Podcast, the Second Series

As I've finished the First Series of the Authentic Podcast ~ and apologies to those who recorded with me but did not seen that recording published, or those for who technical problems made connection possible ~ I am ready to talk about the next series.

It is not going to be more of the same. There probably is something more to gain out from examining the personal experiences of DMs (and someone ought to see a doctoral thesis in it), but I'm ready to move on. Here is what I propose, in two parts:

1. Tell your story of a campaign or an incident that took place while you were a player or a DM in a campaign (though I prefer from the player`s perspective). Take your time to explain the characters or the players involved, as much of the back story that you think is relevant and most importantly what happened. DMs are told that, before the campaign, they should "create a story"; let's instead look at those stories after the fact, when they've ceased to be the DM's agenda and have become the player's memory.

2.  Talk about what's happening in the campaign that you're involved with right now.  Feel free to support it with backstory, talk about how you got to where you are, and about what you expect, or hope, will happen in the near future.

The descriptions should be honest, descriptive ... and judgmental, if need be.  Authentic game play has always included both praising and talking trash about DMs and Other Players: though obviously, I must insist we leave names out of it.  Our agenda here is threefold: a) to depict what sort of games we're playing; b) to describe how those games affected us emotionally; c) and what about those games worked, in terms of their effect on (a) and (b).  We can't do that if we're tripping over politeness, so feel free to unleash on a DM or a Player who screwed up a gaming experience.

If a participant in the podcast wants to do so about my game, then I shall provide that participant with a platform, and give them a fair voice.  But it must be a player of any of my campaigns, and the content must apply to game events ~ not personal grudges having to do with me personally, my blog or my comments moderation.  Please know that you'll be saying these things while in conversation to me, and that I will do my level best not to bark, bite or cast discouragement.

Obviously, the podcast should not all be negative.  I encourage participants to speak with Great Praise about any game experience they've had, because obviously these are equally important and more common that we can imagine.

I hope to begin scheduling for recording starting in August.  Contributions from participants must be at least 4 minutes in length (I will be splicing together multiple short accounts to create a full podcast, in most cases), and so I will be requesting a simple application:

Please write out two pages of what you intend to say.  This can be structured sentences, or it can be mere notes.  I don't need to see the actual words, I only need to have evidence that you've thought out the concept ahead of time and that you're ready to talk for four minutes, at least (you can talk for four hours, if you keep my attention).  Feel free to write out the two pages long-hand or on computer.  If written, take a picture of it, or send the file to alexiss1@telus.net.  Once I see the proof of content, I'll put your name on the list for interviewing.

Best of luck.  I look forward to your helping me to create this second series of podcasts.