Summary: <br> <br> Back in December of 2014, <a href="http://annkroeker.com/2014/12/08/writing-life-episode-1-just-get-started/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">my first podcast episode</a> spoke to listeners. I preached to myself, as well.<br> <br> The message? Just get started.<br> You Only Need to Know 'Enough'<br> I’d been putting off podcasting for years. There was a wave of interest in podcasting a few years prior to 2014, and I felt like I’d missed that wave.<br> <br> But the opportunity stirred again. People in the online world were buzzing about podcasts and podcasting yet again, and I realized a second wave was swelling. Perhaps I could ride the wave this time, I thought.<br> <br> Now, I’m not too good on the water—<a href="http://annkroeker.com/2007/03/25/grow-as-a-writer-live-life-take-risks-and-waterski/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I survived a spectacular wipeout while waterskiing</a> when I was in my early 20s. Thankfully, I’m only using that as an analogy. I saw it as a risk—launching a writing coach podcast felt as scary as pulling on those skis. The fear felt the same. But I decided to dig in and do it anyway.<br> <br> I decided to do minimal, just-in-time research and then jump right in even if I didn’t think I knew enough.<br> <br> I was tempted to have every duck in a row, but if I waited for that, I knew I would wait another week, another month, another year. I knew I just needed to know enough. I could get answers along the way.<br> <br> To be honest, at the time I was kind of mad at myself for missing out before, so I was determined to move forward no matter what.<br> Start with What You Have<br> I couldn’t find a straightforward "podcasting for dummies" kind of tutorial. Those came a few months or a year after I started. I read what was out there, tried to figure out the basics, and jumped in with the equipment I had on hand. A couple of questions remained unanswered, but I forged ahead.<br> <br> I used my smartphone and a little earpiece speaker I use for making phone calls. I pulled that very first audio file into GarageBand, did some light editing, uploaded it to my podcast host, and with that, I started.<br> <br> Those first few episodes, I was nervous. The quality was adequate, but not professional.<br> <br> And I did make a couple of mistakes behind the scenes. I was kind of upset and anxious about them for a week or so until a kind and patient person at Blubrry—that’s my podcast host—explained my options, helped me decide what to do, and walked me through next steps. Problem solved.<br> <br> Basically, I had to re-brand the podcast because I couldn’t change the name without starting over. But the point is that even with the mistake, I was able to meet my ultimate goal, which was to get content out there—audio content—that could help writers. I didn’t wait another day and I didn’t waste another opportunity.<br> <br> About a year later I heard the term “minimum viable product” for the first time and realized, “Ah! That’s how I got myself in motion!" That microphone was okay—it met my minimum standard. If I’d waited until I saved up for a nicer mic before starting, I might have missed the wave.<br> <br> <br> Get the First Pancake Out of the Way<br> Whatever it is you’ve been dreaming of doing? Do it. Start it. Grab your computer keyboard and type the first words of that novel. Set your phone on a shelf and record your first Facebook Live. Grab your camera and snap a first few photos for Instagram. Set up a website and start publishing articles.<br> <br> Have you heard of <a href="http://paidtoexist.com/the-first-pancake-rule/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the first pancake rule?</a> I love it because I’ve literally seen its truth in action. Every time I make pancakes—or crepes—the first one or two are kind of misshapen and unappealing, though they taste just fine.<br> <br>
