Here is a behind-the-scenes look at my audiobook production process.

1. I receive the complete, recordable manuscript in PDF or Microsoft Word format.

I prefer to receive the complete book before I audition so that I can determine if I am a good fit for the material if possible.

2. Once we have entered a contract for me to produce and narrate the audiobook, I read the manuscript cover to cover and make choices affecting how I will record the book.

If you have character bios, please send them to me!

It’s particularly helpful when an author can tell me things that aren’t in the book, like:

Who would you cast for this role if you were producing a movie? I don’t imitate people or provide a voice match, but it’s usually helpful to use other people as inspiration for a character’s voice.

Is this book part of a series with recurring characters?

Are there any pronunciations of words or names that are made up or not easily researched? Sometimes authors have a preference for a character’s name or have invented the city or world they live in.

This article and this one discuss how a narrator conducts preparation and audiobook prep in general, respectively.

During my prep, I look for clues about the characters or people in the book, including:

their age

their socioeconomic standing

their native region and/or specified accent

their quirks and attributes

I do meticulous pronunciation research as I prepare the text. This 7:37 video shows how I manage my pronunciation list. You can view the Evernote used in the demo at this link.

3. I record the first 15 minutes and produce/master it to the same quality that can be expected of my final product before sending it to the rights holder (RH) for approval.

This 15-minute checkpoint usually is the first 15 minutes of the audiobook. However, it could include passages taken later in the book if the RH wants to check certain character voices.

The RH should listen to this file and provide me with any feedback about pacing, tone, character voices, and pronunciations. This is their chance to offer any specific comments about the performance.

Once the RH approves this file, I complete the audiobook without further input of this type unless I pose a direct question to them.

4. I record the entire audiobook.

I perform the text in the book word-for-word as written. I must read the words on the page in the order they are written, without adding, subtracting, or transposing words while maintaining any character voice and using the proper inflection and emotion for the context. Narration is not as easy as it sounds!

I frequently find typos in the book and correct them in the recording as I am saying that line.

In order to improve listener comprehension, I will say the full name of an abbreviation or acronym the first time I come across it and use the initials thereafter. I may use contractions in fictional dialogue if it would be keeping with the character.

Non-fiction works may also require me to add clarifying transitional words or descriptions of material. If your work relies heavily on information contained in charts or sidebars, I recommend that you create a PDF to accompany the audiobook and change your text to indicate the page in the PDF to find the reference material. This site shows how to create the PDF and provides instructions for including it with your audiobook.

Important note: Audiobook narration is a performance art based on my interpretation of the author’s text. As a result, I make integral artistic and directorial choices as I record. I therefore don’t accept artistic or directorial change requests past the 15-minute checkpoint.

Thank you for understanding.

5. I will proof my narration as I produce the recordings.

Sometimes I am listening to my own recording of a chapter multiple times to ensure my narration accuracy, overall narration quality like pacing and vocal conditioning, and production quality like amplification, compression, noise elimination, etc. This can be very time consuming, but I take pride in what I produce and want it to meet my own high standards to give you a product we both can be proud of.

6. I will stay in communication with you offering progress updates and plans and informing you of chapter completions.

I firmly believe that the success of any relationship, personal or professional, is dependent upon communication.

7. If there are technical errors, such mispronunciations and misreads, or noises that couldn’t be edited out, such as excessive mouth clicks or extraneous background noise, I re-record the sentences identified that require corrections.

These sentences are known as pick-ups. 

8. I seamlessly insert the pick-ups into the original audio and master the files to give them a consistent and pleasing finished sound.

9. I upload the final, retail-ready files to the rights holder for approval and distribution.

If I have prepared and proofed correctly, there should not be occasion for the rights holder to ask me to re-record a mispronounced word. But, I am definitely not perfect. So, sometimes I will need to correct any technical errors of mispronunciations and misreads, even if it means fixing it multiple times throughout the book. As stated above, I do not make artistic or directorial changes after the 15-minute checkpoint.