Throughout the semester, I had the opportunity to work on various podcast episodes that allowed me to learn about audio editing and storytelling techniques. For this assignment, I chose five episodes that showcase my growth in this area. Between each episode, I reflected on what I did well and what I needed to improve on in the next episode.

One of the things I learned early on was the importance of the interview process. In my Peer Interview episode, I focused on asking open-ended questions that allowed my interviewee to tell her story in her own words. In Audio Playground 1, I experimented with sound effects and music to add depth and emotion to the episode.

In the Audio Postcard episode, I focused on creating a clear storyline and using sound bites to convey the emotion and message of the story. However, in the second Audio Playground episode, I realized that I needed to work on pacing and structure. I felt as though when telling my story through a list format, it was too quickly paced and didn’t give the listener enough time to think about what I was saying.

Finally, in Soundscape 1, I focused on the sounds around me to create an immersive experience for the listener. I realized that sound can be just as powerful as words in telling a story.

Overall, this course has taught me the basics of audio editing, including how to use Garageband, what to include in an intro and outro, and how to pick out the most essential story pieces from an interview. I also learned that storytelling through podcasts involves having a conversation with an interviewee and then carefully selecting the most engaging and informative parts of that conversation.

This assignment allowed me to reflect on my growth in audio editing and storytelling techniques over the course of the semester. I am excited to continue to develop my skills in this area and produce engaging and informative podcast episodes.