About the Paid to Play Podcast

The antidote to the “don’t give up your day job” blues!

If you need some reinforcement against those well-meaning but fearful voices that tell you:

“That sounds like a great hobby, but what do you really want to do when you grow up?”

or

“When are you going to give that nonsense up, settle down and get a stable, secure, real job?”

then let my guests tell you their stories of getting paid to play.

Each episode features a chat with someone who’s taken what they love doing, no matter how silly, geeky or odd, and made an income out of it, from hobbies that cover their own expenses all the way through to passions that pay all the bills and then some!

I want our chats:

  • To inspire you to embrace, or keep hanging onto, the idea that other folks can find value in your play,
  • To help you take getting paid to play off that pedestal in our heads (the one where working life becomes nothing but sunshine and rainbows) – you can do it practically without needing to be a one-in-a-million talent, but it will still take solid (and, at times, un-exciting) work,
  • To give you some tips and suggestions that you can apply as you monetise your madness!

Here are just a few of this show’s guests:

  • Mur Lafferty, who not only writes speculative and weird fiction; she records the I Should Be Writing podcast, inspiring wannabe fiction writers through chats with published authors. On top of those, she’s a freelance podcast manager and editor!
  • Gavin Dunne, the one-man music project Miracle of Sound, who pays all his bills making rock music inspired by video games and pop culture media! (His tune “Big Ten” is the opening and closing music for this show!)
  • Brittanie Boe, a.k.a. Bebo, a single mum whose passion for board gaming has led her to a  work from home job as a marketer for a board game distributor!
  • Henry Smith, who scored a gamer’s dream job working full time for triple-A video game company BioWare – then quit to make his own app-based games, including the co-operative hit, Spaceteam! Henry even came back on the show to talk about his Kickstarter for funding a year of independent game development!
  • Bernadette Bentley, who combines acting, singing, dancing, a phenomenal Xena: Warrior Princess cosplay, hosting geek events and even bedazzling items into a combined bill-paying venture!
  • Barry Duffield, who defied his dad’s advice to stick with the nine to five and went into acting – and scored the role of Lugo in the international pay-TV success, Spartacus!

Enjoy the episodes?
Subscribe via iTunes, Android or RSS!
Support the show on Patreon or leave a tip via PayPal!

I never regret listening to Paid To Play. The people you interview are always interesting to me and you were a massive help with advice both in the podcast about Mick Archer at The Wicked Goblin (Episode 35) and in your comments as well.

I have found you to be very forthcoming with your advice and support and encouragement for my lame brained ideas. I can blame you for the start of the Golden D6 (my online hobby magazine) and thank you for the feedback too.

You’re doing a great job and I look forward to seeing what you come up with and continuing to listen in the future.

  • Adam Jones, webzine editor

About your host, Rob Farquhar

I wish Paid to Play HQ were this cool... Photo by Catherine Coombs

I wish Paid to Play HQ were this cool… Photo by Catherine Coombs

I’ve been making this podcast for close on four and a half years now, and even though I have some fantastic people backing the show on Patreon, I still feel like I’m one of the target audience, trying to work out what my plays could be worth to someone else.

But I still love making this show, from the research to the recording to the publishing, and it’s allowed an almost fortysomething in an out of the way tropical town in Australia to connect with some amazing people around the world.

Probably the best way to find out more about me is to check my personal website at www.robf.com.au out. Generally, though, I’m a creative type who likes sleek futures and cool machines; I’ve explored getting paid to play through:

and various other experiments!

Rob Farquhar is good at talking!  It’s the voice.  Rob has a deep, smooth voice that is easy to listen to.  He speaks clearly, usually with enthusiastic intonations and a speed that is just right to maintain a sense of energy and anticipation for the listener.

And it’s not just the voice that’s good.  Rob’s use of language is engaging and almost compressed.  So Rob’s conversations can take me on a journey that doesn’t stop and start.

Listening to Rob talk is like taking a flowing adventure down the Amazon.  The motorboat engine tone purrs along and describes all the wonderful scenes in detail as they pass.  It’s a smooth ride and as a passenger I don’t ever worry we are going to get lost or snagged on any hidden roots.  I just love listening and going along for the ride and adventure!

With a voice like that, it is immensely enjoyable listening to Rob’s podcasts and storytelling.

About Getting In Touch

Please feel free to comment on any post that takes your interest!

You can also reach me via social networking:

About the Theme Tune

The opening and closing music for The Paid To Play Podcast is from the tune “Big Ten” by Miracle of Sound (buy it from Bandcamp or iTunes). It’s used with his kind permission and all rights are reserved by him.

 

About WordPress

WordPress is the content management engine I’ve chosen to power my website. You can find more information on WordPress here.

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Support the show on Patreon or leave a tip via PayPal!

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