Micro is a celebration of short fiction of all kinds. Many a column inch has been written delineating the difference between fiction-that-is-short genres, establishing what a given publication has decided counts as “flash.” Micro dispenses with it all by having a lightweight anthology podcast with two simple rules: a piece must take three minutes or less to read, and the piece must be published so Micro can promote the publication in addition to the author. The simplicity of the concept strips away artifice. No ad breaks, minimal music, minimal setup. 

The end product is a portable version of a college literary magazine’s open mic night. Each episode features two to three authors reading their own pieces. Some episodes follow a given theme (e.g. the Mother’s Day special), but most have that wonderful open mic vibe of getting bite-sized pieces of prose that have absolutely nothing to do with each other. What Micro’s segments lack in presentation and mic quality in comparison to beefier audio fiction delivery methods is more than made up for in the amount of new experiences offered. Outside the English departments of the academic sphere it’s uncommon to find good sources of smaller fiction. Micro delivers.

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DISCOVER PODS: How’d you get into podcasting?

HAWKINS: I’m completely new to podcasting. I’m a writer and there’s a blossoming literary community on Twitter, especially around poetry and short fiction. I thought it would be interesting to curate a space that would showcase different writers reading their work. I work as an editor at wikiHow so I used my research background to read up on how to make a podcast and watched a bunch of YouTube videos to figure it all out.

DISCOVER PODS: In your own words, why should listeners tune in to Micro?

HAWKINS: To hear some of the incredible writing that’s out there right now. There’s a burgeoning literary community out there with tons of high-quality literary journals that just don’t get the attention they deserve. Micro collects samples of some of the work from different writers and different publications and brings them all into one space.

DISCOVER PODS: What kind of feedback have you heard from your listeners?

HAWKINS: Honestly, we’ve gotten nothing but positivity. People are learning about new work, writers, and publications. It’s also great to see other writers connect through the project. We’re so happy with the response.

DISCOVER PODS: Describe your recording set up? What equipment are you using?

HAWKINS: I’m using a super simple setup with a JLab Audio Talk Go mic and free Audacity software for editing and producing.

DISCOVER PODS: What’s the biggest challenge you face as an indie podcaster?

HAWKINS: Getting the word out about the show without any money dedicated to advertising. My wife and I run the show ourselves. We have two kids, three large dogs, and both work full-time, but we love it. We also feel like if people can find us, they’ll love us!

DISCOVER PODS: Where do you want to take your podcast?

HAWKINS: To everyone interested in powerful literature and poetry, especially short literature and poetry. We’re into a lot of diverse stuff and we think that we’ve got something to offer everyone.

DISCOVER PODS: What other podcasts are you listening to now?

HAWKINS: I’m a big fan of David Naimon’s Between the Covers, The Poet Salon, and I’m a Writer But. They’re doing incredible things.

DISCOVER PODS: Anything else you’d like to add?

HAWKINS: We don’t have any plans of stopping and we’re building up a pretty sizable catalog. Part of the reason I made the show was because I listen to audiobooks and the New Yorker’s Fiction Podcast, but sometimes they were just too long. I thought having short and sweet episodes that feature short pieces of writing could add to the conversation and would be appealing. I mean, it appealed to me. And if folks want more, then just listen to multiple episodes!

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