Valerie Geller has just saved me hours of time, maybe even days.

People who are interested in launching a career in talk radio frequently approach me for advice and insight. This is flattering and I’m always honored and happy to help. But, as many of you know, if you ask me the time, I have a tendency to tell you how to build an atomic, solar-powered, perpetual calendar watch.

No more. From now on I can share a few keen insights and conclude with, “and before you do anything else, get a copy of Beyond Powerful Radio by Valerie Geller.” Done and done!

Beyond Powerful Radio is Geller’s updated and expanded version of her Creating Powerful Radio, which debuted in the mid-1990s and has since made its way into PD offices, broadcast schools and the personal libraries of radio pros around the world. It’s tempting to call Beyond Powerful Radio the bible of personality radio, but that’s not quite accurate. It’s more like The Boy Scout Handbook of personality radio, a practical guide with specific techniques for creating effective radio and managing a personality-driven radio station. While Beyond covers the waterfront, from hiring to voice technique to air checking to emergency broadcasting to promotion to sales to websites to research, the book is at its best when it’s focused on Geller’s real passion: Helping personalities create emotionally resonant spoken-word radio. At the core of the veteran consultant’s philosophy is the importance of storytelling and her three cornerstone tenets: “Tell the Truth, Make it Matter and Never be Boring.”

One thing I might have added to Beyond Powerful Radio is more insight for aspiring talkers on how to explore, assess and tap their true personality. Are successful talk hosts born or made? A little of both, I think. I’ve come to think of potential hosts as pools of crude oil. Some people are obviously talented and their uniqueness flows easily to the surface. Others have to drill deeper and work harder to tap what ultimately proves to be a rich resource. Still others need to be fracked. Many are dry holes.

More than a few would-be talkers – including those looking to move from music radio – come calling with less than clear and honest self-assessments about who they are, what they have to say, and how hard they are willing to work to achieve their potential. An early discussion of how to “know thyself” would be useful to those who think they have the tools to host a talk show.

But that’s a small complaint with a book that is otherwise indispensable for both aspiring talkers and up-and-comers looking to hone their skills.

Get Beyond Powerful Radio here.