zBlog – Page 14 – Revealing Voices: Podcast and Blog

3 weeks away….

February 9, 2018 Eric Riddle Comments Off

Precisely three weeks from today we launch our debut. Eric is currently working on the final edits of our pilot episode. He shared with me it is hard to cut anything out of such a quality interview. I agree, but think especially for our first show, we need to establish a reasonably firm time parameter at 45 minutes.

As Eric edits, I am busy with a number of tasks. Composing a “For Further Help” page, drafting an outline of “The Making of Revealing Voices,” proposing some ideal WordPress themes for podcasting, and investigating some Facebook ad campaigns. Finally, I’ve been crafting questions to ask our first three guests: Marie Henning, Katie Dale, and Amy Simpson.

Some of the questions I have come up with so far include:
Read More

0 – Revealing Voices Trailer

February 5, 2018 Eric Riddle 5:31 Comments Off

Episode 1 is less than a month away. In this release, Tony and Eric share a brief story of how they met in 2014 and what led them to the brink of Revealing Voices. There is also a sneak peak of what to look forward to in future episodes.

Behind the scenes blog posts of the podcast creation are at www.revealingvoices.com

All music in the release was produced by Tre Scott. Cover Photo produced by Ruby Reese Photography.

Less Than 1 Month Before Launch!

February 5, 2018 Eric Riddle Comments Off

Every other Saturday is my primary work day on the podcast. I probably total around 10 hours per week now. It is enough to keep us on schedule. Lynda.com has been very helpful. With my 1 month free subscription, I am also learning about WordPress, which will expand on the podcast content.

I do have my excited moments when I fantasize about my personal journal, Tony’s writing, and our blog posts being crafted into a book. As with my previous book, it would be partly personal journey, partly a how to manual (about starting a podcast), and partly a journey into mental health advocacy. Read More

Cheers to Amy from Ruby Reese Photography

February 1, 2018 Eric Riddle Comments Off

Tony and I want to thank Amy from Ruby Reese Photography for her time and talent. We really appreciate the images and had a great selection from which to choose our logo. Below are just a few examples.

Indiana friends, click the link to reach out to Amy and schedule a professional photography consultation.

: Tony Roberts

: Eric getting ready

: Ruby Reese Photography Gallery

The Fruits of Labor

January 29, 2018 Tony Roberts Comments Off

Over 5 months ago, Eric and I took a walk down a gravel road past my church. We talked of life, God, psych hospitals, Faithful Friends, smoothies. Somewhere between the dust of our steps and the breeze around us, the Spirit stirred us and an idea was conceived. A podcast.

5 months later. Last night. January 25, 2018. We birthed a 5 minute 30 second trailer for Revealing Voices. It goes something like this:

Out of the Silence, Like Prayers

January 21, 2018 Eric Riddle Comments Off

Today we recorded our first interview! April (Tony’s sister) and Jen (my wife) joined Tony and me in our new studio- made official with the addition of a new IKEA conference table. The recording sounds excellent. We had a scare after taking an intermission, but thanks to power of the “Undo”, recovered the recording.

Earlier in the week, Tony and I decided that the standard question we will ask all guests is “What does healing mean to you?” The question worked really well today and generated great discussion that rippled throughout the interview. I’m really satisfied with that question because it is a strong connecting point between faith and mental healthcare communities. From my perspective, the faith and mental healthcare communities are the primary healing elements of society. A goal of the podcast is to help bridge the conflict and misunderstanding that exists between these two areas. Read More

Blubrry & HostGator: Podcast & Website Hosts for Revealing Voices

January 12, 2018 Tony Roberts Comments Off

Last night was a tense, yet overall productive evening. Eric came over to the studio and we tried to evaluate which was a better podcast host – Blubrry or Libsyn. While Libsyn seemed to be a little cheaper, it did not appear to have the same flexibility or quality of service. So, we purchased a package with Blubrry (2 years, I think).

The next thing to do was find a web hosting service. Mike from Blubrry recommended several possibilities. PC Magazine ranked HostGator as one of their Editor’s Choice. It seemed to be the best bang for our buck, so we called them with the intent on purchasing a plan, setting it up with WordPress, then migrating our Blogger site to our new website. We got a 3-year plan.

That’s when things got complicated. Read More

Lynda, I Want You

January 10, 2018 Eric Riddle Comments Off

I want Lynda. I’ve heard her name mentioned before, but never taken a keen interest in getting to know her. But after doing a quick search yesterday, I found her and instantly fell in love. The video preview spoke to me. It’s been a tough couple weeks and I needed relief. I’ll get back to Lynda later… Read More

StoryCorps

December 31, 2017 Eric Riddle Comments Off

My sister Suzanne came over this morning to do a recording of a StoryCorps interview. The focus was on discussing my mental health journey. We touched on faith, advocacy, self stigma, and building trusting relationships. This is something that I’ve been talking about recording for over a year. It was good to dig into the StoryCorps app and understand how it works. It was basically one hour of preparation to understand the app and create questions, then 45 minutes to record (45 minute recording is the max!)

Some things that I learned:

Technical Difficulties

December 24, 2017 Eric Riddle Comments Off

We are halfway between the day we committed to starting Revealing Voices and our launch date of March 1. Some days it feels overwhelming, other days it feels like we’re almost there. In reality, we are making slow but steady progress.

On “The Show Runner” podcast, there are over 100 episodes that are essentially dedicated to the business of podcasting. A quick review of the episodes (e.g. “Podcasting Lessons from a Psychotherapist”, “How to Create a MVP (Minimum Viable Podcast)”, “How to Execute Engaging Podcast Interviews”, etc.) demonstrates how much there is to consider in developing a successful show.

Side Note: For anyone interested in Indiana University basketball, the co-host Jerod Morris is also the host of “The Assembly Call” podcast about Hoosiers basketball!

We are lining up a local photographer and music producer who are friends of mine to help with our logo and show opening/closing. These are key branding details which we need others to provide their expertise. Read More