“Have you listened to this podcast?”

6 months ago the answer was always “no.” Podcasts were something I knew about but wasn’t particularly interested in. Everything changed when I started working for a startup in the podcast realm.

I realized quickly that I needed to learn more about not only how listeners consume podcasts, but how podcasters create them. So, I did something crazy.

Me, a non-podcast listening human, started a podcast.

Ridiculous, right? I thought of it as “on-the-job training.” Since I literally knew zero about what goes into making a podcast, I knew I’d have to choose a topic that I was deeply interested in and familiar with.

I chose poetry. At the time, I was only a month away from earning my MFA in poetry, so decided this was a great route to take.

I named my podcast Poems for People.

In an intimate Denver podcast studio, I sit down with humans I find inspirational and we chat. After our conversations, I write them a typewriter poem on my 1962 Smith & Corona portable typewriter live on the podcast.

Now, 11 episodes in, I can tell you that starting a podcast has changed my life.

1.) I’m a better listener

The intimacy of the studio and the willingness of people to share their stories is fueling my craft. Every word uttered through the microphone matters and ultimately inspires the poem I write at the end of each episode. Because of this, I’ve become a better listener, not just when I’m recording episodes of Poems for People, but in my daily life; this makes me feel more grounded in my community, more invested in my work, and more present in each of my relationships.

2.) I find inspiration everywhere

As a writer and teacher of writing at the college level, experiencing burn out and writer’s block is inevitable. It simply comes with the territory of being a creative.

After starting a podcast, I find that I’m more inspired. Brief conversations with strangers, emails from listeners, and even just knowing I have studio time booked has lit the creative fire inside of me.

3.) I listen and learn from podcasts.

This non-podcast listening human now LOVES PODCASTS. I now find myself drawn to the verbal storytelling of others through their podcasts. I feel intellectually stimulated because of this new habit, and it’s provided me with fresh perspectives, knowledge, and even fun conversation starters.

I started a podcast with the intention of becoming more equipped for my career at a podcast-related startup. I could never have predicted the ways starting a podcast would change my life. Not only am I more inspired to write poetry, but I feel more fulfilled in all facets of my life.

Poems for People is really special, I am so excited about what’s to come for the future of this podcast, as well as the ways it will continue to impact my life.

If you want to listen to Poems for People, you can find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and dozens of other podcast platforms.