Unlocking Story Shapes in Podcasting: Practical Applications

In this episode of Showmakers, Ed Barker, founder of Studio 1878, continues his storytelling series by exploring practical ways to use storytelling in podcasting. He introduces various 'story shapes' such as the hero's journey, before-after-bridge, the mountain, list with a twist, and spark and expansion. Ed explains how these narrative structures can help make podcast episodes more engaging, structured, and memorable. He also discusses how to choose the right shape for your content and emphasizes the importance of intention and repetition in creating a polished podcast. Whether you're developing a new podcast or refining existing content, Ed offers tips to incorporate these story shapes effectively.

00:00 Introduction

01:32 Hero's Journey

02:33 Before-After-Bridge

03:13 The Mountain

03:54 List with a Twist

04:33 Spark and Expansion

05:12 Choosing the Right Shape

05:57 Repetition and Recognition

06:23 Conclusion

About Your Host

Ed Barker has been producing and recording podcasts since 2009. After a long career as a corporate marketing and strategy executive (and then a VC), Ed launched Studio 1878 (www.1878.studio) in early 2025 with the goal of making brand and business podcasting much better. Ed is a Brit, working out of Seattle, and podcasting worldwide. 🌎

Studio 1878

A podcast development studio for the modern brand. We believe everyone has a story worth telling. Specializing in business and brand podcasts, we’ll help build your story from ideation to distribution, transforming concepts to real connection with your audiences. We produce our own shows but our core proposition is in helping businesses and creators produce something truly compelling and authentic. We’d love to help you tell your story. 😈

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