Dear Reader,

I am currently recording episodes for the second season of the Dear Reader podcast.

I know that I have talked about the process of podcasting and how much work it is. But as I work on this season, and conduct the interview with the writers who will be on the show, I am getting excited for you guys to hear the episodes!

I am also excited because I feel like this is my show. It was always my show, of course, but it’s MY show.

That means I make the decisions. All of them. While it could be overwhelming, it is quite liberating at the same time.

Here’s the reason: my former career as a journalist. I remember that I’d have to defend and argue for story ideas. Great story ideas. Some I had to pre-report before pitching to editors. And even then, I had to justify all the time I had spent on the story even when it was my off time.

But doing my own podcast, I don’t have to pitch anybody anything. There’s no editor. There’s no gatekeeper. It is my voice, my question, my editing, my research that goes direct to the listener.

I have to write it again. There’s no gatekeeper.

So, yes, the podcast is mine. Just like this site. Just like the creative classes I teach. Having this freedom, when there was a point in my life when I didn’t have it, has been the most pleasurable thing I’ve done in my post reporter life. It’s also the toughest gig.

But I love every second.

I also can’t wait for you guys to hear the second season of Dear Reader. Some of the words we talk about include empathy, manifest, grief, resilient, among others.

Can’t wait for it to all go live on Sept. 15.

Putting on my headphones,

Icess