Author Archives: lyndonbaptiste

5 things I learned from starting a podcast

In November 2022 I started a podcast called Caribbean Content Creators, and after hitting 500 plays, I wanted to share what I’ve learned so far, in case you’re curious about podcasting.

1. You can use a free service like Anchor to upload your podcast episodes. I don’t know the pros and cons but as I learn I’ll share them with you.

2. While my content on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok is TOTALLY random I suspect a podcast has to be laser-focused. In this case, my target audience is primarily content creators. While I hardly think about who my target audience is on YouTube (to my detriment, of course), I realize, without knowing why, I’m thinking about my target audience for the podcast.

3. If you want to pull off a decent interview, you have to do at least “some” homework on your guests. Sure you could have a generic pool of questions but knowing “fine” details helps you process answers, and come up with random but meaningful questions during the interview.

4. For this point, I know what I want to say but I’m not sure how to say it. I’ll try… Apparently, listening really is an art. When you listen to people talk, particularly people who are passionate about their work or hobby, you learn “more” than technical details. Unfortunately, I can’t define “more” because I haven’t figured out exactly what “more” is. I’m tempted to say that “more” is “inspiration” but I suspect what I’m talking about is bigger than inspiration. I’ll come back to this sometime but in talking to people passionate about their work I’m developing a deeper appreciation for the work people do, and not just the interviewee but people I observe every day, the policeman, the taxi driver, the licensing officer (maybe I’m pushing it too far with the licensing officer).

5. Editing the episodes I’m now conscious of patterns in my speech that need attention: Fillers; unnecessarily long pauses in the middle of sentences; rambling on before getting to a question; overusing the word etcetera… etc.

Some of these points feel trivial, but I hope they help.

Here’s how you can support my work:

👉 Living in T & T? Order my books: https://forms.gle/Mh2PtEwJqfnsXAiG8

My books are on Amazon.com:
👉 90 Days of Violence: https://amzn.to/3he61Vz
👉 oOh My Testicles!: https://amzn.to/2RbfvGe
👉 Boy Days: https://amzn.to/3ildxPy
👉 Men and Misfits: https://amzn.to/3ilebwz
👉 The Ghost of Caura: https://amzn.to/3fwLHAT

👉 Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3W5r7Ko
👉 Recommend a guest: https://forms.gle/MvGnJixwZZfqCmwk6

I started a podcast for creators

My name is Lyndon Baptiste, and I’m a writer and content creator from Trinidad and Tobago. For a long time, I’ve toyed with the idea of starting a podcast because I’d like to talk to creators, be it writers, YouTubers, Tiktokers, singers, and artists from Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean.

My goal is to capture the “business” of content creation so that others can learn about creativity and the process of writing, book and video editing, and hopefully cross hurdles faster.

In the first episode I talk to Lance Baptiste, the author of The Ghost of Caura, and a YouTuber from Trinidad and Tobago. Listen to the episode here. And if you’re interested in purchasing his book you can download in on Amazon.com.

The Redwall Report: Friday, 14 October, 2022

Vision 2020 was not a PNM thing

Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh says that one of the key hurdles in achieving long-term national development is the lack of consistency between programmes during different political administrations.

Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Tobago bandleaders upset: Mas ‘just bathsuits and beads’

Police Complaints Authority to investigate shooting

TWO bullets to the chest and abdomen ended the life of ex-soldier Jamie Walker on October 7, outside We Supermarket, Cocoyea Village, San Fernando.

Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

People in Trinidad are so stupid (inside the mind of a politician)

This is one of those episodes of #RedwallNews that requires more context than I can provide in the video. And I guess that’s why having a blog is a good thing. I can explain things that I can’t necessarily explain in a video. Oh. You should watch the video first then come back. If you like what you see, feel free to subscribe.

The last two weeks in Trinidad and Tobago have been hard… unsettling. You know, the usual, crime, this, that, the other, then the budget and a string of missteps by preachy politicians. In fairness, some of ’em sophisticated ladies and gentlemen probably had good intentions but overall things didn’t go down well with the public.

Then a great (and sudden?) rain led to terrible floods across the country. So, long story short, people are under pressure and displeased. For some reason, I woke early and I had no plans of writing or filming then I started thinking about how hard politicians have it, particularly honest politicians who are working their butts off and getting burnt, so to say. So I jumped into the shoes of a hard-working politician who’s one step away from a mental breakdown. While in my mind, it’s clearly a parody, we’ll see how this video sits with the public.

Customs and Corruption in Trinidad

Customs Officers and their greed is driving up the cost of living, but we’ll get back to those pests in a bit.

Every day it seems that life in Trinidad is getting harder and harder. There’re murders, gender violence, and the perpetual fear that, at anytime, the price of doubles and KFC could go up. Right now the only thing harder than living in T & T is trying to swallow a fingernail or seeing Colm Imbert on TV.

Recently the prime minister took some heat for saying that that T&T lacks the infrastructure and discipline to work from home, which is true when you consider the systems in place at Licensing; NIB and Customs.

And, Mr Prime Minister, Sir, always punch up; never ever punch down, ask any comedian, that is a Special Branch you avoid.

Then there’s Customs Officers, corruption, and their greed for overtime which inflates the price of every commodity that enters our country.

Recently, the Acting Commissioner of Police recommended lie-detector tests for Customs Officers as the majority of illegal guns entering the country is through legal ports. I have a suggestion. These lie detector tests should include electric shocks.

Can you imagine customs officers under interrogation?

“How do you feel about your boss?”

“Who’s that?”

“Colm Imbert.”

“I love him.”

“Shock him.”