Have you written a book and wondered if you should narrate the audiobook yourself? In this episode, I share 10 audiobook narration tips for local authors who want to turn their books into audiobooks.
You'll hear why audiobook narration is harder than it looks, how to set realistic expectations, and what you can do to prepare before you ever press record. I talk about audiobook rights, narration training, pacing, vocal stamina, production checklists, manuscript preparation, recording spaces, audio engineers, pick-ups, and getting help when you need it.
I also share a list of recording studios in Perrysburg, Maumee, Toledo, Waterville, Sylvania, and beyond that may be able to help you record your audiobook.
Whether you're considering recording at home, renting studio time, or simply exploring your options, this episode will help you understand what's involved in creating an author-narrated audiobook.
If you remember nothing else from this episode, remember these three things
Plan before you narrate. Practice before you record. Get help when you need it. 10 audiobook narration tips
Confirm you own the audiobook rights. Before narrating your book, make sure you have the legal right to create and publish the audiobook. Get some narration training. Learn how to sound conversational and engaging so listeners don't feel like you're simply reading aloud. Find a sustainable pace. Practice until you discover a narration pace that you can maintain consistently over time (ideally over the course of the entire book). Build your vocal stamina. Train your voice to maintain the same quality, energy, and consistency throughout long recording sessions. (Remember my 5K vs marathon comparison?) Take care of your voice. Take breaks, hydrate, breathe, and rest as needed so you sound just as good at the end as you did at the beginning. Create a production checklist. Plan every section of your audiobook in advance so nothing gets overlooked during production. (Your list starts with the Opening Credits and ends with the Closing Credits.) Prepare your manuscript before recording. Put the manuscript on an iPad to avoid page-turning sounds. Use the “Mark Up” feature to make notes about pronunciations, lists, punctuation, emotions, and other details. Choose your recording setup carefully or rent a studio, and hire an audio engineer. A pro can help you sound great and produce your audio files efficiently. They make it look easy! ⚠️ If you choose to record at home, meet specs. Expect and plan for pick-ups (mistakes). Mistakes are normal, so be prepared to re-record sections and make corrections during editing. Get help when you need it. A coach, consultant, engineer, or professional narrator can save you time, frustration, and costly mistakes. Recording Studios Mentioned in This Episode
Level 2 Audio — Perrysburg, Ohio (Contact: Mark Reiter) https://www.level2audio.com/ Stone Soup Recording Studios — Maumee, Ohio (Contact: Eric Sills) https://www.stonesouprec.com/ Firefly Studios — Toledo, Ohio (Contact: Brett Dennison) https://www.firefly419.com/ Bigfoot Studios — Waterville, Ohio (Contact: Travis Geiman) https://bigfoot-studios.com/ Audioflare Recording Studio, LLC — Toledo, Ohio (Contact: Christopher Stoll) https://www.audioflare.com/ Roar Studio Productions — Sylvania, Ohio (Use contact form on Mays & Associates’ website) https://www.maysassociatesltd.com/roar-productions Whole Story Studio — West Palm Beach, Florida (Contact: Julie Walthers) https://www.wholestorystudio.com/ Audivita — Albuquerque, New Mexico (Contacts: David Wolf and Jay Spang) https://audivita.com/audiobooks/ Soundscape — Royal Oak, Michigan (Contacts: Tim Smith and Christina Mossine) https://soundscapestudio.com/ Podcast episodes mentioned today
The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 347: 10 Audiobook Narration Tips for Pharmacist Authors https://bit.ly/46jXZ9e
The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 293: EBOOK AND AUDIOBOOK PUBLISHING – 2024 Pharmacist Authors Series Part 3 of 3 with Dr. Janan Sarwar and Dr. Theary Chhim from Publishing in Doses and Julie Gold Walthers from Whole Story Studio https://bit.ly/4dFllsn
The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 255 (YouTube video version): Interview with Audivita Founder and CEO David Wolf https://bit.ly/4omHpy1
The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 222: Interview with Julie Walthers, Audio Engineer and Audiobook Producer – Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023) https://bit.ly/43STVtx
The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 190: 5 Resources for pharmacist authors who want to narrate their own audiobook https://bit.ly/4xlK2El
The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 109: Interview with Lydia Tate - Accountability Partner, Educator, Voice Actor, and Audiobook Narrator https://bit.ly/4fFCQfR
The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 83: Interview with Sean Pratt: Audiobook Narrator and Coach...
