5 Tips for Your First Podcast Appearance (for Authors!)

So, you've self-published a book, and now you've been invited on a podcast: that's great!

But it can also be intimidating to appear on podcasts, especially video podcasts.

Here are five tips from Leanpub co-founder Len Epp, who is the host of our Frontmatter podcast:

1. Be yourself.

Don't try to do anything artificial, like adopt a particular posture, or use overly formal language. The best way to be at ease with yourself is just to be yourself!

2. Set up a nice background.

If you're appearing on a video podcast, you'll want to set up a nice background behind you. It's ok to do this in your living room or bedroom! Adding a touch of bright color is a good idea, like a plant, or even a stack of books.

3. Get a good microphone.

This isn't as important as it once was, since recording apps nowadays (including Zoom) have pretty good noise reduction features, and podcast producers can use tools like Adobe Enhance to get studio-like quality even with ordinary equipment. But still, the better the microphone, the better you'll sound.

4. Test your setup.

You will definitely want to test your setup before the podcast recording begins. Try out the exact microphone setup you'll be using, and the exact chair you're going to be sitting in, and the exact clothes you'll be wearing, coffee mug you'll be drinking from, etc. Trust me, preparation will not just reduce the likelihood of anything going wrong, it will also make you much more comfortable, and able to focus on the conversation.

5. Think of an interesting anecdote to tell during the interview.

People love stories. To make  your appearance on the episode compelling, think of an interesting anecdote to tell, whether it's about yourself, or a recognizable public or historical person.

To keep up with Leanpub's long-form podcast interviews with interesting authors from all around the world, subscribe to the Leanpub YouTube channel here, follow us here!