Free Podcasting Software

A vast array of software is available to support your podcasting requirements; some programs offer one stop integrated solutions to all your podcasting needs, while others fill more specific niches. However, every piece of software that you need in order to record and produce a professional, quality podcast is readily available free of charge.

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Acquiring the Audio

No matter what software you choose to help create and produce your podcasts, you will first have to get your audio into the computer. How you choose to do this is entirely up to you, but is likely to depend on what level of audio quality you want and your budget. At the most basic level you could use your computer’s in-built microphone, but for a reasonable degree of quality you will want a semi-decent external microphone.

1. Audacity – Audio Recorder and Editor

2. WinLAME – Audio Encoder

winlameOnce your audio has been recorded and edited (preferably in WAV format) you will need to convert it into a suitable podcast format. The universally accepted audio file format for podcasts is MP3. WinLAME is an excellent piece of free podcasting software designed to convert WAV files into the podcast friendly MP3 format.

3. Mp3Tag – ID3 Tag Editor

sshot1qcNow that you have your podcast MP3 audio file and some suitable artwork for its cover, you will need to embed the artwork into the MP3 file and add some additional tags that can be displayed by the listener’s playback device.

how to make an ebook cover

Book cover design is booming and even has its own awards. Design Observer promotes anannual award for book cover design with a 35-person judging panel! The traditional process of getting a book cover design can be extremely time-consuming and the result is often disappointing for the author. This is all changing with the digital age ushering in an era of author-led ebook publishing and with a little help from crowdsourcing.

 

For easy reference, take the shortcut:


How to Make a Book Cover in GIMP


Design Your Own eBook Cover That Sells: The Complete Guide

Find standard eBook cover size specifications. To start making the cover, open up a new project in Photoshop and implement the settings below.  While these settings are standard, it would be helpful to learn the different sizes and formats for all online eBook publishers. Amazon Kindle’s recommended height and width is listed below.

  • Preset: Custom
  • Height and Width: 1600 px x 2400 px
  • {Amazon Kindle Recommended}: 1563 px x 2500 px
  • Resolution: 300 px/inch
  • Color: RGB
  • Background Color: Transparent