Exploring the relationships between the stories we love and the stories we live.

Hello! My name is Derrick, I live in West Palm Beach, Florida, and my background is in Narrative Practices. Narrative Practices use the language of story to converse with people about their lives in therapeutic ways. I received my Master's degree in Narrative Therapy and Community Work from the University of Melbourne in Australia.
My podcast, All Things Narrative, connects the world of Narrative Practices with the larger world of Narratives that we find in fiction (films, TV, literature, etc.) and real life. By exploring these connections, we dedicate ourselves to the art of what it means to live a meaningful story. This podcast is for anyone who is inspired by stories.

I started this podcast because I believe that storytelling is our universal language as humans. And in a time where we are divided and polarized by so much, I wanted to create something that can bring people together. Because all of us are living out stories, and these stories are influenced by the stories we surround ourselves with (in film, TV, media, history, etc.). That's what I'm interested in exploring. Ultimately, I want this podcast to broadcast stories that can give people hope, that can inspire them amidst the challenges they face. Though we just started in March, we have lots of exciting content coming your way!

I have a wife, 2 kids, and a full-time job, so I find time to do this whenever I can (haha). I truly believe we make time for the things that are important to us; if we really care about it, we'll give up something else so that we can have time for that which we care about. Our podcast puts out episode weekly, and it takes on average about an hour to record an episode, an hour for editing, and an hour for marketing prep (creating teasers, social media, etc.). In terms of planning each episode, it's difficult to quantify because I'm constantly writing down ideas and doing research. I currently fund this podcast all myself.

I gain a sense of doing what I believe I'm called to do, and doing it with all my heart. I don't get paid for doing this. But my hope is that this podcast can speak to people who love engaging with the world through the language of story. And in creating these episodes, I do get to spend time with a lot of great people, and it's a good excuse to get together with friends and chat about stories we love.

So All Things Narrative runs according to a monthly schedule that looks like this:
1. Episodes on the first Tuesday of the month are called "The Story of ..." where I interview someone about their life journey.
2. Episodes on the second Tuesday of the month are called "Narrative 101" where I define the language and elements that the stories we love and the stories we live share.
3. Episodes on the third Tuesday of the month are called "Why We Love ..." where I'm joined by friends as we discuss a franchise in pop culture to see why its stayed relevant for so long, be it superheroes, sci-fi, or fantasy novels.
4. Episodes on the fourth Tuesday of the month are called "Transparent Tuesdays" where I share personal stories about my life and experiences in the hopes that something can encourage you on your journey and give you hope.
5. When there's a fifth Tuesday, we will (starting in May) collect viewer submitted stories around a theme and stitch them together to create a Collective Document that can inspire others.
I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I use GarageBand for editing (it really works!). For mics, I really love the Audio Technica 2100X mics, I've found they make my voice sound the best (I have a strange podcasting voice that can be difficult to mix properly). Local guests I interview in my home office, and guests abroad I interview via Zoom.

Currently I market the show through my company All Things Narrative, utilizing our website, social media platforms, and avenues like this interview. At this time, we are on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podbean, and of course Listen Notes!

If you want to start a podcast, make sure you have a clear vision of what you want to focus on and who your audience is. Plan months in advance, plotting out specific episodes you'd like to do and when you'd want to release them, and give yourself the margin to create them in an appropriate amount of time. And most importantly, make sure your podcast is about something you are passionate about, so that passion can sustain you in the grind of creating content and building up your listeners.

To learn more about this podcast, please visit: allthingsnarrative.com/podcast
You can also like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @allthingsnarrative
Thank you for listening, and now let's dedicate ourselves to the art of living meaningful stories!