In today’s publishing landscape, authors are often expected to juggle their writing pursuits and online presence at the same time. Promoting your work on BookTok or Bookstagram is a popular route, but there’s something to be said about trading out the camera for a microphone. Pew Research Center found that 54% of U.S. adults have listened to a podcast in the past year, especially adults of ages 18-29.

And now is the perfect time to start! Surely, as a writer, you’ve heard of NaNoWriMo. But have you heard of NaPodPoMo? National Podcast Post Month is a similar challenge that encourages anyone to launch a podcast by releasing 30 episodes in 30 days. Whether you record five minute takes on your NaNoWriMo progress or spend an hour talking about the research behind your book, the point is progress, not perfection!

If you aren’t sure how a podcast can benefit you as a writer, here are 7 reasons why starting a podcast could benefit your writing career.

Build your personal brand

One of the joys of consuming media is forging a deeper connection with it through bonus content. Readers love being taken behind the scenes, and podcasts allow you to pull back the curtain from your writing and create opportunities for connection. For example, you could take readers on a “backstage tour” of your writing process, record an episode spotlighting your favorite writing tools, or analyze a publishing trend you find compelling. Choose subjects that resonate with your personal brand, and interested listeners will follow.

Connect with other authors

Collaborating with an author you admire or whose works share a similar genre with yours is mutually beneficial. If your audiences share mutual interests (i.e. the genres you and another author both write), then you will both gain traction from a joint episode. It also serves as a fantastic networking opportunity outside of liking posts and crossing paths at conventions.

Establish Authority

What topics are you knowledgeable and passionate about? Podcasts are a great chance to establish authority in a niche and attract interested listeners with your expertise. If your niche is relevant to your books, this can also increase interest and reinforce your position in a specific genre. For nonfiction authors, this could take the form of informative episodes loaded with engaging information about a subject you extensively researched for a writing project. Fiction authors could consider a series exploring masterworks in their genre or highlighting the books they’re enjoying. The key here is to share your knowledge in a fashion unique to you, leveraging the uniquely candid, relaxed atmosphere that podcasts offer.

Organic Promotion

Of course, building a podcast platform also gives you another channel to promote your books in a seamless way. Devout readers and new fans alike will tune in to hear you speak about your work without feeling like they’re being forced to listen to a paid advertisement. Along with sharing your expertise and connecting with authors, the promotion of your newest book will feel natural and effortless.

Find a New Medium for Your Message

Podcasts are a unique medium that can breathe new life into content that might not necessarily fit into your Instagram, TikTok, Substack, or newsletter. Maybe you’ve been wanting to talk about a certain topic in publishing for a while, or perhaps there’s a bonus story sitting in your files that’s begging to be taken beyond the page. If you have ideas that don’t come out right on paper or on camera, expressing them aloud might just be the solution. The idea you were about to abandon could attract thousands of listeners eager for something fresh.

Increase Media Credibility

Performing while being recorded, both audio and visual, is a skill that is harder to master than it looks. From speaking volume to camera etiquette (depending if the podcast is audio-only or not), podcasts can serve as a lower-stakes practice opportunity that will equip you with the confidence to navigate on-screen appearances with ease.

Gain a Fresh Creative Outlet

Authors are rarely one-note creatives, so a podcast could be an exciting creative endeavor beyond the page. The process of brainstorming and creating content could even galvanize your writing and kick writers’ block to the curb.