Jessica Abel

"This graphic novel takes readers behind the scenes of their favorite radio shows and podcasts to show the storytelling techniques and ideas that produce these beloved programs"--

the storytelling secrets of the new masters of radio

Out on the wire

rumbledethumps

*Out on the Wire* by Jessica Abel is a book-length comic about storytelling in the medium of radio/podcasting. Or as the subtitle explains, "The Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio." I zipped through the first half, fascinated by the interviews with all of these great storytellers describing their theories of storytelling.

But, it kind of bogged down in the second half. Abel states at the end of the book, "...couldn't leave anything out. In fact I kept adding more in." It felt like it. Ironically, where it bogged down the most was in the section about editing. 

The vast range of characters became overwhelming, too. Since she chose to structure the book thematically, we'd get an interview with the team from one show, and then another show, and then another. In the next section we'd see most of them again, but I would lose track of who was who, and Abel rarely made re-introductions. It made for confusion and a lot of flipping back to previous sections.

But, overall it is a good book. Anyone interested in podcasting needs to read this book, and anyone interested in storytelling could benefit from it also.

Out on the wire the storytelling secrets of the new masters of radio

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