After the interview is done and I’m ready to begin working on the episode, this is the process I work through every time.

Step 1: Listen back to a few seconds of tape in your DAW and assess for sound quality. If needed, apply noise reduction and declick plugins and adjust EQ to remove echo—but only if doing so preserves the clarity of the recording. Sometimes too many plugins and EQ adjustments can make the tape sound muddy. Remember that these are just initial adjustments, and you’ll have the opportunity to make more later. Export the adjusted track as a .wav file.

Step 2: Import the .wav into Descript. Automatically transcribe and detect speakers.

Step 3: Remove filler words (In the Descript file menu: Edit>Remove Filler Words>Apply to All).

Step 4: Set a timer for no more than 15 minutes and do visual edits, removing the following:

• Chitchat before and after the interview

• Long pauses

Step 5: Export the transcript or copy and paste the transcript into a Google Doc.

Step 6: The Post-it note exercise and writing script.

Step 7: Reorder interview tape.

Step 8: Record VO.

Step 9: Import VO .wav file into Descript.

Step 10: Compile episode copying and pasting VO and interview tape into a single composition in Descript to match the script I’ve written in my Google doc.

Step 11: Put on headphones and listen through start to finish, tightening up spaces, replacing audible breaths and mouth clicks with room tone, and cutting tape as needed.

Step 12: Highlight one voice at a time and export as a .wav. Label exported files in the order that they will appear in the episode (note: see video for compiling an episode in a DAW for an example of this).

Step 13: Import each file into DAW, ensuring that each voice has its own track.

Step 14: set a timer for 15 minutes and search for music on Storyblocks or other royalty-free music library. Try searching different ways. Sometimes searching by genre, instrumentation, or duration can yield more varied results than searching by mood.

Step 15: Create at least 2 tracks in DAW for music. Working quickly, import music choices and select ~3-7 tracks to use for the episode.

Step 16: Adjust music tracks as needed, using fades or cuts when appropriate.

Step 17: Listen back and pay special attention to what is happening in the audio when music tracks start and stop. Adjust as needed.

Step 18: Check volume levels. Make sure that if I turn the volume down soft enough to barely be able to distinguish the vocal tracks, I can still hear the music. Make sure transitions sound smooth.

Step 19: Export file as .mp3 and upload to hosting platform.

Step 20: Crack open a beer!