{"id":1114,"date":"2024-03-01T17:34:43","date_gmt":"2024-03-01T17:34:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/izzyvoice.com\/?p=1114"},"modified":"2024-03-02T02:32:55","modified_gmt":"2024-03-02T02:32:55","slug":"getting-started-with-audiobook-narration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/izzyvoice.com\/getting-started-with-audiobook-narration\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Started with Audiobook Narration"},"content":{"rendered":"
People ask me all the time:<\/div>\n
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How do I become an Audiobook Narrator?<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Honestly, my journey to audiobooks has been a long road. I’ve been an avid reader, actor, and singer since I was a kid, so I had the foundation for performance and a love of literature, but the actual business of voice-over and narration is a whole different animal!<\/div>\n
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I made the decision to pursue VO full time in 2015.\u00a0I actually spent a few years training and researching before I really jumped into auditioning and working, and even then, I only dabbled in audiobooks and had a love\/hate relationship with them for a while. They’re hard work! And, working in isolation, it’s so frustrating not knowing if you’re doing the right thing or not.<\/div>\n
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I was also being too much of a perfectionist, which is so hard with long-form narration. If you nitpick too much, you’ll never finish an audiobook. I eventually had to adopt the mantra “Progress, Not Perfection!” Being a narrator means forever learning, growing, and improving on your craft, and I’ve learned to love the journey!<\/div>\n
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I fumbled around for years learning stuff, but I’ll direct you with the biggest game changer for me, which I only took last year: \u00a0The Great Audiobook Adventure<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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Since taking this course, I’ve seriously\u00a0leveled up my audiobook game and have since started focusing on audiobooks as my main genre of voice-over. My booking rate went up like crazy, and I’m starting to foster relationships with publishers and producers. I wish I had taken it when I was just beginning my\u00a0journey, because it gives you everything you need to get started, plus a community, which is so essential!<\/div>\n
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Some other things I recommend:<\/div>\n
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The Narrators Roadmap<\/a><\/div>\n
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Take the webinars and watch the archive videos from the APA<\/a><\/div>\n
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I haven’t\u00a0joined yet, but I hear PANA<\/a> is also great for training and networking.<\/div>\n
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The VoiceOver Network<\/a> has lots excellent workshops<\/div>\n
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Penguin Random House Producer Julie Wilson offers workshops and coaching: https:\/\/www.thearticulatecoach.com\/<\/a><\/div>\n
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Join Facebook groups and be a fly on the wall. Search the archives to learn stuff. And beware of posting things without searching the topic first. Pros start to roll their eyes at the newbies who are too lazy to search for the information that’s been discussed a million times.<\/div>\n
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Groups:<\/div>\n
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ACX Narrators<\/a><\/div>\n
ACX\/Audiobook Narrators<\/a><\/div>\n
Indie (ACX And Others) Audiobook Narrators and Producers<\/a><\/div>\n
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Listen to as many audiobooks with good narrators as you can. I like to research the\u00a0Audie<\/a>\u00a0winners and listen to them. You can also find good titles and reviews from\u00a0AudioFile Magazine<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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These are some of my favorite audiobooks:<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe Hail Mary Project\u201d by Andy Weir, Narrated by Ray Porter<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cReady Player One\u201d by Ernest Cline, Narrated by Wil Wheaton<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo\u201d by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Narrated by Alma Cuervo, Julia Whelan, and Robin Miles\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cSmall Great Things\u201d by Jodi Picoult, Narrated by Audra McDonald, Cassandra Campbell, and Ari Fliakos\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck\u201d by Mark Manson, Narrated by Roger Wayne\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

I also love anything narrated by January LaVoy <\/a>and Saska Maarleveld<\/a><\/p>\n

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Of course, coaching and workshops are always great. Do your research for vetted coaches (The FB groups have some good discussions about this). Several I’ve coached with or attended workshops with include:<\/div>\n
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