Podcasts about Folklore and Writing to Listen To
“The medium of podcasting and the personal nature of it, the relationship you build with your listeners and the relationship they have with you—they could be just sitting there, chuckling and listening… there’s nothing like that.”
—Marc Maron
Podcasts can feed our intellect and help us to become better writers. While podcasts vary widely in subject and theme, folklore podcasts are among the most enticing for storytellers and writers. If you are a lover of folklore and mythology, here are six poetry and writing podcasts to check out.
Deviant Women
This podcast is curated by women and about women. Each episode, hosts Alicia and Lauren discuss a specific “deviant” woman from either fiction or reality—from contemporary and historical figures to characters from fiction, folklore, and mythology. Alicia and Lauren have this to say about the fictional women they discuss in their podcast:
“For us, mythology and literature are as important as history, as they allow us to understand the roots that continue to define and restrict our notions of ‘acceptable’ femininity and women’s roles. In many ways, mythology and literature have long stood in for the absence of women in historical narratives. We believe the way we tell the stories of women is as important and influential as the stories themselves!”
Among the fascinating women discussed in Deviant Women are Baba Yaga, Juana Inés de la Cruz, Mary De Morgan, and Mary Shelley.
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Femlore
Femlore (previously Feminist Folklore) is a podcast hosted by Rachael Marr and Mindy Scott. This podcast gathers folktales from all corners of the world, revisiting old stories from the female point of view. Listen to both new and archived episodes for new perspectives on stories like The Lion’s Whiskers, Thor: The Lay of Thrym, The Little Mermaid, and Snow White.
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Lore
With over 310 million listens, Lore is easily one of the most widely-recognized folklore podcasts. Created and written by Aaron Mahnke, the biweekly podcast delves into dark tales based on true events. The narratives address the darkest corners of history, including tales and local legends. Mahnke also presents Cabinet of Curiosities and Unobscured, both podcasts analyzing the bizarre, disturbing, and murky of happenings and people. These belong to a collection of podcasts entitled Grim & Mild that has two more: Noble Blood and Strange Arrivals.
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Magick & Alchemy
A podcast dedicated to magic and mythology, Magick & Alchemy by Tamed Wild is hosted by Kate Belew and Kristin Lisenby. In thoughtful conversations, they share insight about divination, mythological goddess, the solstices of the seasons, witchcraft, and moon musings, among other mystical topics.
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Poetry Says
Poetry Says is produced by Alice Allan, a freelance writer and poet who speaks with poets from Australia and elsewhere. They discuss the process behind their work, their failures and goals, and how to stay strong during hard times.
Poetry For Now
Written and hosted by Martin Strasmore, Poetry For Now brings you astute and witty poetry to invigorate your days. The background music, which is played by Kassandra Strasmore, creates a lovely ambience and experience. The podcast asserts: “Good poetry can open up the mind and heart to new ways of seeing the world, accepting difficulties and embracing opportunities for transformation. Each episode is intended to support and uplift the world and to renew our respect for each other and nature.”
