Ask HN: I want to interview people. Should I start a podcast or something else?

3 points by samh748 3 years ago | 9 comments

I want to interview interesting people and the people that inspire me in general. I'm friendly and personable but I'm not big on socializing and definitely have no "radio personality". I just really enjoy talking to interesting people and digging their brains and hearing their wisdom.

Starting a podcast is an obvious option but the podcasting space seems so saturated now, especially for the topics I have in mind (eg creative routines, working towards your dreams). Are there other formats for interviewing people?

surprisetalk 3 years ago |

You could start a Youtube channel and do video interviews, but that's a lot more work.

You could start a local meetup or conference and do live interviews, but that's also a lot more work.

I suspect that it would be best to start out with podcasting, and then branch out.

But as you pointed out, the podcasting interview space is really really saturated. You have to be insanely charismatic AND knowledgable AND creative/unique AND industrious AND lucky to even make a dent.

My recommendation is to find some extreme niche and give podcasting a try. As a rule of thumb, o more than 10,000 people in the world should find your podcast premise interesting.

samh748 3 years ago | |

Thanks! Now the question is how to find such a niche!

surprisetalk 3 years ago | | |

I'm almost finished writing an essay on finding niches!

Feel free to email me at hello@taylor.town if you'd like a copy of the current draft :)

avinassh 3 years ago |

> I'm not big on socializing and definitely have no "radio personality".

I struggle with same. How to get better and how to ask good questions to people in the podcast/interview?

schwartzworld 3 years ago |

> podcasting space seems so saturated now

Who cares if it's saturated? I didn't see "become a famous podcaster" in your list of goals here.

Hadriel 3 years ago | |

this.

unlikelymordant 3 years ago |

transcribe the interviews in a blog? perhaps a book? newsletter?

samh748 3 years ago | |

Transcribed interviews would work! Do you think there's a niche for that, as compared to podcasts or videos?

Personally I actually prefer reading text interviews but it seems the "people" prefer the passive form of audio/visual instead.