Spreaker Interviews Scarborough Dude of DicksnJanes!

Canadian podcaster and teacher Scarborough Dude hosts DicksnJanes, a free-spirited podcast of stream of consciousness monologue that really feels like talking with a good friend. Listen in to SD’s audio clip of how he got into podcasting, how he makes his content, the future of podcasting, and more. Here are some bullet points from the interview:

• No, Scarborough Dude is not his real name. It was given to him by Montreal friends, and it simply stuck. Now it seems that the nickname has grown into a character he uses for podcasting.
• The name of his show, DicksnJanes,  comes from the names of the characters from the series of readers so many of us grew up with. It’s a generic, universal term that can refer to anyone out there.
• SD became inspired to podcast when he read an article on Adam Curry in Wired. Though not a self-proclaimed geek, the format seemed easy enough. He finally took the plunge when Bob and AJ of the Bob and AJ Show gave him, let’s say, some “encouragement.”
• DicksnJanes is about 340 episodes in now. Just how does he go about creating his content? Hitting record and just letting it happen. All shows are unscripted and allow for his stream of consciousness to flow. He prefers recording in parks than in offices, and  follows his “10 second rule”: as soon as he’s comfortable, he hits record. No rehearsing or planning involved, it’s just him and his conversation. He records in 15-20 minutes blocks over a week until he reaches 45-50 minutes of content in total, puts it into GarageBand, and peppers the podcast with songs connecting to the monologue. Once 60 minutes is reached, it’s up in his blog.
• In order to get comfortable in front of microphone just don’t think about it. His mindset is zen-like: simply put, just don’t worry about it. The sound should be of high quality, but otherwise take it easy – the more self-conscious you are the worse it is.
• SD’s keyword: authenticity. From the point of view of an amateur, podcasting is all about the passion and the joy of doing it, not for the monetizing. Those who stick with you and listen in do so because they feel a part of an intimate conversation. Find your niche, get comfortable with yourself, speak in your own voice, and just record – it’s free! If you don’t like it, just try again.
• Use social media to meet other people who love the same things you do. Attend conferences, visit podcamps, Twitter gatherings, and anything else you find. Lots of creativity comes from meeting and interacting with people in real life.
• Podcasting really is a movement, a chance to reclaim the voice of the individual. It allows the little guy to express what is important to him. It’s one on one communication, of hearing a person’s true voice, whether or not you agree with him or her.

Thanks Scarborough Dude, it was a pleasure!