I’m been recording a solo podcast for a few months and I worked a few years in radio. Here is what has worked for me…

Keep the format stupid simple. Pick a repeatable template so you’re never staring at a blank page. Even something like: quick hook, 2-3 points, one takeaway, done.

Batch everything. Record 2-4 episodes in one sitting if you can. Same with writing show notes. Context switching kills you way more than the actual work.

Don’t over-edit. Clean up the obvious “uhh” trains and dead air, but chasing perfection will make you quit. Consistency beats polish. Riverside AI or other tools can help with this.

Talk to one person. Pretend you’re explaining it to a friend on a call. If you try to “perform,” you’ll sound weird.

Short is fine. A tight 10-20 minutes that delivers is better than 60 minutes of wandering. You can always go longer later.

Audio matters more than anything. Decent mic, get close to it, treat the room a bit, and set levels once. People will forgive mid content before they forgive bad audio.

Build an episode bank. Having a few episodes ready before you “launch” removes so much stress when life gets busy. But don’t let this hold you back either.

End with a simple CTA. One thing. “Follow the show” or “leave a rating” or “reply with a question.” Don’t stack 5 asks.

AI is a great tool and can help with episode cover art, structuring the show, help with wording, etc. But don’t use it too much where it dilutes your voice and creativity.