PAUSE for Dramatic Effect

Storytelling systems help you write your audio dramas so that you know what has to come next. It is your own, personalized process that makes sure you tell your story in the way you intended to tell it, without forgetting any of the details along the way. You could call this your style, philosophy, or even your approach to telling stories using the audio format. But whatever you choose to use or call it, your storytelling system has to make sense to both you and your audience. Today, I'm going to talk about a few story systems, which story systems I decided to use, and how they can help you tell stories too.

Philosophy Between the Pauses

Introducing Part 10 of 13 parts in my Between the Pauses mini-series that explores my thoughts while making my first audio drama: PAUSE for Dramatic Effect! If you're interested in the complete first season of Pause for Dramatic Effect, you can download and listen to it for free at PAUSEforDramaticEffect.com or wherever you find your podcasts.

Listen to PAUSE for Dramatic Effect

I would love for you to tell me how you think the story of Pause for Dramatic Effect turned out by giving it a rating and review or sending a Boost using one of the latest Podcast 2.0 apps, which you can find at Podcasting2.org. If you don't have a Podcast 2.0 app, I would highly recommend Podcastguru.io or Truefans.fm to get all the new podcast features you didn't know you were missing!

Does Your Podcast Need a Rescue?

Your podcast isn’t broken, it’s just stuck. Howdy! I’m Kyle Bondo, host of Not Easily Squished, podcast producer, US Navy veteran, and the guy people call when their show needs a tune-up. If you haven’t published in months or even years, but still love your show? I built this podcast for you. However, if this podcast is not enough, then you need my Podcast Rescue: A 7-Day Tune-Up for Stalled Shows. In just 7 days, I’ll help you figure out what’s working, what’s not, and how to hit record again with confidence. You’ll get a full diagnostic, a personalized rescue plan, two coaching sessions, and even a review of your next episode. No fluff. No overwhelm. Just results. Spots are limited, so please don’t wait to join the waitlist now at PodcastWorthy.com.  Let’s get your rescue underway today!

About Not Easily Squished

Not Easily Squished is the official podcast of Oncetold, a scrappy podcasting 2.0 education and technology company just outside Fort Worth, Texas. Follow your host, Kyle M. Bondo, as he takes fragile podcast ideas and transforms them into fierce audio concepts that are Not Easily Squished!

The Fine Print

PAUSE for Dramatic Effect bonus episode #10 was originally published by Gagglepod on November 27th, 2019. Copyright © 2025. Not Easily Squished, PAUSE for Dramatic Effect, Gagglepod, and Oncetold. All Rights Reserved. No ideas were harmed during the making of this podcast.

Unlike film, which has lighting, costumes, cuts, graphics, CGI, movements, camera position, sets, and even real locations, audio only has four tools in its toolbox: Spoken Dialog, Silence, Sound Effects, and Music

Of the four, music can play a vital role in your audience's reaction to your story. You're not required to have any, but without it, you're tying one arm behind your back, which it comes to a medium that has certain limitations: audio.

Today, I'm going to talk about the reasons for music, how to find or buy music, how you use music to create mood and tone, and how you can use it to enhance certain characters or even create specific locations.

Music Between the Pauses

Introducing Part 9 of 13 parts in my Between the Pauses mini-series that explores my thoughts while making my first audio drama: PAUSE for Dramatic Effect! If you're interested in the complete first season of Pause for Dramatic Effect, you can download and listen to it for free at PAUSEforDramaticEffect.com or wherever you find your podcasts.

Listen to PAUSE for Dramatic Effect

I would love for you to tell me how you think the story of Pause for Dramatic Effect turned out by giving it a rating and review or sending a Boost using one of the latest Podcast 2.0 apps, which you can find at Podcasting2.org. If you don't have a Podcast 2.0 app, I would highly recommend Podcastguru.io or Truefans.fm to get all the new podcast features you didn't know you were missing!

Does Your Podcast Need a Rescue?

Your podcast isn’t broken, it’s just stuck. Howdy! I’m Kyle Bondo, host of Not Easily Squished, podcast producer, US Navy veteran, and the guy people call when their show needs a tune-up. If you haven’t published in months or even years, but still love your show? I built this podcast for you. However, if this podcast is not enough, then you need my Podcast Rescue: A 7-Day Tune-Up for Stalled Shows. In just 7 days, I’ll help you figure out what’s working, what’s not, and how to hit record again with confidence. You’ll get a full diagnostic, a personalized rescue plan, two coaching sessions, and even a review of your next episode. No fluff. No overwhelm. Just results. Spots are limited, so please don’t wait to join the waitlist now at PodcastWorthy.com.  Let’s get your rescue underway today!

About Not Easily Squished

Not Easily Squished is the official podcast of Oncetold, a scrappy podcasting 2.0 education and technology company just outside Fort Worth, Texas. Follow your host, Kyle M. Bondo, as he takes fragile podcast ideas and transforms them into fierce audio concepts that are Not Easily Squished!

The Fine Print

PAUSE for Dramatic Effect bonus episode #09 was originally published by Gagglepod on November 25th, 2019. Copyright © 2025. Not Easily Squished, PAUSE for Dramatic Effect, Gagglepod, and Oncetold. All Rights Reserved. No ideas were harmed during the making of this podcast.

For the most part, garbage in creates garbage out. And when you're on a super tight schedule, the quality of that garbage becomes a matter of perspective. What would be an immediate re-record session suddenly becomes "good enough" when you don't have any time left.

But here's the revelation that I had when doing an audio drama this way: what you think is garbage turns out to be genius! I like to call them Happy Accidents - but I had so many of them that it starts to become art - good art! In fact, the more constraints you have, the better you get at becoming resourceful.

Before you know it, it's not garbage anymore - it's the best you could do with the resources and time you had. And the end result starts to take on a life of its own based on your individual voice and style.

That's when it hits you: Quality is subjective!

Introducing Part 8 of 13 parts in my Between the Pauses mini-series that explores my thoughts while making my first audio drama: PAUSE for Dramatic Effect! If you're interested in the complete first season of Pause for Dramatic Effect, you can download and listen to it for free at PAUSEforDramaticEffect.com or wherever you find your podcasts.

I would love for you to tell me how you think the story of Pause for Dramatic Effect turned out by giving it a rating and review or sending a Boost using one of the latest Podcast 2.0 apps, which you can find at Podcasting2.org. If you don't have a Podcast 2.0 app, I would highly recommend Podcastguru.io or Truefans.fm to get all the new podcast features you didn't know you were missing!

Meanwhile, I'm now the founder of a new podcasting education and technology company called Oncetold. If you're ready to tell your story and start your own podcast, then you need Oncetold at oncetold.com.

PAUSE for Dramatic Effect bonus episode #06 was originally published by Gagglepod on November 24th, 2019. Copyright © 2025. PAUSE for Dramatic Effect, Gagglepod, and Oncetold. All Rights Reserved.

Do you need the best gear to record an audio drama? Do you need a full sound stage and the best microphones to record your voice actors? Do you need all your actors in that studio all at the same time? Or how about "that guy behind the glass" guy? The one everyone knows is moving around dials and switches to make all your actors sound amazing? Do you need that guy?

Do you need that big room behind the glass? Do you need any of it? The short answer is, No. You don't need expensive, fancy gear or a studio to start!

For me, I did everything with three key pieces of gear: ZOOM H4N-PRO hand-held recorder, Audio-Technica ATR 2100 USB microphone, and a Dell XPS 15 Laptop with Adobe Audition audio editing software. Those three things did 90 percent of the work for all my voice recording, sound effects, and editing for PAUSE for Dramatic Effect.

Will it be perfect? Maybe. But for a daily or homebrewed audio drama, sometimes, good enough gear can work. When you get yourself a budget and have the money to pay for better gear, you can afford to be picky. Until then, constraints are your best friend!

Introducing Part 7 of 13 parts in my Between the Pauses mini-series that explores my thoughts while making my first audio drama: PAUSE for Dramatic Effect! If you're interested in the complete first season of Pause for Dramatic Effect, you can download and listen to it for free at PAUSEforDramaticEffect.com or wherever you find your podcasts.

I would love for you to tell me how you think the story of Pause for Dramatic Effect turned out by giving it a rating and review or sending a Boost using one of the latest Podcast 2.0 apps, which you can find at Podcasting2.org. If you don't have a Podcast 2.0 app, I would highly recommend Podcastguru.io or Truefans.fm to get all the new podcast features you didn't know you were missing!

Meanwhile, I'm now the founder of a new podcasting education and technology company called Oncetold. If you're ready to tell your story and start your own podcast, then you need Oncetold at oncetold.com.

PAUSE for Dramatic Effect bonus episode #06 was originally published by Gagglepod on November 22nd, 2019. Copyright © 2025. PAUSE for Dramatic Effect, Gagglepod, and Oncetold. All Rights Reserved.

Do you need a sound library to make an audio drama? No. No, you don't. You can get away with making your own special effects. It might not be exactly what you want. But it has a few advantages:

1. You get to decide what the sound is, rather than settling for what's available

2. You don't have to search for a sound for hours

3. You own it

Will it be perfect? Maybe. But for a daily or homebrewed audio drama, sometimes, good enough sounds can work when you're in a rush. When you get yourself a budget and have the money to pay for a sound designer, you can afford to be picky. Until then, constraints are your sound design's best friend!

Introducing Part 6 of 13 parts in my Between the Pauses mini-series that explores my thoughts while making my first audio drama: PAUSE for Dramatic Effect! If you're interested in the complete first season of Pause for Dramatic Effect, you can download and listen to it for free at PAUSEforDramaticEffect.com or wherever you find your podcasts.

I would love for you to tell me how you think the story of Pause for Dramatic Effect turned out by giving it a rating and review or sending a Boost using one of the latest Podcast 2.0 apps, which you can find at Podcasting2.org. If you don't have a Podcast 2.0 app, I would highly recommend Podcastguru.io or Truefans.fm to get all the new podcast features you didn't know you were missing!

Meanwhile, I'm now the founder of a new podcasting education and technology company called Oncetold. If you're ready to tell your story and start your own podcast, then you need Oncetold at oncetold.com.

PAUSE for Dramatic Effect bonus episode #06 was originally published by Gagglepod on November 21st, 2019. Copyright © 2025. PAUSE for Dramatic Effect, Gagglepod, and Oncetold. All Rights Reserved.

Do you need real voice actors to make an audio drama? No. No, you don't. You can get away with your friends and family. It might not be great. It might not even be in person. But it will be recorded, edited, and done. When you get yourself a budget and have a real cast, then you can be picky. But when you're in a rush, sometimes good is the best you can hope for. Especially if you're going to do this as a daily audio drama! It is just one of the constraints that forces you to get creative when creating an audio drama.

Introducing Part 5 of 13 parts in my Between the Pauses mini-series that explores my thoughts while making my first audio drama: PAUSE for Dramatic Effect! If you're interested in the complete first season of Pause for Dramatic Effect you can download and listen to it for free at PAUSEforDramaticEffect.com or wherever you find your podcasts.

I would love for you to tell me how you think the story of Pause for Dramatic Effect turned out by giving it a rating and review or sending a Boost using one of the latest Podcast 2.0 app which you can find at Podcasting2.org. If you don't have a Podcast 2.0 app, I would highly recommend Podcastguru.io or Truefans.fm to get all the new podcast features you didn't know you were missing!

Are you an imposter? Of course not because Mr. Murphy is a lair! He is fear. Fear of embarrassment, fear of judgment, or fear of making a mistake. But that's all Imposter Syndrome is -- fear of the unknown! But what if it all works out? Do you know what will happen if you don't listen to that voice? The worst thing that could happen -- You could learn something. However, nothing happens if you quit and let Mr. Murphy win.

Introducing Part 4 of 13 parts in my Between the Pauses mini-series that explores my thoughts while making my first audio drama: PAUSE for Dramatic Effect! If you're interested in the complete first season of Pause for Dramatic Effect you can download and listen to it for free at PAUSEforDramaticEffect.com or wherever you find your podcasts.

I would love for you to tell me how you think the story of Pause for Dramatic Effect turned out by giving it a rating and review or sending a Boost using one of the latest Podcast 2.0 app which you can find at Podcasting2.org. If you don't have a Podcast 2.0 app, I would highly recommend Podverse.fm or Truefans.fm to get all the new podcast features you didn't know you were missing!

To design, create, produce, and promote a daily podcast, you have to have your ducks in a row. It requires planning -- lots of planning -- a solid format that you can use as a template. But what happens when you decide to make that podcast a scripted, fictional audio drama with voice actors, sound effects, and music? Does THAT work? Can THAT work as a daily podcast? Well, you don't have to wonder because I did just that and now I'm here to tell you what happened and what I learned.

Introducing Part 3 of 13 parts in my Between the Pauses mini-series that explores my thoughts while making my first audio drama: PAUSE for Dramatic Effect! If you're interested in the complete first season of Pause for Dramatic Effect you can download and listen to it for free at PAUSEforDramaticEffect.com or wherever you find your podcasts.

I would love for you to tell me how you think the story of Pause for Dramatic Effect turned out but giving it a rating and review or sending a Boost using one of the latest Podcast 2.0 app. If you don't have a Podcast 2.0 app, I would highly recommend Podverse.fm or Truefans.fm to get all the new podcast features you didn't know you were missing!

Bonus Episode #2 - Writer and director Kyle M. Bondo talks about the voices behind Pause for Dramatic Effect and describes how he creates the voices of different characters. Learn more at PauseforDramaticEffect.com. Copyright © 2024. Pause for Dramatic Effect, Gagglepod, and Oncetold. All Rights Reserved.

Bonus Episode #1 - Writer and director Kyle M. Bondo talk about the making of Pause for Dramatic Effect and describes how he came up with the idea for this audio drama in the first place.