Podcasting Luminary: Terry Fallis

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Our Podcasting Luminaries Series features podcasters that have been producing content for at least 6 years and sometimes more! In the world of podcasting consistency and longevity are two of the most elusive and coveted qualities. Learn tips and insight about podcasting plus get inspired by how podcasting has served as a launching point for greatness

Terry Fallis has been navigating the world of podcasting since 2006, starting off delving into the world of Public Relations and continuing by voicing his award winning and highly successful novels. He is currently in the midst of podcasting his latest novel, Up and Downwhich McClelland & Stewart will publish next month.

Terry Fallis is the author of The Best Laid Plans, and The High Road, satirical novels of Canadian politics. His debut novel (TBLP) was originally self-published in 2007 and won the 2008 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour. Then McClelland & Stewartpublished TBLP in September 2008.

He also won the Gold Medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards in the Regional Fiction – Canada East category. In 2010, the Waterloo Region chose The Best Laid Plans as the One Book, One Communityselection.

In February, 2011, The Best Laid Plans was crowned the winner of CBC Canada Reads as the “essential Canadian novel of the decade.” In November 2011,CBC-Television announced that The Best Laid Plans is indevelopment as a six-part TV miniseries.


Fun, Fame or Profit? Why are you doing the show?

My first podcast, Inside PR, was really for fun and to explore the emerging world of podcasting and social media. My podcast novels were and are intended to build an audience for my writing in the hopes that satisfied listeners might actually remove their ear buds and buy the novels in their printed form.

When did you start podcasting?

I started podcasting in April 2006 when a colleague and I created the public relations podcast known as Inside PR. It was and remains a weekly podcast. I gave up the microphone in the spring of 2010 after four years and over 200 episodes, though the show continues.

In January 2007, prior to publication, I podcast my first novel, The Best Laid Plans, chapter by chapter. In the summer of 2010, I podcast my second novel, The High Road, in the same fashion. Currently, I’m in the middle of podcasting my third novel, Up and Down, chapter by chapter even though it won’t hit bookstore shelves until later in September.

Why did you start podcasting?

Initially, we started the Inside PR podcast as a way to explore the emerging world of social media while giving back to our profession.

Podcasting my novels has always been about building and sustaining an audience for my writing. I truly believe that by giving away the audio version of my novels for free and building a following behind them, I have actually sold more copies of the printed book.

What is your most memorable feedback from a listener?

It was a thrilled to receive an email sent from a listener stuck in a massive traffic jam in Shanghai who had just listened to and enjoyed Chapter 9 of my first novel podcast a mere 90 minutes after I uploaded from my Toronto home.

What’s your podcasting setup? Hardware, software, CMS, etc.

I record using an Apex radio-style condenser mic through a Samsung Zoom H4 digital recorder. I then edit and produce each chapter in Audacity before exporting as an mp3 for uploading to Libsyn and my blog

What has changed the most in your recording setup since you started?

At the very beginning back in 2006, we used to record through a four track board right into our computer. But eventually we discovered we get the best sound quality recording through condenser mics into a good quality digital recorder (in my case, a Samsung H4 Zoom) and then editing/producing in Audacity.

How have you promoted your podcast?

I use various social media platforms to promote the Up and Down podcast, including Facebook, Twitter, and my blog at www.terryfallis.com.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started?

I’m glad I figured out that when I make a mistake when recording a chapter, I should just keep the same recording going rather than stopping and then starting again, thereby ensuring that I am left with only one track to edit rather than many to piece together.

How has or has podcasting helped create opportunities for you?

The positive listener feedback to my first podcast novel gave me the resolve to self publish which led to winning one of Canada’s oldest and most prestigious literary award, the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, and then the CBC’s Canada Reads competition. So I think podcasting really helped to change my life as a writer.


What are you waiting for? Go subscribe to Terry’s UNRELEASED novel (at the time of this writing) Up and Down! If you want to reach out to Terry you can do so at tfallis(at)gmail(dot)com.


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