Narrating Your Own Book?
Reading your own book gives you full control of tone and pace, and gives listeners a personal connection. Reading aloud can also improve your own writing. It does take real skill, equipment and time, and it suits some genres, such as memoir, business and self-help, better than others.
Plan on good enunciation and steady pacing throughout. If you are unsure, send us a sample and we will tell you honestly how it sounds.
Before You Record
Use a cardioid microphone with a pop filter, a silent room and digital recording software. A cardioid pattern microphone is a must. Keep the microphone 5 to 6 inches from your mouth, wear quiet clothing without jewelry, and stop recording to cough or shift.
Perform the book rather than just read it.
Suggested Equipment and Tutorials
- Microphone isolation shield with pop filter
- Audacity (free recording and editing software)
- Audiobook Narration Tips (YouTube)
- Essential Audiobook Narration Skills (this site)
Recording and Production
Professionals need 2 to 3 hours to record one finished hour. Record 10 to 15 minutes of chapter one, listen critically, and send us a sample for feedback. If you slip, pause and restart at the beginning of the phrase.
When you are ready, export one file per chapter, as FLAC (preferred) or WAV. We remove repeated or erroneous passages, proof against the script, re-record problem sentences where needed, and return the audio for your review.