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Abstract

to podcast<b> </b></i>tab.</p><p id="2a23">Depending on the length of your story, the conversion is fast. You can start listening to the audio. You can also change the AI voice from male to female. Adjust the volume for easy listening. You can also share it with the link on any social media platform or with your friends.</p><p id="5de7">Podcastle AI on their website has this to say about their text to speech product.</p><p id="0164" type="7">For people who love to be informed and do it efficiently. Podcastle converts text news/articles to a podcast, with very natural human speech using machine learning.</p><h2 id="308d">Podcastle AI allows you to download the audio file</h2><p id="bc1a">Even if you are not starting a podcast, Podcastle AI can serve writers in many ways. It is different when one hears their words, not in their voice but the voice of others, even in this case from an AI voice.</p><p id="1ee8">Once you have the audio file downloaded, you’re now ready to start your podcast.</p><h1 id="bc05">Text to Speech Tools, the Good and the Bad</h1><figure id="093b"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*1VYcqJT_ZZot4_2I"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@askkell?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Andy Kelly</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><p id="564a">As writers, we only need one tool, our<i> </i>imagination, to weave our stories. For our stories to come to life, we only need a pen and paper.</p><p id="bd5a">As time passes, most of us use our laptops to write, and there will always be new tools that can make the writing process easier and make us more productive.</p><p id="60f0">It is the same with text-to-speech tools, which can help immensely in writing and editing by allowing the writer to hear their words read out loud without using their voice.</p><div id="8d57" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-read-your-story-out-loud-without-using-your-voice-502569d655a4"> <div> <div> <h2>How to Read Your Story Out Loud Without Using Your Voice</h2> <div><h3>This text-to-speech tool makes it easy for writers</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*xtT1sKBgu4MyY9sh)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="f674">Text-to-speech tools can help us repurpose our content. Our written words can become spoken words or a podcast. A podcast, with a few iterations, can become a video, which we upload on Youtube. All of which can help us with reaching new audiences.</p><p id="86e9">Repurposing our content allows our audience to consume our content in different ways. Our audience can choose to read, listen, or watch our stories.</p><p id="b456">Text-to-speech tools allow writers to make accessible content. There are 285 million people who are visually impaired, and 39 million people who are blind, according to the <a href="https://www.who.int/blindness/publications/globaldata/en/#:~:text=Globally%20the%20number%20of%20people,are%2082%25%20of%20all%20blind.">World Health Organisation</a>.</p><p id="cd10">As a writer, we can do our part in creating a more inclusive world by always be mindful of the importance of accessibility.</p><p id="5ff9" type="7">Accessible content removes the barriers that prevent individuals with disabilities from accessing online content. In America, around 20% of the population has some form of disability.</p><p id="b704">While technology is making text-to-speech tools sound human-like, it still can’t capture the full human emotions, but it shouldn’t stop you for now from using these tools. The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, and the technology is getting better each day.</p><h1 id="27b3">Anchor — The Easiest Way to Make a Podcast</h1><p id="340a">Anchor is a podcast hosting platform, and it is free. The most exciting part of it, Anchor is now part of the Spotify family when it was <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/14/spotify-gimlet-anchor-340-million/#:~:text=Spotify%20doubled%20down%20on%20podcasts,million%2C%20to%20capture%20the%20companies.

Options

&text=Anchor%2C%20meanwhile%2C%20raised%20%2414.4%20million.">acquired in 2019</a>, as Spotify continues to invest in podcasting with acquisitions.</p><p id="705b">All you need is an account on Anchor, and you are now a few steps away from having a podcast of your own.</p><p id="9800">Again, a podcast needs audio, you can skip the first part, and you can record your written words with your voice using the Anchor recorder.</p><p id="b980">In my case, I uploaded the audio file I downloaded from Podcastle AI, and once uploaded on Anchor, it created the first episode of my podcast.</p><p id="e37a">There are a few things you can improve in creating your first podcast episode, like deciding the title of your podcast, the cover art you will use, and the podcast description. But for now, I will not dwell on any of it. All I want to show is, it is quite simple to create a podcast.</p><p id="81b5">With Anchor being a part of Spotify, you don't need to apply to Spotify to add your podcast, and you don't need to know the technicalities of submitting the RSS feed to Spotify. An RSS feed allows you to add your podcast on different platforms like <a href="https://podcasts.google.com/">Google Podcasts </a>and <a href="https://itunespartner.apple.com/podcasts/articles/what-is-a-podcast-2772">Apple iTunes.</a></p><h2 id="5eba">Anchor does it all for you</h2><figure id="fb2d"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*0uni_nA0udQN3mSI"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@cdx2?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">C D-X</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><p id="6c65">It was the farthest thing on my mind that I can host a podcast on Spotify, but it only took a few minutes. When I refresh the distribution setting on my Anchor account, and there it was, a link to my very own Spotify podcast.</p><p id="a7eb">At first, I can’t believe it, my very own podcast. To be honest, it is surreal. Just being able to say, listen to me on Spotify is making me blush. I know it isn’t my voice but an AI voice, and yet everything you hear on the podcast, those are my words, those are my thoughts.</p><h1 id="0530">I Listened to It on Spotify and It Feels Good</h1><p id="84b5">There are other things to learn about podcasting. Like blogging, one needs to reach out to your target audience.</p><p id="4beb">From converting my stories — my words using Podcastle AI text to speech — to the Google Chrome extension, to downloading the audio file, to creating my first episode and listening to it on Spotify, I did it all in under 30 minutes.</p><h1 id="7da7">One More Thing</h1><p id="c4da">While this step took longer, it is critical to know how your podcast is doing on Spotify. Numbers are important. All it takes is for you to claim your podcast on Spotify. You can click the link <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/">here</a>.</p><p id="50f4">It will take a while before you will see your Spotify dashboard. This is where it gets a little technical.</p><h2 id="258d">How to claim your podcast on Spotify</h2><ol><li>In your Anchor account, you need to change your RSS feed to include your email address.</li><li>Click Settings, and then click distribution.</li><li>Go to Advanced Settings, there is a switch that says, <i>display personal email address publicly in RSS feed</i>, push it to the right.</li><li>Make sure to save your changes.</li></ol><p id="633f">Once you have claimed your podcast on Spotify, you will see on your dashboard the number of times it gets streamed and the number of people listening.</p><p id="2470">My next project would be to turn my words into videos. As writers, we are already producing the content, so it is time for us to keep on repurposing our works.</p><p id="a151">From blogging to podcasting to vlogging, we need to embrace each format to reach our audience. All it takes is believing in yourself that you can take the next step.</p><p id="4fce">For now, I’m proud of myself that I was able to start a podcast on Spotify in under 30 minutes, and I take comfort that for now, it is enough that my podcast has an audience of one, who happens to be me.</p><p id="5d82">I will be happy to hear from you and would love to see a response with a link to your own Spotify podcast.</p></article></body>

How to Start a Podcast With a Text to Speech Tool

By using your written stories and without using your voice

As I write this, it is raining. I never liked the rain because it makes me sad. My next thought is if I can only start sharing how I feel, not only in words but in a podcast.

Once in a while, I would have this idea that I could start a podcast. But, as soon as the thought pops into my head, my inner critic would come screaming and stop me.

It says things like, you have a funny voice. Really? A podcast? So you’re a host now? Who will listen to you?

Today, I fought back, and I will show you how I was able to start a podcast on Spotify with a text-to-speech tool.

What Is a Podcast?

In simple terms, a podcast is like a radio show you listen to through an app on your mobile phone. The most popular apps are Spotify and iTunes.

Writers should do a podcast

Writers are generally chatty, not in person but through their writing. Writers are also highly opinionated. What stops most writers to even think of podcasting is that writers are shy people. I know, I am.

One way to overcome this fear of starting a podcast is for writers to consider podcasting as audio blogging. If you are already blogging, then you are one step away from being a podcaster.

Another reason why a writer is hesitant to start a podcast is that one has to invest in equipment.

But, what if I tell you now that when I launched my podcast on Spotify, I didn’t buy a piece of audio equipment, and here is the big reveal, I didn’t record one word in the podcast using my voice.

Say It Again?

I didn’t record one word in the podcast using my voice.

I did research, and I know it can be done. From words to voice, that is all it takes.

As a writer, I have the words, all I need now is to record what I wrote, but I don't like my speaking voice. I found my answer, text to speech. It is not a new technology, and it is getting better each day.

Text to Speech

Through machine learning and artificial intelligence, text to speech has become more accessible. The fun part for writers is that you don't have to be bored with the technology that is powering text to speech.

I geek about technology. Today, I found a text-to-speech tool that is easy to use, and there are many to choose from. Again, all you need is to convert your words into audio.

I discovered Podcastle AI. Full disclosure, I only found about it by googling the words convert article to podcast. There it was, on top of the Google search results.

Podcastle AI is a Google Chrome extension, so you need the Google Chrome browser for it to work.

All you have to do is download the extension from here.

As soon as you finish, you can pin Podcastle on your Google Chrome browser, so it is one click away when you want to use it.

How to use Podcastle AI

It is easy to use, as there are only two steps involved in how to use Podcastle AI. First, go to your published article or to any text you want to convert to a podcast or audio. Then, click the Podcastle AI icon and press the convert to podcast tab.

Depending on the length of your story, the conversion is fast. You can start listening to the audio. You can also change the AI voice from male to female. Adjust the volume for easy listening. You can also share it with the link on any social media platform or with your friends.

Podcastle AI on their website has this to say about their text to speech product.

For people who love to be informed and do it efficiently. Podcastle converts text news/articles to a podcast, with very natural human speech using machine learning.

Podcastle AI allows you to download the audio file

Even if you are not starting a podcast, Podcastle AI can serve writers in many ways. It is different when one hears their words, not in their voice but the voice of others, even in this case from an AI voice.

Once you have the audio file downloaded, you’re now ready to start your podcast.

Text to Speech Tools, the Good and the Bad

As writers, we only need one tool, our imagination, to weave our stories. For our stories to come to life, we only need a pen and paper.

As time passes, most of us use our laptops to write, and there will always be new tools that can make the writing process easier and make us more productive.

It is the same with text-to-speech tools, which can help immensely in writing and editing by allowing the writer to hear their words read out loud without using their voice.

How to Read Your Story Out Loud Without Using Your Voice

This text-to-speech tool makes it easy for writers

medium.com

Text-to-speech tools can help us repurpose our content. Our written words can become spoken words or a podcast. A podcast, with a few iterations, can become a video, which we upload on Youtube. All of which can help us with reaching new audiences.

Repurposing our content allows our audience to consume our content in different ways. Our audience can choose to read, listen, or watch our stories.

Text-to-speech tools allow writers to make accessible content. There are 285 million people who are visually impaired, and 39 million people who are blind, according to the World Health Organisation.

As a writer, we can do our part in creating a more inclusive world by always be mindful of the importance of accessibility.

Accessible content removes the barriers that prevent individuals with disabilities from accessing online content. In America, around 20% of the population has some form of disability.

While technology is making text-to-speech tools sound human-like, it still can’t capture the full human emotions, but it shouldn’t stop you for now from using these tools. The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, and the technology is getting better each day.

Anchor — The Easiest Way to Make a Podcast

Anchor is a podcast hosting platform, and it is free. The most exciting part of it, Anchor is now part of the Spotify family when it was acquired in 2019, as Spotify continues to invest in podcasting with acquisitions.

All you need is an account on Anchor, and you are now a few steps away from having a podcast of your own.

Again, a podcast needs audio, you can skip the first part, and you can record your written words with your voice using the Anchor recorder.

In my case, I uploaded the audio file I downloaded from Podcastle AI, and once uploaded on Anchor, it created the first episode of my podcast.

There are a few things you can improve in creating your first podcast episode, like deciding the title of your podcast, the cover art you will use, and the podcast description. But for now, I will not dwell on any of it. All I want to show is, it is quite simple to create a podcast.

With Anchor being a part of Spotify, you don't need to apply to Spotify to add your podcast, and you don't need to know the technicalities of submitting the RSS feed to Spotify. An RSS feed allows you to add your podcast on different platforms like Google Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

Anchor does it all for you

It was the farthest thing on my mind that I can host a podcast on Spotify, but it only took a few minutes. When I refresh the distribution setting on my Anchor account, and there it was, a link to my very own Spotify podcast.

At first, I can’t believe it, my very own podcast. To be honest, it is surreal. Just being able to say, listen to me on Spotify is making me blush. I know it isn’t my voice but an AI voice, and yet everything you hear on the podcast, those are my words, those are my thoughts.

I Listened to It on Spotify and It Feels Good

There are other things to learn about podcasting. Like blogging, one needs to reach out to your target audience.

From converting my stories — my words using Podcastle AI text to speech — to the Google Chrome extension, to downloading the audio file, to creating my first episode and listening to it on Spotify, I did it all in under 30 minutes.

One More Thing

While this step took longer, it is critical to know how your podcast is doing on Spotify. Numbers are important. All it takes is for you to claim your podcast on Spotify. You can click the link here.

It will take a while before you will see your Spotify dashboard. This is where it gets a little technical.

How to claim your podcast on Spotify

In your Anchor account, you need to change your RSS feed to include your email address.
Click Settings, and then click distribution.
Go to Advanced Settings, there is a switch that says, display personal email address publicly in RSS feed, push it to the right.
Make sure to save your changes.

Once you have claimed your podcast on Spotify, you will see on your dashboard the number of times it gets streamed and the number of people listening.

My next project would be to turn my words into videos. As writers, we are already producing the content, so it is time for us to keep on repurposing our works.

From blogging to podcasting to vlogging, we need to embrace each format to reach our audience. All it takes is believing in yourself that you can take the next step.

For now, I’m proud of myself that I was able to start a podcast on Spotify in under 30 minutes, and I take comfort that for now, it is enough that my podcast has an audience of one, who happens to be me.

I will be happy to hear from you and would love to see a response with a link to your own Spotify podcast.