How do you create an audio file?

Thanks. I managed to download audacity through another site.
I can't tell if it's will work till I get that mini to mini plug you suggested, & try to import something from a tape to it. I assume that then I can save it (hopefully) as an audio file, & send it to someone as an e-mail attachment. Or am I over simplifying? I want it to be part of a podcast.
When I went into sound in my hard drive, & moved the level control, there was a sound coming from it. Nothing when I tapped on the monitor, but I see where the mike is.

In reference to the mini to mini plug you suggested that I get---Radio shack does have it, but in the apple article i read, (connecting emac to audio equipment for imputting sound) it said that "The apple plain talk mic doesnot use a standard 3.5 stereo miniplug and cannot be used with the e-mac sound input port) That's why I've hesitated getting it.

There has to be away to connect my taperecorder to the mike. If I just talk into the mike it doesn't record anything, so playing the tape wouldn't work either. I have downloaded audacity not.

Now that I have the I-mik, the cable, & recorded my spoken word tape
through audacity I can't seem to convert it to MP 3 so I can send it thru e-mail as an audio file attachment. The message I get is that audacity does not export mp3 files directly, but instead uses something called LAME, an MP3 exporting library available separately. I don't have that.
There's something called WAV, but I'm not sure that's right.

Would I be better off downloading audicorder (paying the
$19.00) & being able to just export it as an mp3 file? Or If I download garrage band, would that be easier? I thought it might be much more than i needed.

Thanks a lot. I will. I'm still having trouble hearing my spoken workd thru either audacity or audiocorder....I understand the instructions, but...this will obviously take time. I'll check out garrage band...

Thanks a lot. I was finally able to send an audio file to someone--was easier once I got headphones so I cold hear when I wanted to stop the recording. I needed to download something called lame lib to convert the audacity file to an mp 3. Now I'll try to learn more about podcasting. Someone sent me some useful sites to go to. The discussion group has been extremely helpful. Hope that I'll be able to do the same for someone.

Ok, thanks