Ignore the two-week-old date. This is just something I’m throwing into the feed for fun. No music, intros, etc. Just a discussion based on the previous blog post about the changes I’m planning.

The AIJ Podcast Testing System [ 19:16 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The time is fast approaching for me to shake up the old creative output channels. I am growing increasingly comfortable with the idea of publishing my own writing, and the work ethic that kind of venture entails. But clearly that’s not the only creative work in which I am engaged.

I also must consider the future of all my creative audio endeavors, whether that be podcasting, audio dramas or podcast novels. Of the three, podcast novels are the lowest on the priority scale. After all, those novels will eventually be released electronically, in some cases also in print, and I don’t see the need to plan on releasing audio versions of the same. This does not mean I’m ditching The Last Guardians. More on that later.

I want to continue podcasting. It’s how I built my audience initially, it’s a great platform for an author to build a community around their work, and I still see an opportunity to expand that audience. As I discussed at some length on The Adventures of Indiana Jim, one of the keys to successful podcasting is niche focus. A show with specific content targeted to a niche audience provides clarity when someone searches for a podcast to listen to. A show that lacks a clear focus struggles to attract an audience. People searching for podcasts tend to look with an eye toward a specific subject matter.

This is something I’ve never been able to provide. When I started with The As-Yet Untitled Podcast, I had no idea what I was doing. When I changed to Things Are Looking Up, I branded myself a positive thinker, the answer to the cynics, but search algorithms aren’t based on philosophy. I still was all over the map content-wise. With The Adventures of Indiana Jim, I centered the style around an image, me in the hat with my microphone whip and a mischievous smirk (With thanks to Devin Cox for the image). Of late the content has centered on writing, books, author interviews and general geekdom. But it’s all very vague and it’s nothing if not subject to random fits of inspiration.

All of that is about to change.

The Adventures of Indiana Jim will become the brand, an umbrella underneath which multiple specific podcast properties will emerge:

1. There will be a show geared specifically toward the aspiring writer, chronicling my own journey in storytelling and into independent publishing.
2. I will have a show devoted to the discussion of other authors’ works, as I still have a strong appetite for purchasing books. I’ll have reviews as well as roundtable discussions with other book lovers.
3. Movie and Television franchises will have their place as well. This podcast will be geared toward geeking out on all our favorite film franchises and TV shows, old and new alike. Those random tangents on midichlorians will be featured here!
4. I’m considering the prospects of doing a general interest show directed at an audience of Christian believers. This one may, in fact, resurrect the title Things are Looking Up. Literally.
5. The 49ers Fancast, already reaching a devoted following, will be under this umbrella.

Each will be one of several “adventures” of Indiana Jim. Graphically, each show’s artwork will feature some sort of iconography designating it as within the same family. Each will have its own seperate feed and iTunes listing. As for other flights of fancy and random acts of bit comedy, those will be reserved for longtime listeners who stay subscribed to the master feed.

You may think this looks like an awful lot of work, and no doubt it can be. But in this multitude of properties comes a clarity for my ADD-riddled brain. Currently there is one show, released sporadically, for God-knows-what-duration, covering whatever random thoughts I might be having at the time. This isn’t working, and it sure as heck can’t be boiled down to good metadata for the search engines.

Instead each recording session will be focused on one topic. One segment. One discussion. Sometimes stream of consciousness, sometimes written down. Instead of trying to find multiple topics for one episode and trying to group them together, I will know exactly where each thought is going to go as they come to me. This is an exercise in compartmentalization, something I desperately need to practice.

What will happen to the current Adventures of Indiana Jim? Nothing, really. Subscribers to the current feed will see the same content on the same site in the same feed. In fact, nothing will change on the site itself. WordPress really makes all of this very simple, with the ability to automatically generate a feed for a specific category. The only difference is you’ll see some new artwork, hear some new intro/outro bumpers, and get a much more streamlined experience. It will take some work, and it will start slowly, but it will be done.

What will happen with The Last Guardians? Now that I know what I’m doing with the rest of my life, I can focus on getting the project done. I can carve out some time in every day to work on it, all the while plotting and planning for future audio endeavors. The Last Guardians will be my priority until it is finished.

Wish me luck. I’ve stapled my fedora to my head… because this adventure is about to get rough!

A general update about the state of things in Indy-land.

Standard Podcast [ 19:46 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Talking about the vast changes in the publishing landscape, which seemed to have happened very quickly.  Talking about Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, and a new find for my regular reading, the blog of David Gaughran.  Specifically, I talk about a couple disturbing things I heard an author say, and a blog post David Gaughran wrote on the demise of Borders.  It’s a new Golden Age for writers.  Let’s not be left behind!

Dawn of the Golden Age [ 37:13 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A big episode for you this time. It usually is after a big delay. Among the topics discussed:

- The Last Guardians
- Leaving Farpoint Media
- SOCOM 4

Promo: The Weird Show

In my main topic I’m talking about one of the newest buzzwords in online circles, and that’s “branding.” But I’m not talking about it like every other internet pundit out there. I mean, come on, do you come here for conventional opinions? I play a clip from Cliff Ravenscraft, host of The Podcast Answerman, answering a question regarding gaining exposure for a show covering multiple topics. You can see where it might apply to my show! I talk about how branding applies to what I’m doing, and what possible changes could come in the future.

Adventure #46: Branding in Podcasting and Writing [ 55:00 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Feel free to grab this and place it in your podcast, and I thank you in advance for your support.

This promo is a step forward in my podcasting career.  In April of this year I will celebrate 5 years of podcasting, and over those last 5 years I haven’t exactly been a picture of consistency.  Even with the title!  After experimenting with The As-Yet Untitled Podcast, 2007 saw the title of the show change to Things Are Looking Up.  This was an attempt to counter the cynicism I found rampant in podcasting at the time.  Eventually I decided to name it what I should have named it all along, and now you have The Adventures of Indiana Jim.

This is an imperfect title, and before 2011 is out you may see yet another rebranding of the show, or I may split it into two or three new ones.  I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about branding, and in the next episode I may elucidate more of my thoughts on this.  For now, I will be attempting to get more focused in the content and consistency.  Instead of interviews, I plan on having guests join me for the regular show format, such as it is.  We’ll talk about news from a geek perspective, sort of a catch-all for hot-button topics.

There will be topics that are near and dear to my heart, such as Star Wars fandom or podcasting or fiction.  There will be topics that my guests are more passionate about, and I will probably learn something.  These might be the latest tech, comics, role-playing gaming, etc.  I will still have interviews now and again, as well.

You’ll get repeat appearance from some of your favorite personalities in podcasting, and friends of mine you may not know.  Loyal listeners of mine will still get the same crazy stuff they’ve come to expect, and you’ll still get shows that are just me.  Like the next one will likely be.  Although I already have an idea of exactly who I want to join me.  Jim Ryan will still be a regular fixture as often as he can make it, and remains my A-number-one co-host.

Enjoy the promo, and the rich, booming voice of Dr. John Cmar.  Until our next episode….

Adventures of Indiana Jim 2011 Promo [ 1:25 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

UPDATE: Most files are now available, save for a few older shows and the Things Are Looking Up episodes.

Greetings, fellow adventurers.

On July 7th, 2007, I joined the Farpoint Media family of podcasts.  I had an ongoing relationship with many Farpoint Media podcasters, as well as company principals Michael R. Mennenga, Summer Brooks and Brian Brown.  I had become a fan of Farpoint Media through podcasts such as The DragonPage, Slice of SciFi and others.  Joining them was the logical next step in my podcasting career.  Being a part of Farpoint Media did not bring me any flow of cash, or noticeable boost in subscribers or downloads, but I did enjoy being a part of the club.  I don’t mind saying that all of the shows with Farpoint Media are high-quality, and produced by high-quality people, and I was proud to be associated with them.

That podcasting relationship will be coming to an end as of February 1st.  Unfortunately, I will be unable to sustain changes in their business model, so my podcasts will all be moving on.  This relationship is ending mutually and amicably, and we will all remain friends.

What this means in practical terms is that files will be unavailable for a brief period of time while I consider new hosting options.  I thank you in advance for your patience.

The subject of this discussion is neither sacred nor a cow.  So… take that for what it’s worth.  Feedback and then some ranting.

Promo: Heavy Metal Cowboy

Adventure #45 - Sacred Cows Fear Me [ 42:46 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Talking about all sorts of stuff.  More of “Top 3,” and various other hilarity.

Adventure #44 - Geek Cornucopia Part II [ 45:15 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A Geek cornucopia!  Featuring the following topics:

Geek hypocrisy, guilty pleasure films, historical realism, The Star Wars Special Editions, The Lord of the Rings, Hot Fuzz, The Third Man, zither music… (yeah, I know, right?), Mark Knopfler’s Princess Bride score, bands, musicals and Muppets.

Adventure #43 - Geek Cornucopia Part I [ 48:22 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Jim and Jim discuss the state of RPG’s today.  Jim the second talks about some of his favorite games, while Jim the first pretends to know what Jim the second is talking about.  All this after Jim the first gives an update on books read, books written, and other junk.

Adventure #42 - The State of RPG's [ 35:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Jim Ryan (@otherdoc on Twitter) joins me, host of the podcasts The Great Debate and The Every World News.  And introducing a new segment, which is an old segment, stolen from a good friend who sort of left it hanging there waiting to be used….

Adventure #41 - Double the Jim, Twice the Fun! [ 45:00 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Wha? Yeah, I know.  Talking about the many creative projects forthcoming, a thoroughly uninteresting contest, and discussing exactly what the Star Wars Prequels accomplished.

Standard Podcast [ 37:45 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A discussion with author David J. Williams about his Autumn Rain trilogy, featuring the titles The Mirrored Heavens, The Burning Skies and The Machinery of Light.

Standard Podcast [ 1:04:12 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

You will notice by the file name and hear in my intro this episode is dated March 31.  APRIL FOOLS!  Ha ha ha ha… er… yeah.  In this episode, Slice of Sci Fi Headlines and some helpful advice if you’re starting out a podcast or putting together a creative audio project.

Promo: Star Wars Marvels, Episode Two

Standard Podcast [ 46:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A brief project update, feedback from Scott Roche and Dan Dan the Art Man, and the twenty-six promised minutes of outtakes from my interview with Tee Morris.

Promo: Two-Fisted Tales of Magic from Ted Wade

Standard Podcast [ 51:04 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A special interview with Tee Morris, talking about his newest titles, All A-Twitter and Sam’s Teach Yourself Twitter in Ten Minutes.  53 minutes of discussion about the books and a lot of Social Media philosophy.  In Adventure #38, you’ll get 26 minutes of outtakes about other topics, specifically some of his reaction to Adventure #37, Paragons and Pariahs of the Free Model, so be sure to return for that!

Promo:  The Investigative Author

Standard Podcast [ 58:18 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is a monumental episode.  Jam packed with important discussion about the recent announcement from J.C. Hutchins, that he is quitting the podcast fiction game.  What does it all mean to us?  What do responses from people such as Matt Wallace suggest about our culpability in St. Martin’s Press dropping the 7th Son sequels?  Also, food for thought from Chuck Wendig about how a Podcast Novelist (or other creative person) can move forward from this.  Finally, examining Scott Sigler’s words about how to make it work.  After all, he’s the guy who did it.

Promo: Tuning In To Sci Fi TV

J.C. Hutchins’ Announcement: http://jchutchins.net/site/2010/02/24/an-update-on-the-7th-son-sequels-2010-and-my-creative-plans

Chuck Wendig: http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2010/02/26/writers-down-but-not-out

Matt Wallace: http://www.matt-wallace.com/07-2009/pages/blog/02-26-10.htm

Mark Dykeman: http://broadcasting-brain.com/2010/02/27/free-modelwriting-publishing-struggles-challenges

Mitch Joel interviews J.C.: http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/a-marketing-thriller

Standard Podcast [ 1:06:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Talking about Twitter:  are threaded conversations the next big thing? A review of HootSuite.  Don’t take the social out of my Social Media!  Also a voicemail from Chivalry Bean!

Promo: The Boom Effect

The Twouble With Twitters: http://current.com/items/89891774/twouble_with_twitters.htm

Standard Podcast [ 54:41 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

• Talking about the Amazon flap
• More info about my WARS novellas and the preorder promotion
• The history behind one man singlehandedly trying to ruin Decipher, Inc.
• Your feedback
• More Slice of Sci Fi ranting….

Amazon Fail link salad:  http://www.brandonsanderson.com/blog/865/Amazonfail-2010-Mythmaker-Interview-Updates

Grail Quest Books pre-order promotion:  http://grailquestbooks.com/main/special-features/gqb-pre-order-promotion/

Official press release regarding WARS novellas:  http://grailquestbooks.com/main/gqb-news/wars-battle-of-phobos-graphic-novella-series-coming-this-summer/

The story behind the embezzlement, complete with official court documents:  http://www.embezzlementfromdecipher.com/

Adventure #35 - PO-TA-TOES [ 54:55 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download