When Objects Tell Human Stories, with Shin Yu Pai

Stuart talks with Shin Yu Pai about her podcast Ten Thousand Things from KUOW Public Radio. They discuss how commonplace objects can tell much broader stories. While she might be new to podcasting, Shin Yu’s background in poetry, art, and writing adds depth to her content as well as craft a new experience for listeners.

Shin Yu is the writer, host, and producer of Ten Thousand Things – a podcast on Asian American stories for KUOW Public Radio, Seattle’s NPR affiliate station. Ten Thousand Things first launched in July 2022 as “The Blue Suit” and is currently in production for a second season, which will begin releasing episodes in May 2023.

If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to Castos.com/podcast. And as always, if you’re enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at castos.com/subscribe.

Today you’ll learn about:

• From Poet to Essayist to Podcaster 
• Live poetry readings versus podcasting
• How different backgrounds can redefine what a podcast can be
• The story behind Blue Suit and Ten Thousand Things
• How writing radio scripts can affect how you think of voice
• Everyday objects and nuances and how they can inspire and provide a sense of comfort
• Creating an episode: aiming for a thought-feeling and welcoming surprises
• What to expect in the second season of Ten Thousand Things

Resources/Links:

Shin Yu Pai’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shinyupai/

Ten Thousand Things: https://www.kuow.org/podcasts/bluesuit

Shin Yu Pai’s Website: https://shinyupai.com

Castos Academy: https://academy.castos.com/ 

Castos, private podcast: https://academy.castos.com/privatepodcast/ 

Castos, website: https://castos.com/ 

Castos, YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/castos