Introducing AudioShelf!

Adventures in Podcasting

Personal

November 03, 2016

Why AudioShelf?

While I could talk forever about the podcast, I really want to share why we are doing this. About a two years ago, Brad introduced me to this book called "The Selection". I kept telling him that I didn't have time to read it. Shawn and I were just getting back from our honeymoon, and I was planning a massive overhaul of Britney Clause Photography. It was a fun and stressful time that, unfortunately, left no openings for reading. Brad eventually just told me, "Download Audible, it's free right now. Do it."

I think it's safe to note that I never thought I was an audiobook person. I'm too easily distracted, and I felt having someone read to me made me would make me feel like I was in Kindergarten. However, I discovered my job is perfect for audiobook listening. I spend over 70% of my time in front of the computer, editing engagement and wedding photos. When I'm doing my work, I'm not talking, I'm not watching TV, and I'm not even texting anyone. I'm sitting in complete silence, going totally crazy. The quietness of the house makes me feel super unproductive. When I did listened to The Selection (my first audiobook), I thought it would be a complete disaster, but the sound actually helped me slip into a steady workflow. With a book in my ear, I now finish sessions in a much more timely manner, and I feel happier while doing it.

Blogging Beginnings

After finishing The Selection and gushing about it to Brad, I immediately continued on in the series. There are three books in total with a sequel series called The Heir. Every time I finished a book, I would go to Brad to talk about everything that was great and everything that wasn't so great. It's like having a favorite TV show with a friend that you can gossip with. It was in those first few books that Brad and I discovered that we really enjoyed sharing our opinions. We had a deep desire to bring honest reviews of these audiobooks to people, so we came up with a name, commissioned a wonderful logo from Karen Roberson, and set up a blog.

But the blog never quite got off the ground, because we found the reviews to be boring. I'm honestly falling asleep right now just thinking of the draining formula we had created. Nothing against other book review blogs, a lot of them are totally fabulous. For us, though, excitement of what we were listening to just didn't translate well into written word. We let AudioShelf sit, gathering dust and idly sitting blank with the domain name.

The Podcast Cue Fog Machine

Three months ago, Brad and I asked each other "What are we doing with AudioShelf?" It had been over a year since we kicked off this journey, and we were currently doing diddly squat with it. We both desperately wanted to this to take flight and be a fun outlet for us, but we were floundering. Then, after I had been watching Youtube videos of gelatin soda bottles (don't ask), I had the brilliant idea of doing an AudioShelf Youtube series. I texted Brad saying "We should record our reviews of AudioShelf. We have such a good back and forth" while thinking about videos. Brad completely knocked it out of the park by replying with, "like a Podcast?" I wasn't even thinking Podcast, but it fit so much better!

Thus, the Powerpu- ... AudioShelf podcast was born!

Moving Forward

So far, our adventures in podcasting has been a total dream. We've been able to convey our happiness, disgust, and sometimes confusion with audiobooks. It's been an amazing journey with my best friend, and one that I hope continues for years to come. Right now, we are releasing episodes every Monday, but we are hoping to start doing twice a week soon. I cannot tell you how much it means to be doing this podcast. I've struggled a lot with debilitating social anxiety, and putting my voice out there alongside Brad has been amazing. I've talked overcoming this before, but now with the podcast I feel myself repairing something that has been broken for a long, long time.

I hope everyone following our adventures with Britney Clause Photography can also show their love and support for AudioShelf. It means the absolute world to me to have past, current, and future couples become like family to us, and I want you all to be included on this. It's a little more insight into my kooky personality. If nothing else comes from your listen, I hope you get a good laugh from our reviews.