► Tell us about you and your podcast
I became a green witch and Wiccan when I was 30, up until then I was a Vegas loving gothic lass with not much interest in spirituality!
Becoming a mum changed my soul and I found I needed to connect to the earth and to others spiritually. I developed an interest in Wicca and magic and became very happy.
This podcast is about normal people who try to fit paganism based beliefs into their life in a capitalist society, and have fun doing it! There is one week as a solitary witch, and the other with a ‘Moot Loot’ guest speaker. It’s always very sociable and lighthearted. Engagement is my ultimate goal.
I started off with a co-host who was a very different kind of witch to me and we had a good juxtaposition. Before the podcast I would often go around to hers and gab about all things witchy over a hot tea. It became apparent there was definitely a podcast growing between us. As both parents of two children and a house full of pets trying to fit Witchcraft around our brood, it was a topic that we were passionate about.
There’s an online movement at the moment where it appears to be a ‘proper witch’ you have to practice regularly, every week at least and everything on instagram is beautiful. But this just isn’t realistic, and this message became the primary focus on the podcast.
Do what you can realistically within your family life, and if your heart's in it: You are a real witch!
It’s evolved quite a lot since the summer and is now more about witching in general as spouse to witching with kids, but as I am a mum it will always have a place in The Bell Witch Podcast.
The name comes from our love of camping in little witchy bell tents- we become the Bell Witches! it’s also a nod to the Historic Bell Witch legend and a play on “The Blair Witch Project”
► Why & how did you start this podcast?
I loved a podcast called ‘Single, Fat and 40’ that was hosted by a couple of people I knew and I loved their banter about modern life as single women. The podcast eventually ceased and I was badgering one of them to reboot it as I missed it so much. She said to me ‘you should do one yourself’ and I thought well why not? At the time I was doing The Artist's Way and going through a creative awakening. I was also going pro as a witch and thought it would drive traffic to my online shop. It’s grown So much beyond that now, I don’t bother with the shop so much!
I started in March 2023 and it was a quick start. I took the plunge and recorded a trailer at the end of feb then made plans to record the first 3 episodes with my co host in 3 weeks. It was a challenge to get the schedule rolling but I figured I couldn’t do it alone, I wasn’t confident enough. But timings were often off because of life and kids! So it was delayed at times and I was frustrated.
But after 10 episodes she left l and I was flying solo, but I absolutely adore podcasting now so I was ready! I was nervous but it flowed and my confidence began to enhance. A new mic helped.
I absolutely love listening to podcasts, I wish I had more ears! The podcast community is lovely, I’ve made friends all over the world through supportive shout outs. I am planning a few collaborations. It’s going to be beautiful!
► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?
My episodes come out every 2 weeks, sometimes with mini episodes between if I’m being inspired daily. Mostly record between school runs and after bedtime when the house is quiet! If I’m interviewing somebody it’s about 45-60 mins. I spend 2-3 hours editing and listening to it. Then I set it free. I plan 2 weeks to a month in advance. And I usually have one completed ready to go and an unedited one in waiting. This linear process helps me sleep at night. I have a waiting list of guests so if one falls through I usually get a fill in quickly. And I think if I was to struggle to get one out because of lack of inspiration or guests I would be honest and make a tiny episode saying just that. Clarity is key.
I do everything on my laptop, I’ve invested in microphones and headphones and I pay £10 a quarter for editing software. I fund everything myself and I’m looking at ways to make income from it but I appreciate it’s a slow process.
► What do you gain from podcasting?
I would love sponsors! I’m very new but I have a Zencastr advert on at the moment via affiliate marketing, and I get sponsorship via Pagans of the North magazine- we advertise to each other. I got 1.4k downloads this month (Dec23) which is my best ever! Onward and upward.
I am very dyslexic and cannot spell for my life so for me podcasting is more accepting and accessible, it’s improved how i speak and my self awareness in the words I use. I am clearer and more direct now, all because of podcasting.
My internal healing has been huge because of my podcast journey! I like my voice now , I value my knowledge and words, people want to hear what I have to say. I am entirely self taught re podcasting and I’m proud of my show and how it sounds. People are getting to know me there and coming to meet me for reiki and magic services, it’s amazing.
► How does your podcasting process look like?
I use a laptop, I edit on WavePad Master and I distribute on Zencastr. I have a Toner mic and a gamer headset which I only use for listening. I find guests via word of mouth in the witchy community.
It depends on the episode, sometimes I interview guests, sometimes I let them take the lead if they are confident And have lots to say.
If I am solo I brainstorm ideas and bullet point my sentences. Scripting doesn’t work for me, I sound too serious and my podcast is a social one. I record in bits and I stitch it all together with intro/outro music. I edit out filler words and strange noises but nothing much else. I listened to it a couple of times before I published it.
I interview all over, Stream yard, Zencastr, Skype, whatever works for them. I try to avoid Zoom as I don’t like the sound quality.
► How do you market your show?
I am on Zencastr, Spotify, Apple, Amazon, google, castbox, Overcast and some other little ones I’ve not heard of! I have a sound bar slide on YouTube as well but that’s relatively new, I have 20 subscribers on that and 250 on Spotify. My listener breakdown- 30% on Spotify , 24% Apple, 19% Google and 13% RSS.
I have instagram, Facebook page, linktree, a website, threads and X an email address and a business website. Most of my interactions are on fb and instagram. I have a new Patreon channel just launched. And a fb focus group too.
► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?
Read all the books! Get to your library and get them all out.
Listen to other podcasts and see what impresses you and turns you off.
Don’t compare yourself to other shows though.
Plan 10 episodes, get past your tenth and you can wave to ‘pod fade’ as you pass it by!
Stay constant even if it’s only a 10 min ep. Headsets with mics aren’t great as you can hear your own breathing means more editing for you.
Join fb communities of podcasters for podcasters not the ‘look at my link’ ones but the ones that are genuinely a community. Make friends there. Get them on ya show and you get on theirs.
Most importantly, and I know it’s cheesy…be yourself, be authentically you. Because that is your superpower. If you are passionate about your topic, the listener will feel it and invest.