Tips for Growing into the Growing Audiobook Field

BY JOHNNY HELLER

(This series originally appeared on the Edge Studio blog as a multi-installment article.  Audiobooks-Part1    Audiobooks-Part2  Audiobooks-Part3 )

There has been a well-documented oft -discussed general swell in audiobook production and interest — which is indeed generally swell.  With the rise in popularity of the medium, there has been a corollary rise in the number of actors and would-be-actors who are trying to get some work as audio book narrators.

Nothing wrong with that. Actors far outnumber acting job opportunities and every actor needs to explore every avenue available to ply his craft for loot.  However not every actor is a good match for audio book narration.  To those of us who narrate audio books regularly, the idea that “anybody can do it” is offensive and absolutely untrue.  While the ability to read and speak the English language is a fine thing, it is not enough to succeed as an audiobook narrator.

When you chat with someone at a party and get to the “what do you do?” part of the evening and the response is: “I’m a neurosurgeon,” or “I’m with the TSA,” I’ll bet you don’t say: “A neurosurgeon! Really? I’ve got two hands and an Exacto knife at home! I bet I can be a neurosurgeon!” And I bet you don’t say: “The TSA! Really? I grope people all the time! I bet I can be a TSA guy!”  No. You don’t.  Yet when you meet an audiobook narrator, I bet you might actually say: “You read books? Out loud? I could do that!”  And if that was all there was to it, you might have a point – but it isnt’ and you don’t.

TIP NUMBER ONE: RESEARCH 

If you want to know about audio book narration, do the research.  What does the job entail? What differentiates a good narrator from a bad one? How do I start? How much money can I make? How much will I need to spend? What do I need to learn or do or have to have a shot of success and, of course, where’s the bathroom?

I suggest you do some or all of the following:

1. Listen to an audiobook.  Listen to different narrators and different genres.  Listen to titles you think you would be good at narrating.

2. See if you can find audiobook narrator or fan pages on FaceBook or other social media sites.  There’s a wealth of information just waiting for you on the internet.  When it doubt – google it…or Bing it.  Whatever.  But look.

3. Read audiobook blogs and review sites.  Audible has a world of people telling you what they like or hate about a given title or narrator. Remember that these are only opinions and you know what people say about opinions  — that’s right — they are only good if they validate your own!

TIP NUMBER TWO: RESEARCH MORE – -TAKE A CLASS

Actors must always be in a learning mode.  Our field of study is humanity and human condition.  That takes more than a lifetime to master so get to it.  If you want to be an audiobook narrator – study acting.  When people learn that I am a narrator, they frequently ask if I am still acting!  Yes!!! Audiobook narration is an organic acting experience.  You have a guide – the author. You have an instrument – you. You have an audience.  You create the roles – every character and you control the pace and vocally create the author’s world for your unseen audience.  Even in nonfiction, you must play the narrator.

I suggest beginning acting classes if you have never tried one. I suggest scene study and improv and any acting based class that gets you out of your own head and makes you create.

Voice classes? sure!  Audiobook narration classes? Absolutely.

Classes cost money – a teacher deserves to be compensated for sharing his knowledge.  Do research here too so you don’t study with someone who doesn’t know their subject.  I’ve recorded nearly 500 titles and won every award a narrator can get so I think my credentials to teach are pretty good.  I’ve been teaching commercial vo and audiobook narration for nearly 10 years.  That’s all swell and I highly recommend me but you may hate me!  (I hope you won’t but who knows – – I could resemble some Republican you don’t like).  It’s too easy to separate an actor from her money.  No single group is as committed to success or as easily bamboozled as are actors.  Be smart when you select teachers and coaches.

I happily recommend Paul Ruben, Pat Fraley, Scott Brick, Edge Studio, Peter Gamin and the folks at TWNW, Backstage University and many others.

Sometimes I hear of classes or see “come-on” videos for workshops that make my skin crawl.  Let me help – you cannot do this job “easily”. You cannot do it with little or no effort”. You cannot immediately make a huge wonderful boatload of cash. You cannot audition for 99% of the jobs available.  There are no get rich quick schemes in this business.  There are only opportunities to compete and succeed for those with the work ethic and talent to get the gigs.

TIP NUMBER THREE: RESEARCH MORE – KNOW YOUR SOUND

What do you sound like?  What genres do you picture yourself narrating?  You have to know where your sound can take you.  Your distinctive sound will allow you to many or few genres — it depends on what you sound like and knowing what you sound like so you can market yourself effectively.

If you don’t have a voice that lends itself to Erotica/Romance or you giggle at the dirty bits, then don’t do that genre.  If you find non-fiction mind-numbingly dull, don’t do that genre.  If you can’t do a decent New York accent, then don’t do one.  If you frighten children – even your own – every time you speak, don’t do kids books.  It’s common sense.

Lacking the requisite skills and knowledge, I have yet to do Kabuki Theater.  Get it? Good.

Know your own skill level and your own sound.  You can always hone skills but you can’t learn talent.  You can eventually “get” a New York accent if you work at it. But be honest with yourself –  if you have a deviated septum and a lisp and a slur and you are unintelligible, you aren’t going to get far in this particular business…and you know that.

TIP NUMBER FOUR:MORE RESEARCH – KNOW WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Many narrators today are working out of their home studios.  If you have a home with some unused space (you don’t live in New York I bet!) you may be able to create a usable studio.  If you are good at this and if you want to do this, you are going to need a place to work.  It is true that some producers will call you in to their studios and have you record there – with a director/engineer but that’s not always the case. In fact, it’s becoming less and less the norm.

Creating a home studio involves purchasing equipment like a mic and, of course, a computer and some recording software — although some software is available for free.  You may need a lot of stuff or maybe not!  It really depends on the physical location and the sound that can be produced there.  You’ll need to “soundproof” your studio or space.  This usually involves additional purchases so you will need to do some research.  See what other narrators are doing. Can you get by the cheap and still produce studio quality sound?  Maybe.  Will you need to invest in a whisper room or studio bricks or will you just need some sound insulation?  Look into what will work and what you will need and decide what your budget will allow.  Remember – you must be able to record your book in a place that the producer finds acceptable.  I have found that many sound studios will rent studio space for very reasonable amounts if you are willing to work on evenings and weekends.  Look into that.  I will tell you that if you are in LA, you can get great rates from Deyan Audio.

TIP NUMBER FIVE: RESEARCH YOURSELF -KNOW WHY YOU ARE DOING THIS

Audiobook narration is an acting task.  It requires stamina and skill.  There is generally a 2-1 ratio in terms of hours worked to create a finished recorded hour.  So if your audio book runs 10 hours, it will have taken you – according to industry norms – 20 hours to record it.  That doesn’t include any time spent on editing or proofing or prepping.  However you only get paid per finished hour.  If you do all the editing and mastering – something I do not do –  you must ask for more money than simply your standard hourly recording fee.  Audio editing is a completely different skill set than audio narration  — that, however, is a discussion for another day.  Just remember that if you negotiate a rate of $180 per finished hour, you will get $1800 for your 10 hour which took you 20 hours to record.  You likely will not be paid for prep, research or retakes. And if you need to rent studio space or build a home studio, that will cost some money too. So if you want to do this for the incredible money, you will be disappointed .   You can make a fine living doing this, but there are many other voice over opportunities that will pay you lots more.  Be aware of that.

If it’s fame you seek, marry a Kardashian or move in next to Justin Bieber or win American Idol.  Fame is fleeting and is not automatically bestowed on audio book narrators.  Most famous actors who have done audio books (and admitted, by the way, how difficult a job it is) were famous before they got hired to do the book and likely only got to do the book because of their fame.  For most of us in the business, we toil in general anonymity.  We might become well known to audiophiles and librarians but for the most part, we are not famous.  The nature of the art is for the accomplished narrator to act only as a conduit for the author’s truth.  We narrators merely tell his story so the listener, after a short time, becomes unaware of the narrator and only aware of the tale unfolding as the author wrote it

So we’ve learned that audio book narration requires some research- okay, lots of research!  And that’s okay. There are so many things to learn and it seems that there’s always something new – whether it’s a new word or a new piece of time-saving equipment or just a wonderful new book to read and enjoy and share.   I think it’s wonderful and challenging.  This work isn’t for everyone –  and that’s as it should be.  It’s a difficult job but it can be immensely satisfying on many levels to the serious actor.  I’ve only touched on a very few tips here.  There is so much more to it.  I encourage you to investigate this craft and learn more and, if it’s for you – join us!