How to Edit Your First Podcast in 20 Minutes (Even If You Hate Tech)

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Let’s be honest: The biggest hurdle to starting a podcast isn’t recording the content. It’s the editing.

Most writers and storytellers stare at software like Audacity or Adobe Premiere and feel a wave of anxiety. You see complex waveforms, decibel levels, and multi-track timelines. It feels like you need a sound engineering degree just to cut out a long pause or remove a coughing fit.

For a long time, that fear was justified. But the landscape of production has shifted.

If you can edit a Word document, you can now edit a podcast. This guide will walk you through a streamlined, four-step workflow that takes raw audio and turns it into a polished episode in under 20 minutes.

We aren't going to worry about "compression ratios" or "EQ curves" today. We are focusing purely on shipping your story.

The "Text-Based" Mindset

Traditional editing is visual—you look at sound waves and try to guess where a word begins and ends. The modern approach is semantic—you look at words.

Tools like Descript have popularized this method. They transcribe your audio into a script. When you delete a sentence in that script, the tool automatically cuts that section out of the actual audio file. It bridges the gap between scripting and producing perfectly for writers who want to start a show without the technical headache.

Here is exactly how to do it.

Step 1: The "Kitchen Table" Recording

Don't overthink your gear. If you are just starting, you don't need a $400 Shure microphone or a soundproof booth.

Use your smartphone or a simple USB mic. The key is not the microphone, but the environment.

• Avoid: Kitchens, bathrooms, or empty offices. Hard surfaces create echo (reverb), which is the one thing that is nearly impossible to fix perfectly in post-production.

• Choose: A small room with soft surfaces. A walk-in closet full of clothes is actually the industry secret for great audio. A bedroom with curtains and rugs works well too.

Record your audio. Don't worry about mistakes. If you stumble, just pause for a second, take a breath, and say the sentence again. We will fix it in post-production.

Step 2: Import and Transcribe

Once you have your audio file, open Descript (or your chosen text-based editor) and drag the file in.

The software will automatically ask to transcribe the file. This usually takes about 60 seconds for a 20-minute clip.

Once it’s done, you won’t see a confusing timeline of waves. You will see your spoken words typed out on the screen, looking exactly like a Google Doc. This is where the anxiety usually disappears for most writers—you are back in your comfort zone: text.

Step 3: The "Red Pen" Edit

Now, you act like an editor. Read through your transcript and listen along.

Cut the Fluff

Did you ramble for two minutes about the weather before getting to the main topic? Highlight that paragraph of text and press Delete. The audio is instantly cut. The transition is usually seamless.

The "Um" Destroyer

This is the secret weapon for sounding professional. Most of us say "um," "uh," or "like" constantly when we speak naturally. It distracts the listener.

In Descript, you don't have to hunt these down manually.

1. Click the "Actions" menu.

2. Select "Remove Filler Words."

3. The AI will identify every single "um" and "uh" in your recording.

4. Click "Remove All."

Suddenly, your 20-minute rambling recording becomes a tight, 15-minute narrative. You sound articulate, focused, and prepared—even if you weren't.

Step 4: The One-Click Polish

Now that the content is clean, we need to make it sound like a studio production.

In the old days, this required mixing and mastering—adjusting bass, treble, and gain. Today, AI has simplified this into a single toggle.

Look for a feature called "Studio Sound" (in Descript) or "Enhance Speech" (in Adobe tools).

Turn it on. The AI analyzes the audio, identifies your voice, and filters out the air conditioning hum, the dog barking next door, and the room echo. It regenerates the frequencies of your voice to sound richer and closer to the mic.

Pro Tip: Don't set this to 100% intensity. It can sometimes make you sound robotic. Usually, dialing it back to 60-70% sounds natural and warm.

Step 5: Export and Publish

Listen to your playback one last time. If you hear a cut that sounds too abrupt, you can add a simple "crossfade" between the words to smooth it out.

Then, hit Export. You now have a high-quality MP3 file ready for Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your website.

Why This Workflow Wins

This method works because it keeps you in "storyteller mode" rather than forcing you into "technician mode." You aren't distracted by technical hurdles; you are focused on the narrative flow.

If you have been holding back on launching your podcast or YouTube channel because the editing felt too heavy, download the free version of Descript today. Give yourself 20 minutes. You might find that the technical barrier you feared doesn't actually exist anymore.