5 minute read - shorter than hunting through your notebook for the page where you definitely wrote that idea down.

---

Do you ever get to the end of the day Reader and think,

"I'm sure there was something I was supposed to do...I just can’t put my finger on it!"

Feed the cat? Pack the kids lunch? Renew your car insurance? Remember to eat?

Whatever it was, it's gone! Buried underneath the hundred other things you've had to think about today.

When it comes to creating a podcast alongside everything else life chucks at you, it can sometimes feel like you're always spinning plates.

I'm sooo feeling that at the minute.

I’m trying to take my first proper holiday since last spring, but before I can do any sort of relaxing, there’s quite a few things to get across the line.

One of the things on my desk is an absolute, wonderfully huge podcast project.

We're turning more than 100 hours of recorded audio into six narrative podcast episodes. There are six super talented co-producers involved, a lovely team here at MIC, multiple rounds of feedback and sign-off, editing, artwork, scheduling and a series of deadlines that absolutely do not care that I'd quite like a week off and drink sangria.

People often ask me what microphone we use at MIC media, what software we edit in, or how we record our podcasts.

They're all good questions and really useful to know.

But the question nobody asks is:

"How do you actually manage that sort of project?"

Because this is the most hardest bit, BUT the most important.

The recording is the fun part.

Managing hundreds of little moving parts without dropping one is where the proper challenge begins.

So this week, I thought I'd show you how the sausage is made.

Now, a wee warning...

This is probably the least sexy thing I've ever shared in this newsletter.

I actually nearly didn't write about it because I thought, "Nobody wants to read about Gantt charts."

But then I had a word with myself.

This little spreadsheet has become one of the most useful tools we use at MIC. It's the reason those spinning plates don't come crashing to the floor.

So I thought, sod it.

If it's useful to us, it might be useful to you too as you plan your new podcast.

The Gantt Chart

Stick with me please.

This isn't for everyone. If you reckon you'll be happy running your podcast from a notebook, Trello board, Notes app or the back of a leccy bill and it's working brilliantly, crack on.

But, whether you're planning your very first episode or just at the idea stage, there's a surprising number of moving parts.

So, if you've ever found yourself wondering where to start, or feeling overwhelmed by everything that goes into making a podcast, this might just become your new best pal.

A Gantt chart is simply a visual timeline of your project.

It gets everything out of your head and into one place, so you can see exactly what's happening, who's responsible for it and when it needs doing.

Here's how I build mine.

I use a blank Google Sheet…

1. List Every Task Down The Left-hand Side

Don't just write "Produce podcast."

Break it right down into every single action that needs to happen.

For example, the task is not just "Interview". Mine would look more like:

• Shortlist guests
• Approach guests
• Finalise bookings
• Send recording information
• Research the topic
• Draft interview questions
• Send talking points
• Record interview
• Upload audio
• Send for transcription

And that's just one tiny part of the project.

The same goes for editing, artwork, approvals, marketing and publishing.

Every podcast production is really just hundreds of little actions stitched together.

Breaking everything down into small, actionable tasks means you're far less likely to miss something important, and it feels much less overwhelming than one great big task called "Produce podcast".

2. Add Your Timeline Across The Top

This is simply your calendar.

You might work in months if you want a general overview.

Weeks if you like a bit more detail.

Or even individual days if you want to get more granular.

Whatever works for your brain, project-size and podcast.

3. Block Out When Each Task Is Happening

This is what turns it into a Gantt chart.

Simply shade the cells to show when each task will happen.

If guest research takes three days, colour those three days.

If editing takes a week, colour that week.

Before long you'll have a visual timeline of your whole project and you'll be able to see, at a glance, exactly what's happening when.

4. Work Backwards From The Finish Line

This is probably my biggest tip.

Rather than asking, "What do I need to do today?", start with the deadline.

When does your episode need to be live?

Then work backwards.

If it goes out on a Tuesday, editing needs to be finished before then. Which means recording needs to happen before that. Which means your guest needs confirming before that.

Before long, the whole project starts mapping itself out.

5. Assign Who's Doing What

This is where it becomes really useful if you're working with a team.

I can see, dead easily, who's responsible for each task, who's waiting for feedback and who's got a bit too much on their plate.

6. Spot The Dependencies

This is the clever bit.

Some jobs simply can't happen until another one has been finished.

You can't edit until you've recorded.

You can't upload until everyone's signed it off.

You can't publish the episode artwork until the artwork actually exists.

Seeing those dependencies laid out means you spot bottlenecks before they become a problem.

7. Block Out Real Life Too

One thing I always do is shade out holidays, annual leave and days when people aren't available.

There's no point scheduling editing for a week when your editor is hiking up a mountain somewhere.

It makes your plan much more realistic and stops you accidentally promising deadlines that were never achievable in the first place.

Here’s One of Mine

This is a version of one of our podcast production plans at MIC.

This one's a monthly overview, which helps me see the whole project at a glance. For tighter deadlines, I'll often zoom right in and plan by week or even by day.

I built this one in Google Sheets because it's simple and the whole team can access it, but Excel works just as well. There are also loads of free Gantt chart templates online, and project management tools like Asana, Monday.com and ClickUp all have Gantt chart views too.

The software isn't really the important bit. It's having one place where you can see everything that's happening.

One Last Thing...

This isn't just something I knocked together for this project.

We create one of these for every single podcast production we deliver at MIC.

Because, from experience, we know the smoother the planning, the more headspace we've got to focus on the fun, creative stuff.

Whether it's a six-part narrative series, an interview show or a branded podcast, every project starts life with one.

It means everyone knows what they're responsible for, what depends on something else happening first, and where we are in the project at any given moment.

It keeps the team sane.

(Well... as sane as a team of podcast producers can be.)

I told you this wasn't going to be a sexy newsletter.

But then again, no one's ever gone viral because of a beautifully colour-coded spreadsheet.

What it has done is save my bacon more times than I can count and it might save yours!

---

Cool Things For You

Gantt charts or Checklist?

The good news is you don't have to choose.

A Gantt chart is brilliant for seeing the bigger picture: what needs doing, when it needs doing and how everything fits together.

A checklist is brilliant for making sure you don't miss the little things along the way. Especially when you're planning a new podcast.

In fact, you can even use your Gantt chart as a checklist, ticking tasks off as you go.

But, if one look at a Gantt chart makes you think, "Absolutely not pal," I've got you covered.

I've turned the exact checklists we use at MIC into The Podcaster's Checklist.

Inside you'll find:

• A podcast planning checklist
• An episode production checklist
• An episode and guest ideas tracker
• A simple way to keep track of tasks and deadlines

👉 Grab The Podcaster's Checklist for just £5​

Cool Things For You x2

Find Your Podcasting People

Podcasting can be a bit lonely sometimes.

Unless you've got podcasting pals already, there's not many people who understand the excitement of a great interview, the frustration of editing audio for hours, or why you're obsessing over your episode title.

That's exactly why we started MIC's Podcast Club.

Once a month, podcasters from across the world jump on Zoom to ask questions, share ideas, solve problems and have a proper natter about all things podcasting.

It's not formal at all, there's no pitching, or any podcast bros telling you they've got the secret to a million downloads.

Just a lovely bunch of indie podcasters helping each other make better podcasts.

Whether you're looking for feedback, trying to grow your audience, planning your next series, stressing with editing, or simply fancy meeting people who 'get it', you'll be made to feel very welcome.

Charles Commins (from It's All Cobblers To Me - which during the current football fun is called 'It's All World Cup To Me') and I host it every month, and we'd love to see you there.

📅 Tuesday 8th July 🕕 6pm–8pm (UK time) 👉 RSVP here​

---

That's it for this week's newsletter.

It's given you a little peek behind the scenes at how we actually manage podcast productions here at MIC.

I hope you've pinched an idea or two to make your own podcasting life a little easier when you get there.

Next week, I want to know which podcasts you've been loving lately.

So get your recommendations ready!

I'll see you then.

Vic x