened to “Calling Out of Time” and want to see the timeline I worked from. (Or click if you’ve not listened and don’t care about spoilers.)
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