The Voice Behind the Microphone

I have a special guest with me today. Her name is Sharon Blumberg and she's a narrator for ACX, the audio leg of Amazon. Since I normally interview authors, I thought this interview would take us into, and shed light upon, a mostly unknown world to us.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I've uploaded my books to ACX to be made into audio versions. My nonfiction book, Stop Procrastinating - Get Published! is narrated by Sharon and is now available on Amazon--in print, Kindle, and audio. In fact, for a short while you can get the audio version at no cost to you! (Go to www.amazon.com and type in my name, then click on the book title.)

Welcome, Sharon! Thanks for being here today.  Can you tell us what it took to become a narrator for ACX?

I trained for about five months with a voiceover coach through online training, but it could also have been done in person. We worked together as I practiced reading scripts, recording them, and sending them to him, so he could listen to them. I also had to learn how to edit what I recorded, so it would have a great sound. Then I signed up to set up my voiceover artist profile, to become a narrator through ACX. Before June of 2014, I was a Spanish and English teacher for over 20 years. In addition, I'm also a writer.

How long have you been narrating for ACX?

About two years.

You narrate about how many books a year?

In the past year and a half to two years, I have narrated a little over 20 books.

That's a lot. When you narrate a book, is it difficult to do the different voices?

It can be difficult, but once you get into the character and feel comfortable doing it, it gets easier.

Do you read the book through first before starting the narration?

Yes. I either read through the whole book first, if it's a children's book, or I go through the book by chapters. I also color code the characters' lines.

Do you need any special equipment?

I use my Mac computer, and online recording and editing systems such as Audacity and Twisted Wave. I also use a plug in microphone and an interface that connects to the computer and microphone.

Do you like being a narrator?

Yes, very much. But it often gets a little disappointing, when you get rejections from your auditions. There are also other forms of voiceover work, and I aspire to do more of that also in the future.

I'm sure my readers want to know if a person can make a living doing narration?

Yes, once you do it full time with some big projects, the income can build up over time.

What’s your favorite part of the process?

My favorite part is the relationships I create while working on projects, and completing projects I feel proud of having created.

How do you feel the process could be improved?

As I narrate and produce audio books, I feel there are still more things I can learn about, and that's one thing I look forward to. We can always learn more by taking classes and training programs.

Of the books you’ve narrated, which one did you like best?

I have a number of books I enjoyed in different ways, but what I loved about your book, Linda, was that it was the perfect length, and it is such a darling book that not only can serve as a training manual for new writers, but it also serves as a novel as well. I thought it was so cleverly written, that I chose to audition for it. I am so glad that you chose me to narrate for you! 

I'm glad, too! Thank you, Sharon, for inviting us into your world and giving us a glimpse of the voice behind the audio books microphone. For more information on having your book narrated or being a narrator, go to www.acx.com.

Quote of the Day: If a nation loses its storytellers, it loses its childhood. Peter Handke

Do You Hear What I Hear?

It is nearly Valentine’s Day which means Christmas is over. But a Christmas song is still running through my head.

The reason Do You Hear What I Hear? is playing in my mind has to do with my last post to y’all (I’ve been in the South two years, so I've earned the right to talk like that now). In that post I promised to tell you about an exciting new twist in writing and marketing books.

A few weeks ago, I received the first fifteen-minute sample of the audio version of Willard Manor. It is being done professionally by ACX, the audio division of Amazon. I listened to the sample, suggested a few minor changes, and a revised sample was then sent to me. I okayed that sample and now the entire book is being made into an audio book which should be completed by the end of March. Hooray! 

You might be wondering how expensive it is to use this service. I’m happy to tell you that it is costing me nothing. Zero. Zip. Nada. They make their money by taking half of any royalties I earn on the sale of my audio version. Since my sales of print or digital versions haven’t exactly put me in a different tax bracket, I’m afraid they might not make much. And the half of the royalties I get will be like found money. 

I was able to choose if I wanted a male or female to read my book, what age range the voice should be, what accent the reader should use, and what tone of voice the reader should have. The fifteen-minute sample was to see if I chose correctly for the way I wanted the book to sound. Beverly is the woman performing Willard Manor for me. When this book is finished, I will ask Beverly to do the audio version of my book, Leaving Mark.

There is nothing like writing a book and then clutching those first hot-off-the-press copies to your chest, smelling the print and running your hand over the cover. Now, with ACX, you can utilize yet another sense—hearing. It is an absolute thrill to sit back and listen to your words being read by a professional storyteller. You experience your book in an entirely new way and, let me tell you, it is mind blowing!
 

My audio version should be available through Amazon in March or April; I’ll keep you advised.

In the meantime, Happy Valentine’s Day! 

 Quote of the Day: The hearing ear, and the seeing eye; the Lord hath made even both of them. Proverbs 20:12