We Heart Podcasts

by Sparkle Abbey

Writers are curious. We’re interested in almost everything. We love to study people, places, and motives, and we’re always eager to learn something new. And in the deluge of digital media, we’ve discovered we really love podcasts.

The beauty of a podcast is that it fits seamlessly into our day. Unlike videos or reading a book, you can listen to a podcast while commuting, working out, or cooking dinner. And for people like us who are all about multitasking, a podcast on how to turn anxiety into action can transform cleaning the kitchen into an enjoyable forty-five minutes. Okay, maybe that’s a stretch, but you know what we mean. Podcasts make the mundane feel meaningful and fun.

Instead of scanning radio stations, we pop in our earbuds and scroll through thousands of podcasts, looking for the perfect episode to entertain, educate, or inspire us. Some days we dive into an in-depth interview with an author we admire, other times we fall down a rabbit hole of unsolved mysteries, productivity hacks, or the latest in neuroscience. Letting someone else’s words refill our creative well or teach us something new? Yes, please!

There’s truly a podcast for everything—writing, true crime, self-improvement, finance, comedy, sports, TV show recaps, fitness, and even bedtime stories! If you haven’t tried LeVar Burton Reads, you’re missing out.

Need to boost your creativity? Try The Creative Penn or Scriptnotes for writing advice. And if you want a good laugh, give SmartLess a try There’s a podcast for every mood, every question, and every whim of curiosity.

As writers, we’ve been known to shamelessly eavesdrop on strangers’ conversations. Podcasts are just another form of eavesdropping, except the speakers actually want to be heard. And yet, it’s not just about the content—it’s also about the voice. A voice, whether soft or loud, serious or full of laughter, brings a feeling of connection and even intimacy. Podcasts allow us to feel like we’re part of an ongoing conversation, and they’ve quickly become an essential part of our daily lives.

And in the end, don’t we all want to feel a connection to others? Isn’t that the best part of storytelling? We think so.

We can’t be the only ones who love a good podcast. What about you? Do you listen to podcasts? If so, do you have a favorite? We’d love to hear about it!

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don’t tell the other neighbors.)

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook and Pinterest, their favorite social media sites. Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website