Creative Podcasts for 2024

It's the annual post on creative podcasts! Now into its 5th year...

Three Ravens

The Three Ravens Podcast from Eleanor Conlon and Martin Vaux focuses on the Folklore and Myths of England. Starting with a run-through of each of England's counties and their stories, then repeating this (switching narrators for each).

The material is well-presented and researched, with a story each time to give creative ideas. There are special episodes on monsters, crafts and themes such as Halloween.

For me it's important to learning more about folklore which I want to use in books I write.

Reinvent Yourself with Dr Tara

Reinvent Yourself is hosted by Dr Tara Swart, a Neuroscientist specialising in neuroplasticity. I first heard on Rangen Chatterjee's Feel Better Live More (my goto for all things health).

In this podcast she interviews people on how to change around your life, creativity and live a little differently. From the perspective of mental health, neuroscience and mindset. There aren't too many episodes and season 2 ended with no season 3 yet in sight, but they're all worth listening to!

Some of the adverts are a little heavy, so prepare the skip button!

A Wasteland Story

If you want to learn about roleplaying games or how to play them solo, then A Wasteland Story gives a different take.

For a start the setting is post-apocalypse, using the Fallout RPG. So a little different to fantasy or something in space. Also kind relevant in our current times!

Second, the presenter takes the time to explain things about roleplaying games, playing solo, the roleplaying game and other tools used. So it's a good place for beginners.

The ability to tell stories and play games on your own is a great way to exercise creativity!

History of Byzantium!

Picking up from where the Roman Empire mostly becomes the Eastern Roman Empire (due to widespread collapse of the Western Roman Empire) in 476. As of writing Robin Pierson in the History of Byzantium covers 312 Episodes up to 1328. (Spoiler Alert! Constantinople falls in 1453...). That includes interviews and coverage all through the period.

The creativity part is that the history of this Empire touches on so many different places and peoples, and is largely forgotten in Western history. Moving from a latin-speaking Empire centred on Rome and worshipping a pantheon of gods (and the Emperors), to a Greek-speaking Christian Empire centered on Constantinople. The events of Byzantium spans the Birth of Islam, crowning of the first Holy Roman Emperor, Crusades, Justinian's retaking of parts of the Western Roman Empire, Mongol Invasion, black plague, many heresies, succession wars and lame emperors. It touches on the Parthians, Goths, Bulgars, Slavs, Kievan Rus, Ottoman Turks, Mongols, Venetians, Holy Roman Empires, first Caliphate, Hungarians, Normans, Fatimids, Lombards and many others.

Finishing Up

Any podcasts that have been inspiring you recently?

Next year they'll be another batch!