Do
people tell you that you have a nice, clarion voice? Have you ever had any
voice training or done any public speaking? Are you looking for something
more on the artistic side of the work-at-home industry? Well, then keep
reading.
There
is now a section of the work-at-home population making money doing voice
overs —
especially as audiobook narrators. Below, we've shared with you what audiobook
narrators do, what skills you need, and where to find work.
What
Does Voice Over/Narration Work Involve?
Usually
when someone mentions voice overs it brings to mind cartoons or Disney movies,
where celebrities use their own voices or one of their many “acting” voices to
speak for the characters.
Being
able to perform voice overs is a combination of speaking, oral reading, and
acting. All of this is done off-stage and off-camera, in other words “behind the
scenes”.
Voice
over actors or artists are used in radio, television production, filmmaking,
theatre, video games, eBook and audio narration and other presentations.
For
this post, we will primarily be examining eBook and audio book narration.
How
To Become An Audiobook Narrator
If
you haven't had any practice or previous
training during voice over work, you might try these tips to break into the
industry.
·
Practice
reading out loud, but make it sound as if you are NOT reading.
·
Make
a recording of your voice.
·
Learn
to breathe from your diaphragm instead of your chest.
·
Try
small parts acting in skits while staying in character.
·
Take
acting lessons or voice lessons.
·
Overcome
any regional accents or at least learn to hide them.
What
Equipment Will You Need to Do Audiobook Narration?
It
will really depend on how “full-time” you want to be and whether or not the
equipment or recording studio will be supplied for you.
One
idea is to rent out a recording studio to do your own demo tapes, or even do
some of the recording. This can get expensive as most recording studios charge
by the hour.
However,
you might want to start thinking about purchasing or finding a:
·
Laptop
or PC for managing schedules, invoicing, tracking clients, and email.
·
Smartphone
for pulling up industry-related apps.
·
Pair
of studio headphones, which do not pick up the
sound from your speakers or any background sounds.
·
Mic
stand to hold the microphone and free up your hands to handle the script.
·
Pop filters, which block the initial
popping and breathing when a mouth first encounters the microphone.
Where
Can You Find Freelance Work Doing Audiobook Narrations?
If
you have ever looked for freelance work on any of the bidding sites, you have
probably seen voice over artists advertising their skills on Fiverr, Freelancer, Upwork,
and Guru.com. No surprise there,
especially given how many eBooks are out there as well as audiobooks.
However,
there are three more industry-specific websites for finding audiobook narration
work, such as:
ACX.com – On this site you
will have opportunities to connect with authors seeking voice over artists to
audition for their eBooks and audiobooks.
ACX
also helps both authors and narrators promote themselves on social media and
offline as well. There are additionally opportunities to find and use agents
for your talents and earn royalties both as an author and voiceover artist.
There is an easy search tool that makes it simple to find posted jobs.
Voicebunny.com – This is another
site where you can advertise your voice over talent and find jobs in several
venues such as advertising, presentations, movie trailers, product videos,
video games, eBook and audiobook narrations, and many more opportunities.
The
only drawback with this site is they do want experienced voice over artists, so
if you are not there yet, you might want to hold off on this site until you are
more experienced.
It's
also a must that you have high-quality equipment for your audio test with
Voicebunny. One of our readers attempted to do the test with just her computer
microphone, and her application was rejected.
Voices.com – Read Voices.com Review – This is a site that
was co-founded by Stephanie Ciccarelli who has been trained in voice, piano,
and musical theatre.
Voices.com
offers helpful advice for both eBook and audiobook authors as well as the voice
over artists themselves.
While
this site does have job postings, it seems to be just as focused on helping you
learn to find your own clients as well as keep up on the latest industry news.
How
Much Can You Make Doing Voice Overs In General?
This
will really depend on how well you are known as well as your portfolio and
experience. Also, you will really need to pay attention to the sound quality of
your voice overs before submitting them.
On
sites like Fiverr.com and freelance bidding sites, you may not make much
money starting out, but you will build the experience, practice, and portfolio
you need. The going rate for most freelance work (unless you are a celebrity)
is $20 to $33 an hour.
How
Can One Go Ahead and Launch a Freelance Career Doing Voice Overs and
Narrations?
As
always, do your own homework and decide if this is something you really want to
do.
While
it does take a while to build any freelance career, this one involves setting
up a recording studio with equipment if you want to eventually do it
professionally from your home. That could run into a significant amount of
money.
However,
if after weighing all the options, you are still excited by the whole idea of
recording audiobook/eBook narrations, then go right ahead.
Are
You Interested In Training For Voice-Over Work?
Get
Paid To Do Voice-Overs is a free mini-course you can take if any of the
following applies to you:
·
You've
thought about audiobook narration as a way to earn money.
·
You
are interested in voice over work in general.
·
You
want to work from home, doing something flexible and fun.
If
any of the above sounds good to you, there is a free
mini-course you
can take that explains quite a lot about getting started in this industry.
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