Scriptnotes now has an app for iOS and Android. It’s free for both platforms.
You don’t need to use the app. In fact, most listeners will probably be better off sticking with their current setup if it meets their needs. We’re still on iTunes, just like we’ve always been.
Or if you’re not happy with your current podcast app, keep looking, because there are many good choices out there. (Personally, I’m a fan of Instacast for the iPhone.) As a podcast app, Scriptnotes only does one thing, and it only does it acceptably well.
So if I’m not recommending the Scriptnotes app, why does it exist?
For the back catalog.
There are now 121 episodes of Scriptnotes, and listeners often want to go back and hear those old episodes. We sell a USB drive of the first 100, and offer a subscription-based archive of all the episodes, but neither of those solutions is helpful when you just want to hear a given episode on your phone.
The Scriptnotes app hooks into the full archive, so if you’re a subscriber, you can listen to any episode whenever or wherever you want.
Since launch, we’ve actually gotten very few questions about the app, but here are some answers to theoretical questions someone might ask.
What’s the deal with subscriptions?
Scriptnotes has always been free and always will be. We make the most recent 20 episodes available through iTunes. Older episodes are available in the archives, either through the new app or at Scriptnotes.net as part of a monthly subscription ($1.99/month).
Think of it as the Netflix pricing model. For that $1.99/month, you can download as many episodes as you want.
Are you making money off this?
As Craig loves to point out, Scriptnotes is a money-losing venture. Between editing, transcripts and hosting costs, there are more expenses than t-shirts and monthly subscriptions could cover.
But that’s okay. We’ve turned down advertising and other opportunities because neither of us want Scriptnotes to be a business. Craig and I do the show because we like it.
Could someone subscribe, download all the episodes, then cancel?
Absolutely. To me, the handy thing about the monthly subscription is being able to listen to any episode at any time, but it’s totally up to you.
How do I cancel a subscription?
In the Libsyn account page, click “Change Subscription.” On the next page, you’ll see a button to cancel.
What’s the deal with bonus material?
To me, Scriptnotes is me and Craig together, talking about screenwriting stuff. Sometimes we have special guests, but it’s always the two of us.
Occasionally we have audio that is in the same vein as Scriptnotes but not really an episode. A good example is a recent conversation Daniel Wallace and I recorded at the Austin Film Festival. We put that up as bonus content for subscribers because while it’s interesting and on-topic, it’s not really a Scriptnotes episode.
Basically:
Me and Craig = Scriptnotes episode
Me or Craig = possible bonus content
Will there be a lot of bonus material? I doubt it. I wouldn’t subscribe just for the bonus material. But if you have ideas for something you think would be great for a bonus thing, certainly tell us.
The app feels really iOS 6.
That’s not a question, but yeah.
We’re releasing the Scriptnotes app under our Quote-Unquote Apps banner,1 but it’s actually our host Libsyn’s app. They did all the coding — Ryan just sent our background artwork.
You may notice it looks almost exactly like Marc Maron’s WTF app or Jay Mohr’s Mohr Stories app. That’s because it’s exactly the same app, just with different background images.
It’s not just dated — some of the functionality is also a bit hidden. For example, you can download episodes for offline listening by tapping the star next to the title. If you’re getting ready for a plane trip, this is a handy way to bank a few episodes for listening.
I suspect the app will eventually get updated with new graphics and such, but I don’t know a timetable.
How do I report a problem with the app?
On the main screen, tap Contact, then Troubleshooting. From there, you can Send a Diagnostic Report that generates an email to the Libsyn team. You can also just email consumer@libsynsupport.com.
- We put the app out under our label so we could track download numbers. As of yesterday, we had 359 downloads for iOS. ↩