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an ADEQUATE podcast

an ADEQUATE podcast

By John-Paul Flintoff

A podcast about speaking and performance. It's ADEQUATE, because I can't do perfect.

The presenter is John-Paul Flintoff (me, the chap typing this sentence), author of seven books, published in 16 languages.

One of them, A Modest Book About How To Make An Adequate Speech, was written after a mental health crisis - and I might talk about that sometimes.

Find me at flintoff.org/
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The Sound of Blogging

an ADEQUATE podcastJul 22, 2021

00:00
23:02
"I seriously thought of leaving", he told me...

"I seriously thought of leaving", he told me...

One of the participants on a week-long residential course for writers got in touch with me afterwards...

Mar 13, 202405:38
How Making Your Introductory Video Is Easier With Help

How Making Your Introductory Video Is Easier With Help

A bit of a change in tone, today
Jul 09, 202305:33
A mile of steam

A mile of steam

Using a podcast to make things visible.
Jul 08, 202303:26
As It Happens, on the BBC

As It Happens, on the BBC

Andy Kershaw blew my mind.
Jul 06, 202304:52
A human replies.

A human replies.

Contact! 🗣️👂🏻
Jul 01, 202300:41
Just a human on Earth

Just a human on Earth

Inspired by Carl on Behaviour Gap Radio I am going to do higher frequency, shorter episodes, without ever striving to be more than adequate
Jun 30, 202303:22
Epic: Dark Arts of Politics + Heroic Victory
Sep 29, 202117:39
So So So So So Beautiful
Aug 20, 202127:57
Pilita Clark Writing Her Column For The Financial Times

Pilita Clark Writing Her Column For The Financial Times

Pilita Clark is a columnist at The Financial Times. I used to sit next to Pilita when we both worked on the FT's Saturday magazine. 

I don't suppose it's really possible that the sound of her typing, which you hear in this episode, can really have reminded me of that time - because one person's typing isn't all that different from another's, surely. But listening to it did take me right back, as I pictured Pilita "typing up a storm" (a phrase she used to use herself sometimes).

As you listen, you can hear a wonderful sigh after about 16m 30s. It's not quite a sigh of relief, because she's still got a few minutes left. I don't know what kind of sigh it is. I don't suppose Pilita knows, either. But it makes me think about my own typing process, and how I probably do tend to hold my breath while developing a particular line of thought. 

Incidentally, yesterday I recorded a livestream of myself typing, direct to Facebook. I was screensharing a Google Doc, so viewers could see the words as they appeared, and sometimes disappeared. I streamed it using Zoom, and thought I'd done it so that there was no tiny image of me on the screen - but when I watched a few moments I saw that I was, in fact, visible. 

And I noticed that, though I mostly sit quite still, I do also move my head a certain amount - a bit like a conductor focusing on different parts of the orchestra. I'm not sure what this is about, but am enjoying this ongoing process of examining writing as a performance.

Follow Pilita on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pilitaclark

Aug 04, 202124:59
Type Along With... Times Columnist X
Jul 30, 202121:32
The Sound of Blogging

The Sound of Blogging

M.S. said, why not record yourself typing? I did.
Jul 22, 202123:02
Wedding Speech: Real-Life Coaching Example

Wedding Speech: Real-Life Coaching Example

A confident writer. Even fairly confident at speaking. But this is the first wedding speech.
In this short conversation, you'll hear us take on the key areas of concern, and find a way forward.
As ever, I hope it's useful. Take what you like, and leave the rest.
Jun 03, 202122:33
Interview With My Psychiatrist, Henrietta Bowden-Jones OBE

Interview With My Psychiatrist, Henrietta Bowden-Jones OBE

I first met Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones OBE at the Nightingale Psychiatric Hospital, where I came to see her as a patient. 

As you will hear in this conversation, I had previously seen her website, https://henriettabowdenjones.com/media/, and I had listened to her on Private Passions, BBC Radio 3.

I'm not aware of any other podcast in which somebody interviews his own psychiatrist - mind you, I haven't actually looked very hard. The main point to make is: I think this is a very interesting conversation, and I hope you find it engaging / useful / interesting. If you do, feel free to share it. Thank you.

You can follow Professor Bowden-Jones on Twitter. 

May 24, 202132:30
Show Your Process 4/5

Show Your Process 4/5

Feedback, and what I did with it. Plus, why I’m wearing an orange bracelet with today’s date on it.
May 22, 202112:58
Show Your Process 3/5

Show Your Process 3/5

The Best Man Speech idea takes shape. The pop-up newsletter gets interest from Whizzers. Plus: What Jeff Walker did to sustain energy and impact.
May 20, 202113:39
Show The Process When You Launch 2/5

Show The Process When You Launch 2/5

In this mini-series, I talk about how much I have gained by showing my work in progress.

Part 2 of 5. You should listen to part 1 first, if you haven't already.

May 19, 202118:10
Show The Process When You Launch. Part 1 of 5

Show The Process When You Launch. Part 1 of 5

Putting something into the world can be a lot easier if you share the process, even or especially when it’s a bit messy. In this episode, I share the process of launching something new, but related to my latest book. The episode is interrupted by a schnauzer, followed by a rainstorm. More tomorrow.
May 18, 202108:15
Finding Your Own Style, and Sticking With It | Interview with James Mayhew

Finding Your Own Style, and Sticking With It | Interview with James Mayhew

In this episode, James Mayhew talks about the process of finding his own style as a young man - initially, by copying others. If you're a regular listener, you'll know this is a regular theme: there's a real liberation in setting constraints for your artistic practice. 

In this particular case, the practice is visual art, but what James describes is relevant to any other kind of creative work, including writing.

I first came across James's art as a parent, reading picture books before bedtime. We loved the Katie books. The first of these was published in 1989, soon after James left art school. Here's what you need to know: in the Katie books, James takes his main character into the world of other artists - literally stepping into their famous paintings to meet the people pictured there. 

As it happens, I have recently been doing a very slightly similar thing, and posting my drawings on Instagram (here). I've learned a lot from copying the great masters, and after I had done a few I thought of James, drawing the Katie books, and just knew I had to ask him about it. I'm so pleased he said yes.

Also in this episode, we talk about how (for a decade before the pandemic) James did live drawing sessions, collaborating with orchestras to convey the world of particular pieces of music. And we hear how he adapted that work, with a pair of musicians, to work online. 

James Mayhew's website: https://www.jamesmayhew.co.uk/

Plus: James explains how he uses Patreon to enable the people who like his work to do something concrete to support it.(https://www.patreon.com/ABrushWithMusic)

May 10, 202139:43
How to pull off a month-long creative project.
May 02, 202113:35
26. "Everybody needs a good listening to". Author Wendy Jones on putting other people's voices first
Apr 27, 202142:04
25. Step inside: 10 Downing Street

25. Step inside: 10 Downing Street

Storytelling, companionship, holy places...
It's all happening in this year's virtual, online pilgrimage from North London (where I live) to Canterbury.
It takes place entirely on Google Streetview, with Zoom, so you can join from anywhere.
2.30pm to 3.15pm, every weekday in April 2021.
As the first week ends, we're in London.
Apr 10, 202114:35
24. "I Thought I Didn't Need Supervision" | Interview with Jenny Rogers
Apr 06, 202136:58
23. On being a journalist x blogs, podcasts and broadsheets

23. On being a journalist x blogs, podcasts and broadsheets

I met some journalists who fled their homeland, and it got me thinking.
Apr 01, 202112:00
22. How playing with formats creates entirely new content

22. How playing with formats creates entirely new content

In one hand you have content, and in the other hand you have formats. Mix them up!
Mar 19, 202106:07
21. "When I'm On My Deathbed, I'll Remember This."
Mar 12, 202131:19
20. On the pleasure of copying out great writing by hand

20. On the pleasure of copying out great writing by hand

Every great writer learns by copying the great writers of the past. For centuries, this involved collecting verbal wonders in a “commonplace book“. In this episode I share something I’ve written for The Idler about my own commonplace book.
Mar 10, 202109:30
19. What Happened to Joel's Artwork?

19. What Happened to Joel's Artwork?

In which we hear again from Joel Levack, who featured in episode 11.
Mar 08, 202106:38
17. My First Wedding Speech: blow by blow, by Rebecca Twomey
Mar 03, 202128:14
16. A Guide To Being A Coachy Friendy Agenty Kind Of Person

16. A Guide To Being A Coachy Friendy Agenty Kind Of Person

Steve Chapman was working with somebody a bit wooden, who wanted to be more natural. But how? You can't just say, "Be more natural". What Steve did was utterly unexpected (it involved dandelions).
The interview with Steve in this episode was recorded as part of the research for my book, back in the days when you could meet a friend and sit in the park together, beneath noisy planes and near laughing children, without wearing a mask.
As you listen to Steve, please notice that his interaction with his client involved a lovely dance between gentle requests and firm demands - a combination that may possibly be necessary in any attempt to engineer an interaction.
Mar 01, 202117:01
15. How To Talk About Something Delicate: a few suggestions
Feb 25, 202130:10
14. "It's A Sin To Bore For Jesus" + A lesson from impro

14. "It's A Sin To Bore For Jesus" + A lesson from impro

Ron Boyd-MacMillan wrote a remarkably useful and entertaining book, Explosive Preaching, which I picked up while researching my own book. His insights, intended to aid religious preachers, are useful to anybody who intends to make a speech, whether at a wedding or for work.

In this interview, Ron tells me why the great early preacher St Augustine used to improvise;  says he's been disappointed that churches, in Covid, have sounded like bureaucrats interested only in health and safety; and tells stories about his work training preachers across the world and in many denominations. In particular, he explains how he prepared Chinese "house church" preachers to memorise dozens of hours of sermons all at once. 

Whatever your interest in communication, you'll learn from Ron how to think about your purpose, your audience, the arrangement of your material, the style you adopt, how to memorise your material, and how best to deliver it. 

PLUS: Whatever kind of creative work you are doing, you will want to stop occasionally and assess it. That applies to public speaking, writing a book, and making a podcast. In this episode, I perform a quick assessment of my own progress with this podcast, and note that I would never have started if I had hoped to know all this at the beginning - a reminder to all creative types to get started.

Feb 22, 202143:41
13. Talking As Therapy, and Just Talking

13. Talking As Therapy, and Just Talking

Hannah Murray of Talk Radio Europe interviewed me about public speaking and mental health. She started with a welcome question about my breakdown.
Audio courtesy of Hannah, and Talk Radio Europe.
Feb 19, 202119:30
12. "Read it aloud" | Interview with Kris Dyer, voice wiz
Feb 16, 202133:10
11. What Happened To Brendan? + Joel chops up the bar

11. What Happened To Brendan? + Joel chops up the bar

In which I reveal what happened to Brendan Barns, after he put his home up as collateral to pay for his quirky dream. Plus, a real life example of someone wondering how to make best use of material that may not, initially, seem entirely promising. And some animal sounds, just because.
Feb 13, 202131:13
10. "Do I Have Sleepless Nights? I Do" | Brendan Barns + Guy Hayward

10. "Do I Have Sleepless Nights? I Do" | Brendan Barns + Guy Hayward

In this episode, I tell you about a man I interviewed (in real life) a while ago, because I interviewed him again more recently (on Zoom, in lockdown) and I think you might like to know his backstory first. He's Brendan Barns.
Plus... I share a short highlight from an interview with Dr Guy Hayward, an all-round entertainer and polymath who inspired me to do last year's Virtual Pilgrimage (and this years too).
And... your good fortune really is boundless today because in this episode I also share a handful of facts about a remarkable writer, Hilaire Belloc - who helped to re-create the notion of pilgrimage in the UK. His book, which Guy mentions, can be found here.
And finally... I continue to experiment with sound effects because - well, this is audio, right, and I'm enjoying myself.
Feb 10, 202122:27
9. How I Tried To Understand My Audience | Real-life example, with people I didn't know

9. How I Tried To Understand My Audience | Real-life example, with people I didn't know

Creative Conscience helps young people focus on using their talents to share things that matter. In this episode I tell a group of people I don’t know the crucial importance of focusing on your audience...
That focus, and a clear sense of purpose, is much more important than anything else...
Find out more about Creative Conscience here.
Feb 07, 202132:03
8. How To Write A Book Proposal | Interview with agent Jaime Marshall

8. How To Write A Book Proposal | Interview with agent Jaime Marshall

My new book is out. I just got hold of my first copies. It feels like I'm back on my feet as a writer.
In this episode, I interview my agent Jaime Marshall about how A Modest Book About How To Make An Adequate Speech came into being - with particular reference to the title, and the book proposal Jaime submitted to my publisher, Short Books.
You can see the photo of me waving my book at Jaime on my blog.
You can buy the book here:
amzn.to/3cyiuEN
If you send me proof of purchase I will send you a signed, limited edition post-card sized print of my own art. The offer is only available in the UK, I'm afraid - and there are only 100 prints available (so don't hang around!).
Also in this episode, I mention something coming up in April, where you will be able to join me as we swap stories...
Till next time!
Feb 04, 202129:27
7. Rejection Game | highlight from a demo

7. Rejection Game | highlight from a demo

Training in theatrical impro with Keith Johnstone, I learned to play The Rejection Game, in which one of the four people on stage must be rejected by the other three.
Playing the game teaches how to exclude - but also how to include. And it teaches us that we can't focus on everybody all the time. Someone, somewhere, is liable to feel left out at times.
Plainly, this has important consequences in everyday life, but it also applies very much to anybody thinking of public speaking - the subject of my new book. I was trying to think of a way to share something about this, when I happened to hear from somebody who had attended a workshop I delivered some years ago...
In this episode, you'll hear Mercer's questions, and a short demonstration of The Rejection Game from the time I was in Belfast with Mercer.
Feb 01, 202123:03
6. "You were almost painfully honest" | Jo Gubbay interview
Jan 29, 202123:46
5. An Apology + Nicky Forsythe interview
Jan 26, 202117:34
4. How to do "eye contact" on Zoom?
Jan 24, 202117:36
3. On American Speakers | Jay Heinrichs
Jan 20, 202115:20
2. “All wrong, still good” | Helen Bagnall interview

2. “All wrong, still good” | Helen Bagnall interview

In this episode, festival organiser Helen Bagnall says that speakers who have something worthwhile to say can do it "all wrong" and still be good - adding that the TED style talk isn't always right.
Later in the episode, I share with you what I got back from the magazine after submitting the story I read aloud in Episode 1 - and what I did about it.
Read about Helen by clicking here: Salon London.
Jan 15, 202112:08
1. My speaking disasters + Martin Pistorius interview

1. My speaking disasters + Martin Pistorius interview

"Most of us dread speaking, even to a small gathering of friends and family. I certainly did, until I had spoken publicly often enough for all my greatest fears to have come true..."
I've written and submitted a story to a magazine about my greatest humiliations as a public speaker. I've read it aloud for this first episode, along with a short interview I did with an incredible man who lived trapped inside his body for 14 years, unable to communicate. I hope you find Martin Pistorius as inspiring as I do.
We all have something to share, and self-expression is a gift. Whether you do it by writing, drawing or speaking, I hope this podcast will encourage you to do it more.
Find out more about Martin.
Jan 08, 202121:12