5 Podcasts To Listen To When You Need Writing Motivation
With many of us working from home on our computers, we may feel disengaged and lonely. Podcasts can be a way to connect with the world around us whether that is through stories, facts, or advice on life. As writers, we rely on the inspiration of our experiences and our imagination to fuel our writing, but what do we do when we’re trapped inside? One thing we can do is listen to podcasts. These 5 podcasts might help you feel more a part of the world and motivated to write.
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
Host, Bianca Marais, interviews authors, agents, and editors. With literary agent cohosts, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra, the team provides “good advice, honest insights, and a few laughs along the way.” They target writers who are “looking to improve their work with an aim to having it published or anyone who would like a behind-the-scenes look at the publishing industry.” In the episode that I listened to titled, “Ending the Year with a Shot of Positivity by Alka Joshi,” the host spoke with a literary agent who shared a query letter she recently received. She gave her first thoughts and insight on the letter. She also gives advice on how to make your own query letter stand out among the rest. The podcast also interviews an author about her journey to publication. This podcast is ideal for aspiring authors looking to dive into the world of making a career of writing and editing.
Bad on Paper
Expect a “weekly dose of books, banter, and folks you should be following.” 30-something best friends, Grace Atwood and Becca Freeman have their own book club every month; they feature an enticing read on the podcast. They also bring on guests to accompany them for conversations about anything from careers to dating, and more. I listened to “The Great 2021 Holiday Episode” of the podcast. The hosts started by discussing their highs and lows of the year with listeners. They briefly shared their holiday plans and fun gifts they found this year that they recommend. Towards the end of the podcast, they listed their favorite holiday movies and books and how they mostly don’t enjoy the Hallmark Christmas movies. Becca shares that she herself is writing a Christmas book, and she shares one of their common favorite Christmas books called One Day in December. Overall, this podcast is easy to listen to with talks about life, society, and, of course, books!
The New Yorker: The Writer’s Voice - New Fiction from The New Yorker
This podcast actually features New York fiction writers reading their own fiction. I, along with many other writers, believe that reading fiction improves writing fiction. This idea is commonly called, “read like a writer.” When I was teaching a high school creative writing course, I had students look for unique, stylistic choices that the authors of the books they were reading made. They then had to explain how this style choice did or didn’t work for the reader. It allowed the students to separate themselves from being just a reader and to analyze the writing choices, which helped them think critically about their own writing style. I can’t take credit for this activity as it was passed down to me from another teacher and can be widely found on the internet, but its value was impeccable. If you’re used to reading instead of listening, this is a good place to start because the stories are short. Pay attention to word choice, pacing, and plot to aid you in developing your own stories.
The Sleepy Bookshelf
This one is for those of you who are stressed with writing deadlines or story ideas keeping you up at night. The podcast narrates classic works of fiction “adapted to help you rest peacefully.” The episodes start with a brief summary of the previous episode so that you don’t feel lost when you fall asleep to the previous episode. This is such an interesting idea to me and something different than the usual falling asleep to white noise or classical music. It reminds me of when we are young and our parents or caretakers read us a bedtime story to soothe us to sleep. Connecting with your inner child anyone? A few of the works of fiction include Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Pride and Prejudice, The Wind in the Willows, and The Wizard of Oz. With the peaceful narrator and soft background music, you’ll be counting z’s and letting go of anxiety in no time.
Poetry Unbound
This podcast includes “an immersive reading of a single poem” guided by the host. The podcast says the poems read are “unhurried, contemplative, and energizing.” New episodes come out every Monday and Friday and are about 15 minutes long. I’ve always loved hearing poetry read aloud and also listening to spoken word poetry. There’s just something about hearing the way a poem should be read that touches your soul. I listened to “Song for the Turtles of the Gulf” by Linda Hogan. Hearing the emotion in the host’s voice and the emphasis on particular words is both relaxing and contemplating. The host speaks about his own thoughts and take-aways from the poem at the end, which is an added bonus. He gives context to the subject matter of the poem and the overall theme of the poem. If you’re a poetry writer, this podcast could really be one that inspires you and gets you thinking.
Hopefully, one, if not all, of these podcasts will help you to gain some insight, inspiration, reprieve, or advice for your career in writing. Have a podcast that you love? Share it with us in the comments below.
Check out our other podcast posts:
6 Podcasts Aspiring Writers Should Subscribe To Right Now
6 More Podcasts Aspiring Writers Should Subscribe To (Part 2)
Another 6 Podcasts Aspiring Writers Should Subscribe To (Part 3)
