Voice actors recording audiobook narration need to be able to bring a story to life and engage the listener, all while maintaining a consistent tone and pacing. Stamina is also a must, seeing as the voice actor must continue reading for long stretches of time without making mistakes or losing energy. For voice actors who love reading, it can be an incredibly enjoyable and fulfilling way to share their talents with the world. Bringing literature into people’s lives (who might not otherwise have the time or ability to read in the traditional way) is a huge perk as well!

Let’s take a dive into the fascinating world of audiobooks. Imagine you’ve been given the opportunity to bring a story to life through your voice in the form of an audiobook. It’s like stepping into a whole new universe, where words become stories and characters and informative transport. It’s like conducting a symphony of words, using your voice as the sole but highly complex and diverse instrument.

Of course, you’ll have to know where those audiobook jobs come from, and how to audition and bid appropriately. That’s a topic for another day, one with which GVAA can help you to make smart business decisions as you ready for this part of the process.

Narrating an audiobook means being a storyteller. Your job is to captivate listeners with your voice, fiercely connect to the material, draw them into the narrative, and keep them hooked until the very last word. It’s a delicate balance of reading the text and infusing it with your own unique interpretation and energy.

One of the first things you’ll do as an audiobook narrator is to read the material thoroughly. In fiction, you’ll want to get to know and become your characters, manifest their personalities, the setting, and the overall tone of the story. To embody character is to understand their motivations, to develop distinct voices, and to bring these to life for yourself and your listeners. In the case of non-fiction, understanding your subject matter, channeling the author’s perspective and style, and bringing life to the narrative are just as important.

As you narrate, you’ll need to strike a balance between clarity and expression. Your voice should be clear and easy to understand, allowing listeners to follow along effortlessly. At the same time, you want to lend emotion, dynamics, and personality to your delivery. This calls for a vast array of skills and instincts, from conveying excitement, conviction and empathy, to injecting humor when the story calls for it. It also means knowing the difference in tone between you as the narrator and you as the various characters, including the character of the author.

But it’s not just about your voice and tonal choices. You’ll also need to master the art of pacing. Finding the right rhythm and flow will greatly enhance the listener’s experience. You want to create a sense of anticipation during suspenseful moments, slow down for dramatic pauses, and speed up during action-packed sequences. It’s a dance partnering the audience and you. And you’re the choreographer of this magnificent audio ballet.

Audiobooks can involve many hours and days of recording, depending on the length of the book, so patience and stamina are key. You are going to have to be “in the zone” for long periods of time.

There’s something magical about knowing that your voice will accompany listeners on their commutes, during workouts, or while they relax in the comfort of their homes. With every title, your audience embarks on a journey guided by your voice. It’s a great feeling knowing that your work has the power to transport, inform, and entertain people in such a unique way. In this sense, you get to play. You get to live in the world of the book by blending your vocal talents, storytelling agility, communication skills, and passion for the spoken word.