The truth is, I can’t always have a book in front of my face. Sometimes I do things like drive, and reading a physical novel while driving would be dangerous. I discourage it, for the record. So, in steps podcasts. While I am not the world’s biggest fan of audiobooks, I will listen to them occasionally, though it is mostly on long road trips or when I have a migraine (quietly). I have also come up with the brilliant idea recently that I will listen to audiobooks of books that I am having a difficult time reading in the more conventional way. But most days, when I am driving or doing housework or even cooking, I will pop on a podcast. Some of these podcasts are for news purposes (like The Daily, Ted Radio Hour, Pantsuit Politics, NPR News Now…), some of them are for pure entertainment (like Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me and the sadly discontinued Ask Me Another), some of them are religious/spiritual education and food for me (like The Holy Post and Good Faith). And many of them are about writing (and reading). Or sometimes not exactly about writing (or reading), but I started listening to them in order to enhance my writing (or reading). Filling these moments of my life with some influx of writing and reading news, contemplation, and education has been meaningful for me as a writer—a writer who has a difficult time wedging a full-day’s work or industry magazine articles into most days.

For you, I have listed first the podcasts I have been listening to. But the list is kinda old at this point and needs to grow, so I also made a list of supposedly (so the internet tells me) great podcasts for writers, below. I will be trying some of these out, and I suggest that you do, as well.  

Stuff You Should Know – turns out this podcast is one of the top podcasts, right now. I was not surprised when looking it up, and yet it feels grassroots, which I guess many podcasts are. This one certainly feels like it started out that way, and their devoted following feels kind of grassroots too. After I received a recommendation to listen because it can spark writing ideas (since it’s about super random and interesting “stuff”), it has become one of my favorite podcasts, for sure. This is due largely to the personalities of and the interaction between the hosts, Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant. They’re gentle and curious guys who have a respect for each other, knowledge, and others that is pleasant to experience. They joke around but come across a bit geeky in the best way possible. I really don’t know how much this podcast has informed my writing, but I definitely enjoy it.

Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby – Now, myths do inform my writing, so I understand why this informative podcast by Liv Albert, a feminist (meaning she uses an “intersectional feminist lens to [focus] where possible on amplifying the voices of women, trans, and non-binary people”) and avid curser. I do enjoy this one, but sometimes skip it, too, for a couple reasons: it is, in my opinion, a bit long-winded. Also, the swearing. Depending on who’s around when I turn it on, it can get awkward. Yes, there is that much swearing, and for what reason? I dunno. A matter of pride (no pun intended)? But I do enjoy a fresh take on revisiting the ancient myths.

Write-Minded – One of the things that bugs me about this podcast because I am super picky, apparently, is the editing between the soft voice on Grant Turner and the normal voice of Brooke Warner. Actually, it’s volume editing that bugs me about a great many podcasts, as I just get the volume set when someone is either bursting my eardrum or back out of hearing range, again. You’d think there’d be an easy way to regulate volume level. Tangent. Anyhow, a conversation between two industry peeps (of Nanowrimo and She Writes) combined with interviews with industry professionals (authors, publishers, etc.), this podcast promises to be weekly inspiration for writers. It does do a bit of keeping writers abreast of some things, but it is not complete, like a newscast, nor is it really that inspiring all the time, at least for me. I guess I find this one long-winded, as well. Still worth checking out, for sure, but though it’s recommended frequently, it’s not my favorite.

Overdue – This podcast has a pretty intriguing premise: Andrew Cunningham and Craig Getting read the books that you should have already gotten around to reading and they tell you about them. From what I can gather, usually one of them reads the book and then tells the other person about it, in turns, though both of them probably did some research before recording. Warning: these episodes are replete with spoilers, though they may sometimes warn you ahead of time. The point of the podcast is not so much a review as a book discussion, including history, their opinion, etc. I like this podcast and I enjoy the company of these two readers, but I sometimes have to skip because I intend to still read the book in question or I just have no interest in hearing about it. Though, to be fair, they make it interesting most of the time. Also long-winded, but less painfully. Perhaps I have an issue with less-punchy podcasts.

Lore – Lore is a podcast that never seems to come up in my Latest Episodes (perhaps because of what time a day it drops?), so I might have only heard it once or twice. And yet, I might have decided to skip them anyway because, despite how popular this podcast is, it is also scary and I don’t do a ton of scary. A new episode is produced by Aaron Mehnke and is released each Monday, and has been for years. It is as it sounds: it explores the darker side of history and the role story takes in it. There is a Lore: Legends series that explores the perhaps-fictional side of lore.

This American Life – This American Life was a radio show that I used to listen to with my husband on NPR and it (and some of my other favorite shows) branched out into a podcast. This American Life, like Stuff You Should Know, may be a bit of a stretch as a writer-recommended podcast, but it’s for the same reason: it might inspire a story. I have always found news articles to be rife with story ideas, and This American Life zooms in on super-interesting human interest stories, often ones that have not been told until now. There are three stories per episode, linked together by some concept. It is very interesting, indeed. It’s also extremely popular, has won about a hundred awards, and is somehow connected to the lauded Serial (see below).

Writer’s Routine – Another one which I find sometimes obnoxious due to its volume editing, I nonetheless like this podcast. The interview series targets writers, and Dan Simpson begins every episode with questions about the writer’s actual routine, including their physical place of writing. They may get to more ephemeral topics, but I seriously enjoy hearing about how authors (and successful authors) manage their days, their work, their lives, and then what they have to say about things. It is notable that some of the authors—if you were to transpose the transcripts next to one another—disagree, but that just goes to show that Simpson doesn’t have a bias or much of an agenda besides uncovering and then documenting the writing life, one author at a time. I really enjoy this podcast too, though it can sometimes go on a bit.

The Book Review – If you have any interest in The New York Times Book Review, then this weekly podcast is one you want to follow. They talk about the latest and most anticipated books, including interviews. Though there are two voices to the show that are in my head, I didn’t see any info about them on the website because ultimately this podcast isn’t about them, but about putting a voice to the bastion of literary criticism that is the Times Book Review.

How to Win Nano – This series has been coming out in the build-up to NaNoWriMo since 2019. Running between 15 and 30 minutes per episode, the effervescent Kristina Horner and Liz Leo chat fast-paced about their own opinions and expertise at winning (and journeying through) Nano, year after year after year. (They’ve each “won” many times.) They have no official affiliation with NaNoWriMo, but I listened through all their podcasts last October, and I am tuned in to follow up through this year’s season. They can get a little off topic and informal, but I enjoy the quick, no-nonsense inspiration.

And here is the list of podcasts I have not yet tried:

• Imaginary Worlds, Erik Molinsky (NPR meets speculative fiction reportage and interviewing)
• Atticus After Dark, Sam Slaughter and Atticus (chats with leading authors about their work)
• Helping Writers Become Authors, K. M. Weiland (as an offshoot of her popular writing-help books and website, giving writers new tools and helping them develop old ones)
• The Creative Writer’s Toolbelt, Andy Chamberlain (learning and craft, often approaching from a certain genre and sometimes featuring industry professionals)
• Serial, Sarah Koenig and This American Life (one story over the course of one season. There are three at this point. Very award-winning and well-loved across audiences)
• It’s Lit, Princess Weekes (“literary discourse” and publishing from the perspective of marginalized writers)
• The Writer’s Almanac, Prairie Home Productions (daily, 5-minute podcast about history in literature for that day and poetry reading)
• Once Upon a Time at Benington College, (a limited series about a group of friends who would become famous authors, like a modern Inklings)
• But That’s Another Story, Will Schwalbe (a now ended podcast that interviews influencers about the book that changed their life)
• Grammar Girl, Mignon Fogarty (presents the mysteries of English and unlocks tips and tricks to help master it)
• The Writer Files, Kelton Reid (interviews with authors about their practices and lifestyle)
• A Way with Words, Martha Barnette and Grant Barret (for “word nerds,” about language structure, phrases, and sayings)
• Write Now with Sarah Werner, Sarah Werner (meant to help real people be inspired by other real people to do some real writing every day)
• The Writers Panel, Ben Blacker (panel discussions and interviews, but this time focused in completely on TV and screenwriting)
• Deadline City, Dhonielle Clayton and Zoraida Cordova (“all things publishing” from two authors who have done it, together, more than 40 times)
• This Creative Life, Sara Zarr (not easily defined, basically conversations between the author-host and other authors about the writing life and work)
• The Creative Penn Podcast for Writers, Joanna Penn (publishing information, from the vantage point of various perspectives in a long-running podcast)
• The First Draft Club, Mary Adkins (overcoming writing obstacles when writing… well, anything)
• The Self Publishing Show, Mark Dawson and James Blatch (it’s for those who are interesting in self-publishing, but also full of tips and new ideas in the self publishing world)
• Kobo Writing Life Podcast, Kobo (more on self-publishing, including some things specifically for Kobo authors and some for a wider range)
• Between the Covers, David Naimon (writing work centered on craft but also including tools, from Tin House Books)
• 88 Cups of Tea, Yin Chang (focusing in on the internal life of the writer and how to survive it. Her specialty seems to be childrens and YA but it’s not limited to that)
• DIY MFA Radio, Gabriela Pereira (addressing the questions about writing and writing education you always wanted to ask, and strengthening your writer’s toolkit)
• Longform, Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa (covering the changing industry of writing and publishing in longform)
• The Writer’s Voice, The New Yorker (authors reading their new New Yorker fiction in their own voice)
• The Underground Writing Podcast, Matt Malyon (postulating that writing is for everyone and the writing process is not just for publishing, but also for exploring, healing, and hope)
• Writing Excuses, various(about writing craft and up-to-date industry info, these short episodes of a long-running podcast use working writers to give their advice and encouragement)
• The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, Bianca Marais (another toolkit podcast, but this one focusing on new writers looking to break into a very difficult and mysterious field)
• Supercontext, Christian Sager and Charlie Bennett (about how books, shows, and movies were made; a 4-year podcast that is not specifically for writers and “defied categorization”)
• The VS Podcast, The Poetry Foundation (poetry + talk show + politics)
• Writers, Ink, J. D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Patrick O’Donnell, J. P. Rindfleisch, Kevin Tumlinson, J, Thorn, and Zach Bohannon (a no-BS look at being a writer and what it’s really like, day to day)
• Unpublished, Amie McNee and James Winestock (taking your writing seriously because, though it may feel like it sometimes, you are far from alone)
• What Should I Read Next?, Anne Bogel/Modern Ms. Darcy (sorta like a book club, there’s a book discussion, sometimes with the author, and contemplation on what to read next)
• The Moth (story slams that began in 1997, you may recognize it. As a podcast, people (sometimes established authors) tell real stories about their real lives)
• Snap Judgment, Glynn Washington and NPR (storytelling from real life, but with a music component and bordering on poetry)
• Well-Read Black Girl, Glory Edim (online bookclub catering to Black women as a podcast)
• Phoebe Reads a Mystery, Phoebe Judge (calm, soothing readings at around 20 minutes each of mystery (and maybe other) books in installations)
• Written Off, Walter Thompson-Hernandez (the voices of formerly incarcerated writers)
• Hear the Classics, Spotify (a number of new and old literary classics for free, sometimes read by famous voices)
• Poetry Unbound, Padraig O Tuama (a poetry reading twice a week)
• The Big Gay Fiction Podcast, Jeff Adams and Will Knauss (a guide to gay authors, books, and romance, including interviews)

I’m also thinking about starting a Starving Artist podcast, just to put my work here into another medium for a modern world. Like a synopsis of the week on The Starving Artist. Whuddya think? Might you listen? Is it more likely that people will listen as opposed to read a blog, these days? (I think the answer there is a solid yes, but you are entitled to your opinions.) I am also planning on re-starting a monthly newsletter. So…