SARAH RHEA WERNER - WRITER, PODCASTER & SPEAKER
Sarah is a professional writer, editor, podcaster, speaker, and ghostwriter, a contributor to Forbes, and the founder of the Write Now podcast, which helps aspiring writers to find work/life balance while pursuing their creative passion. She is also the writer, editor, and executive producer of the new hit audio drama Girl In Space.
The Interview
How did the "Girl in Space" podcast started? Was it your dream project you always wanted to create or did the ideas grew day by day?
The "Girl In Space" podcast actually began as a novel. I was writing a diary-style science fiction book and realized that I had all of the podcasting equipment I'd need to turn it into an audio drama. I always get excited by new possibilities and ideas, so I went for it!
Do you have an outline for every episode of the "Girl in Space" and improvise as you record or do you have a script in hand?
I do outline and script "Girl In Space" episodes, just so that all of the dialogue for the cast works out.
Which part of podcasting do you find the most difficult?
This might sound weird, but I hate the sound of my own voice. So the hardest part of podcasting for me is editing my own voice recording. It's just a cringe festival.
Where do you get your ideas and how do you stay motivated?
I get my ideas by reading books, watching movies, and looking at images on Pinterest! I also think of new story ideas while out on walks or exercising. Staying inspired and motivated can be hard for podcasters, so it's important to keep yourself on a steady diet of good storytelling.
Can you name a person or perhaps a podcaster who has greatly impacted your life? How did he/she influence you?
One podcaster who has particularly inspired me is Paul Sating. He was a guest on "Write Now" and got me interested in the idea of creating my own audio drama. Then, once I committed to the idea, he helped keep me on track and answered my questions. I owe so much to him!
Your "Write Now" podcast has been running since 2014. Can you tell us how it has changed you as a person and Why do you love helping writers?
This is a great question. "Write Now" has changed me in a number of ways. Namely, I've gone from being a very shy person to someone who loves talking to everyone I meet about creativity and writing. I'm a lot more comfortable talking to people and a lot more confident in the work I produce, which has been a great boost to my self-esteem and my career.
How do you plan for your "Write Now" interviews? How do you approach people to join your show?
For "Write Now" monologue episodes, I just come up with a couple bullet points I want to hit and improvise as I record. For the Coffee Break interviews with other writers, I come up with two or three questions to ask up front but mainly let their narrative thread and my own curiosity drive the interviews. It helps keep them flowing naturally with a conversational tone that listeners enjoy. As for finding interviewees for the show, I am fortunate in that they come to me.
The "Girl In Space" podcast actually began as a novel. I was writing a diary-style science fiction book and realized that I had all of the podcasting equipment I'd need to turn it into an audio drama. I always get excited by new possibilities and ideas, so I went for it!
Do you have an outline for every episode of the "Girl in Space" and improvise as you record or do you have a script in hand?
I do outline and script "Girl In Space" episodes, just so that all of the dialogue for the cast works out.
Which part of podcasting do you find the most difficult?
This might sound weird, but I hate the sound of my own voice. So the hardest part of podcasting for me is editing my own voice recording. It's just a cringe festival.
Where do you get your ideas and how do you stay motivated?
I get my ideas by reading books, watching movies, and looking at images on Pinterest! I also think of new story ideas while out on walks or exercising. Staying inspired and motivated can be hard for podcasters, so it's important to keep yourself on a steady diet of good storytelling.
Can you name a person or perhaps a podcaster who has greatly impacted your life? How did he/she influence you?
One podcaster who has particularly inspired me is Paul Sating. He was a guest on "Write Now" and got me interested in the idea of creating my own audio drama. Then, once I committed to the idea, he helped keep me on track and answered my questions. I owe so much to him!
Your "Write Now" podcast has been running since 2014. Can you tell us how it has changed you as a person and Why do you love helping writers?
This is a great question. "Write Now" has changed me in a number of ways. Namely, I've gone from being a very shy person to someone who loves talking to everyone I meet about creativity and writing. I'm a lot more comfortable talking to people and a lot more confident in the work I produce, which has been a great boost to my self-esteem and my career.
How do you plan for your "Write Now" interviews? How do you approach people to join your show?
For "Write Now" monologue episodes, I just come up with a couple bullet points I want to hit and improvise as I record. For the Coffee Break interviews with other writers, I come up with two or three questions to ask up front but mainly let their narrative thread and my own curiosity drive the interviews. It helps keep them flowing naturally with a conversational tone that listeners enjoy. As for finding interviewees for the show, I am fortunate in that they come to me.
LISTEN TO SARAH'S PODCAST
Can you tell us some DO's and Don'ts to keep in mind during a podcast interview?
Do be respectful of your guest's time, and do ask interesting questions beyond the obvious. Do NOT talk over them or interrupt them!
Can you share with us the best Podcasting tools to use by a podcaster on a budget and some other tips?
Some of my favorite podcasting tools on a budget are the same ones I'm still using today. I record and edit my shows using Audacity, which is free, and I use a Blue Yeti USB mic plugged into my laptop to record both "Write Now" and "Girl In Space." That's pretty much all the equipment I use, in addition to towels, which make great sound absorbers.
You've been a regular contributor to the Forbes Magazine. Can you give us some tips to get published by such reputed publications?
A great way to get published by a reputable publication is to know what you're talking about, know the audience you want to talk to, and come at the subject from an angle that hasn't been done to death. Then, start working your way up. Guest blog on friends' blogs, local blogs, etc. — you probably won't hit the big leagues right away, and that's OK! There is actually no such thing as an overnight success — just the illusion of one.
Do be respectful of your guest's time, and do ask interesting questions beyond the obvious. Do NOT talk over them or interrupt them!
Can you share with us the best Podcasting tools to use by a podcaster on a budget and some other tips?
Some of my favorite podcasting tools on a budget are the same ones I'm still using today. I record and edit my shows using Audacity, which is free, and I use a Blue Yeti USB mic plugged into my laptop to record both "Write Now" and "Girl In Space." That's pretty much all the equipment I use, in addition to towels, which make great sound absorbers.
You've been a regular contributor to the Forbes Magazine. Can you give us some tips to get published by such reputed publications?
A great way to get published by a reputable publication is to know what you're talking about, know the audience you want to talk to, and come at the subject from an angle that hasn't been done to death. Then, start working your way up. Guest blog on friends' blogs, local blogs, etc. — you probably won't hit the big leagues right away, and that's OK! There is actually no such thing as an overnight success — just the illusion of one.
GIRL IN SPACE PODCAST THEME
LISTEN TO "THE GIRL IN SPACE" PODCAST BY CLICKING THE LINKS BELOW
FOLLOW SARAH