The Classic Over Editor
It’s not as though we all have a LOT of time on our hands these days, I think everyone understands that. But how many “ums” and “uhhs” are too many and how many are too few?
When editing a podcast, try to listen to it from an audience perspective, taking the vantage point of someone who is listening for the first time. Try backing up your playback by about 3- 5 seconds to hear whether that pause seemed natural or rushed (bill[EDIT!]is founded on junk science)
If you NEVER edit out those ‘thoughtful speech fragments’, do consider those times when you’ve had to listen to politician’s sound bite on the radio and how inane and boring it can be (though the linked example’s not THAT bad). Then multiply that feeling by 5 or 10.
Try to find a balance between the first and the second for a natural sound.