where remarkable things happen...

Interview with Grammar Girl, Mignon Fogarty
Hit #1 Itunes Podcast in January 2007
Interview conducted: 2/19/07

CreateAWow: Please tell us a little about yourself. What's a typical day like in the life of Grammar Girl?

Grammar Girl: I spent the last 10 years or so in Northern California, and moved to Gilbert, Arizona about a year and a half ago. Before Grammar Girl, I worked as a science and technical writer. I wrote mainly for biotechnology companies.

First thing in the morning I usually log the traffic for all of the shows in the QDnow network. I spend a couple of hours reviewing listener questions and entering them into a spreadsheet so I can keep track of them. Then I probably spend another hour or so looking up answers to some of the more complex or interesting questions. Then I work on my own show, produce one of the other shows in the QDnow network, and deal with business issues. We're working on a website redesign, so I'm spending a lot of time on that recently. 

CreateAWow: From your interview on CNN, it looks like you're an editor by trade. What is your "day job"? Do you have an English degree?

Grammar Girl: Have an English degree from the University of Washington in Seattle and for the last seven years I worked as a science writer and technical writer.

CreateAWow: When did you start Grammar Girl, the podcast, and how long did it take you to get it to #2?

Grammar Girl: I started Grammar Girl at the very end of July 2006; it hit number two in the middle of October and number one by the end of January.

CreateAWow: What type of marketing/promotion besides word of mouth have you done?

Grammar Girl: I issued a couple of press releases when the show reached certain milestones -­ for example when Grammar Girl hit one million downloads ­- but for the most part it's all been word-of-mouth. 

CreateAWow: Can anyone start their own podcast? What advice or resources would you recommend for someone who wants to learn how to create podcasts?

Grammar Girl: I do think that anyone can start their own podcast as long as they have the time and desire to read up on all the tools that are avaiable.

When I started my initial podcast, Absolute Science, I knew a lot about web technology and new media, but I didn't know anything about audio technology. I just started Googling around about podcasting and hanging out in podcasting forums like the Podcast Pickle where I picked up a lot of great tips and found people who could answer my questions when I got stuck. I started with free software programs and inexpensive microphones and headphones that I already owned and then upgraded my equipment as I became more serious about podcasting. So by the time I started Grammar Girl, I knew what I was doing and hit the ground running. After it became clear there were a lot of people listening, I felt more of a responsibility to make the sound quality as good as I possibly could, so I've upgraded more of my equipment and continue to tweak my set up. 

CreateAWow: What were some of the milestones along the way? Pivotal points where you saw impressive growth in your listener base?

Grammar Girl: Getting featured at iTunes the first time created a big traffic spike. After that, the growth was solid and steady until the show was featured on CNN.com -- that caused traffic to grow about 50% overnight.

CreateAWow: How much time does it take for you to create a single podcast? Do you do all the technical stuff yourself or do you have someone who helps you clean/edit the audio, etc.? 

Grammar Girl: It takes me anywhere from 5 to 10 hours to create a Grammar Girl podcast. It depends on how complex the topic is and how much research I have to do. Right now I do everything except copy editing myself.

CreateAWow: How many emails a day do you receive now for Grammar Girl?

Grammar Girl:  I get around 50 Grammar Girl e-mails per day.

CreateAWow: If someone wanted to create their own podcast, what advice would you give them? For example, what are a couple do's and don'ts?

Grammar Girl: Do find a topic you are passionate about, and do think about your potential listener and what they might enjoy. Don't over-invest in equipment before you start, and don't ramble.

CreateAWow: Did you expect your podcast to be this popular? Was there anything you weren’t prepared for in this kind of popularity?

Grammar Girl: I did go into it thinking that the short, scripted format was likely to be more popular than a longer, less structured format, and even with the vague idea that there are people out there who are interested in grammar based on the success of grammar books such as Eats Shoots & Leaves; but never in my wildest dreams did I think that Grammar Girl would make it into the Top 100 at iTunes, let alone make it to number one.

CreateAWow: I noticed you have a donations spot on your podcast. What are the costs associated with a successful podcast? You don't have to get specific - just a general idea. For example, does iTunes charge you something per download? Or the bandwidth you use?

Grammar Girl: Aside from all the time it takes to put the show together (which has an opportunity cost), I pay for web hosting, podcast file hosting, audio equipment, copy editing, reference materials (books and online subscriptions), press releases, and art.

CreateAWow: Are donations your only form of revenue from the podcast? If not, what are some others?

Grammar Girl:  I also occasionally have an advertiser.

CreateAWow: I noticed you have other podcasts. Could you tell us a little about each of those?

Grammar Girl: I leveraged the success of Grammar Girl to create the QDnow podcast network. There are five other podcasts the QDnow network:

Each show has a different host, and I do most of the “behind the scenes” work for each of those shows.

CreateAWow: What people in your life have had the greatest influence on you to bring you to this point?

Grammar Girl: My mother always believed in me and emphasized learning above almost all else. I think that solid foundation let me have the confidence to pursue my dreams. My husband is also really supportive and inspires me to take chances.

CreateAWow: What does WOW mean to you? What makes you say, "Wow"?

Grammar Girl: I think WOW means accomplishing something that didn't seem possible before. Lately, things that make me go WOW are the amazing new media tools that are available. It seems like every week I discover some new tool that lets me communicate better with my listeners, and within two weeks I don't know how I lived without it before.

CreateAWow: Is there someone or something that has WOWed you?

Grammar Girl: I've been WOWed by the Grammar Girl fans. I get wonderful, passionate e-mails from them every day. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, their e-mails keep me going.

CreateAWow: Any plans to compile your Grammar Girl transcripts into a book? I think it would make a great guide book.

Grammar Girl: I've just started working on a Grammar Girl book. 

CreateAWow: What's the next step for you? What is the next WOW we can expect from you?

Grammar Girl: I'm excited about the website redesign, but I think the book will be the next WOW.

Visit Grammar Girl at http://grammar.qdnow.com/