Customer Reviews

Tricks of the Podcasting Masters

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm not sure if the previous reviewer has even read this book or spent much time on the Podcast411 web site since the book is anything but a rehash of the site. What it is, in a nutshell, is an indispensable guide to building a successful podcast (no matter what your definition of "successful" is) for those who already know how to put a show together from a technical perspective and/or are ready to focus on content/promotion/advertising/etc. This is not just another podcasting book but rather a way to build on the foundation that other books lay. It's also the only way to take advantage of the extensive experience the authors and the scores of podcasters they've interviewed over the past years bring to the table and yes, at this point in the game they do have a right to refer to themselves as "masters".

If you're serious about podcasting or just want to fine-tune your show's content, get it heard by as many people as possible, and potentially start earning some revenue from it, you definitely owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this book...it will be the best $15-20 you invest in podcasting!

(Disclosure: I was the technical editor for "Tricks of the Podcasting Masters" but do not earn any money from sales of the book. My review is based strictly on my opinion of the quality of the content.)

Contrary to some previous reviewers' comments, this book goes far beyond what is available in the authors' podcasts or on the web. And because podcasting is a rapidly changing medium in which new issues and concerns arise daily, it naturally goes beyond what previous books have said as well. But most importantly, it provides this information it in a well-written, condensed form that podcasters at any stage can pick up and get something out of.

Even though I've been podcasting since what some consider the early days (Jan '05), I was inspired by a lot of new ideas (as well as thankful for some answers to issues long plaguing me) that I picked up from the book, and I quickly emailed other people who work behind the scenes on my podcast and told them to get a copy, too. It's invaluable to hear what other podcasters are saying about their set-up, their goals, their experiences, and their insights in a more polished and thoughtful format than the kinds of forums where these ideas are usually tossed about. Perhaps one of the great things about "Tricks" is that the authors were able to get podcasters to say what they don't put in their sites on write in forums. As a seasoned podcaster, I didn't expect to get as much out of it as I have, but now I'm grateful that it has been put together.

If you just want to get a podcast out, sure, there are websites where you can find that infomation. But if you want to craft a show, promote it, and shape it into a business, then this book is a great help. And who wants to surf the web and listen to hours and hours of other podcasts to sort through the information that is and isn't useful in creating your own? I'd rather be podcasting.

This is an excellent book for anyone that is new to the medium and wants a tour from some of the experts. First a disclaimer - my cast, The M Show, is mentioned in the book so that obviously affects my opinion of the stars it deserves. Rather than gush about Rob's wisdom, let me elaborate on the book itself:

The book is arranged in 3 parts around 100 pages each:

1. Laying Your Foundation - covers the history of podcasting, podcast ratings, and genres. The genre section is comprehensive, providing details on over 75 podcasts in more than 15 genres.

2. Refining Your Podcast and Your Skills - covers the skills needed to create the content for your podcast (even those still being debated, such as editing). Things like scripting (yes or no, how-to), interviewing (from both a content and technical side), using music or other's written word (including licensing issues), editing and tips to maintain and communicate with your audience.

3. Marketing and Promotion - how to grow an audience including many tips on Promos and grassroots marketing. It also covers planning for your podcast as a business (including creating media kits), generating revenue and using podcasts to market other products and services.

There's also an appendix that covers Microphone and Voice tips, Creative Commons, and has URLs for other informational sites.

In the podosphere there has been some chatter about using the term "Masters" in the title for a medium that is less than 2 years old. It should be noted that this is not the hubris of the authors, but that the publisher uses the "Tricks of the *whatever* Masters" for a series of books (just like the "*whatever* for Dummies" books).

The book is clear and concise. It provides an in-depth view of the independent podcasting landscape. If you are going to create your own podcast for fun, or try to make a business out of it - this is a great place to start.

An excellent book hands-down. If you only have room to purchase a single book on podcasting, then make sure it is this one. All of your "how-to" information can be found online, but the "now what" information you need is all in this book.

I'm eagerly awaiting the second revision since podcasting has already changed so much as it has become more widespread.

Michael

I just finished reading the book and enjoyed it from start to finish. There may be a bit more coverage of other podcasts than some people want, but part of the point of the book is that you're learning from the successful podcasters out there not just the authors. Rob and Mur do a good job of showing the common show formats, the ways of handling technology, the pros and cons of the decisions you make for your podcast, etc.

Some of the negative reviews have pointed out that you can get a lot of the information on Walch's site, and elsewhere on-line. But with most technical books that's going to be the case and if you don't mind reading 300 pages of info on your screen you may prefer to do that. BUT, and it's a big one, here you get a good resource for planning and execution of a show in one handy place WITH the expertise of a plethora of the top podcasters chiming in, and two very knowledgeable authors contributing the info you'll need to make your podcast better.

One of the simple things I found most useful, was Mur's flowchart for ISBW and how that lays the groundwork for her show. I've been very interested in making money with my podcast and the book maid practical points regarding the pros and cons of advertising vs sponsorship or other means of income. If you're looking to get into podcasting, or if you've been doing it for a while but feel your show is floundering, TotPM is a good collection of information to make your show better.

If you only buy one book about Podcasting, then this is the one to buy. Written by true podcasting geeks, this is the inside account of what its all about.

What do you get when you cross Charlie Rose and Robert X. Cringely? You get Rob Walch from Podcast 411. Faithfully chronicling the ever expanding universe of podcasts and podcasting on his show Podcast411. In this book Rob and Mur Lafferty take a snapshot of a new universe seconds after its Big Bang. They enumerate the key players, explain the science, and offer a little timely advice to the hot particles as they speed off into this universe to form stars and planets and clog the tubes of the internets. OK, enough of the Big Bang analogy, this really is a very good book. In a plain and simple way, this book describes all you need to know to get started podcasting, and where to go once you have. The book breaks down the technical hurdles in an easy to understand fashion and allows the voices that are shaping the medium to offer up some sage advice from their experiences thus far. From soup to nuts, this book explains everything you need to know to get started in the nascent podcasting universe.

Rob and Mur did an incredible job with this book. Contrary to some of the reviewer's comments, the book is definately NOT just a rehash of Rob's podcast. Great information not only about promoting your podcast, but it also includes a MUST read chapter about music in podcasting. Rob and Mur went so far as to have a lawyer from a big label read the chapter to see if it was legal. While the book DOES contain some beginning podcaster material, it's really designed for the podcaster that wants to take their show to the next level.

If you've dived in to podcasting, and you've created your own content, the next obvious step is to attract a wider audience. This book does a superlative job in providing practical advice for new podcasters in search of more listeners. If you're looking for a basic "how to" podcasting book, first read "Podcast Solutions" or "Podcasting for Dummies" (both are, in fact, very good elementary guides), but then make this the next book you buy. There are a number of very useful ideas here for building a community of fans, finding new potential listeners, and expanding your audience -- most of which are inexpensive and simple to execute. Rob and Mur are relative veterans of the podcasting phenomenon, and they know how to write in clear, concise prose. This book is as easy to read as it is useful. I've begin applying many of these concepts to my own podcasts, and am starting to see real results. Highly recommended.

Podcasting without leadership past the production of an RSS feed is downright silly. Topics your "101" books don't cover (but are even more vital) include listener interaction, interview skills, sponsor attraction, motivation to continue, how to interact with the big guys, pros and cons of networks and hosting options, ... the list goes on.

Great thing is, this list is a partial outline of Rob and Mur's book. Hat's off you two - excellent work.