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OneGreatMoment.com is a work in progress, so the concept will definitely evolve.
That evolution will primarily be influenced by the amount and type of stories we
receive, which will in turn determine the public's reception of the site itself.
The subscription nature of podcasting means that if we can provide good
listening the folks who find us will stay with us. We'll work hard to offer
quality, and to make the site visible on the web.
The description that follows is what we envision right now, and what we're
prepared to offer should the response be good. We do have the technology and
resources to do this right, but we'll start simple and follow your lead. It's
the stories that count - and that depends on you.
SUBMISSION:
You may email your tale in written form. We are ready to put our voices to your
story, but we'd much rather hear it in yours. Please see the
Submit Your Story
page for further info.
Digital voice recording is surprisingly easy; you probably have most of what you
need already. Many mp3 players include a microphone, although quality varies.
The iRiver is popular among web interviewers. Your current computer is probably
sufficient for recording as well. If not already equipped, microphones for
computers begin in the twenty dollar range. AUDACITY, excellent recording and
editing software, is a free download from
sourceforge.net.
There are many helpful sites on the web in terms of techniques and technology,
but unless you're geekily inclined it's best to keep it simple. Time permitting
we can do some editing on your piece if you wish, and we can blend in "podsafe"
music (no copyright problems) as well. Email us for more information on editing policies.
In general recording is easiest if you're working from a written source, but
ad-lib ramblings can work. Your host, Chicken Bill, has used both methods but
finds resurrecting old written stories or writing new ones much easier that
working verbally from scratch. If you do go with storytelling, a general outline
is helpful, and leave lots of long pauses. You (or we) can edit more effectively
if there's room between sentences, and paragraphs. Try to speak slowly, and keep
a constant but close distance from the microphone. The initial voice track becomes the basis of the podcast, so review it closely and if you hear anything unpleasant ask us for help.
CREDITS AND LEGALITIES:
We'd like, but don't demand, contact information - but only your name (real or
otherwise) will be posted with your story, and only if you tell us to. You are
responsible for avoiding issues of libel within your story, change names or
details if that seems like a problem. These are personal great moments, but
we're not portraying them as pure fact and you don't have to either. In fact if
you have a fictional great moment in mind go for it, the message is what counts.
First person seems like our most likely tense but that's flexible too. Hey, this
whole thing is going wherever we all take it.
We will give listeners a heads-up if stories contain language or content that
may offend, and in general we'd like to be a place where listeners of any age or
persuasion are comfortable. But we can't predict where some of those great
moments may go. If we do see a way to make your story more palatable to all we
may suggest it to you, but won't do any editing without being in touch.
PUBLISHING SCHEDULE AND CATEGORIES:
We'll take great moment stories as they come and publish them in the order they
move us.
Initially we'll write a little blurb to help listeners find stories of interest.
(Guide us with this when you submit.) As subject areas develop and the number of
stories grows, we envision a database which will guide listeners to areas of
interest.
For now we envision great moment categories such as:
- Occupation (Aviation, medicine, military/rescue service for example)
- Travel (Of the adventurous sort, or more normal that slipped out of control)
- Adventure ("Extreme sport" and other inherently risky pursuits)
- Poignant (Family, or just, how-you-say? - human)
- Social (Your fifteen minutes gone awry)
- Mortality (Your glimpse of, or over, the edge)
- Spirituality (Kind of like the above - only you might have seen something
over that edge)
We'll let listeners guide fellow listeners through an on-site active database of
"non-judgmental" (and admittedly subjective) categories such as:
- Length.
- Message.
- Uniqueness of the "moment".
- Ease of listening. (Technical details - clarity, organization etc.)
- Excitement level.
- Universality (whatever that means)
REVENUE
This is a labor of love. (Yes love includes vanity.) But if this project hits a
chord and fills a need (from both the tellers' and listeners' vantage points)
we're not averse to creating a little revenue. And if we can do that we'll share
the "love" with the source: you. (And the musicians behind you.) There are a
number of ways this idea may breed income (and a little career niche) but we
won't bore you with business plans. The financial formula will evolve along with
the site. Essentially we'll share based on the listenership for each story,
derived from the number of downloads, but only after we show any income as a
site. You're gonna have to trust us on this, but our target would be to return a
significant percentage of site profit to contributors. And of course there's
always the (very slim) chance you get discovered here, and hit the big time on
your own. You retain all rights to your story.
Above all don't forget that great moments are even greater shared - income or
not.
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