5 Hilarious, Inspiring, Informative & Seriously Addictive Podcasts
I became a little obsessed with podcasts late last year and have battled with serious storage issues on my iphone ever since. I don’t think I’ve listened to the radio for over six months, because when I’m in the car alone (that is, when I’m not singing to the Wiggles or listening to the Hairy Maclary audio books on repeat with my toddler) I’m consuming podcasts.The first two on my list were my initial obsessions as I devoured everything writing related, but then I caught up on the backlists and went in search of something new to listen to. The following three podcasts are the result.
I LOVE this podcast! If you’re a writer or reader then you will love it too. Australian writers Val & Al share their wealth of knowledge about all things writing from features, to memoirs to genre fiction. It’s like having access to two mentors who cheer you on from the sideline as you build your writing career. The author interviews are a great feature and without fail, I learn something new about the writing process with each one I listen to. Oh, and they’ve been wonderful enough to answer my writerly questions on one or two occasions. There’s 150+ hours available (170+ episodes) for download, plus they upload 1-2 new episodes each week.
Another great writing podcast created by Australian writers which explores alternative influences on the creative process from mediation, mindfulness, kinesiology and much more. Vanessa started the podcast prior to her offer of publication and since then her debut novel, The Florentine Bridge has hit the shelves. Vanessa and Kimberley have taken a break from the podcast this year, but there’s still 60 episodes of great information, resources and interviews to listen to. Okay, that’s it for writing podcasts. After I caught up on all these episodes I decided I needed to tune into something not writing related to give my mind some breathing space from all the information I’d absorbed over the past few months. So here’s what I found:
Yes, you read that right. Jamie Morton’s dad self-published an erotic novel called Belinda Blinked and in this hilarious podcast, Jamie and pals dissect his father’s work chapter by chapter in a podcast series that will have you laughing out loud. I suppose it is kind of writing related, but it’s really a showcase of all the things you shouldn’t do as a writer. This has been promoted via the Sydney Writer’s Festival newsletter for the past couple of months so I checked it out and I absolutely love it!
A wonderfully structured autobiographical documentary series by Australian Sophie Harper. A single, gay, thirty-something woman working in Denmark who becomes a single mother by choice, not by accident. She chronicles her journey over six years, including original audio from the important moments in that time. This podcast is seriously addictive and I’d wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who is a parent, wants to be a parent or just wants to become absorbed in a great story, then this one is for you.
Australian comedian Nazeem Hussain warmed my heart in the latest series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here (yes, I admit I did watch it) and I was delighted to find he has kick started his own podcast. They are short episodes, usually about 10 minutes and he interviews other comedians and celebrities to talk about, well, how travel sometimes sucks.