Not the Same Old Story: One-offs, Serials and Seasons

Podcasting offers the opportunity to tell stories like never before. Free from the constraints of media formats, the podcaster can go deeper, in more directions, over the time it takes to get there. But as a story creator, how does one decide how — and for how long and how often — to tell the story? Is it a one-off episode in a themed series? A story that needs to unfold chapter by chapter in serialized fashion? Can you go big enough, deep enough, without losing direction, to carry your serialized story into additional seasons? The session will speak to gathering and organizing interviews and other audio for the story; planning chapters and episodes; writing hooks, teases, look-aheads and “last time on” to engage the listener and enhance their experience and telling the story well. Tips and tactics offered apply to fiction and non-fiction; drama and documentary.