FOR GUESTS

ARE YOU ACCEPTING NEW GUESTS ONTO THE PODCAST?

If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, you must complete our guest application form. If we accept your application, you will be notified and we will work to schedule a recording date with you. If the form is closed we are not currently accepting applications at this time, please check back.

Please note we often record months in advance so your episode may not be released for up to a year.

The Google Form is currently closed.

We will not accept guest requests via our social media DMs or email. All requests must go through the Google Form linked above.

DO I HAVE TO BE A PUBLISHED AUTHOR TO BE A GUEST?

No, we’re happy to talk to all writers no matter where you are in your writing journey.

IF I'VE ALREADY BEEN A GUEST, WHEN CAN I BE ON AGAIN?

To give everyone as fair a shot as possible, we try not to book repeat guests within the same 12 months. You are still free to fill out the form, but keep in mind we may not reply for a few months.

DO I HAVE TO FILL OUT THE FORM IF I'VE ALREADY BEEN A GUEST?

Yes, please fill out the form again even if you’ve already been on the show. Information can change and we don’t keep it after your episode goes live. 

I’D LIKE TO BE INTERVIEWED, BUT WHERE IS THE GOOGLE FORM?

Since we’re updating our guest format, our guest slots for 2025 are by invitation only for the time being. We appreciate your patience as we test out this new style for our show.

CAN I STILL BE ON THE PODCAST TO TALK ABOUT A SPECIFIC TOPIC?

Beginning January 2025, we are officially changing our guest episode format to an interview style. We are not accepting guest offers to discuss specific topics at this time. We don’t know if or when that format will be back.

CAN I TALK ABOUT MY BOOK?

Our podcast is about writing advice and showcasing guests. However, our episodes are not just for marketing your book. Our guest episodes are structured in a specific way.

If you want to be on a podcast just to tout your book, then we are not the podcast for you. 

Our guests are all given a spot at the end of the episode to tell our listeners more about themselves and their books. But the whole episode cannot be a marketing ad.

WHAT DAYS DO YOU TYPICALLY RECORD WITH GUESTS?

We record on Wednesdays with guests between the hours of 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM EST (which makes it 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM GMT/BST).

If this day of the week or time frame does not work for you in your time zone, then let us know and we’ll do our best to work something out.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE THREE OF US CAN’T FIND A COMMON DATE TO MEET?

If time zones, jobs, or other IRL commitments get in the way of us finding a common meeting date, then you will meet one-on-one with Ari or Rachel, whoever can accommodate the best day and time.

Worst case scenario, we will be unable to book your podcast episode at this time. Should things change on your end, you’re more than welcome to reach out again and we’ll be more than happy to fit you back into the schedule with a higher priority.

DO YOU RECORD THE EPISODES LIVE?

No, all our podcast episodes are pre-recorded and then scheduled for a specific date in the future. As a reminder, we record months in advance, which means your episode may not be released for up to six months after we record.

HOW ARE THE EPISODES RECORDED?

We use Zoom to record our episodes. Only Ari and Rachel will have the ability to record during the meeting.

WHERE IS THE ZOOM MEETING LINK?

The Zoom meeting link is included with all the details of the recording session and the episode will be in your script via a Google Doc. This will be shared and emailed to you one week before our recording session.

If you still can’t find it, please email us ASAP and we’ll send it to you at our earliest convenience.

Please ensure our email address is in your contacts so our emails do not go into your spam folder.

DO I HAVE TO BE ON VIDEO?

We prefer your video be turned on while we record. This helps us with visual cues and we find it easier and more comfortable when having a discussion.

However, if you’re truly uncomfortable with being on camera, you can keep your video off.

DOES THE VIDEO GET PUBLISHED WITH THE AUDIO?

Even though we record with videos on, the video does not get shared anywhere. Only the audio is used for the published episodes.

ARE THE PODCAST EPISODES EDITED?

Yes, we edit each episode. This is done by us, to the best of our ability. But don’t worry, if you make a mistake or have to amend your answer to our questions, we will tidy up the recording as much as possible.

DO YOU USE A SCRIPT?

Yes, our script contains the specific questions you’ll be asked during the interview. You’ll have access to this script one week before we meet to help you prepare. You’ll be able to add notes and share your bio details within the script.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?

Before and during the recording, you’ll need to have access to Google Docs, which is what we use for our script. If you do not have Google Docs, let us know and we’ll be happy to send along a Word Document.

To record with us, you will need a working microphone, headphones, and a webcam for excellent audio and video quality. You’ll also need a desktop computer, laptop, or phone with a strong internet connection.

You’ll also need to have access to Zoom, which is a free software.

Please make sure to check all your equipment is working correctly at least a day or two before the recording.

IS THERE ANYTHING I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BEING ON THE PODCAST?

Podcast Etiquette

Please arrive on time. You will have access to the Zoom meeting link within your Google Doc one week prior to our recording date. We ask you to arrive at least ten minutes early to ensure everyone’s equipment is working and no one has internet issues.

We will also go through a few quick details before we start recording to make sure you are comfortable.

Please make sure you are in a quiet room with as little background noise and distractions as possible. If possible, please keep children and pets out of the room you are recording in.

Always make sure your phone is silent and any computer notifications are muted.

We do ask that you use headphones as this allows for better sound quality during the recording.

While we accept some cursing on our show, we don't want it to be too excessive so please keep that in mind.

Please allow us time to respond to your answers, and please don’t do a shout-out to advertise your book in the middle of the discussion unless it pertains to one of your points. We reserve a part at the end of the show for you to tell everyone more about yourself and your books.

HOW LONG IS A RECORDING SESSION?

Typically a recording session lasts about one hour. We aim for our guest episodes to be between 40-45 minutes long. However, the conversation can sometimes go shorter or longer.

We ask that you block out at least an hour and a half to two hours total - this allows you prep time before the meeting starts, if we have any internet hiccups at the start (or during), and also time at the end in case the recording goes longer and for us to share last-minute info before hopping off the meeting.

DO I NEED TO DO ANYTHING AFTER THE RECORDING?

Once the episode goes live, we ask you to share the podcast episode onto your website, to your email list, and on your social media. This helps boost exposure to the podcast, specifically to your episode.

To make this easier for you, we’ll supply you with promotional materials that you’re welcome to use via email, or you can create your own.

You are also encouraged to reply to any comments you may receive on Podbean or YouTube.

CAN I HAVE THE EPISODE LINK?

Yes, once the episode has been scheduled you will be sent the perma-links for both Podbean and YouTube. You will also be given our Pod.Link which allows listening access to all our episodes on whatever platform they choose.

CAN I HAVE A COPY OF THE FULL RECORDING?

No, we don’t give out copies of the full recordings. You’ll have access to the episode’s permalinks one week before the episode goes live on Podbean, YouTube, and Pod.Link. You can also request a short audio clip.

CAN I HAVE A CLIP OF THE AUDIO TO SHARE ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA/BLOG ETC?

Yes, we are happy to supply up to 1-minute of audio from your episode for you to use on your social media to promote the episode. This will be supplied upon request.

WHAT IF I NEED TO CANCEL MY RECORDING SESSION?

We understand things happen, so if you are suddenly unable to commit to your recording session, please let us know as soon as possible so we can keep our content calendar on track.

If you do cancel but would still like to be a guest, we will add you back onto our list with a higher priority. However, please keep in mind we book several guests at once, so your episode may still get bumped by a few months, depending on how many other guest episodes are already in process.

ARE THERE ANY GUEST EPISODES YOU RECOMMEND I LISTEN TO?

If you are new to our podcast, we highly recommend you take some time to listen to a few episodes to get familiar with the style of the podcast and the hosts.

Please keep in mind we’re changing our guest format beginning in January 2025. We will no longer be discussing a specific topic. However, you can still get a feel for our podcast by listening to these great episodes:

• Ep. 14 with Julie Valerie

• Ep. 188 with Helen Scheuerer

• Ep. 193 with Wilmar Luna

GENERAL FAQs

WHEN DO NEW EPISODES GO LIVE?

We release new episodes every Wednesday. They go live on all our platforms (including Ko-fi) at approximately 10:00 AM EST which is 3:00 PM GMT/BST.

WHAT TIME ZONES ARE YOU IN?

Ari is in GMT/BST and Rachel is in EST.

WHAT ARE YOUR WORKING HOURS?

Please note due to our time zones and other responsibilities, we only respond to emails and Google Form applications Monday through Friday. These can take a few weeks to come through as we can get busy with requests. We appreciate your patience.

ARE YOU HIRING?

No, we are not hiring at this time.

HOW CAN I SUPPORT THE PODCAST?

Thanks for asking! We appreciate you wanting to boost the show further. Check out our Support Us page to learn how you can help.

Listening to the podcast on your favorite platform is a huge support and we appreciate it! You can find us here on Podbean, YouTube, Spotify, and so many other places.

Sharing the episodes and tagging #TheMerryWriterPodcast on social media is also a huge help to spread the word about the show.

In addition, make sure you’re subscribed or following us on your favorite platform. Comment on your favorite episode, like our YouTube videos, and leave the podcast a review wherever you listen.

Finally, you can become a Merry Writer on our Ko-fi page. If you want to help keep the podcast going financially, you can give us a one-time donation or sign up to tip us monthly, and you’ll get access to many free goodies in our shop - we also have plenty available for free to the public without having to donate any money! (For Ko-fi related questions, go here.)

Please know all monies earned on our Ko-fi page go right back into the podcast. Please do not donate if you can’t afford it - you’ll still be able to follow the page for free and have access to some free goodies. Thank you!

HAVE A QUESTION NOT ANSWERED ON THIS FAQ?

If you have a question that we have not answered here, please feel free to reach out to us via email at TheMerryWriterPodcast [AT] gmail [.com].  Replace the “at” with an @ symbol before sending. 

Please do not email us asking to be a guest. You must use the Google Form or else your request will be ignored.If the Google Form is inactive, this means we are not currently taking on new guests.

Please note, if you email us with a question that has been answered here. We will simply refer you back to this page.

YOU HAVEN'T REPLIED TO MY EMAIL, WHY?

It could be that we are still working through our backlist. This podcast is not our full-time work so we have limited time to work on the admin side.

If you emailed us asking to be a guest, we will disregard your email. We have an automated message that explains how to contact us if you want to be a guest.

We just don't have the time to reply to everyone who emails rather than using the correct channel.