Preamble: Think about your favorite audiobooks. You DO listen to audiobooks, don't you? If you don't, do that before you do ANYTHING else. You should know what you are getting yourself into here. NOW, think about your favorite audiobooks. What is it about them that makes them so good? What makes a good storyteller vs. one you don't like as well. This is important. Don't skip it. REALLY.

Step One

(you can skip this step if you have taken any kind of acting classes BUT do feel free to re-visit this step even if you have. Often)

Audiobook narration is acting. Don't look at me like that. Even when you are performing non-fiction it is! The skills that actors use - finding the actable emotions in a scene, connecting to and analyzing text, figuring out a characters motivation, learning to speak text naturally, moving the plot along - are ALL part of being a narrator. Learning how to approach the work is of utmost importance and really must be the first step on your journey. 

That being said, you will continue to study throughout your career so you needn't join a conservatory program (yet) or spend a gazillion dollars on classes. If you live in a big city, you will have acting classes at different price points and for different lengths of time all around you. Google "acting classes near me" and pages and pages will pop up. The hard thing is finding one that IS NOT A SCAM. 

The best way to avoid unscrupulous people is to speak to other actors. If you are on Facebook, find pages where actors speak honestly about their training and where people are likely to answer honest, well-meaning questions about where to train.
A great example, that is mostly New York based but has actors from all over the country, is The Actor's Green Lounge. 
Another way to do this is to join narrators forums on Facebook, which you will want to do regardless of your training, and ask about general acting classes in your metro area. Some of these include:
 ​https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACXNarratorsProducers/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/narratorsroundup/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/StudioOneNarrationVO/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/audiobooknarration/

If you aren't on Facebook, call your local community college and ask if they offer intro to acting classes to non-matriculating students. You can also check out acting coaches who offer sessions via Skype, but be sure to do your due diligence (this is the least recommended way to get your feet wet. Too many chances for scams and not enough time for interaction).

Also, listen to audiobooks. Listen to narrators who have careers in the field do the job. You can learn SO much by sitting and listening.

​Step Two

(this is the beginning of the MUST DO steps and one you will revisit over and over)

Now that you understand a little about how to find the actable emotions in a scene and have practiced, it's time to start training in narration specific techniques. This will take years. No seriously. But once you take an introductory class you can start auditioning and trying out the skills you have learned so far (some people say you can start auditioning before you begin taking narration specific classes. Some people also say you don't really have to pay taxes if you don't make a lot of money. I'm going with: if you're going to do it, do it right. That way the IRS won't suddenly want to audit you and you will be less embarrassed by your early narration work). 

There are many really great coaches specific to the field of audiobook narration and it would be impossible to list them all. So, I will list the ones that I am most familiar with. If you decide to go find others (good for you!) be careful and do your due diligence. There are 'coaches' out there who have just a bit more experience than you do at this point and you don't want to study with them! You want to find coaches who have a history. You want to find coaches who have done LOTS and LOTS of books (preferably with some of the bigger publishers). Just because someone has narrated 100 titles about "Minecraft" does not make them qualified to train others. The forums listed above should be helpful to you if you want to find out about a coaches 'street cred'. 

One thing you will want to do as you figure out who to study audiobook narration with is think about what each coach offers and whether that is something that would be useful to you at this stage in your journey. For instance, someone who coaches dialects and accents might be a better use of your class dollars if you are already working as a narrator. Whereas someone who coaches in character development and text might be a good fit for someone who is newer or for someone who is taking their career to the next level. You will know what works best for you!

Vetted coaches (a non-inclusive list of Skype and in-person coaches):

Carol Monda - audiobook narration and voice over
Pat Fraley - audiobook narration and voice over
Andi Arndt - audiobook narration and acting
James Foster - character development
Deyan Institute - multiple classes
Sean Allen Pratt- non-fiction
Paul Ruben - [email protected] (emotional connection)
Robin Miles - [email protected] (text analysis, character, body)
Piper Goodeve - [email protected] (narration)
Khristine Hvam - [email protected] (narration)
PJ Ochlan - [email protected] (dialects)​
​
Once you are on your way and have decided that THIS career is for you, visit Jeffrey Kafer Audiobook Business Consulting to get a clearer picture of the business of the business. 

​Step Three

Create your work environment

Before you can start working you'll need to create a recording space. WHAT? (you say) CAN'T I JUST GO INTO A STUDIO? (you say). These days even the BIG studios often have narrators working from home. What does this mean for you? Well, it means that you'll need to set up a space in which to record. (Now, some people will tell you that when they started they recorded in an un-treated closet with a usb mic plugged into an iPad running the free program Audacity - and maybe they did, but either that was years ago or they weren't serious about competing at a professional level. Just sayin'). It ALSO means you'll need to learn the basics of audio engineering. It means you'll need to be able to self-direct. It means TIME TO GO SHOPPING!

How lucky you are that you get to design your work environment to your own specifications, in ways that work for you uniquely! And shopping can be so fun. Although if you are not familiar with the equipment you'll need and the ways in which to set it up, this step may feel overwhelming. I'm here to walk you through it and give you some guidance and a few suggestions. And remember, I am neither and expert nor the ultimate arbiter of what is best. So, with that in mind, let's start with the basics of sound:

Sound is basically vibration in a medium. In order to make a relatively good recording environment, you will need to block areas of connectivity through which sound waves travel (ie: recessed lighting fixtures, legs of booths etc.), add mass to exiting solids to slow down or block waves (ie: windows, walls, floors), and dampen surfaces to stop sound waves from bouncing and creating echoey sounds. (Here is a website that discusses a bit about noise management, how it can work, and gets a little technical about the whole thing. For those of you who want to know, it's a good place for information. You may, however, want to return to this piece later even if you don't like the techie stuff. It's useful to know especially if you are planning to build a recording space of some variety). 

If you decide this is your CAREER, you will most likely be upgrading and swapping equipment pretty consistently. Each year, most professionals tweak their set ups just a bit (keeping up with technological advances, purchasing higher quality equipment, hiring experienced engineers and proofers and preppers). Know that what you set up now will probably not be what you use for the rest of your life as a narrator, and that's ok. 

Part A:
You'll need to figure out where you can record. Look at your space. Do you have an unused closet? Do you have a small room that no one uses? Do you have a corner that is far away from windows and appliances? Can you commandeer any place in your home and have some privacy? Don't give up. There is a space. You just may have to use your creativity to envision it as a recording space.  

If you have no enclosed space like a closet or room, find the corner of your home that is most quiet - away from windows, doors, refrigerators, air conditioners. Do your best, I know it can be hard in a small apartment. Find a place where people will be less likely to ask you to breakdown your set up on a regular basis (re-setting it up can take time, mess with settings, and just generally be a drag). 

Here is an article about apps that you can use on your smart phone to measure noise in your home. This isn't necessary, but some of you might like to know where the most quiet space in your space actually is. 

Part B:
What kind of budget do you have for creating your recording space? If you have no enclosed room or closet, can you afford to buy a pre-made booth or will you need to build one out of inexpensive materials? Remember that there is a difference between sound isolation and sound absorption. Sound isolation is keeping noises out of your recording space and sound absorption is keeping the sound of your voice from echoing and bouncing around inside your recording space. You need both to compete in the professional world. (You might want to check out the Voice-Over Artist and Booth Building group on Facebook. It's pretty new but you may find some good discussion).

STOP. Take a breath. This part can seem like a lot. Consider it like doing research. You don't need to make a decision right now. You can just read. Leisurely. Have some tea. Eat a crumpet. No need to do everything now or even a week from now. Just know this information is offered to help you figure out your next move on the journey.   

(NOTE: some of the following links are affiliate program links (which have likely expired now). I have not used every product listed and I highly recommend you do your own research before purchasing)

Pre-made booths:
Let's just get this out of the way: Pre-made booths ain't cheap.
Some pre-made booths are nice in that they give you an enclosure but some can be bad at sound isolation unless you have a super quiet environment. Some booths are billed as double/triple walled which should help in stopping most sound transmission. Deep rumbles can be really hard to halt (remember you need to get that booth up off the floor so there is no sound transmission traveling through the house floor to your booth floor). You can purchase a professional booth like you might find in any of the top narrator's home studios and even in some publisher's studios and for this you will need a sturdy structure in which to put it (those professional booths are heavy!). There are several manufacturers of booths. Each has its pros and cons and different narrators prefer different companies. I have listed links to the ones that I hear the best reviews of, although inclusion on this list should not be considered endorsement of the product.

Studio Bricks
Gretch-Ken
Scott Peterson
​Eckel Booths
Sound Room Solutions, sellers of new and used booths who also build booths to spec.

When you are thinking of purchasing a booth there are many things you will want to ask the sales rep. Some are: How much does it weigh? (you will want to consult with someone who understands structural engineering to be sure that the floor on which you'd like to put the booth can hold that weight without structural damage or collapse). Is there a noise managing cable pass through included? How many ports? Do light fixtures come with it? What is the STC rating? If you live in an area with lots of trucks, how does the booth address sound below 125hz? Does the price include sound absorption materials? Does it come with suede, low heeled, camel pumps? Will it be delivered to curb side or into my home? Does it come with someone to assemble it? Can it be broken down and moved if I move myself? Is there a cooling system? If so, how loud is it? And remember: they are SALES reps. Their job is to sell you their product. Always talk to other narrators who have a booth that is the same or similar. 

NOTE: Be sure to read reviews of these products and make sure they are right for your project! Go to narrators forums on Facebook and search for threads about booths. Reach out to narrators forums and ask them to tell you why they love their booth and what, if any, modifications they have made.


If you have a space that can become a dedicated recording environment these options may help you:

Convert a closet:
Remember, I have not personally tested many of these products - do your due diligence and ​read reviews. Also, please note that some of these links may be affiliate links. 

Walk-in closets may already have much of what you need in terms of sound absorption, especially if the closet is in an interior wall. Hanging clothes, particularly if they hang at two or more levels, will absorb much of the bounce and echo of your voice. You will still most likely need some acoustic foam for your door and for your ceiling.  You will also need to be able to run cables from your monitor and your tablet out of the closet and to your computer (this will keep computer fan noise out of your "booth"). Sound isolation is harder to accomplish. Sound waves travel through solids and into your space. In the best of all worlds, you would have a floating floor and ceiling that had sound proofing material or compound between the spaces. That can't always happen with an existing or rental structure. You may be able to make a dropped ceiling using 'isolation clips', to keep the sound from traveling through hardware, that should make a difference if there are people living and moving around above you. If this is out of the question, the best you can do is to try to stay as far away from appliances as possible and to block noises as the come in (a door sweep for the bottom of your door to keep some of the outside noise out, rubber flooring in the room above, for example). You will find yourself stopping recording as trucks or loud pedestrians walk by and when your noisy upstairs neighbors decide to throw a dance party. 

If you don't have a walk in closet but do have a general closet that no one uses on a regular basis, you can still convert it to a recording space. The clothes hanging in front of you will act as sound absorption to some degree. You will probably need to add some absorbing material on the sides and ceiling to stop sound reflection. You will also want to have something behind you to stop reflection and bounce from that direction. There are several alternatives to consider, depending on the size of the closet and how often and how quickly you will need to break down your set-up. Options include a sound panel, either purchased or home-made) or sound absorbing blankets. Panels are easier to move, blankets are easier to mold to your space but require affixing to something. The issue with sound isolation is even harder to address in this scenario. You can try the dropped ceiling idea above and just make it smaller to fit inside the closet but that probably won't do much. Keeping your "booth" as far away from windows where sound can leak in and from appliances that hum is the route to take. And Remembering to stop recording when someone or something in your vicinity is making noise. Make the best choice for your unique situation.

Things you can use to convert a closet:
Auralex 
Door sweeps
Sound panels and here.
Acoustic blankets
Rubber flooring
Acoustic ceiling tiles
Ceiling baffles
Insulation and sound absorption (with some blocking)
Isolation clips
Mass loaded vinyl (just a quick note: vinyl works best when it has a little bit of room to move. Gluing it to dry wall or another surface will work less well)
PVC pipes
Door kits
Flexi Booth panel
Possible closet insert
Acoustical room divider​
Acoustical carpet squares
Free standing sound absorption panels 

Here's one way to build a closet extension:
www.whoisjaylamm.com/2016/02/10/make-your-own-portable-vocal-booth/


Convert a room:
Remember, I have not personally tested many of these products - do your due diligence and ​read reviews. Also, please note that some of these links may be affiliate links.

If you have a small room that no one uses (a small office or nursery) you can convert that into a permanent recording space. In order to do so you will need to treat the room as best you can. This will include both sound absorption and sound blocking (or isolation). Sound absorption stops your voice from bouncing all over the room and creating echoey recordings. Sound blocking stops unwanted noise from bleeding into your space. Both are necessary for you to perform on a professional level. 

Sound blocking:
This is the harder of the two to accomplish. Sound travels through solid material as well as through the air. In the best of all worlds, you would have a floating floor, treated walls, and a dropped ceiling that stopped sound waves from being transferred into your space but unless you plan to do major construction, that isn't really feasible. What most narrators opt for is as many physical barriers as they CAN do. For instance, you might purchase a special sound blocking window, or for you DIYers - you might make a plexiglass piece to fit over your window, trapping air between it and the glass pane. You might use isolation clips to create a dropped ceiling (this allows you to hang it without the hardware transmitting sound). You might purchase heavy, acoustical drapes that block some sound. You might buy a heavy door and outfit it with a door sweep for the bottom of the door and a seal around the door. You might even go as far as constructing additional interior walls with air space between them and the room's actual walls. In this scenario using sound blocking dry wall and green glue is recommended. 

Sound absorption:
Easier to accomplish and also often confused with sound-proofing, there are many ways to stop the sound waves of your voice from reflecting off surfaces and bouncing around (that's a funny image, isn't it?). These options come at all price points and you will have to decide which works best with your space and your budget. Many of us associate that egg crate-ey looking foam with sound proofing. That stuff is specifically designed to acoustically treat spaces and has no real sound blocking properties. Trust me. But if you want to cover your walls, or even parts of your walls and ceiling with acoustic foam there are plenty of good suppliers out there. Another option to consider are acoustic panels. They are usually more attractive than foam and some can even be made to look like decorative wall hangings. In most rooms it's a good idea to consider using an acoustic panel as a sort of partial drop ceiling to stop reflection from the ceiling. There are also companies that make acoustic blankets that you can hang on hooks around your room. Some people even use moving blankets, or down quilts, or thick towels, or regular drapery to make a space more "dead". The thicker the material the better, but sometimes budget dictates what can be used. A rug, if you don't have wall to wall carpet, will also make a big difference. 

How to soundproof an existing room (ish)
How to sound proof a window

Plexiglass 
Window Inserts
Acousitcal drapes and here.
Door cover
Door sweep
Door seal and here.
Studio door
Sound proofing gypsum board
Green glue and here.
Auralex
Other foam
Acoustic tile
Acoustic ceiling tile
Ceiling clouds
Acoustic panels and here and here.
Designer acoustic panels and here.
Acoustic blankets and here.
​Acoustic paint
Drapes that block sound a bit
Acoustic rug tiles
Isolation clips
Door kits 
Free standing sound absorption panels
Door and window accessories
Mass loaded vinyl (just a quick note: vinyl works best when it has a little bit of room to move. Gluing it to dry wall or another surface will work less well)

Convert a garage:
Remember, I have not personally tested many of these products - do your due diligence and ​read reviews. Also, please note that some of these links are affiliate links.

If you have a garage that no one uses to store cars or general home clutter, you can convert that into a permanent recording space (or you can build a booth inside it or place a pre-made booth inside it). In order to do so you will need to treat the garage as best you can and most likely find a low-noise heating system. Treating the space includes both sound absorption and sound blocking (or isolation). Sound absorption stops your voice from bouncing all over the room and creating echoey recordings. Sound blocking stops unwanted noise from bleeding into your space. Both are necessary for you to perform on a professional level. 

Sound blocking:
Although a one story garage with a cement floor is GREAT (no sound waves traveling into your space from people stomping around above you, or listening to the TV below you) sound blocking in this scenario is still pretty rough. Your neighbor with his leaf blower. The dogs down the street. The garbage truck. Airplanes. Those brats across the street and the *%^$ ice cream truck. All of these noises and more can easily bleed through your garage door (and even through the cement block walls which are not as solid as you'd think) and into your recordings. What to do? The best way to approach this problem is to look at the space and determine where all the possible leaks might be. In the best of all worlds you would use isolation clips to build walls, ceilings, and floors out away from the cement block. That may be more construction than you want to do. Is there a way to get into the garage without opening the HUGE bay door? If so, good! Can you cover it with permanent material? Like soundproof drywall? or is it likely that this door will have to, at some point, open? Remember, you will want to block transference of waves, add mass to existing structures, and dampen noise bounce. What most narrators opt for is as many physical barriers as they can feasibly do. For instance, you might purchase a special sound blocking doors and windows, or for you DIYers - you might use various materials to trap sound waves (window covers, door trim). You might purchase heavy, acoustical drapes that block some sound or use moving sound panels or drywall panels on stands. 

Sound absorption:
As you already know, this is easier than "sound proofing". These options come at all price points and you will have to decide which works best with your space and your budget. Remember that the only way to sound proof is by building structures and using specific materials. Sound absorption can be accomplished through use of many different items. Drapes, foam, acoustic panels, rubber, old mink coats - all of these will work to stop bounce. You can even hang those tapestries you had on your walls in college (although remember that we need mass too, so you may need a bunch of them) from the ceiling. Check the links below for the different kinds of items you can use or just go to your local moving company or your mother's closet and pilfer as many blankets as you can. Also, carpet remnants will work really well on the floor, but you may want to consider indoor/outdoor rugs (there are some nice recycled ones out there now). The thicker, the better. Block, block, block. Mass, mass, mass. 

How to soundproof a garage (one person's thoughts)


Items you might use to convert your garage (or even your basement):
Plexiglass 
Window Inserts
Acousitcal drapes and here.
Door sweep
Door seal and here.
Studio door
Sound proofing gypsum board
Quiet Rock
Green glue and here.
Auralex
Other foam
Acoustic tile
Acoustic ceiling tile
Ceiling clouds
Acoustic panels and here and here.
Designer acoustic panels and here.
Acoustic blankets and here.
​Acoustic paint
Drapes that block sound a bit
Acoustic rug tiles
Isolation clips
Door kits 
Free standing sound absorption panels
Door and window accessories
​Floor tiles for use in places that can get wet (garages, basements)
Rubber flooring
Indoor outdoor rugs
Mass loaded vinyl (just a quick note: vinyl works best when it has a little bit of room to move. Gluing it to dry wall or another surface will work less well)

Convert a camper or vehicle:

Yes. This has been done! It involves all the same principles we've already looked at but here is a little video from someone who has done it. 


Portable booths:
Remember, I have not personally tested many of these products - do your due diligence and ​read reviews. Also, please note that some of these links are affiliate links.

​If you aren't in the market for a full booth, there are portable options that may work in your space. I have never tried any of these but some people swear by them, although I would say these are a temporary solution, at best, and may only really be useful when you are traveling. Please, please, please be sure to read ALL reviews and poke around on the forums for MORE reviews. These "booths" will not address reflection from all around the microphone (because they are open so you can stand in them or speak into them). All of them will need something behind you and all of them are likely not going to address external noises. You might check places like www.gearslutz.com/ or www.soundonsound.com/ for additional reviews.

Vocal Booth

Auralex booth

​www.isovoxbooth

Snap Studio

Portable-Vocal-Booth

Pro-level-Portable-vocal-booth

LEVEL-PORTABLE-VOCAL-VoiceCube-Empire

www.vocalboothtogo
​


Build your own enclosed booth:
Remember, I have not personally tested many of these products - do your due diligence and ​read reviews. Also, please note that some of these links are affiliate links.

This was done for me (and not to these exact specs) so I'm not, by any stretch of the imagination, an expert - but I'm offering this to you as an option. If you know a contractor, or a sound engineer, or someone who designs acoustic spaces, you might check with them before proceeding down this road. There are also other videos on YouTube that address how to do this.

www.audimute.com/how-to-build-a-vocal-sound-booths-recording
www.dawbox.com/
www.primacoustic.com/designing-a-vocal-booth/
​www.youtube.com/watch?v=tv2NE9uJSGI


Items you might use to build your own booth:
Auralex construction materials
Roxsul Safe n Sound
Green Glue (tape, caulk, compound)
Quiet Rock
Acoustic barrier
Carpet (remember the thicker, the better)
Homasote barrier
Acoustic paint
Vocal Booth DIY supplies
​One of the types of insulation I used in my booth build
Acoustically enhanced gypsum board
Mass loaded vinyl (just a quick note: vinyl works best when it has a little bit of room to move. Gluing it to dry wall or another surface will work less well)
​Noise managing cable pass through


FINALLY, check out this video from Mike The Booth Junkie about setting up a starter booth. Click here.

Step Four

Outfit your new space.

You may have everything you need for this step in your home already. How nice is that? If you don't, I'll leave some suggestions below for you to check out.

Inside your new space you'll need a desk on which to put your monitor. You'll need a quiet chair to sit on if you plan to record and edit sitting. You'll need a tablet to read from (and a tablet stand). You'll need a CPU. You'll need a light so you can see what the heck you are doing. A pad and a pen are also good things to have in your recording space.  

Your desk:
This item can be any kind of table or desk as long as it doesn't squeak when you move around it or lean on it. You will want to cover the hard, reflective surface of it with a carpet remnant or even a towel. In my studio I have a desk that can be either a standing desk or a sitting desk (standing for recording, sitting for editing). It looks like this and I really love it, but it certainly is not necessary (and it's currently unavailable at Amazon - not that you should be shopping at Amazon. My children call it the evil empire, but I still shop there). 

Your chair:
This item can be any kind of chair that is comfortable to sit in for long periods of time. It should not squeak when you shift in it. In my studio, I use this chair and I like it (but I'm always looking for something I'll love).

Your monitor:
This can be any monitor that is big enough for you to see well but not so big that it takes up your entire space. You may be asking, can't I just use my laptop? Well, the answer is - you can, but I don't recommend it. Laptops have fans and those fans go on whenever the unit needs to cool down. Fans make noise. That noise will end up in your recorded tracks and you definitely don't want that. There are some laptops that are more quiet than others but I would suggest, if you can, to start with a monitor that is separate from your CPU. Your monitor goes in the booth with you, your CPU goes somewhere as far away from your mic as you can get it. That way you don't have to worry about computer noise at all. There are many different brands and sizes to choose from and since I don't know your space at all I can't recommend any. As with the rest of this stuff - do your research and figure out what will be best for your space and your budget.

Your CPU:
This can be any computer. Really. The industry seems to prefer macs to PC's but I know plenty of people who use both. I like a mac mini but currently I'm using a pretty cheap PC. It won't be long before I go back to a mac, though. Get what is best for your budget and your space. You will also need a mouse and a keyboard but most of you will have this already and if you don't they will most likely come with your CPU.

Your Keyboard and Mouse:
You likely have these items already. But if you don't:

Click here for an ergonomic mouse that is very similar to the one I own.

​Here is another ergonomic mouse.

Here is a non-ergonomic basic wireless model.

​And here is a fancier wireless model.

AND a basic wireless keyboard here.

Your tablet:
This can be any tablet over 10 inches (I use an old iPad). You want it big enough so that you can see it and small enough that it doesn't block your monitor or take up too much space in your booth. Some decent, less expensive than iPad choices include:

This one.

And this.

Here's another.

And this.

or iPads

Refurbished iPad

Refurbished iPad

As with everything, do your research and find the tablet that is best for you.

Side note: If you have an iPad or purchase an iPad you can also get iAnnotate. This program allows you to take notes right on your PDF manuscript. It has a lot of really cool features that many narrators use both in prepping (don't worry, we'll get to that later) and performing their scripts. 

Your tablet stand:

If you have one great! If not:

AMZ-Adjustable-Tablet-Stand

AmazonBasics-Multi-Angle-Portable-Tablets-readers tablet stand

Tryone-Gooseneck-Nintendo-Samsung-Overall tablet stand

UGREEN-Samsung-Nintendo-readers-Adjustable

The one I have is this one.

TechMatte-Multi-Angle-Aluminum-readers-Smartphones tablet stand

Lights, believe it or not, can also make sounds that your mic may pick up. They can emit a high frequency buzzy-ness, see article here. Try some different light fixtures in your booth and check them to see if they hum. Try plugging them into their own outlet. If you can't get the buzz to go away you might try the following:
​
TaoTronics-Flexible-Gooseneck

No Noise LED lamp

LEDMY-Flexible-strip

Your surge protector:
Most people have these lying around. If you don't here are a few to check out:

Belkin-BE112230-08-12-Outlet-Power-Protector

Belkin-12-Outlet-Pivot-Plug-Protector

Belkin-SurgeMaster-Wall-Mount-Protector

On the subject of surge protectors and other things that protect your equipment and your work:
​
There are other items that might work better than a regular surge protector, depending on where you live and what your electricity is like. What do I mean by this? If you live in a place, as I do, that has frequent brown outs at all times of year for no apparent reason, you may wish to purchase a battery back up like this one: 
CyberPower Battery Back-up 

​Recently, my neighbors started doing a huge renovation, including messing with the electricity running to their building (they installed multiple outdoor HVAC units - it's a multi-family house and upgraded circuits and what-not). Suddenly, I've started having static in my set-up. I have purchased a power conditioner to try to address it. It's still early days yet, but I'll let you know how it works out. 
Furman Power Conditioner 

​UPDATE: It really didn't make a difference. I swapped out ALL of my equipment, including cables, mic, pre-amp, interface. ALL. I unplugged and replugged everything. I made sure no cables were touching (no small feat). It seems ok now. sigh.

Step Five

Speaking of equipment...

Yay! More shopping!

Microphones.
There are so many different types of mics out there at so many different price points. To help you through this step let's skip the ones you don't need and move right to the ones that might work for you. Most audiobook narrators use a cardioid condenser microphone (I could tell you all about what this means but unless you are really interested it doesn't make for gripping reading - just know it is the industry standard - although some use a dynamic mic). Within this category there are small diaphram mics and large diaphram mics. Most audiobook narrators use a large diaphram mic. Without going into detail - small diaphram mics have an extremely consistent pickup pattern and are more detailed in what they pickup. They are the what you see is what you get of mics, the "realists". Large diaphram mics have lower self-noise (picking up less of the sounds the mic itself and your equipment make) and they tend to be more pleasing to the ear because they don't pick up EVERYTHING. SO, you are most likely looking for a large diaphram, cardioid condeser microphone, at least for the time being. 

If you go onto the blogs or the Faceboook groups, you will hear people debate the merits of USB mics vs. XLR mics. I'm going to skip the debate and say this - while certain USB mics have come up in quality, the industry standard is an XLR mic and for one really good reason: they have lower self-noise. Being hooked up directly to a computer transmits unwanted noise that is picked up in your recording. An XLR mic uses an interface to connect to your computer, allowing you to get away from the transmitted noise and to also put your hard drive in another location (thereby eliminating fan noise or other computer noise). Decent USB mics tend to be less expensive than decent XLR mics, but it is likely that you will end up upgrading to an XLR sooner rather than later, so maybe spending the money on the front end actually makes more sense. At any rate, I'll list both and you can make your own decision. 

WARNING: This step is highly personal and I recommend that IF you CAN get to a store that sells microphones (BandH, Guitar Center, Sam Ash are examples) please, please, please do it! Everyone's voice sounds different on different mics and you won't know HOW you sound, until you try each mic. If you absolutely can't get to a store that allows you to sample mics before you buy, make sure the company you order from has a liberal return policy so that you can order more than one and try them out (returning the ones that you don't like for your voice). 

Here are some entry-level mics and mic packages to check out (some of these links are affiliate links and I may make a small commission if you purchase this way).

Rode Anniversary Package (my very first mic etc.)

​Stellar X2 (a mic I own)

​​Audio Technica AT 2035

Rode NT1kit with interface

AT 2020 kit

Audio Technica AT 4040

SE 2200

Neumann TLM 102 (what I'm currently using)

Blue Spark (another mic I own)

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/Sennheiser_MK_4_SET_MK4_Studio_Condener_Microphone.html

CAD E100s

Bluebird

Neumann Anniversary Package
​

And if you are determined to get a USB mic (which, again I don't recommend) here are two choices:

Blue Yeti Pro

Audio Technica 2020 USB


NOW. If you've ordered a package, you will not need to purchase some of the equipment we will be talking about next. BUT, you may want to read along anyway (just for the heck of it). 

Headphones:
There are some different schools of thought when it comes to headphones. There are those who wear headphones for each step of their process (recording, editing, mastering etc.). There are those that wear headphones one ear on and one ear off for recording and then wear headphones for editing and mastering. There are those who wear earbuds for recording and headphones for editing and mastering. There are those who wear no headphones while they record and then put on headphones for everything else. I'm going to admit that I don't have the technical knowledge to know just how you can do punch and roll record (a method of recording where when you make a mistake, you stop recording, put your cursor just before the mistake-taking into account where the breaths fall- and then you hit record. The recording software will play back a bit of what you recorded before - play you in, as it were - and then you pick up where you left off. Makes for a clean track.) without wearing headphones. Something about speakers and what not. I'll try to find out how to do this and post about it further down. 

Some of the bundles above come with headphones. It is really important (since you may be wearing these 'cans' for long periods of time) that headphones are comfortable and don't hurt your ears. 

I'm currently using these:

I use these in Noah's booth:

and have used  these in my booth in the past. 

Some very well respected narrators use these and other Bose earbuds:
Bose-SoundSport-ear-headphones-Charcoal

And I've heard people talk about these:
Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones

A trip to your local Guitar Center or Sam Ash may help you decide which earphones are more comfortable for you. It really is a personal preference.

​Pop Screens:
These come at different price points with different features. I don't know why. Choose the one that fits your budget (you can always upgrade).

InnoGear-Microphone-Stabilizing-Recording-Broadcasting popscreen

Premium-6-inch-Filter-Microphone-Auphonix for Yeti

Auphonix-Diameter-Microphone-Filter-Recording

Stedman-Corporation-Proscreen-XL-Black (I wanted to see if you were paying attention)

​Boom Arms:
I suggest a boom arm rather than a mic stand. Why? Because if you are sitting and recording a mic stand will take up much more room. If your space is small, which most are, you are going to want to make the most of it. A desk and a mic stand can be unwieldy at best, and a deal breaker at worst. You'll want to have a look at your desk and determine what the best way is to connect a boom arm and then purchase accordingly.

RODE-Swivel-Mount-Studio-Microphone boom arm

InnoGear-Microphone-Suspension-Adjustable-boom arm for Yeti USB mic

Pyle-Adjustable-Microphone-Scissor-Stand

and if you are going to stand and have the room, you might do something like this:
Triad microphone stand package

Shock Mounts:
Also called elastic suspension or spider mounts.
Why do you need one? They help to control rumble and vibrations that might travel from  your structure up your mic stand - the mics that are used in studios are much more sensitive than other kinds of mics, especially on the lower end of sound frequencies. If you want your voice to sound warm and inviting, those low frequencies are a must have. 

From the Neumann website:
It is important to know that, for maximum shock absorption, the elasticity of the suspension must match the mass of the microphone. That’s why quality manufacturers offer a dedicated shock mount for each microphone model. The “universal” shockmounts offered by third party manufacturers usually come with (much) too tight ribbons for the average one-pound-microphone to offer optimal rumble protection.

So, If your mic didn't come with a shock mount, you will have to purchase one that is designed to fit your mic. I would purchase mic and mount from the same supplier at the same time, if possible.

​​Interfaces:
As discussed briefly above, an audio interface allows your computer to read the sound waves that come in through your microphone. There are a few that are popular and I will list those first. An interface can add a certain quality to your recordings so you may want to read some reviews before you purchase. I have posted some links for these but you can always find more. (I used to use a Scarlett. Now I use an Audient).

Review of Focusrite Scarlett 2i2

Compare Focusrite and Presonus

Another comparison 

An opinion piece about which are the best interfaces

And here they are:
​
Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface solo

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2

PreSonus-AudioBox-USB-96-Recording

M-Audio-M-Track-2X2-Interface-24-bit

Steinberg-UR12-USB-Audio-Interface

Audient-iD4-USB-Audio-Interface

There are others too, some that are more complicated, but these few will get you started. And know that once you are solidly on your journey and have a regular engineer with whom you work, you can ask them about how to make your set up work best for your style and sound. Most will be happy to make recommendations and may even be able to do a remote session with you to help get your settings just right. 

Step Six

Choose your DAW

What the heck is a DAW?
​(if you know the answer and already have one, feel free to skip this section - or read on if you're interested to find out how different DAWs compare to each other)
​
A DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) is software (or hardware, but not for us usually) that allows you to record onto your computer and edit, and maybe master, your recorded files. There are DAWs at all price points (including free) and you'll need to decide what works best for you. Most DAWs have a free trial period so you can try them out and see if you want to make the investment in them. There are also LOTS of user videos for specific DAWs on YouTube. You can use multiple DAWs for different reasons (I do but don't know if anyone else does that).

I guess here is a good place to briefly describe the process of recording, QCing, editing, and mastering. Remember, I'm not an engineer and I'm just doing the best I can with what my little addled brain can retain and make sense of. I just want you to have an idea about why you need this type of software and what it is used for. When you record, you need a program that allows your computer to take that analog signal from your mic that your interface has converted to a digital signal and save it. All of the DAWs listed below will do that. QC is the process of making sure what came out of your mouth matches what is actually written on the page. Editing is taking out errant noises, cleaning up pacing by shortening or lengthening pauses, dealing with over-zealous breathing, and generally making the recording sound clean. Mastering (which I barely understand) is getting the audio to meet industry standards (including overall loudness, loudness of audio compared to loudness of noise floor, making the softest narration and the loudest narration closer together in loudness etc.). I outsource the engineering stuff that I don't understand to professional engineers who do. Some people REALLY like learning that part of the business and do a great job of it. But don't make the mistake of thinking that it's easy and you can save money by doing it yourself (we will talk about this later also). If you want to learn it, do. If you don't want to put the time in and don't understand the commitment it takes to make great audio, pay someone else. REALLY.

​When I first began, I paid an engineer I knew to create a 'stack' or a 'chain' (I honestly don't know what it is really called - I've heard both used and don't know if they are the same or not) that I could use to master my recordings. I sent him the sound of my booth without me speaking and a sample of me recording. He said he used Reaper and so I would need to get Reaper in order for his files to work. ANNNNND, that's how I ended up with the software I use. He gave me files to upload to the Reaper library, told me how to do that, and then every time I rendered a file (that's a form of saving) those commands he put in those files would be applied to my recording. So the mastering was kind of generic based on my studio and my voice, but it didn't take into account how things might change from day to day or chapter to chapter. It worked though. If you aren't going to learn to self-engineer, I highly recommend this. Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of engineers who you could contact about paying for your own 'stack' or 'chain':

TyDef Studios
Amanda Rose Smith
​Karen Souer
​Craig Lee

Here is a short list of DAWs with some descriptions and information (the more research you do, the better the fit of the software will be to you). As I learn more about each DAW, I will share that with you. Right now, this reflects what I know - and I hope I didn't get anything wrong (as with everything you find in this website, double check before you spend your money):
​
Audacity
Audacity is free software, although not considered a traditional DAW. It is super intuitive and easy to use. It is where many people begin. I personally find it very easy to edit in Audacity, much easier than in the other software I have on my computer for recording (although now I have been told that each time you save in Audacity the quality degrades, so...). It is an open source software, meaning lots of people work on it all the time and create great customer support. The drawbacks of this software are pretty significant, however. Firstly, is what is called "destructive" editing. When you save a project, Audacity saves it the way it is on the screen as you save it. It does not save the work you had before you saved, as other programs do. So unless you keep copies at every step of your process, you could end up losing important work and having to re-do it. Secondly, Audacity does not offer punch and roll (the preferred method of recording - don't worry we'll get to that in a moment). Thirdly, you have to download LAME (also free), which for some reason I found totally baffling and spent an inordinate amount of time trying to get it to load like it should (LAME lets you convert your Audacity files into MP3 format - we'll talk about formats later. Golly, so much to talk about!).

People who use Audacity have a few ways that they record. When they make a (n inevitable) mistake, they either stop recording, delete the error, move their cursor to the spot right before the error occurred, hit R on the keyboard and continue recording OR they snap their fingers right after the mistake (or click a dog training clicker or something that makes a very pointy wave form in their recording track) and then when they are done recording, they go back and take out those marked takes where the error occurred. Either option will get you the clean raw track that editors/engineers need and publishers require. (If you are editing/mastering your own work - as you learn the business - you can also take out the snaps as you go through the track QCing and editing). More on why farming out your post production work is a good idea later. 

Download Audacity here. 
​Download LAME here. (you need LAME to convert files to MP3s)

The remarkable Steven Jay Cohen has, among all the other things he does for the community of narrators, put together a punch and roll script for Audacity. How you upload it and use it, I have no idea - but I'm sure there are directions on his site.

​Check it out here. 

Ocen Audio
Ocen is free software, like Audacity. Unlike Audacity, it really is a true DAW. I have only ever played around with this software so I don't really know it. I do know that several engineers I know say it is as good as some of the DAWs people pay for with only a few drawbacks. The pros of Ocen are that the program is really intuitive and simple to use. It looks like a DAW because it is a DAW. It has most of the things an audiobook narrator needs in order to record. The cons are that it, like Audacity, has 'destructive editing', because it isn't anyone's primary job it can be hard to get great customer support, you'll have to download LAME (and we know what that does to me - if, like me you are not at all computer savvy you may spend a lot of time just trying to do this piece. I literally downloaded it close to 10 times. I couldn't see it in the library so I just kept hitting download. Oy). I'm not sure if there is a pre-roll feature or not (pre-roll allows you to do the aforementioned punch and roll - a type of recording that most professionals use and most publishers expect). I'll check on this and get back to you.

​Steven Jay Cohen talks Ocen Audio here. 

Download Ocen Audio here.
Download LAME here.

Twisted Wave
I've never used Twisted Wave and so I don't know a whole lot about it other than what I hear in the forums. Apparently it is very much like Ocen Audio (only it costs money). BUT the people who love it, LOVE it. Cons as I understand them: only MAC compatible, destructive editing, more expensive than other DAWS that do the same thing. Pros as I understand them: simple interface, intuitive, MP3 converter included, batch processing (more on that later - yes, yes, I know!).

Download Twisted Wave here.

Check out punch and roll script  a la Steven Jay Cohen here. 

Studio One
Studio One is one of the DAWS that I hear the most about. I have it on my computer but I don't use it (I DO use it when I record with my recording partner in his studio). It is extremely customizable for audiobook recording but you have to know how to do that. There are lots of YouTube videos (especially by Don Baarns) out there or you could hire someone like Don to give you tutorials on how to set it up and then let it do its thing. His Red Baarns web site is here ( link.)

Studio One is fairly simple to use, and really simple to use if you do just a bit of research and figure out its capabilities. It does not have destructive editing (a very good thing), it can export in multiple formats, it has a dynamic interface, it can do punch and roll, and there are lots of support options available for it - including facebook groups. The drawbacks as I have experienced them are that it isn't that intuitive - you really need someone to show you around, unless you have familiarity with DAWS, and there are multiple steps you have to take in order to render a file - which annoys me (REMEMBER, people swear by this program and love it, love it, love it. So maybe check out the trial version before you listen to me). I would consider Studio One to be in the mid-range price point (between free and more expensive DAWs).

Download Studio One or the demo here.

Reaper
Reaper is the DAW that I use. Why? Because way back in the beginning that is the DAW the engineer I hired to write me a stack or a chain, or whatever it's called, used. Reaper is a monster program. It can be so customized that one person's Reaper and another person's Reaper will look nothing alike. If you're an engineer, this could be GREAT. If you are me, it is just overwhelming. I don't even understand most of the language used to discuss recording and editing software let alone the terms used to describe the product of those things. BUT, it's what I learned on and so it's what I use. When I updated my computer and had to get the newest version of Reaper, it was not such a good thing. I spent days watching videos (and crying and screaming, truth be told) trying to figure out how to get it to do what I wanted (which was to go back to the older version). Eventually I figured it out enough to make it work - it was stressful though and not good for my voice.

That being said, I like Reaper.

I like that Reaper is visually simple. I like that there aren't a whole bunch of steps that I need to take to record or to render. It allows for punch and roll recording and it doesn't do destructive editing. I know I am using about 1% of Reapers magic powers and someday I hope to expand my knowledge. It's like getting the ring, knowing it can do things, but holding off on doing anything with it. For the benefit of society. Wait. Nope. That's Bilbo, not me. Steven Jay Cohen is a Reaper master and has lots of information about it. You can also hire him to teach you the ins and outs of it (I don't think this is true anymore - but you could hire Jen Blom to teach you or James Romick, who is a huge fan of this DAW). Did I mention that Steven is swell? As are Jen and James. Perhaps I should take my own advice and hire one of them (they can be my Gandalf? Wonder how they'd feel about that) I would consider Reaper to be in the mid-range price point (between free and more expensive DAWs).

Steven Jay Cohen on setting up Reaper for audiobooks.
Other Reaper information written by Steven Jay Cohen.

Download Reaper or a fully functional time constrained demo here.

Reaper forum

​Adobe Audition
I literally know nothing about this program. I see its name bandied about. I don't know what differentiates it from the others. What I DO know is that you can pay a monthly price for it and that if you choose to pay for one year all at once it is EXPENSIVE (compared to Studio One and Reaper). Maybe it is SUPER DUPER fairy dust magic. Maybe it has features that would make my life splendid if only I knew about them. I will leave it to you to decide if this is the program for you.

From Wirecutter:
"Once you’ve learned the ropes of basic audio editing and you’re ready to step up your game (that is, take your podcast to a larger audience), we recommend Adobe Audition CC, a powerful platform with an exhaustive range of tools to smooth out and sweeten the sound quality of recorded tracks. Its noise-reduction features in particular are top-notch, and its EQ tools go a step beyond those of the other software we evaluated for this guide. Audition is easy to use, with a clean user interface and a wide range of templates and presets, but it also offers a high level of customization. At $20 per month, or $240 per year, it isn’t cheap, but it is the best podcast recording and editing software in that price range. If sound quality is your main concern, Audition is well worth the investment."

​I know you don't do podcasts, well I don't KNOW that, maybe you do and I am an ass - but I included the review because it talked about functionality. 

Download seven day trial here.
Buy Adobe Audition here.

Protools
EVERYONE always says THIS is the industry standard. And it may be for engineers in studios. Audiobook narrators may have to be their own engineers and directors - but that doesn't mean we know HOW to engineer like a professional engineer (and unless we WANT to do that, there is no reason to). Protools is a BIG program. You really learn it, and you might be able to make a living doing audio work for other people. I don't find it intuitive at all (and yes, I had it when I first began this whole thing). AND it's not cheap. There's a reason for that - it really is a huge program that can do so very many things. BUT, as a narrator, how many of those things are you likely to do? Basic recording, editing, batch mastering? It's like taking the space shuttle to the grocery store around the corner from your house. 
Pros of Protools include: An active on line support community. Good customer service. Punch and Roll with non-destructive editing capabilities. Once you know it, you know it and can use it in any studio. You can say you use the industry standard.
Cons of Protools include: The price. The learning curve. The price.

​Buy Protools here.

This is a pause in the action.

Ok. So now you have a dedicated space in which to record. You have sound absorption and noise management items for that space (based on your budget). You have the hardware you need to use that space. You have the software that makes the whole thing do what you need done. Hopefully you've been listening to audiobooks (or at least retail samples on Audible) all this time. You've done a lot! Give yourself a pat on the back and recognize all that you have accomplished toward making this narration thing happen! Good on you. 

Step Seven

Set up (Oh gosh. I'm really not good at this part)

Without being a jerk - first, put your desk where you want it. Now figure out where you want your monitor. Next, attach your boom arm. Now, screw in your mic and attach your pop screen. Bring your chair (if you are using one) into your space. Sit in it. Pull the boom arm so that the mic hangs down a little above your mouth (and potentially a little off to the side of your mouth - you will play with placement in a minute but you want a general idea). You want the mic to be about the length of your hand fully extended (thumb against your chin, pinky reaching toward your mic) away from you. Next, figure out where your tablet goes. How can you look at your tablet, still eye your monitor, and still be on mic? You also want to place your keyboard and mouse in the right places as you are sitting there. You need to be able to reach your mouse easily and reach your key board without too much trouble, but you also want to be careful that your keyboard doesn't get in your way as you gesticulate (which you will). Place your interface in an area where it will not get moved, if possible, and will be out of the way of your arms. Place your CPU outside your recording space. Place your surge protector. 

Now you have everything in its basic place. Look to see how long it is from your monitor to the CPU. Is the cable that connects the two long enough? If not, you will need to buy one (make sure you look at the ends of the cable that is too short and determine EXACTLY what it looks like because you will need to get one of those, only longer). There are two different types of cable that might be used here (a VGA cable or an HDMI cable).  If you are using a Mac computer, you will need a mini DV adapter to attach to the VGA cable, though most newer Macs also have an HDMI port. (Speaking a foreign language? Just have a look at the pictures, you'll understand)

How far is it from your interface to your CPU? The cable that came with your mic should be plenty long enough to plug into your interface but the cable that came with your interface may not be long enough to plug into your computer. Check to make sure what each male end looks like and find one that looks the same but is longer (here are some options).

Do you need a longer cable to go from your tablet to your power source? I did this with an extension cord. If you don't have a wifi mouse and keyboard, check those cords to make sure they reach where you need them to go. 

NOW, plug those thingys in. Plug them all in. GOOD!

NOW (the moment of truth), turn the computer on. Turn the interface on, if you have to. Make sure your monitor is on. Turn on your tablet. 

Is everything lighting up? If yes, Congratulations. You've set up your studio. If no, wiggle cables, check ports, and try again. Congratulations. You've set up your studio! Go you!

To upload your software, if you haven't already, follow the steps from the manufacturer. I know I recommend farming out your post-production work BUT I also recommend that if you have the resources to do so now, buy a copy of Izotope RX. It will save you a lot of extra work when you NEED to edit (like for auditions or if you are making samples for your website, or Ahab, or Soundcloud, or Erggo). It is an editing program that can take out clicks and pops and can help you minimize aggressive breaths (bet you'd never thought of breathing as aggressive, did you?). Purchase RX here. If you are feeling really flush and think you will be editing and mastering your own files all the time, you can purchase the more enhanced version here, but it certainly is not necessary. 

NEXT:
Set your levels.

Sit in your chair (if you're using a chair). Pull up some text on your tablet. Set your DAW to record (however it's done in your particular DAW). Hit record and read your text. As you do, check your interface (if it has the ability to monitor your volume - on my Scarlett the green ring around the gain knob turns red if you are peaking, which means getting too loud). If the meter shows you are too loud, turn your gain knob a little lower, it should be labeled "gain". You want to find the sweet spot where you are not in the red but your gain is as loud as it can be without peaking. If you've chosen to record with earphones, you'll also have to set your monitor level. My experience is that it's best to have your monitor level set as low as you can have it and still hear extraneous noise and pre-roll. Louder and you may get distracted by your own voice - less likely to turn in an organic performance - and you may speak more quietly than is optimal (I learned this one through experience and reading reviews. "What is up with that whispery voice. Worst narrator EVER"). You'll need to play around and find what levels work best for you. Or hire an experienced audio engineer to help you do it!

Once you've got your gain and monitor set, record a bit more. After you've done this, go to the manual for your DAW. Look for a way to measure noise floor and average RMS (I'm not going to try to explain these to you except to say that noise floor is the sound recorded in your booth when no one is talking. Average RMS is something like the way the human ear perceives loudness. I'm sorry, that's all I've got). What you are looking for is a noise floor of -60 dBs to -70 dBs - the closer to -70 the better and an average RMS of between -18 dBs and -23 dBs. Remember, since we are talking negative numbers, the closer to -100 the quieter, the closer to -1, the louder. Confusing. It makes me crazy. I can never remember which direction I mean to go in. If you are not meeting these numbers, play around with your gain, look in your users manual about settings, look at on-line tutorials specific to your DAW OR hire a knowledgable engineer to create the aforementioned stack, and you should be able to meet those stats with no problem (I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS).

Mic placement.
This will take some playing. Yay! Playing! You want to get audio that sounds the most like yourself. You also want to avoid plosives (those pops of air that come from P's and B's and sometimes T's) and as much mouth noise as possible. To achieve this, you will record yourself trying your mic in different placements (taking notes as you do so that you know what sounded best). Start with your mic about one hand's lengths from your mouth and slightly higher than your mouth (measure if you must). Now try tilting your mic a bit down toward your chest but keeping the height the same. Now try moving your pop screen so that it is not parallel with your mic (this, perchance, can be a palliative for plosives for people who are particularly plosive prone) and record. Next, move your mic slightly off to the side and record. Keep playing until you find your sweet spot! AND THEN DON'T LET ANYONE MOVE YOUR MIC (until you get new equipment and go through this step all over again).

Here is one guy's video on mic placement. His placement may not work for you, but you'll get an idea of what I'm blithering on about above. DON'T let anyone tell you there is one way to have your mic placed. Really. Listen and decide for yourself or work with an engineer who can help you.

NEW:
ACX (audio creation exchange, a subsidiary of Audible) has launched a blog specifically about your audio and getting it to pass industry standards for independent projects (more about ACX below).

Step Eight

Getting Started as a Narrator

How do you get work? I'm sure there are other ways to go about this, and I'm sure if you google it you will find people who will tell you what those things are. I am, once again, going to caution you that anything that sounds too good to be true, is usually too good to be true. Really. I'm sure there are people who have started their careers in audiobooks answering ads on Craigslist, or joining one of the pay-to-play sites (where you pay a fee for them to list you in their data base and assure you that offers will come pouring in), or taking cheap jobs from one of the general freelance sites. You wanna try those things, I won't try to talk you out of them. BUT I will say, I think there is a better way of going about it - and here it is:

1. Go to ACX.com and have a look around. Then go to the narrator specific information here. There are also some good tutorials about how to be your own engineer here. Why do I suggest that you go to ACX and not to some other online space? ACX is a great way to get your feet wet as a narrator. It gives you a way to quickly find auditions that are suited to you and your situation. It will hone your audition technique. You will get work. You will, if you persevere. (what's that saying??? Success is a matter of hanging on after others have let go...something like that) It will also give you a foundation on which to build and expand. NOTE: other places you may want to sign up will be listed later, but first get some titles under your belt on ACX. It will serve you well.

2. Set up your ACX profile. Here are helpful hints about how to do this. 

3. Record some samples for your profile. So, if you have followed my advice above, you may have some samples from classes that you have taken with knowledgeable and respected coaches. If so, great. If not, it's relatively easy to make your own (and remember, you can always and should always update your samples when you take new classes or get work that you feel is particularly representative of your strengths as an actor - and remember, if the samples from classes are recorded in a fully treated acoustic environment but your home studio is bouncy, has a low rumble, and is generally noisy, those class samples are NOT a good representation of the work you will turn in. Best to record in your home environment so that people know the quality of sound they will be getting). You will want to find passages that represent titles that you could actually be cast for (so, if you are female and sound young don't pick a book told from an ancient male point of view) and that are not so well known that people can readily identify the book (Alice in Wonderland, Great Expectations, Moby Dick). This step may take you quite a while. You should locate:  

• a 2 to 5 minute sample of first person fiction. A first person narrative is when the narrator of the story relays events from his or her own point of view using words like "I" or "we".
• a 2 to 5 minute sample of third person fiction. A third person narrative is a story told in the grammatical third person, i.e. without using "I" or "we". For instance: "he did that, they did something else." 
• a 2 to 5 minute sample of male/female dialogue, either first or third person. Yes. You will be expected to voice characters who are a different gender than you are and you will be expected to do it so that it is not distracting to your listeners. More on this in a moment.
• a 2 to 5 minute sample of non-fiction. This can be any kind of non-fiction - self help, memoir, history, text book. 
• If you are really, really convincing at an accent or two, find a 2 to 5 minute piece of text that showcases your facility with each (or all).

​
Getting together your samples is a great thing! Why? Because it serves so many different purposes. First, it forces you to really think about your strengths as a story teller. Second, it gives you real life experience reading, recording, editing, and mastering. Third, it gives you control over how you present yourself as a narrator to the world (when else does this REALLY happen?) 

You want each sample to feel good as you record it. You want to feel like the material really fits you. You want the material to be exciting to your listeners too, so pick "high stakes" scenes. What do I mean by high stakes? Pick scenes where the emotional intensity is pretty high, where your characters (yes in non-fiction you have a character - the author) are doing things. It can be comic or tragic or straight-forward, but it should be a scene that really matters to the story. 

It's also a good idea to make sure your samples have cut off points at the 5 minute mark, the 3 minute mark, the 2 minute mark, and the 1 minute mark. Meaning, there is a good stopping point at each minute mark so you can send out samples of different lengths, if necessary, or combine multiple samples into one demo.

Let's talk a little about voicing characters who are different from you. If you've taken narration classes, which by now I hope you have, you will know this already but it never hurts to hear it again. The most important thing about developing and maintaining characters is to be them. To find their unique rhythm and cadence. Find the actable emotions in the scene and act them. Be in it. If you are a reading fantasy and one of your characters is a speaking rock, don't think "what does a rock sound like?" think "how does the rock feel?" If you try to sound like a rock you risk making your character sound like a caricature. If you have a very deep, gravelly, baritone voice and need to read a character who is identified as a woman, don't try to sound "female" - find the actable emotions and act them. Who is this character? What do the other characters in the story say about her? What does she think about herself? You may want to put some breath into your voice, let your modulation be a little freer, let your tone be a little light. Don't try to make your voice higher, necessarily. You run the risk of sounding like a female impersonator - not a good sound unless that is the character. The same is true of the reverse. If you have a high, squeaky voice and need to perform a man who is described as having a low growl of a voice do not try to make your voice come from your toes. Find your natural scale. Where is your natural high when you speak and where is your natural low when you speak. Your natural low is your deep voice. You can add some gravel or vocal fry but don't try to sound like Tom Waitts, it won't go well and you may end up really annoying your listeners (I speak from experience here - read some of my early reviews). 

Also,
Before you record you need to know that there are different file formats that you can save your files in. Sigh. Depending on your DAW you will want to make sure the window that pops up when you are going to render or export (meaning save) is set correctly. If you are recording a file that you will then edit or master or, preferably, send to someone else to edit and master, you will be wanting to save it as a .wav file. And you will want the window to show that your setting reads 44.1kHz. Can you tell I have no idea what that means? You are right. I'm being told that that is a common sampling frequency. Do I know what THAT means? nope. But I know the setting has to say that. So make your setting say that. You will also want to make sure another setting reads 16 bit. Don't ask me. I don't know AND when I go to try to find out, it's as if they are speaking Klingon to me "Sampling 4 bit audio (2^4) gives us only 16 values, a far cry from 16-bit audio's 65,536! sample rate. Sample rate refers to the number of samples or measurements taken each second from a recording. The typical CD sample rate is 44.1kHz, or 44,100 samples per second". SEE? So. Just set your little thingies to 44.1 and 16 and you're good. You will also be given the choice of saving as a mono or a stereo file. Save as a mono, because that is how it will eventually be uploaded. 

Eventually, you may need to convert that .wav file into another format. Most often that will be into an MP3, but it could also be into a .flac file (at least one production house I know of requires samples sent in flac format). Your DAW will let you choose which format. Don't convert until all of your mastering work is finished - because each time you save an MP3 the quality degrades a bit. When you are converting into an MP3 you will want to make sure your settings say: at least 192 kbps and constant bit rate of 44.1 kHz. Yup, you guessed it. I have no idea, but that is what your window must read in order for your file to be acceptable.

Now go, record!

BUT, Before you record your text, record a 30 second stretch of room tone. Actually, it's not a bad idea to get into the habit of doing this every time you record something new. I usually hit record, walk out of the booth, count to 50, and come back in. Then I take the cleanest 30 seconds of that and label it with the date and the words room tone. Room tone is often used in the editing process and we will talk about that in a bit. NOW, record your text using punch and roll (where you fix errors that you notice as you record by stopping and placing your cursor right before the error and "punching in" - the software will play a pre-determined bit of your recording so you can hear the tone/pace of what you were doing and then it will begin recording) OR using the old snap method (where you snap when you realize you've made a mistake and keep going - marking the place for editing out later). 

​Working with your files.

Good. Got your raw files? Wait, what? you say...if you didn't read the ACX pages you may not have heard the phrase "raw file". It just means the recording of your piece with no editing, no mastering. I suggest that you label each step of your process (to keep everything straight and so you can find it all easily), for instance after you've recorded and go to render: Erin deWard_book title_chapter 01_raw record. Then, when you render (or save) your next step: Erin deWard_book title_chapter 01_edited and QCd. Then, Erin deWard_book title_chapter 01_mastered (or whatever order makes sense for your workflow). Then after you've checked to make sure your file meets ACX standards (see here) Erin deWard_book title_chapter 01_final for upload. OR, or,or - if you are lucky enough to get a first gig with a production house (Tantor, Audible etc.) they will tell you what naming conventions they use and you should follow those exactly (usually something like: the file number_numerical identifier the company has assigned to the title_the titles actual title or some abbreviation thereof_the chapter number_your name. Example: 00_EdW9876_HowToBeNarrator_Intro_deward). 

Ok, got your raw files? Good. If you aren't working with a professional editor who can do all this for you here are your next steps:
​Go back to your text and listen to your file as you follow along. If you come to a place where you have misread something, or a dog is barking, or your &*%$%$* neighbor is using his %^$%^$#() leaf blower, mark the time code of the section so that you can do a "pickup" of the sentence that needs to be re-recorded. This process is know as QC (quality control). You WILL misread things. You will make up words that aren't even in the text. It just happens. Don't fret. It's easily fixed. You will listen to the sentence in which the problem occurred. You will re-record the sentence in which the problem occurred on a new track, trying your best to match the tone of your first record. You will do this till you have recorded all the "pickups" you need to. Then you will go back to your file and replace those sections with your newly corrected sections. This will work differently depending on your DAW. I have used Audacity for this step (although I'm sure if someone showed me how to do it in Reaper, that would be a better choice). It is so simple and easy and quick - I open both the original track and the pickup file, I highlight the wave from from the pickup file that I want to drop into the track I'm working on and copy it (CTRL C), toggle to the track I want to drop the pickup into, highlight the section I want to replace and hit paste (CTRL V) and VOILA, the messed up section is replaced with the pickup. You do need to listen carefully to make sure you are not cutting off breaths or the end of words. And know this takes some practice.

Are there any weirdly long pauses? cut off breaths from punching in at the wrong spot? LOUD breaths? Clicks and pops? Remember, it's always best to get as clean a record as you can, rather than trying to fix things after you've already recorded but sometimes, it just can't be helped. If you've got RX, now's your time to use it. Read your manual. Use the tools. Since not everyone will have RX, I've chosen to talk through editing without it. 

For those weirdly long or short pauses - delete the room tone between to tighten it up (listen carefully to make sure you like the timing and that you haven't cut off a word or a breath). If you rushed a bit, take a snippet of the room tone you recorded for the day and drop it into the file you are working on to elongate the space between sentences, again being mindful of word endings and natural breaths.

You can also use room tone to cover errant noises, including stomach gurgles or your own crazy loud breaths, but beware a new narrator mistake. DO NOT take out all of your breaths. When there are no breaths in a recording it sounds...unnatural. Because no one speaks without breathing. Some conventional wisdom advises to take out breaths at the beginning of sentences or the end of sentences (unless those breaths are really part of the acting) and then lower the breaths inside sentences. Depending on the software you are using there are different ways to accomplish this. Google is your friend. Have a look at what other people have figured out about lowering breaths inside sentences and do the same on your own work. 
Here's one example of how to do it in Audacity.

Another new narrator mistake is to assume that if your studio has a buzz to it or any other kind of noisey-ness, you can take out all the noise using noise removal tools. Dead air sounds wrong in a recording (and also will sound weird if you have the buzz behind your words but not in the spaces where you aren't speaking). Better to clean up the buzz before you record and drop in clean room tone when you need to cover something up. 

​There are also ways to remove mouth clicks in your tracks. These will vary depending on which software you use. Google is again your friend. You don't have to re-invent the wheel but you will be spending time learning how to do these things regardless of the software, including RX, that you use (unless you hire an editor). Here is a video about one way to remove mouth noise using Audacity. This guy apparently has a bunch of videos on how to edit using Audacity, so if you are using it, it might be beneficial to check him out. NOTE: everyday that I have to edit an audition, I thank my lucky stars for my editor and RX.

When you listen do you hear a sort of 'shushing' noise? That one usually comes from your clothing and it's really hard to get out without specific knowledge and specific software. Better to not make the noises at all rather than try to get them out after the fact. To avoid making those sounds It's important to figure out a couple of things regarding clothing. First, what kinds of gestures are you in the habit of making as you work? Do those gestures cause you to rub pieces of your body against clothed areas of your body? If so, pay special attention to the kinds of fabrics you wear while recording. Starchy or stiff fabrics are best avoided even if you don't move at all (as are earrings, bracelets, and watches). I used to rest my hands at my waist, until I realized that I made a "shhhhh" sound every time I did so. There are some ways to get it out, though, if it sneaks in. I've successfully used RX to do this, but there are even other ways to do it. Here is a video that explains noise removal in Audacity. Will this always work? No. Better to avoid it in the first place. I've been told some people record topless in order to avoid the problem all together, but I can neither confirm nor deny this. Ahem.

After you've gone through your sample file and QC'd it for errors and edited it to make it sound clean and paced as you want it, label the files so that you will know what stage of the process has been completed. Example: Erin deWard_first person narration_sample_QC and edited. This step is important to save in case you need to go back and fix something OR in case someone who might hire you wants to hear the actual sound of your booth.

NEXT, (there's more? Yes. Don't groan, you're almost done) you will need to make sure these samples meet ACX (and most industry specs). Here is the link to the ACX submission requirements. And here is a video put out by ACXU about how to meet those specs and avoid audio issues.

I'll try to explain the biggies that are also the ones that will most likely have your files returned as not having passed ACX review. The one that I think causes the most consternation is: files should measure between -23dB and -18dB RMS and have -3dB peak values and a maximum -60dB noise floor. UGH UGH UGH. WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN???? According to the ACX website "RMS is a conventional way to measure the effective average value of an audio signal as well as the perceived dynamic range values of that signal". Yeah. Right. I SO understand the term now. Let's go one piece at a time (remember, this is me, who doesn't really understand, trying to explain to you - ha!). Here's a little video from ACX showing the steps one might take in mastering a file. As the video says, it's best to hire an audio engineer (which you can do remotely at not a huge cost) to help you set levels for your specific voice in your specific space. If you absolutely cannot afford to do it (it will likely cost between $50 and $100 so it's really really REALLY worth doing it) you can try to do it on your own. 

First, measure your RMS. How? As noted above, each DAW has it's own way to do this and Google is your friend. In Audacity, you can measure RMS by using the analyze tool. Click on Analyze. From the drop down menu, choose contrast. A window will open with a button for background and a button for foreground. Highlight a short section of your audio file. Click the foreground button. In the small window next to the button, a value will appear. This is the overall RMS. But wait. Now highlight a small section of your audio file that has no speaking and no breath. Now click the background button. A value will appear which tells you what your current noise floor is reading at. Now compare THOSE numbers to the numbers in the ACX specs (between -23dB and -18dB RMS and -60dB noise floor). How'd you do? If you hit those numbers, congratulations! Before you move on though, you may want to highlight the entire track and click the foreground button and see what value appears then. But you still aren't done. Follow along even if your numbers fall solidly in the range. 

I'm gonna say it again, I barely understand this stuff and this is probably not correct but it follows some of the steps and should help you to get your audio to pass. I'm sure if an engineer saw what I was telling you to do they would roll their eyes at best and scream obscenities at the worst. Please remember, every voice and every set-up is different. You'll have to play around. If my suggestions don't work on your files, I apologize and direct you again to a professional who can build you a set up that WILL get your files to pass every time.

Remember to listen to parts of your file after every step to make sure it still sounds as you'd like. 

​In Audacity (since most new narrators start using it or Ocen and I know NOTHING about Ocen):

First, use a compressor. Honestly, you would need to play with these settings to see what works for your specific situation. But a good place to start might be: Threshold at -24dB
Noise floor at around -60dB
Ratio at 2:1
Attack time at .2 secs
Release time at 1.2 secs
And if it's there, Makeup gain: 5dB
 (Here is a piece of information from the Audacity manual - 

• When using RMS, the compressor uses "downward" compression, making louder sounds above the threshold quieter while leaving quieter ones below it untouched.
• When using peak values, "upwards" compression is applied which makes the audio louder, but amplifies the louder sounds above the threshold progressively less than those below it. Where the original (input) level is 0 dB there is no amplification.)

Next, use a limiter, if you have one, set to somewhere between -3.5 and -6.0.

Next, apply a low pass filter at 7000 kHz then a high pass filter at 85 kHz.

Now, use the contrast tool under the analyze tab to see how your noise floor is reading and what the RMS is of your foreground. If your noise floor is still too loud you can use the noise removal tool (but you probably shouldn't). If you choose to use this step, make sure to save your file before you do. Highlight a bit of your file where there is no speaking and no breath. Go to your noise removal tool under effects. Click on get noise profile. Now go back and highlight your entire track and go back to the noise removal tool. This time instead of clicking the get noise profile button, click the noise removal button. Now go back and listen to your track and also check your noise floor using the contrast tool under analyze. Does it sound good? Is your noise floor somewhere between -60 dB and -75 dB? GOOOOOOOD! Congratulations. You have sort of, kind of, mastered a file. 

If you aren't using Audacity I'm sure you can find tutorials on YouTube but even better than that, you can reach out to someone like Don Baarns for Studio One or Jen Blom for Reaper or Amanda Rose Smith who runs classes about the whole process and pay them to pick their brains OR even better still (you know what's coming next, don't you?) you can hire a professional engineer to make you sound like the professional narrator you want to be. 

Next, you'll need to save your file.wav as a file.mp3 in order to upload it to ACX. When you go to save (or render or export) please make sure that your fields are set to 192kbps and Constant Bit Rate of 44.1kHz. Again, I really don't know what that means but if the fields say it and you've met all the other criteria, your audio should pass. 

​TADA! You can now upload your samples to the ACX web site.

And the next step is: AUDITIONING.

​Step Nine

Auditioning

To find auditions for audiobooks, go the ACX website. Up in the upper right hand corner is a tab called "search". When you click on it you can choose to search Producers for Hire (that's you now) and Titles Accepting Auditions. There are filters along the left side of the page. You can choose a gender. You can choose a project rate. From experience I will tell you, you probably should ignore the rest of the filters unless you are in this as a hobbyist who never expects to do more than a few titles. In other words, if you want to do this, you will have to be open to performing all kinds of stories in all kinds of genres. 

You'll notice there are ranges listed. PFH stands for per finished hour. So, if you agree to a contract at $100/PFH and the book you record is an 8 hour book (even if it takes you 24 hours to record it and another 24 hours to edit it) you would be paid $800. Make sense? 

Also, a word to the wise, don't immediately think you'll be able to jump in and audition for titles in the $400-$1000 range or even the $200-$400 range. There are very few titles that come up in those ranges and you will be competing against narrators who have been doing this for a while. You can try, certainly, but don't be discouraged if you don't get chosen for those projects. 

The majority of titles fall in the Royalty Share category. What is a royalty share? It means that you record the book for no money up front. Once the title goes to retail, you and the author will split any royalties earned. BUT WAIT - the ACX contract only pays out 40% royalties so if you do Royalty Share you and the author will split that 40% in half (the rest goes to ACX/Audible). 

Most people begin by testing the waters with Royalty Share projects. If you are good at choosing them, you can actually do better than being paid in the higher per finished hour ranges. But choosing is a tricky business. I highly recommend working with Jeffrey Kafer to understand how to increase your chances of picking solid royalty share projects, as well as other bits of the business. In the meantime I can tell you what NOT to audition for and maybe give you some clues about how to make some better choices.

So, today I went to ACX and I searched the titles available for auditions in the royalty share category (these DO change every day but you will begin to see patterns as you keep looking). Here are some of the types that are posted today that should be avoided:

Summaries. These are someone writing a summary of another book. They are usually less than an hour. They usually have little to no cover art. They may or may not be original works in that they aren't plagiarized, they just re-iterate what the book says in different words. Why not to do them: They have a higher likelihood of being code-fishing scams. When an author has an audiobook published using royalty share, the author is given Audible download codes to share with reviewers in order to promote the book. Those codes are not directly attached to the author's title however. They can be used to download ANY book from Audible. And they can be sold to other people for less than an Audible download costs. And they are. 

Books with misspellings or errors in the title.  If the author doesn't care enough to make sure that the book is presented with correct information, you can bet it's a scam.

Foreign Language titles. Unless you are a 100% fluent speaker, preferably native, don't audition for these. If you get cast and you are not a native speaker you are likely to get skewered by reviewers. 

Gaming titles. I didn't actually find one of these today, but a few years ago they were abundant. The title would be something like "Minecraft Game: How to Download for Kindle plus tips". The books would be less than an hour, and they definitely felt like code-fishing. 

Keto Diet books. Not all of them will be scams but if they are less than an hour, you can bet your buttons they are either a scam or just a summary. Either way, not what you want to record.

Books with the orange 'Offer Pending' banner. 

****Be sure to read the whole post before you audition for any book. Some books won't have an offer pending banner but a narrator will have been attached to the project. You will only know this by reading the whole post. Authors will write something like: Comments from the Rights Holder:
We already have a producer and narrator so are not accepting auditions for this title 

It's really important NOT to audition for these titles. It is not a clever work-around. Don't be fooled. If you do, you not only won't get the job you also won't get considered for future titles by this author (they can get a lot of auditions and if they aren't looking it will only make them unhappy). You will only get a reputation as someone who doesn't follow directions and is a potential poacher of other people's work. Just don't do it. 

Now, lets look at some other types of titles that may not be scams but you may want to steer clear of anyway. 

Joke books. Jokes may work really well when they are told in person but try to imagine who the end user of a book like this would be. Who would pay between $7 and $24 to have jokes or puns read aloud to them? Are there a lot of people out there like that? Remember, you only get paid if the audiobook sells. How many copies of a book like this do you think will sell?

Short books. Again, remember your end user. If the book is very short people are less likely to want to spend a credit on them. Unless the book is some super duper never before done secret. Then maybe. But mostly, no.

Books with really bad or no cover art. These may be perfectly legitimate books written by lovely authors BUT, if they can't care enough to spend money to make sure their book looks great, what makes you think they have done that on the inside? 

Books that when you read the audition, it becomes clear the book has not been professionally edited. Not every author pays to have their books edited (ALL authors should) and that should be a red flag for you. If they haven't invested in getting the manuscript edited they aren't serious about making their book the best it can be (or they are so sure that they don't NEED and editor - which, by the way, EVERYONE does).

Books that won't translate well into audio format. What do I mean by this? Books with lots of statistics. Books with lots of bulleted lists. Books with a lot of mathematical equations. Books that are lists of phrases. Books with a lot of graphs. Books with little or no narrative through-line. Some poetry. Some children's picture books. You get the idea. 

A SIDE NOTE: If you are reading the audition out loud and you find that it is really hard for you to get the words out of your face, or it feels unnatural, or it feels uncomfortable - this may not be the right book for you. It may be a perfect fit for someone else. You can still submit the audition but know that if you are having these feelings, you probably are on to something (like this book is not written in a style that meshes well with your style). I think it's best to heed what your mouth and brain are telling you. Auditions take a lot of time to prepare and sometimes it's best to just move on if the piece isn't a good fit. Just my two cents. 


So, what are you looking for in choosing a royalty share project to audition for?

You are looking for the following:

• Books that look like books you would find in a book store - with well made art, good font choices, that present an over-all attractive package and look professional.
• If the author has written other books, go check out their Amazon rankings and their Good Reads reviews. You are looking for an author with a following if you can find one. 
• If the author hasn't written other books, go check out how the book you are looking at is performing. What is the ranking on Amazon (be sure you aren't looking at the ranking for a free Kindle version, that is a skewed number. You want to know how the book is selling since you would be getting paid through Royalties).
• You want to know that the author understands marketing and promotion (as you will be working hand-in-hand with the author on this). Go to the author's web site and see how they promote this title (and others). If the author doesn't have a web site that tells you something about the author and whether they think promotion is important. 
• Check out the authors social media. Are they engaged? Do they have a fan base? Is their social media all about buying their book or is it full of interaction with others? If it is just "buy 'Erin Writes Good' for $.99" over and over, you can bet they aren't doing any active work on building their brand. 
• If they have other titles on audio how are they performing? What kinds of reviews do they get? (Remember to always take reviews, both yours and others, with a grain of salt. People who are cloaked in the anonymity of the internet will often say VERY nasty things). 

Yup. This piece takes a lot of work too. But you asked how those of us who do this for a living got to the point where we could do this for a living. Was that snarky? It wasn't intended to be. Just speaking truth. If you're still with me lets move on to the next step. 

Got a title for which you want to audition? Great!

Prepping the audition:

Make sure you have enough time to do this fully. It takes about twice as long to record any piece as the finished time is. And then it takes time to edit and master. Plus you'll need time to read through and take notes before you record. Plan to spend about 6 times the amount of finished audio time. (In other words - if an average page clocks at 2 minutes of finished audio it would take approximately 4 minutes to record and could take as long as 8 to 12 minutes to record, edit and master). Clear you schedule for the full amount of time you'll need. Make sure people around you know that you will be recording and that you'll need at least an hour of uninterrupted time. 

Read through the authors notes on the audition page. There is usually a synopsis with general character information at the top and more in depth character information in the 'comments from the rights holder' section. Make notes as you read these.

Read through the piece once making notes. First person or third? How many different characters? Does the cadence of the writing suggest character traits to you? 

SIDE NOTE: some newer authors will give you an audition that is REALLY long, like 20 pages. DO NOT read the whole thing. REALLY. An author can tell in the first few seconds if you sound like they'd like you to sound and they can certainly tell after 5 minutes. Giving them a 40 minute audition does not enhance your chances of being cast and it wastes your time. Auditions should be about 5 minutes (that's some where between 2.5 and 3 pages of text, approximately). Search through the text as you read it for pages that are higher stakes or that have multiple characters so the author can get a good idea of how you will sound as you act their voices. You can also send a message through the ACX system and ask them if they have a particular part of the text that they really need to hear, but that may not go as you'd hoped if the author is offended that you don't want to read all of their masterpiece.

Have you got your acting choices? You character voices? (which may just be a slight shift in cadence, loudness, pacing - go listen to Scott Brick if you want to know what I mean by this) Do you know the POV of the narrator? Have you read the piece aloud for clarity? EXCELLENT!

Record the audition:

You'll probably want to do the audition through more than once when you are first starting out (and even sometimes after).

Pull up the audition material on your tablet. Arm your DAW (if that is something you need to do with your specific software). You don't need to slate before you start reading (for those of you who don't know, slating means saying your name before you begin recording the piece). 

Hit record and go for it - remembering to record room tone at the beginning and end. ACX requires .5 to 1 second of room tone at the start of a file and 3 seconds to 5 seconds at the end of file. Build that right in. A plus is that you can use that room tone in your editing process. 

Edit/Master the audition:

Follow the steps from above to edit/master. Even if you have an engineer/editor with whom you work, you will be doing THIS process for auditions on your own. Don't fall into the trap of thinking "this is just an audition, it doesn't need to sound like the finished product" because you will competing with other narrators whose auditions DO sound like the finished product. If you want to compete in that arena, you must compete in that arena. 

When you have finished recording render (or export) your audition to a file you've set up on your computer or external drive (if you are going to be doing a lot of auditions, having an external drive is a really good idea as audio takes up a lot of disc space). Name your file with easy to understand conventions so that even if your audition gets separated from the rest of your information, the author or rights holder will know whose it is - example: Erin deWard_audition_Rats in the Kitchen.wav. Convert the file into an mp3 (at 192kbps and Constant Bit Rate of 44.1kHz) and upload to the ACX website. Leave the author a little note (some read these and some do not) saying what you bring to the table (Hi Erin, I loved reading this snippet from Rats in the Kitchen! Having had rats in my own kitchen I can understand how Molly felt. I have approximately 500 actively engaged Twitter followers and am currently building my connections on Instagram with an eye toward promotion. If you'd like to hear any of the characters read differently, please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks for your consideration. Sincerely, Erin deWard)

TADA! You did it!

​Now, as the ACX web site says, you can sit back and relax while you wait to hear. Only you can't really sit back and relax because if you really want to be doing this, you must audition as a regular practice. Audition for everything that feels like a fit. No one can tell you how many auditions it will take until you are cast. Remember, you could be the best narrator in the world but if your voice doesn't sound like it fits the project to the person casting the project, you won't get cast. The good news is, the more auditions you do, the stronger you become as an auditioner. This is a skill that is intrinsic to being an audiobook narrator, so the better at it you are, the better for you. AND giving great auditions WILL get you considered for future projects! Just because you don't sound like the rights holder heard the voice in their head for this project, doesn't mean you won't on the next. 

WORD TO THE WISE: Once you do an audition, even if you think it was the best audition you've ever done and it is the perfect project for your voice and you just know it was meant for you, DON'T THINK ABOUT IT AFTER YOU PRESS "SUBMIT AUDITION". Why? because, it isn't a good use of your time and energy. Your job is to do the best audition you can do. Once you've done that, your job is over. If you get cast, your job is to do the best performance you can do. But until that point, your job is to do the best performance and editing and mastering of an audition. Once your job is done, move on to the next job. 

Do not reach out to authors to ask them if you got the job, or why you didn't get the job, or if they liked your audition. Authors (or rights holders) will have gotten potentially hundreds of auditions. Some will take the time to write personal notes, but most will not. Mostly, you'll just get that darn ACX message that says "unfortunately you were not chosen to produce this title. But there are many other great projects...yak yak yak, blah blah blah". If someone writes to you, it's a good idea to write back and say that you appreciate their reaching out. This is small community (authors and narrators) and people talk. You don't want them to have anything but positive things to say about you. So respond just like you would if you were meeting face to face. 

Step 10

When you get cast

So, now that you've been cast this will be easy peasy, right? If I'm writing this, what do you think? There are some really important things to know about once you get cast.

The first one is establishing a good rapport with your rights holder. That means clear communication is the word of the day. Make sure that the due date the rights holder is wanting for the project is actually a date you can meet. You don't want your rights holder to give you 3 days to complete a 10 hour book if it is actually going to take you 40 to 60 hours to complete. Many rights holders/authors are not aware of how much work and how much time goes into the creation of audio files. You will need to navigate this with grace, and patience, and humor. Telling them right off the bat that for every finished hour of audio there is between 4 and 6 hours of work on your end will help. 

Once you agree on a delivery date, you will want to agree on how you will work together through the process. Most narrators do not submit each chapter to the rights holder for approval until the whole project is complete, although the way ACX is set up it can make it look like that is supposed to be the process. While you must upload each chapter separately, you do not (and should not) have to get author approval on each chapter before you move on to record the next. You must upload all of the chapters and have your author or rights holder approve the entire book in order for it to go to retail. So you will want to set ground rules about your process at the beginning. In terms of creating an overall consistent sound to the book, you will want to do what is called "batch processing". If you are working with an editor/engineer they will most certainly want to do this.  When you work with the publishing houses, they will absolutely do this. (here is a little piece about how to "batch normalize" using Audacity).

Make sure that when the author sends you the manuscript that it is fully finished and fully edited. There are several reasons for this. Changing the story will change your performance and require new choices from you. This will take time, may throw off your production schedule, and makes your work so much harder. A poorly edited manuscript is hard to read which makes your recording time that much longer and harder. Making changes to the manuscript will cause you delays and cost you money if you are working with an editor/engineer. This cost would get passed on to the author (since it is no fault of yours) and they should know that up front. It may feel like these are hard conversations to have, but they are better had than not.

Part of the ACX process is submitting "the first 15" for author approval. This would appear to be straight forward, but it isn't really. If the book has several main characters but they don't appear in the fist 15 minutes (approximately 8 pages of chapter 1), you may run into problems later when the author hates your voice for the alpha alligator shifter who appears in chapter 25. Again, communication is key. Speak with your author and let them know that you'd like to use the first 15 to nail down the most important character voices. Ask for pieces of the book where those characters appear. Do your prep work and perform to the best of your ability. Make sure you edit and master as if you were doing a real chapter of the book. This allows the author to hear what you will sound like, what your space will sound like. If the author dislikes the sound of your booth or a choice you've made you can work together to get it correct. (If it happens, as it does from time to time, that the author cannot be pleased, now is the best time to step away from the contract - before you've begun recording in earnest. More on ending contracts in a bit). More than 3 resubmits of the first 15 and you might want to rethink about whether this is the author and project for you. 

Here is the ACX information on ending a contract. It is pretty straightforward and I think you'll get it if you fully investigate the page. 

Once you have some experience and are farming your QC/editing/mastering out, you can speak to rights holders about doing hybrid deals on royalty share projects. What is a hybrid deal? It is where you agree to do the project for royalty share as it is stipulated in the ACX contract BUT you and the author agree that the cost of post production work should also be shared. These kinds of agreements can be outside of the ACX system and you will have to negotiate what works for both parties OR they can be listed as Royalty Share Plus. Many people with whom I have talked ask the author to chip in half of the cost of the post production work - so if your engineer charges $100 PFH to QC, edit, and master, your author would chip in $50 PFH to offset the cost to you. Make sense? It is a good idea to have your agreement in writing somewhere - whether through the ACX system email, through regular email, or even a hard copy through snail mail. This protects you both and is just good business.

Before you begin recording:
The first thing you will do once you've received the manuscript is to prep it for recording. What does prepping entail? That depends on who you ask. Most narrators come up with their own system through trial and error (and your prep will be impacted by how much time you have between receipt of manuscript and due date for raw or finished files). Some narrators will simply read through the book once (some will only skim it) so they know where the story is going, who all of the characters are etc. Some narrators read it and take simple character notes including accents (which can actually be quite complicated if you are recording a Space Opera with 205 characters). Some read it and make detailed notes in the manuscript using iAnnotate or other programs. These notes can include color coding character voices, noting before a sentence if the attribution after has an emotion attached to it for example: "'I gave her my best bottle of Ouzo', he said sadly", notating good places to breathe during long sentences, attaching voice clips of each character directly to the manuscript so when you get to them you know exactly how they sound. Others find pictures of their main characters so they know what they look like in their mind. This would be a great time to reach out to the author and ask them if there is anything specific they'd like to let you know about the characters or the places. It is also the best time to check in about pronunciations, especially if the book is Fantasy or SciFi and the names of places and people are created by the author. There are a few sources for pronunciation but always check multiple sources if you don't speak the language because some sources are just not correct. Here are a few: (Audioeloquence, Pronounceology, Forvo, Cambridge Dictionary, Merriam Webster, Pronouncewiki, Oxford Learners Dictionary, HowJSay, Latin, Wiktionary, Bab.la, Shibboleth names,  Irish Pronunciation, and sites like this for names (and the wonderful Karen Commins has put this together on how to use Evernote to keep track of your pronunciations). If all else fails and you can't find anything even on YouTube, you can always post in the Indie Narrators or Professional Narrators forums on Facebook and ask. But be forewarned, if you haven't tried to find the pronunciation yourself first, you're likely to get skewered for asking. 

Next, you'll want to make a file somewhere on your computer (preferably in a designated area for all your audio projects - mine are in dropbox so my editor/engineer has easy access and on my external drive for safe keeping) for your current project (you might label it something like Alpha Alligator_raw files). As you begin recording and finishing chapters remember to label your files in a really easy way for you to remember and for your engineer to understand (for instance Alpha Alligator_book 01_prologue_raw record). 

Do a few vocal warm-ups to get yourself limber in the mouth. Here are a few I like: 
voiceguy.ca/the-warm-up-series/the-speech-warm-up-series
www.entnet.org/content/vocal-warmup-put-your-best-voice-forward
youtu.be/EB8sY2PNweY
http://www.ljlseminars.com/vocal_warm_up.htm
Make sure you do these lightly, don't strain or stress your voice.

It's a good idea to hydrate before you record, well, actually to hydrate always. Lots of narrators keep room temperature water in the booth with them. Please know that caffeinated tea and coffee can steal moisture from your mouth. Dairy gunks you up and makes you clicky and poppy. Some people keep green apples in their booths - the tartness helps them with clicky-ness. Others use throat coat tea. Some even say that potato chips help. I haven't found any of those useful. I keep a bottle of apple cider vinegar for times when my mouth is dry (one tiny drop generates lots of spit so use with care), room temp water, Slippery Elm lozenges (for throat and mouth), and a bottle of peppermint essential oil for dabbing when I'm hot or smelling when I need a pick-me-up.

AAAAAAND, I think you're ready!

​Side note: Be kind to yourself. Take your time. Don't get frustrated. Take breaks. (I'm not always so good at this, but I know it's a good idea).

Other Important Things to Know:

So, that is basically the process.
There are other things that can and will help you on your journey.
They are listed here in no particular order. And I'll probably keep adding to this list as things occur to me.

​Join the Audio Publishers Association. Click here for information. This is an industry organization that runs conferences, trainings, and offers lots of information to all the members of the audibook community. Dues are yearly and are worth it. 

Attend APAC once you have some titles under your belt. This is THE conference of the year for the industry. Narrators and publishers and some authors and some bloggers attend. It's a great place for cross pollination and, if you're lucky, you can have cocktails with someone who makes casting decisions for publishing companies. But it isn't about selling yourself, it's about meeting people who are as passionate about audiobooks as you are. Information about the conference can be located on the Audio Publishers Association web site. www.audiopub.org/

The Hear/Now Festival and VO Atlanta may also be worth while, for different reasons. Check them out and see what you think. 

Build a web site for your narration business. First, go and look at the websites of people who are narrators you admire. See what kinds of information they have included. Note what they have left out. Then, you can build a website for free using Weebly, or Wix, or Webnode, or Wordpress, or any number of others. Eventually, you will want to pay for the web domain without the Weebly or Wix or Wordpress extension. Be aware that you will need around 4-6 samples for your website. They should be samples that show you at your best. It's a good idea to have at least one third person narration where the narrator voice and the character voices really share the stage about 50/50. Avoid expletives. If you must use a sample with a word that may be offensive, be sure to label it as such. 

​Join Facebook forums for narrators. Here's one.  Here's another. There are others too! This is a great way of meeting others who are doing what you are trying to do. It's a great resource for professional development and for moral support. Seasoned narrators will often join in discussions as will seasoned engineers. Just by lurking you will learn so much. WORD OF WARNING: Do NOT, under any circumstances, think that these groups will tell you secrets or shortcuts. They will not. If you have a question, FIRST search within the group using a keyword that is reflective of your question (example: along the left hand side of the screen there is a field labeled "search this group". Enter your keyword, say: "Engineer". And all the posts that have that keyword will come up). IF AFTER HAVING DONE THIS you still can't find an answer, you can ask the group. If you haven't done your due diligence and checked if there is already an answer, you will get hammered. Rightly so. Professional narrators are asked about how to become a narrator multiple times a week. It gets tiresome. (It's why I've spent months putting together this resource guide). We are willing to help but only people who help themselves. If you haven't tried, they are likely to tear you a new bum hole. Be forewarned. 

If you are highly motivated to get some books under your belt and know of books that are in the public domain that you are dying to record, Spoken Realms is what you need. This is a service that will help you determine if a book is ok to record, will help you publish your audiobook and will help you distribute your audiobook. Here is a Facebook page regarding narrating from the public domain. 

Get some skills under your belt and do good in the world. Learning Ally, formerly Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, creates audiobooks, both educational titles and fiction titles, for people who cannot access books through traditional methods. Go have a look around their site and see if you can volunteer your time. 

Build a social media presence. Talk about books, follow authors, follow other narrators, interact. 

​Attend a Johnny Heller workshop or event. Johnny is a force in the narrator community. A force for good. He is a great coach, a superb narrator, and a really swell guy who goes out of his way to help others succeed. 

​Go to Audible.com and if you can't afford to join, listen to all the retail samples you can. Listening to audiobooks can sometimes be like a master class in technique. You will learn so much from tuning your ears to the people who do this work. Some folks to listen to:
Scott Brick
Barbara Rosenblat
Bahni Turpin
Tavia Gilbert
Ray Porter
Will Damron
Robin Miles
Jim Dale
Cassandra Campbell
Johnny Heller
Andi Arndt
Vikas Adam

There are many others too, way too many to list. How are the approaches different? How are they the same? Go forth, discover, and have fun!

Take more classes. And more classes. And more classes.

Practice, practice, practice. Every day. 

Make a SoundCloud page and have it relate to the branding on your website by using the same colors and images. Soundcloud. Upload samples that relate to your strengths and the genres in which you feel most castable. 

Create a narrator's Facebook page and have it relate to the branding on your website by using the same colors and images. 

Once you have some titles under your belt, here are some other places where you might find work in audiobooks.
​Findaway Voices
The Audio Flow Casting Service

and once you have more than 25 books you feel are really, really good, you can send your information/samples to (no guarantee they will even respond, but it can't hurt if you have really good strong samples):
Bee Audio
Tantor Media

There are others too. Do your research. You'll find them. Word to the wise: Each company has its own submission requirements. Make sure you follow them to the letter. Don't ever assume that what one company wants is an industry standard. Ain't no such thing.

​If you are a member of SAG/AFTA you can access great professional development programming through the union. Click here.

Several people in the narrator/producer community have blogs. These often have amazing bits of information. Here are a few to check out:
Karen Commins
Johnny Heller
ACX blog
Tanya Eby

​Good Luck!