Pros V. Schmoes

We will do what we know we have to do legally to promote and learn about ourselves and what others think of our ideas.

I'll keep adding those sites where I'm getting feedback on this site to my post about promoting the site and ourselves, this is just another way to stay connected and link everything together.

Here is a link to the post created for promoting us and the contest.

http://www.publicradioquest.com/node/1987

Please feel free to introduce yourself and post links to your sites that you have promoted yourself and the contest.

Peace and Blessings,

Sincerely,

Gary

http://www.publicradioquest.com/node/1188

Excellent feedback or outside discussions can be found here;

http://www.publicradioquest.com/node/1987

Case by case basis for me. Some of my very favorites are people who are new to radio. But flat-out Sleeves rocks and he's been doing his thing for a while. It's all about the individual, I think.

-kb

Looking for answers? After checking out my submission here you can find them on www.prx.org/pieces/18374.

The ability to sound good on-mic (or on-camera) and be completely unscripted is exceedingly rare. There's a reason why improv shows are pretty uncommon on the air, and even then they tend to be pretty hit or miss. Even stand-up comedians usually have a complete script prepared beforehand, they're just going off memory.

There's a reason why the pros make it look easy - they bust their asses preparing beforehand!

I've exchanged some emails with some people here, but oddly, I feel kind of like I've been invited to a party and everyone knows one another except me.

Anyway, here's my thoughts about this:

I think what is causing so much of the angst in these threads is that people really want there to be "one right way" to do a submission. That way they can say, "Oh, their submission was good, but they didn't follow rule #123.45 and so they are disqualified!"

Or, maybe people are feeling insecure because they put themselves out there and the wait to find out if they "passed or failed" is excruciating...so knowing that they stuck to the rules makes them feel better.

Elizabeth Venable had some great comments in her "Layman/Laywoman" thread. I really think the purpose of this contest is to expose us to one another. Yeah, it'd be awesome if I won--but think about this:

There are 250 million people in the U.S. Out of that, only 1,368 of us entered this contest. A contest that was free to enter and publicized everywhere.

What does that mean? I'm not exactly sure, but I think it means something cool. I feel pretty stoked that I'm even in this contest and part of the mania.

The bottom line is that this contest is being judged by people---individuals that don't know you at all. They are going to make a judgement about you based on a two-minute audio clip. You can't take that personally. This is the nature of any contest. We've all seen contests where the people we KNEW were superior lost because of the judges opinions.

When it comes down to it--there's no one right way to do an entry. I've heard some entries that were awesome---and they hadn't even had a single comment. Others have had many comments and I thought they were just "ok".

I've actively gone out and petitioned for votes from my friends and family--but mostly because I want them to know what I'm up to and get excited abotu the contest too.

Someone like Tattoo Todd--I mean, who can compete with that? He's a podcaster with a HUGE fan base! I'm certainly not counting on my "fans" (har.) to catapult me to the top of the People's Choice category.

Annnnyway. One final word about self-promotion: Yes. It is out of hand in this country. But this is a talent contest. The entire premise of it IS self-promotion. So, yeah, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Thanks. :-)

ADQ

Please and Thank You for your Vote:
http://www.publicradioquest.com/audio/user/6914

Keep on rockin' in the free world.

http://www.publicradioquest.com/audio/user/3839

Sleep? Is anyone really sleeping?
This is site is more addictive than online dating.

I go to bed looking at the ceiling asking myself what if I fail, or worse yet, what if I succeed? I get up. I sneak downstairs and check to see what's going on without me. It must be a throw back of growing up with 5 kids and desparately not wanting to be left out.

Even as I type, my dinner is on the table getting cold because, well, this is more interesting than leftovers.

Sweet Dreams if you can catch them, Jim!

Sally

At one point in my life, I thought I wanted to be a politician (or privately, planning to tbe the great statesman who led his country into the new age). If you think two minutes of self promotion is distasteful, don't run for office. I had to do it for eight weeks! Presenting that clip live for every ladies' club and newshound in the county, trying to convince them you were the next Abe Lincoln (minus that theater incident, of course). I hated it! Especially the oh so necessary door to door sales routine.
Jim Barfuss
http://www.publicradioquest.com/user/2824

“It is not success to succeed at being something you are not.”

P.S. Sally, thank you sooo much for that Garrison Keillor in drag image. How am I ever going to sleep tonight?

I'm thinking the difference between self-promotion and being hosty is focus. You can be out there telling people to listen to you and if it's because you are passionate about your cause and then I say, "Good on you."

But if the show is the YOU show...unless you are 112 and have been to both poles, I can't imagine what you would have to say about yourself past the 2 min. I've already heard.

Go ahead and promote your entry if you care about WHAT and WHO you can help as a result of your life on the airwaves.

Sally (I'm half way to being interesting) Franz

But realize this: I couldn't be more sincere than what I want to say about this subject.

I'm not a judge. I don't know what the judges are looking for and I'm not privy to the judges' world, so I can't speak on their behalf. I'm pretty sure I'm not as creative or experienced as any of the judges - just understand that this is based completely and entirely on how I feel...

As I listen to each entry and read profiles, the person either grabs me or she/he doesn't. Well-produced pieces are pleasant sometimes, some times they sound so perfect... and sometimes they sound like car sales commericals... but still, the person grabs me or doesn't.

Sometimes the person and the story are so compelling that I listen more than once (sometimes several times over a period of days). It is these people who have my vote - irrespective of whether they did a story concept, produced their "show" to the nines, or had sounds in their recordings.

Shelly, Sally, Brian, and all the others... your pieces are good because of YOU. Simply that. You.

Jimmy
----
Here, I'm speaking in the node:
http://www.publicradioquest.com/node/197
I made a tune for you the PRTQ! http://jimmybearpearson.com/prtq.php.
Inquiring Bears want to know! (SM)(TM)(C)(R)(MIC)(KEY)(MO)(USE)

I took advantage of my profile page to give details about myself so I ended under 2 minutes. Mostly because I can't stand to hear myself talk about me. I know this is the age of "mecasting" but it still feels strange.

I did want to talk about what's driving me, but to sit there and record " I am this and that....I also am, I did...." made me kind of icky.

One of my recorded versions was very self promoting because I felt like I had to get in there and tell people I have some value. But that version was over 2 minutes long anyway.
It just sounded weird. I could almost hear my parents saying "now don't talk about yourself so much".

Good thing I never did one of those dating services. I'de still be single.

"Happiness is the best revenge!"

Yeah, when you hear the orchestra and sounds of a stream in the background you say--ooops I shudda spent my vacation money on mother boards instead of mother's bored. ;0)

But here's the deal. If you like "you" there is a good chance everyone in listening land will too.

This is round one for all of us. The question is where will we take it from here?

I'm 56 on disability. I've been in and out of local TV and radio, now out. I'd like to get back in, but while some people are worried about being too young or raw, I'm thinking, "What the heck do listeners need with Garrison Keelor in drag?"

We are all a bundles of sensitive nerves.
So let's all relax and after the dust settles decide how we can all be proactive to use our COMBINED talents for something zany and outrageous.

Laugh-in takes on the Daily Show via radio?

Its hard to talk about such a thing. I heard a'many pro on here. And thought to myself - BOY! Those guys are gooooood. Then listen to my own and feel all down and out.

Then I think to myself, "HEY THAR! As stated at the very beginning of this contest. Round One isn't gonna be how good sounding you are, Round One is all about the personality.

So honestly. As I vote, I look past the fancy intro or editing and focus on how they sound and if they enjoy it. :)
---
Shameless Promotion -
My Entry