8 Skills You Need for Audiobook Narration

Narrating an audiobook isn’t just reading words off of a page in one single monotone voice, it’s a lot more than that and some would even consider it one of the hardest forms of voiceover jobs you can do. But if you follow these steps, you’ll be able to master the technique and become one of the best narrators out there.

1. Articulation and Breathing

You need to be able to properly and clearly pronounce words, especially on those with harsher or higher-sounding tones as they aren’t very pleasant to the ear (such as the letter S). You also have to be wary of which words to put just a little more emphasis on and which ones to not, while also making sure to avoid any whistling sounds, lisping and other unnecessary mouth noises.

Always make sure you have enough air in your lungs to properly be able to deliver a full sentence without needing to take a breath (some could be super long sentences as well) so that the line stays consistent and your voice isn’t fading out by the end. Avoid any swallowing, and gulping and look into breath control.

You’ll need to focus on controlling how your ‘p’ sounds, harsh words, maintaining your volume throughout and being able to project your voice properly. This way, once you’re on the review and editing phase of the audiobook, there won’t be that much to adjust and you’ll more likely be hired.

2. Delivery, Tone and Consistency

To be able to draw in and fully immerse the reader into the story is what makes a narrator a great one. It must match what is going on in the text and the message that the author is trying to deliver at this point of the story. 

The pacing and the tone of yours need to be adjusted accordingly as the listener could easily get bored of your voice as it becomes more predictable and similar sounding. You’ll have to practice the energy you place in reading each sentence, breath control, pitch control and characterization. The more professional and consistent you are in your delivery the more likely you are to get hired,

On top of that, your voice must stay consistent from day to day as it’s most likely that you’ll be doing more than one recording session for the same audiobook.

3. Eye-Brain-Mouth Control

When reading the script, you are to read it word for word as it is tailored and perfectly written with all the words necessary to unfold the story - so don’t go adding or changing up anything yourself. 

You also must avoid making any mistakes or as little as possible as one mispronunciation of a word will lead to having to redo the recording - which takes up time and money. So, make sure to read ahead and know more or less of what next lines need to be delivered. This way you’ll be able to easily read the script and deliver your performance effortlessly.

4. Stamina and Endurance

As an audiobook narrator, the days are long and you’ll typically be spending 4-6 hours in the studio, each day recording. This means you’ll need to have the same amount of energy in the delivery and tone of your lines by the end of the day as you had at the start of it. 

5. Characterization

Give life to these characters through your voice. Based on their gender, age, accent, personality, tone - whatever it is have a specific voice for each character that matches their description.

6. Analysis

Understanding the story, its plot, and the characters is crucial to delivering a great performance that won’t bore the listeners and actually get them more invested and immersed in the world that the author has written on the pages - but in audio form. 

7. Separation 

Make sure to separate your narrator voice from your character’s voice so this way the listener can differentiate between each character while also knowing which parts are just describing words. Basically, say “she said” in a normal voice, but what she actually says is in a slightly different voice. But make sure this stays consistent so the reader can identify which character is speaking without needing a name.

8. Investment

Any successful narration is due to the narrator actually being invested in the story and enjoying it themselves. As opposed to seeing it as just another assignment or job that pays, to see it is an opportunity to be able to bring the story to life and take the listener through the journey of each character as their life unfolds.

CONCLUSION

If you want to become an audiobook narrator start sharpening your articulation and breathing skills, work on your delivery, tone and consistency, eye-brain-mouth control, your stamina and endurance, bringing the character’s on the pages to life, understanding the story, being able to create distinctions between each voice and to be thoroughly invested in your work.

Are there any other secret skills you’d like to share for audiobook narrators? Let us know!

Written by Tina Phong

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​​If you need help turning your book into an audiobook, we offer audiobook production services that will help you reach a wider audience and increase your book sales. 

Learn more here and listen to some of our audiobook samples.

Hemingway Editor Review - Will it Improve Your Writing!?

Along with staying relevant with the newest book marketing and writing, we also enjoy checking out the newest tools that can help authors throughout the entire writing process. This is our full review on the Hemingway editor.    

I’ve heard a lot of authors speaking about using Hemingway in their own writing.  

But you may be wondering what it is, and how it may be able to help you in your writing journey?

Unlike other writing tutors like ProWritingAid, Hemingway is not a comprehensive writing tutor. This is because it instead focuses on securing words and making them more impactful and concise.   

We decided to check out Hemingway Editor and compare it to other writing tools. So, you can make a more informed decision. Let’s get started.      

In this well thought out review you will learn:

• An outline of Hemingway Editor and how to best use it 

• The cost associated with Hemingway 

• How hemingway compares to other related solutions         

WHAT IS HEMINGWAY?

Hemingway is named after a well known master of literacy, Ernest Hemmingway. The tool aims to “make your writing bold and clear.” But that being said it isn’t a comprehensive writing coach or grammar checker, like ProWritingAid and Grammarly.     

Instead, it’s a powerful and minimalist device to better the method of your writing. 

But you may be wondering how? It can be done by either pasting your work into Hemingway editor or writing straight into the editor, it then highlights your writing with different colours. Each colour is associated with a different Hemingway improvement.     

So these are the suggestions that are made by Hemingway: 

• Yellow Sentences:  Hemingway identifies these sentences as structurally complex or lengthy. So the tool gives a suggestion to simplify or split the yellow highlighted sentences.  

• Red Sentences: Hemingway identifies these sentences as sentences that could confuse readers. Best thing to do here is reword the sentences until the red highlight disappears.    

• Purple Words: Hemingway feels these sentences have a more simpler and suitable replacement. To see Hemingways suggestention hover over the words.    

• Blue Words: These words are adverbs or hesitant and weak language. Hemingway suggests omitting these words.   

• Green Phrases: These phrases indicate that passive voice has been applied. This can be appropriate under some contexts, but active voice is usually preferred.     

HOW TO USE HEMINGWAY EDITOR – HEMINGWAY APP AND ONLINE

The Hemingway Editor tool can be applied in two ways:

• The Online Hemingway Editor, free 

• The Hemingway App, in app purchase 

Paid vs Free Hemingway Editor

You can find the Hemingway Editor online for free. Also the good news is that the creators have released they want to keep it this way.

But the Hemingway App is only available for a one-time purchase of $19.99. This price is consistent with the Windows and Mac version of the Hemingway app. Purchasing the software also qualifies you to free upgrades.   

This is how the online Hemingway Editor differs from the paid app.  

Since we have compared the Hemingway App to the Hemingway Editor, let's compare alike writing tools, like ProWritingAid and Grammarly.     

HEMINGWAY VS PROWRITINGAID VS GRAMMARLY

For this case, there isn’t a clear winner. Hemingway is able to do certain things while ProWritingAid and Grammarly are able to do other things.    

But, overall, I believe Hemingway is an affordable and amazing option for writers. It will secure the style of almost any writer out there. The best way to know if Hemingway is a good fit for you is to the free version, the full app version is a great value for only a one time payment of $19.99.  

Important Notes: ProWritingAid typically has better grammar, but I feel Grammarly has better control on commas and where they belong.     

From above one can note, ProWritingAid has the most features. But, if you don’t require all the features that come with ProWritingAid or are on a budget, Hemingway Editor is more worthy of your time and attention.    

HEMINGWAY EDITOR ONLINE AND HOW TO USE IT:

You would see a screen similar to the one below when accessing the Hemingway Online Version.

This version of the Hemingway Editor offers two modes: Edit and Write 

The ‘Write’ mode is utilized for free of distraction writing in a minimalistic setting. When using the Hemingway’s ‘write’ mode, the screen would appear like this, once you delete the pre written work Hemingway has written :

While you can create a short piece using the Hemingway ‘write’ settinging, it is not something I would recommend.  

I say this because there is no way for you to save your work, like by logging in or cloud. So, if something happens and the browser crashes, you will lose everything  you have been working on in the Hemingway ‘write’ setting. 

By using the ‘Edit’ option, one is able to utilize the complete range of the Hemingway analysis.  

This would include the three sections below:

1. Formatting options, found at the top of your screen 

2. Also includes colored highlights of your writing, which indicates the types of improvements Hemingway believes you should make.

3. Also this really cool feature that summarizes all the findings Hemmingway was able to find, this is located on the right side of your screen

Let us look at these three sections closer.

THE FORMATTING OPTIONS WITH HEMINGWAY EDITOR

Hemingway offers the following formatting options for your text:

• Bold

• Quote

• Link

• H1

• H2

• H3

• Numbers

• Bullets

• Link

• Italic

These Formatting options are great for bloggers. This is because one can clean up their writing style in the Hemingway editor and then utilize the listed formatting options for your text to be prepared for publication. 

COLORED HIGHLIGHTS IN THE HEMINGWAY EDITOR 

Now Let us take a peek at the colored highlights being used.  

Yellow Highlights

Yellow highlighted sentences indicate they are hard to read. Thus hemingway reccoments splitting it up or shortening it. 

Red Highlights

Red highlighted sentences are very hard to read. These sentences are similar to yellow sentences, but a lot worse.    

Purple Highlights

Purple highlighter words show complex words being used for which simpler substitutes exist. 

The way to see the substitute words is to use your mouse to hover over the purple word. You can see an example of this below.  

Blue Highlights

A blue highlighted word means Hemingway thinks it is weak. 

Using your mouse to hover over the highlighted word, you would see the suggestions Hemingway makes to improve your writing.  

Hemingway can give suggestions to improve an adverb, like this picture above.  

Above, Hemingway is able to suggest how to make a qualifier stronger.  

Green Highlights

Text that has been highlighted in green suggests that passive voice has been used. 

SUMMARY OF HEMINGWAY EDITOR 

Hemmingway gives a summary of your writing, which is located on the right hand side of your screen. Having this feature is great because it provides the following information.   

Readability

Hemingway is able to analyse your writing to be able to assess the reading level it is written at.   

As stated by the creators of Hemingway, the average American is able to read at a tenth-grade level. Making sure your writing is below or at this level will make it easy for the average american to access.   

Enrest Hemingway's writing is said to be fifth-grade level. Proof that clear and concise language does not weaken the quality of one's writing.   

Words

Hemingway is able to show a word count for your writing.

The following information would be displayed, By clicking on ‘Show More’

Number Of Adverbs

Hemingway is able to show us the number of adverbs in your writing and calculates if this is a tolerable number. 

Use Of Passive Voice

Hemingway is also able to show us how often passive voice is used in your writing and then calculates if this is an acceptable number.  

Complex Language

This characteristic exhibits the number of  simpler words suggested in your writing.  

Hard To Read Sentences

Hemingway is also able to identify the quantity of yellow sentences in your writing. 

Very Hard To Read Sentences

This characteristic shows us the amount of times red sentences were found by Hemingway 

With all the above info put together, Hemingway offers us a useful summary.  

WHY WE LIKE PROWRITINGAID MORE THAN HEMINGWAY

Although Hemingway is very easy to use. Although, if I had to choose, I would choose ProWritingAid. I say this because: 

• Using ProWritingAid is like having a personalized tutor. The software provides an in-depth look into your areas of strength and weakness, no software does it like them.   

• No matter what your writing style is, the software can tailor to it 

If you are just looking for something that fits your budget, then forsure have a look at Hemingway.  

But, if you are looking for the best writing editor, ProWritingAid is the best one out there.  

Conclusion

Now that you have a good understanding of how Hemingway Editor works you can use it to help yourself and even compare it to its rivals.  

But here's a Reminder:

• There is a free and paid version of the editor

• It’s aim is to improve and tighten your writing 

• I still think ProWritingAid is the leading solution  

Have you ever used the Hemingway Editor? Have you used any of the other writing solutions I have mentioned? Let me know in the comments below.

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If you need help turning your book into an audiobook, we offer audiobook production services that will help you reach a wider audience and increase your book sales. 

Learn more here and listen to some of our audiobook samples

or

Contact us here to get started.

How To Title Your Book

Are you unsure of how you should be titling your book?

A book’s title is extremely crucial when it comes to the success of a book. The wrong book title can severely hamper your book sales and marketing strategies.

Writing a book takes a lot of time and creativity. To give it the best shot at success, make sure you give it the best possible title that creates intrigue as well as informs customers of what it is about.

Aspects of a Book Title

So before we dwell more into how to title a book, let’s understand the different aspects of a book title first. There are 4 important aspects you should keep in mind while creating a book title:

1. Intrigue 

Probably the most important factor of a book title is the intrigue it creates. Creating an intriguing book title makes a shopper stop in their track and do a double-take back to the book. 

Not only does it make them look at the book again, but if it’s intriguing enough they might even buy it just to know why it was titled the way it was.

2. SEO friendliness

Another aspect to keep in mind that is important regardless of the genre is the SEO friendliness of your title. By that, I mean ensuring your book will come upon a search result.

How to do that?

Make sure to include keywords in your book title that are searched often. You can use Publisher Rocket, a website that helps you find the keywords you need to use to end up in an Amazon search result.

3. Keep the genre in mind

Usually, authors try to get extremely creative with their titles and take it too far.

Sometimes in order to create an intriguing and creative title, authors alienate their genre. While you come up with a catchy title, make sure to write one that fits your book’s genre. It will only confuse consumers when you title your book as if it’s a sci-fi novel, when it’s actually a romance novel.

4. Informative

Make sure to make your title informative for potential readers.

When it comes to non-fiction, it is given that the title HAS to be informative on what the book is about. And if not the title, the subtitle most definitely should hint at what the book is about.

When it comes to non-fiction, however, you can get a bit creative but still, make sure to inform your readers of what they are reading.

Take The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger for example. Just with the 4 simple words, you know what the book is about. You know it is about fashion and a difficult person to be around.

Creating a title based on these aspects will help increase your book sales and help you create a more fascinating marketing campaign. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that different genres require different things. A non-fiction book that is more instructional in nature will probably have a straight-forward title, however, if it is a fiction, well then the sky is the limit.

The Steps to Choose the Right Title

1. Rough Ideas

A good way to begin is by jotting down ideas as they come but where do you start?

The following points will help you begin the process of creating the ultimate book title:

• Common Phrases:

Try to come up with common phrases that are often used that relate to your book. These can end up being what attracts readers to your books or it can be a great stepping stone to your ultimate title. 

An example of a common phrase used as a book title: Fault in Our Stars

• Your Book:

Use your book!

Use anything and everything you can from your book. Character names, places, events, situations, etc. etc. The options are endless…

• Your Genre:

Although making sure your title goes along with your book is an important aspect of creating a book title, it can also help in creating your title.

You can try using genre-specific keywords in your title or even use a genre-specific title generator website as well. 

• Create Hooks:

A hook is something intriguing or bizarre added to your title. It can be a twisted take on a common phrase or it could even attempt to give away the plot! This creates an interest in readers to discover why the author would do something like that with their book. 

But remember: you have to be clever when it comes to creating hooks. You cannot create a title with a fantastic hook but not have it correlate with your book at all. That will only end up disappointing your reader.

2. Title Generators

There are many title generators available to authors today. There are many different title generating websites, some of which are even genre-specific.

If you want to use a title generator website, make sure to check out Jony Studios blog, Best Non-Fiction Book Title Generators.

3. Add Trigger Words

Increase your book’s mood factor by including trigger words. Trigger words can be shocking, horrific or hilarious, whatever you wish it to be.

Using trigger words will again stop the reader in their tracks while browsing through books. It will create intrigue in the reader and make them pick up your book to read more about it.

4. Proof-read

Proof-reading titles don’t mean spell checks and grammar checks. When it comes to proof-reading titles, you need to ensure:

1. The title is not being used on an already popular book or is not copyrighted by someone else

2. International reception of certain words is different. If your book is being released on an international platform, either have different titles for the different countries or make sure to create a title that will be perceived the same everywhere.

3. Make sure it looks good on the book’s cover. If your title is too long or too short, it will look awkward on your cover. Other things to look into are images, illustrations, etc. and ensuring they are in relation to your book as well as the title.

5. Test It

You should also test your book title before finalizing on a title. This will help ensure your title is the best possible one for your book and that it will be perceived in a way that will be huge on your book sales.

There are a few different ways to do that:

1. You can either create a Facebook page/group for readers interested in your book’s genre and create a poll with different titles. Or you can find a Facebook group of people interested in your book’s genre and ask them what they prefer through a post or a poll.

2. You can also get a professional survey done for your book title. You can either get your publisher to help with this survey or you could use PickFu, a website that uploads your book title options and anonymously has people vote on one they like the most.

Conclusion

A book title can make or break your sales for the year. Choosing a book title is crucial as the title is what entices a reader to pick the book up.

Titles should also be chosen according to your book’s genre and intent. If your book is a self-help book or an instructional book, the title needs to be straightforward and easy to understand. However, when it comes to fiction, it is best to create intrigue through your title and get creative with it.

Another aspect to keep in mind is Amazon’s rules and requirements when it comes to a book’s title if you intend to sell it on Amazon. Some of them are:

• The title should match the cover of your book

• Should not reference other books, trademarks or authors

• Should not contain any advertisements

• Should not have any claims of discounts, ranks, reduced prices or bestseller

You can learn more about the rules here.

Did you find this helpful? Which title did you end up using?

- By Neha Agarwala

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If you need help turning your book into an audiobook, we offer audiobook production services that will help you reach a wider audience and increase your book sales. 

Learn more here and listen to some of our audiobook samples.