TIPS AND TRICKS TO SHINE AS A PODCAST GUEST

The most shocking discovery you make as a writer is that writing is the easy part. This is the proverbial punch in the throat because writers know how painstaking it is to create a project, transfer those thoughts into words, and get them transcribed. If you are an indie author, the journey has you wearing all the hats of agent, publicist, and marketer, among other things. I had the good fortune to be paired with an excellent mentor, Abbie Headon, through the Independent Publishers Guild in the UK. The time difference made it a challenge, especially because I am violently allergic to early mornings. Our video calls were great fun, exchanging thoughts and ideas. The playing field was fairly level with me not fully caffeinated at the beginning of my day and her a little depleted at the end of her workday. We discussed advertising and how pricey it can be, as well as the results being unpredictable (even after spending hours on webinars and researching the market). Abbie suggested I try guesting on podcasts as a marketing tactic.
How does one go about getting invited as a guest on a podcast? I found a website called PodcastGuests.com and subscribed. It is a bit like TINDER for podcasters and guests; they are paired up based on their area of expertise. I would pore over the emails, seeking which podcasters were searching for guests and applying. I had all but lost hope anyone was interested in speaking to me until finally, after five months, I had a match and my first guest spot. I had specifically said "audio only," so imagine my surprise two days prior when the host said, “Be camera-ready.” In my younger days, the camera was my friend, but now at 58, I am about as excited to have myself on film as I am to have another birthday—not at all. I reluctantly complied, choosing my clothes and makeup carefully. Brittani Starr (Zarlequan) was very gracious, and it was a great first experience. Watching myself was torture. I realized I have angry “Bea Arthur” (of Maude and Golden Girls fame) eyebrows. I am known for my lack of a filter, and if I do manage to control my tongue, my face will betray me every time. Time and age have trained my verbal response, but my face never received the memo. I cannot tell you how often in my life I am saying in my head, “What is my face doing?” That was my first lesson as a guest: face control.
Next up was my guest spot with Denny (The Sunday Jam) based out of Bulgaria. In this episode, I implemented my years of experience in my old life as a claims adjuster to keep the podcaster on track. Denny was sweet and quirky, and I commend him for taking on a podcast with English as his second language. I was thrilled he had pursued me because, even though he did not have a large audience, it gave me exposure somewhere else in the world.
Last week’s guest spot was with Angela Valente Romeo (Colliding Worlds). I learned from this spot that I need to have more than one glass of water available. This was a marathon of sorts; the other two podcasts were 20-30 minutes long, and this one was 80+ minutes. Behind the scenes, Angela and I continued to chat for at least another hour plus after filming was complete. She was so interesting! She had worked as a lawyer, artist and art gallery owner, screenwriter, model, actress—you name it, she’d done it. And she’s lived all over the U.S. I was very inspired by her, another woman refusing to be defined or limited by her age.
Finally, yesterday I was honored to be Reenita Hora's guest (The True Fiction Project). This was a completely different experience. When I applied, Reenita’s assistant asked me to send them a hard copy of the novel, and they would let me know if I was a fit. Months passed, so imagine my excitement when I was asked to be on the show. The other podcasters did not have any requests. This show required a professional microphone, headphones, and a ring light for filming clarity. When I signed on, I met with the engineer, who gave me the rundown on how things could be cut or re-recorded, advising me not to panic if I sneezed or stumbled on my words; all could be edited. My main concern, living so close to the train and with construction across the street, was the background sound. He assured me all of that could be taken care of should it occur. Miraculously, it did not. Reenita was as professional as they come, and I was so honored to be on her show. The concept of her podcast is to chat about non-fiction first—life, projects, background, etc.—and then part two is reading fiction. I was prepared to read a chapter from How We Healed, and she asked that I only read about three minutes' worth, then she would offer something extra for her paid subscribers. I had to figure out on the fly where to cut my chapter reading and what I was going to offer as the “extra.” Ultimately, I read “Ballerina” from Life Lyrics because it is not yet available on any of my social media platforms. Just like that, it was over, and we chatted a bit about what I am working on now. Like the three podcasters before her, she enthusiastically said she wanted to have me back. Werner, her incredible engineer, offered some very kind and flattering words as well and expressed it would be a great episode. I bid them adieu with a huge smile on my face. I am grateful to have been part of all these shows, whether they had 91 subscribers or 225k. They have helped mold and shape me into an engaging guest. Thank you, Mentor Abbie, and podcasters Brittani, Denny, Angela, and Reenita for making this journey of many hats a joyful one. Stay tuned, there is more to come. So, put on your seatbelts, kids, “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

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