Out on the Wire

A different kind of podcasting book. Instead of a step-by-step technical guide, Jessica Abel takes you behind the scenes of the most acclaimed narrative audio shows in the world and reveals how they build stories that grip listeners from start to finish.

Why Start Here

Abel is a cartoonist and author who spent years embedded with the teams behind This American Life, Radiolab, Snap Judgment, Planet Money, and other landmark shows. She watched their editorial meetings, sat in on story sessions, and documented the creative process that turns raw material into compelling audio. Then she turned it all into a graphic narrative that is as engaging to read as the shows are to hear.

This is the book for anyone who senses that great podcasting is about more than just clear audio and a consistent upload schedule. Abel breaks down the storytelling frameworks that professional producers use: how to find a story, how to structure it, how to build tension and surprise, and how to know when something is not working. These are skills that most podcasting guides skip entirely, but they are what separate forgettable shows from ones people recommend to their friends.

The graphic format is a genuine advantage, not a gimmick. Seeing the editorial process drawn out as scenes, with dialogue and visual pacing, makes abstract concepts concrete in ways that prose alone cannot.

What to Expect

A visually rich book that reads more like a documentary than a manual. At 240 pages of illustrated content, you can finish it in one or two sittings. The focus is on storytelling craft rather than technical setup, so this pairs well with a more practical guide like Meinzer’s for the nuts-and-bolts side. Best suited for anyone interested in narrative, interview, or documentary-style podcasts.