Author Topic: PodCastle Metacast #2  (Read 18961 times)

Heradel

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on: September 01, 2008, 02:56:56 AM
PodCastle Metacast #2

PodCastle editor Rachel Swirsky introduces three new features:

Flash Fiction Fall: wherein a flash episode will be aired once a week along with the feature episode, beginning with a set of four fables by Peter Beagle. Flash fiction fall will let PodCastle work through the archive of flash episodes which we’ve inherited from Escape Pod, getting the stories off the shelf where they’ve been gathering virtual dust and out where they belong - before the listeners.

Holiday-themed stories: for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and election day.

PodCastle Giants: special long episodes that will air once every three months, giving fantasy the room it needs to luxuriate.

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Chivalrybean

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Reply #1 on: September 01, 2008, 04:28:06 AM
Have not hear the episode yet, but this sounds like good news. The most exciting is the longer episodes. I like longer stories, so long as they are good one, of course. I got earbuds in all day at work, and I'm always looking to fill the time.

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stePH

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Reply #2 on: September 01, 2008, 05:21:47 AM
PodCastle Metacast #2

PodCastle editor Rachel Swirsky introduces three new features:

...

Holiday-themed stories: for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and election day.


Another Meatcast already?

An election-day-themed story sounds better-suited to Pseudopod.

... wait, I'm thinking real-world, not fantasy.  Carry on ...

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Rachel Swirsky

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Reply #3 on: September 01, 2008, 07:20:55 AM
Quote
Another Meatcast already?

I'll probably be doing them more often than Steve, or at least whenever we make major editorial changes.

I hope people like the giants. I'm excited about them. I'm courting one from a famous author for January...



Ocicat

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Reply #4 on: September 01, 2008, 07:39:09 AM
This all works out to "we get more stuff".

I'm 100% in favor.




eytanz

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Reply #5 on: September 01, 2008, 10:52:57 AM
Yay! All good news.

And great timing for the first giant (assuming it comes out on Tuesday or Wednesday) since I have to take a cross-Atlantic flight next Thursday and could use some entertainment :)



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Reply #6 on: September 02, 2008, 03:40:45 PM
Quote
Another Meatcast already?

I'll probably be doing them more often than Steve, or at least whenever we make major editorial changes.

I hope people like the giants. I'm excited about them. I'm courting one from a famous author for January...

I do appreciate it.  I wish we heard more metacasts from the other EA podcasts.  (Actually, has PP ever done one?)  Thanks!

I'm definitely curious about the Giants.  Is there an approximation of how long they're going to be, either word count or time? 

Anyway, one thing I really dig about Podcastle, aside from the content, is the time you've put into organizing things like this and keep us informed and excited about what's to come.  Thanks!


wintermute

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Reply #7 on: September 02, 2008, 05:17:46 PM
Another Meatcast already?
Meatcasts sound more fun than metacasts.

Bacon via my MP3 player? Sign me up!

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wintermute

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Reply #8 on: September 02, 2008, 05:19:39 PM
Also, if longer-than-usual stories are going to be called "giants", should the miniatures get renamed to midgets? Dwarves? Leprechauns?

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Rachel Swirsky

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Reply #9 on: September 02, 2008, 06:03:32 PM
I was thinking of switching the miniatures to dwarves.

The first Giant will go up today; it's 13,000 words long.



Hilary Moon Murphy

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Reply #10 on: September 03, 2008, 03:47:24 AM
This all works out to "we get more stuff".

I'm 100% in favor.



Exactly.  Sounds wonderful, Rachel.

Hmm


Rain

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Reply #11 on: September 03, 2008, 04:07:35 PM
It sounds like a good idea, but it also makes we wonder why it is even needed, it just seems a little odd to say that if a story is above a certain length then it is not worth having...



stePH

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Reply #12 on: September 03, 2008, 06:14:56 PM
It sounds like a good idea, but it also makes we wonder why it is even needed, it just seems a little odd to say that if a story is above a certain length then it is not worth having...

There's just a practical limit for podcast stories.  I seem to remember the only exception to Escape Pod's length restrictions being "Nightfall", as a special commemoration of the 100th episode.

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MacArthurBug

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Reply #13 on: September 04, 2008, 06:28:24 PM
I adore the idea of seasonal content. I thought the first giant was a swimming sucess. Dwarves? straaaange idea but sure! call 'em fariy cupcakes and I'll still listen so that's all good.

Stuff is good. This stuff is great! Keep 'em coming, this is a fun cast and my favorite of the three!

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Rain

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Reply #14 on: September 04, 2008, 06:42:45 PM
It sounds like a good idea, but it also makes we wonder why it is even needed, it just seems a little odd to say that if a story is above a certain length then it is not worth having...

There's just a practical limit for podcast stories.  I seem to remember the only exception to Escape Pod's length restrictions being "Nightfall", as a special commemoration of the 100th episode.

Places like Audible.com seem to have success with making audio versions of books that are many hours, so i dont see why Podcastle or Escape pod listeners shouldnt be any different.

If its a matter of it being too much work or something like that i can understand, but why not just run the stories that are deemed best and then the people who dont have time to listen to it all can just pause and listen to the rest later



DKT

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Reply #15 on: September 04, 2008, 06:49:34 PM
It sounds like a good idea, but it also makes we wonder why it is even needed, it just seems a little odd to say that if a story is above a certain length then it is not worth having...

There's just a practical limit for podcast stories.  I seem to remember the only exception to Escape Pod's length restrictions being "Nightfall", as a special commemoration of the 100th episode.

Places like Audible.com seem to have success with making audio versions of books that are many hours, so i dont see why Podcastle or Escape pod listeners shouldnt be any different.

If its a matter of it being too much work or something like that i can understand, but why not just run the stories that are deemed best and then the people who dont have time to listen to it all can just pause and listen to the rest later

I think the difference is that typically the EA podcasts run short stories (I think the limit is 6,000 or 7,000 words in the guidelines).  With the giants, Podcastle's veering more into novellette territory (or maybe even novella? I guess it depends on your definitions) and opening the gates a little bit more. 

Typically, I listen to the stories on these podcasts because they're bite-sized stories I can listen to in a sitting.  A lot of the stuff Audible carries I can't do that.  So for me, the shorter stuff is part of the attraction, although I do listen to some longer podiobooks. 


stePH

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Reply #16 on: September 04, 2008, 08:25:34 PM
I think the difference is that typically the EA podcasts run short stories (I think the limit is 6,000 or 7,000 words in the guidelines).  With the giants, Podcastle's veering more into novellette territory (or maybe even novella? I guess it depends on your definitions) and opening the gates a little bit more. 

Typically, I listen to the stories on these podcasts because they're bite-sized stories I can listen to in a sitting.  A lot of the stuff Audible carries I can't do that.  So for me, the shorter stuff is part of the attraction, although I do listen to some longer podiobooks. 

What he said.

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-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


ieDaddy

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Reply #17 on: September 04, 2008, 08:27:26 PM
I've got an hour commute each way by train - more content is better!

As for the whole debate of Giants/Dwarfs... Well, here's the entomology of miniature...

1586 (n.) "a reduced image," from It. miniatura "manuscript illumination or small picture," from pp. of miniare "to illuminate a manuscript," from L. miniare "to paint red," from minium "red lead," used in ancient times to make red ink. Extended sense of "small" (adj.) is first attested 1714, because pictures in medieval manuscripts were small, infl. by L. min-, root expressing smallness (minor, minimus, minutus, etc.) - Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper


So maybe it's opposite is a great big green tome?  yeah... stick with giants...maybe ogres.



Heradel

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Reply #18 on: September 04, 2008, 09:19:45 PM
I think the difference is that typically the EA podcasts run short stories (I think the limit is 6,000 or 7,000 words in the guidelines).  With the giants, Podcastle's veering more into novellette territory (or maybe even novella? I guess it depends on your definitions) and opening the gates a little bit more. 

Typically, I listen to the stories on these podcasts because they're bite-sized stories I can listen to in a sitting.  A lot of the stuff Audible carries I can't do that.  So for me, the shorter stuff is part of the attraction, although I do listen to some longer podiobooks. 

What he said.

Look, it's once a quarter, surely at some point in a three month period you'll have time to listen to something around an hour and a half in length. I mean, I understand your concern if every episode was running that long, but by definition they're not.

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DKT

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Reply #19 on: September 04, 2008, 09:21:48 PM
I think the difference is that typically the EA podcasts run short stories (I think the limit is 6,000 or 7,000 words in the guidelines).  With the giants, Podcastle's veering more into novellette territory (or maybe even novella? I guess it depends on your definitions) and opening the gates a little bit more. 

Typically, I listen to the stories on these podcasts because they're bite-sized stories I can listen to in a sitting.  A lot of the stuff Audible carries I can't do that.  So for me, the shorter stuff is part of the attraction, although I do listen to some longer podiobooks. 

What he said.

Look, it's once a quarter, surely at some point in a three month period you'll have time to listen to something around an hour and a half in length. I mean, I understand your concern if every episode was running that long, but by definition they're not.

Eh, I think either you misread my post, Heradel, or I misrepresented myself. I'm not at all worried about the Giants.  I think the idea and how often they'll be played is excellent.  I'm just trying to explain why I think they are separate from the regular episodes.


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Reply #20 on: September 04, 2008, 09:52:13 PM
PodCastle Metacast #2

PodCastle editor Rachel Swirsky introduces three new features:

Flash Fiction Fall: wherein a flash episode will be aired once a week along with the feature episode, beginning with a set of four fables by Peter Beagle. Flash fiction fall will let PodCastle work through the archive of flash episodes which we’ve inherited from Escape Pod, getting the stories off the shelf where they’ve been gathering virtual dust and out where they belong - before the listeners.

Holiday-themed stories: for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and election day.

PodCastle Giants: special long episodes that will air once every three months, giving fantasy the room it needs to luxuriate.


Excellent news.  I'm dropping the first giant onto my swanky new mp3 player now:)



stePH

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Reply #21 on: September 04, 2008, 10:23:13 PM
Eh, I think either you misread my post, Heradel, or I misrepresented myself. I'm not at all worried about the Giants.  I think the idea and how often they'll be played is excellent.  I'm just trying to explain why I think they are separate from the regular episodes.

What he said.

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Reply #22 on: September 04, 2008, 10:35:39 PM
I love the Giant idea and the frequency seems perfect.

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DKT

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Reply #23 on: September 04, 2008, 10:42:54 PM
Eh, I think either you misread my post, Heradel, or I misrepresented myself. I'm not at all worried about the Giants.  I think the idea and how often they'll be played is excellent.  I'm just trying to explain why I think they are separate from the regular episodes.

What he said.

I could get used to this :)


Heradel

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Reply #24 on: September 04, 2008, 11:18:04 PM
Eh, I think either you misread my post, Heradel, or I misrepresented myself. I'm not at all worried about the Giants.  I think the idea and how often they'll be played is excellent.  I'm just trying to explain why I think they are separate from the regular episodes.
What he said.
I could get used to this :)
I misread. In retrospect, I was probably responding a bit more stePH's comment about a practical limit for podcasts, which makes it seem like there's a hard line that shouldn't be crossed in terms of length for audio — which Rain also responded to.

I Twitter. I also occasionally blog on the Escape Pod blog, which if you're here you shouldn't have much trouble finding.