There are zillions and zillions of podcasts available for download and streaming today. Some are great and most, some are terrible and most are hosted by Scott Aukerman in one form or another. Here is a quick list of five good podcasts which can help focus your writing, provide insights into building a world for your characters to live within, or just kick you in the ass. Here they are in no particular order.

Dead Authors Podcast

This comedic podcasts features the creator of science fiction (according to him) H.G. Wells (played by comedian Paul F. Tompkins, who owns and operates his personal time machine, which he purchased at a church rubbish sale. H.G. Wells interviews authors from the past, in present day. The interviews are quite funny and insightful, despite the fact that the actors playing the interviewee have very little knowledge of who they are.

It's a wonderful show to look into the mind of creative thinkers. There is quite a bit of improvisation mixed into the interview process.

Write Now with Sarah Werner

This podcast is filled with advice, insight and admission from a working author. Sarah Werner speaks candidly about her struggles, conflicts and solutions to writing issues that you yourself may be having. The episodes average only thirty minutes, perfect for taking the dog on a walk and clearing your head for the task of writing.

Gay Nerd Love

Full disclosure, Second Look Scripts is a sponsor of this podcast from Portland Oregon. Archie and Andy are two gay sci fi nerds who discuss all things nerdy and gay in their weekly podcast. The show is insightful and funny with deep conversations focusing on everything from the philosophy of Star Trek to the societal impact of toys built in the 1970's. Gay Nerd Love is certainly the smallest podcast on this list and certainly deserves a listen.

No Soundcloud for these guys but here is link to all of their episodes.

Gay Nerd Love

Smartest Man in the World

Greg Proops has been working as an entertainer and comedian for over 25 years. His podcast comes out often, sometimes thrice in one week. His vocabulary is opulent, and his breadth of knowledge is staggering. Topics range from baseball to Roman sexual practices to current events to narcotics and kittens. Books are read, authors are discussed and the greats of our time are mourned. The tribute to David Bowie he gave while in Portland will bring tears to your eyes. He's included here not only for the quality and uniqueness within each episode, but also for his insistence that if you have an idea of something to create, then do it now. Right now, not tomorrow, but now, because if you don't, if you wait for the right moment, it will never come, and you will regret not creating for the rest of your life.

No soundcloud for Smartest Man in the World, but here is the companion show, the Greg Proops Film Club.

Imaginary Worlds

Imaginary Worlds focuses on the worlds of science fiction, fantasy and horror; why we love them and why we keep believing in the possiblities these worlds offer to us as readers. Host Eric Molinsky does a great job of taking the listener on a journey, whether it is alignment of superheroes and villians based on a roleplaying game structure, to the unnerving horror of Cthulhu, or the first wave feminism of Wonder Woman, this show has it all.