On the subject of podcasts.

[greygirlbeast]

So, here's the poll I spoke of this morning. The podcasts would not consist of new stories, but older stories (say pre-2007ish). The shorter of the older stories and vignettes. The podcasts would be free to all. They would be posted once a month. They would not be polished, snazzy productions; they would simply be audio files recorded at my desk, onto my iMac. This poll is only to gauge interest. I'd like to see at least a couple hundred votes.

[Poll #1633503]

Comments

[count-01.livejournal.com]

You left out options for, "Hell, yes!" and "Yes, please, Ma'am, may we have another?" Either or both would be timely & helpful.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Sorry. I can be an inconsiderate beast.

[count-01.livejournal.com]

Those of us who went with plain boring "yes" will likely forgive your lapse of foresight.

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

I was going to say something about one that said YES with an inappropriate number of exclamation points.

[count-01.livejournal.com]

Also an attractive option. And thanks to the miracle of ticky-boxes, we could have had any number of positive responses available, all at once.

[gargirl.livejournal.com]

Yes, seconded. I needed a much more emphatic "yes" too.

[erudite-ogre.livejournal.com]

This would be great. That is all.

voice

[myownpetard.livejournal.com]

i would love to be able to hear how you phrase your written language in your own head. audio recorded by the writer is always the most true.

i also really don't want you to be uncomfortable though (but i guess if you didn't think you could do it, you wouldn't be taking a poll).

would the kudos balance out the dissonance?

maybe you'd make friends with your voice if you got used to it? NO idea.

okbyenow

[stsisyphus.livejournal.com]

Seeing as I might be the lone dissenter, I only want to mention that I think you have a lot on your plate and wouldn't want this to be something you felt obliged to do. Also, in the I valued the term "interest" as meaning, "Would I go and download them and listen to them? Really? Wouldja?" And I had to admit that I probably wouldn't, mostly because I don't listen to any other podcasts either. So, yeah.

still, more power to ya if you decide to do it.

[seph-ski.livejournal.com]

you have a lot on your plate and wouldn't want this to be something you felt obliged to do

I totally agree with this. If it was something you'd do when the mood hit you, great, but I'd hate to see it become another deadline hanging over your head.

I also feel a little guilty for replying "yes" when I was just telling you earlier that I don't listen to podcasts. My answer is selfish. I'd really want to give it try, most definitely, but I can't say if I'd always listen/download. I'd love to hear at least one though. I've always been angry at the distance when you've done public readings.

[stsisyphus.livejournal.com]

I actually thought a bit more about this and considered the mercantile side of things. While I think the idea of hearing Ms. K read her stories is awesome (isn't that what we like reading for?), I have to wonder - what does it add for Ms. K herself?

The good thing about having 3rd parties do the podcasts or whatever is that it's extra publicity and exposure for her work. It's more "word of mouth" that's out there allowing new exposure to her work, the kind of thing that could pull more people toward (shocking!) buying a frelling book. For Ms. K - these other fanworks or licensed (or at least authorized) recordings done by others are functionally advertising for her work which requires little to no effort from Ms. K to benefit from.

My concern is that if Ms. K is doing them herself, while they would be fun and enjoyable for the fandom - it would really only benefit the fandom as it exists presently. Ms. K wouldn't get any revenue for all the effort she did. There would be questions of (unauthorized) distribution. There's the hassle of actually constructing the podcast records, hosting them, etc. If this was part of the Sirenia Digest subscriptions, I'd feel a bit less troubled by the proposition (indeed, some people might pay an extra few bucks on top of their sub to be able to access a podcast recording of that issue's stories - but that has its own logistical issues).

Anyway, I think this sounds like fun for the audience, but I'm not sure that it would be something that would really benefit the author.

[fusijui.livejournal.com]

These are just the arguments I wanted to make (once I saw what a minority I was in!). How is this not just fanservice at the expense of the author?

[robyn-ma.livejournal.com]

'They would not be polished, snazzy productions'

I hereby suggest that the podcasts be produced under the corporate name Unpolished Unsnazzy Productions LTD.

[ulffriend.livejournal.com]

If you have time it would be wonderful. Most of my favorite authors are also the best readers of their own work, a la Neil Gaiman, so I would relish the opportunity to hear you reading your own stories.

[scotchegg.livejournal.com]

Can we make requests?

[nightwitch.livejournal.com]

I'd love to hear you reading your own work very much.

[mcurry.livejournal.com]

Having gotten to hear you do readings at Readercon, I think that a monthly (or quarterly or whatever) podcast is a wonderful idea.

[jtglover.livejournal.com]

You asked if we were interested, and I am. That said, I agree wholeheartedly with those above who point out that this is one more thing on your plate that could quickly become a burden. Also, in view of what you said earlier about the unhappiness you feel about your own voice, I don't see a way to say "yes, please" without valuing my potential pleasure over whatever distress it might cause you to spend that much time recording yourself. I'd personally prefer to see you working on projects you enjoy and/or that have a strong likelihood of making you money. I'll listen if you post, but I hope you don't.

make that--

[jtglover.livejournal.com]

"I'll listen if you start podcasting, but I hope you don't."

Re: make that--

[papersteven.livejournal.com]

Well said.

[gargirl.livejournal.com]

It's a lovely idea. I listened to the Podcastle recording the other day and it was good but there is something I really like about authors reading their own work.

[egologic.livejournal.com]

I would be very interested.

I also think if the podcast were made available to potential new readers it may increase the number of people who subscribe to Sirenia Digest. Perhaps it would give you those extra hundred (or maybe more) subscribers. They may even buy some of your books.

Free is not a bad investment if the returns are bigger than the effort required to put into it. I subscribe to eMusic.com and they have a daily free track. It's not unusual for me to like what I hear enough to buy and download the album the free track is part of. It doesn't happen every day but it happens.

[abbadie.livejournal.com]

Way to be among the minority! Truth is, I've always felt somehow uninterested in podcasts (there are lots of them that I have passed by even though they appear to be very interesting, such as Peter Paddon's -heck, there is one with me in it somewhere that I haven't bothered with!), and I too am worried that it may soon become burdensome for you. I'd rather keep reading both your stories and your entries.

do pods

[jadakath.livejournal.com]

Heck yes podcasts! And get friends and famous people to read aloud FOR you in the pods. :-)

[xanadu-dreamer.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, yes!