Audiobook Voice Over

There are pros and cons to narrating your own book. For a smooth, consistent read, it’s typically it’s better to get professional voice actors to narrate your audiobook. However, some authors, specifically those who have celebrity status and/or have a strong voice, may prefer to personally narrate their work.

No, they don’t have to sound like the author, but their vocal performance should mirror or enhance the author’s written voice and intention. This can help lead the audience through the book just as the author would. Read more about audiobook recording methods.

Generally, voice actors have nothing to gain and everything to lose by leaking your work. It should not be a concern. However, you can have the voice actor sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to ensure that it doesn’t get talked about or shared. Read more about NDAs and when you should issue one.

Look for the following qualities in the actor’s audition:
 

• You find the read engaging the whole way through: This may seem obvious, but if you’re losing interest after hearing an audition, then chances are, the voice actor won’t be able to hold your attention for the duration of an entire audiobook.
• They have experience with long form projects such as elearning, audiobook narration, or more. Long form reads are a unique kind of voice over work, which requires endurance. Voice actors who have undertaken these projects previously have proved they can go the distance.
• Know your audience. Your listening audience may enjoy a certain style of voice or expects words to be pronounced in a particular way or is accustomed to hearing a specific voice type. Knowing your audience will help you to decide who should be narrating your audiobook.

Typically, most audiobook publishers want one narrator who can do character voices. This is called a fully-voiced reading. However, those who wish to create an audio drama experience with multiple voice actors may also choose this approach too. Read more about the pros and cons of the different styles of voice over narration.

Platforms like Voices makes it easy to find a range of voice actors. When hiring a voice actor, set expectations by communicating the time frame you’ll need them for, including ongoing work, before you hire them. Once you’ve assessed that they’ll be available, you can proceed to hiring them. If you want exclusive rights, then ensure the voice actor signs a contract. That way they won’t be snatched up by a competitor or inadvertently lend their voice to your competition.

The common opinion amongst publishers is to always publish the physical or e-book version of your book before you tackle the audiobook.

There are multiple audio file formats Audible accepts .aa or.aax file types for audiobooks. Read more about Audible’s format requirements.

It depends on how many words are in your book. The average rate of speech is 150 words per minute. You can take the number of words in your book and divide it by 150 to get a rough estimate of how long your finished audio file will be, or you can use our words to time converter tool. Please note that this amount of time does not take into account any editing or post-production work, which of course takes extra time.

No problem! You can easily communicate back and forth with the voice over talent on the Voices platform to make those necessary changes. Read more about working with your voice actor to make revisions to the voice over.

When deciding whether to publish an abridged or unabridged version of your audiobook, here are a few things to consider:
 

• The genre of your audiobook: Some genres are better suited to abridged versus unabridged books (e.g. a guide on how to become an entrepreneur might perform better as an abridged version).
• The demographics of your audience: Are most of your audience members children who may have a shorter attention span for long-form content? If so, abridged may be a better choice. Thinking about your intended audience can help you decide if an abridged or full length version will be best for them.