EnCrypted: Classic Horror Podcast UPDATES!

 

Well...with 17 official podcast episodes plus two bonus episodes and a new channel trailer (on YouTube) the EnCrypted Classic Horror Podcast has achieved a landmark "20 individual bits and bobs" since launching in April. So, while I prepare the next few episodes, here's a short(ish) channel catch-up from me.

I didn't really have much idea what to expect in terms of audience growth, and joining podcasting groups on Facebook where members boast of 1000 downloads in their first week doesn't seem particularly helpful. Nor does comparing oneself to YouTube channels making similar content, since they've usually been doing it for longer, and have far more videos driving viewers to their channels. 

To be honest, I didn't really know there were quite as many people doing these "narrations" as there are.  I assumed it would be a niche thing.  Maybe it is, but it is a very well-served niche.

Right now, I feel like I've been investing a lot of time and effort in not only making the episodes sound as good as they do (researching the stories, reading them several times to pick up the nuances and develop the "soundscape" and overall tone of the episode, recording them, editing out all the fluffs, gulps, swallows, unnecessary pauses, adding the sound effects and music, mastering them, uploading them) but also in the presentation and marketing (video thumbs, pod art, episode descriptions, attributions, blog posts, social media posts etc.). And, at the moment, it feels like a bit of an uphill battle. Creatively fulfilling, but uphill all the same, especially as I'm doing this in my (limited) spare time, often having to work when everyone else has shuffled off to bed and the house is quiet.

That said, I've welcomed a number of new subscribers in the last few days alone and some have been kind enough to show their appreciation with a Ko-Fi donation. Others have left encouraging comments on the YouTube videos. This has made me feel that, despite what seems like slow progress, things are actually progressing!

And that's enough waffle from me. Here's that housekeeping I mentioned:

Patreon

Just because it's what everyone else seems to do, I've set up a Patreon page for anyone who feels particularly disposed to being a long-term supporter of the show. It's a basic "pay what you like" set-up at the moment (no membership tiers) and in return for support members will be able to access exclusive content not available on other channels. There's already an unreleased reading of "On The Brighton Road" and, if it takes off, I will release more bonus episodes, original stories, remixes, and special content I haven't even thought of yet (interviews, discussions, relaxing stories, non-horror stories...)

You can find out more on my Patreon page. 

For anyone who follows the show and just wants to say thanks with a one-off "tip jar" contribution you can still do this on Ko-Fi*.

TikTok

I heard about #booktok on TikTok being the hashtag for people discussing and promoting books so I've been trying my hand at that and, somewhat amazingly, my handful of half-baked posts have attracted new subscribers. It's a bit of fun and, if you want to catch up with me there, this is my TikTok.

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. 

Coming up soon...

I'm quite fickle so my plans for what stories to do change when I read something new that takes my fancy. But definitely coming up in the near future are The Cone - a pretty ghastly tale of infidelity and revenge by H.G. Wells - and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's classic The Yellow Wallpaper. Other stories in the pipeline include some more by H.P. Lovecraft and M.R. James, a Conan-Doyle, one by F. Marion-Crawford, some Algernon Blackwood. Because I like them, probably some more Saki too - although I may reserve some of the less obviously "horrific" ones for the Patreon exclusives.

I'm also already planning what to do on the podcast for Halloween and Christmas. Expect some "specials" and appropriately seasonal content.

Anyway, that's all from me for now. The main purpose of this post was to share the new YouTube channel trailer (above) which I think gives a nice flavour of what's been happening on the podcast.

And finally

If you have any ideas for stories you'd like to hear on the show, or ideas and comments more generally, or collaboration opportunities, or you just want to reach out, please feel free to contact me at encryptedpod@gmail.com (or use the contact form on this blog page).

Thank you kindly,

Jasper

*For the time being you can also buy me a coffee on Buy Me A Coffee but it feels like Ko-Fi is the one that most people use and BMAC seems like an actual ghost town.