Keely Field - One-of-a-Kind Voice

What Makes a Good Audiobook Narrator?

April 24, 2010

I recently attended a workshop online with www.voices.com and a very important discussion came up about audiobook narration. Here are some helpful hints:

Just like a good doctor, a trusted lawyer or an inspirational music teacher, a good audiobook narrator is hard to find.

So what it that makes these “good” narrators so elusive and what makes them any different from the thousands of voice actors listed online?

Simply put, there are a number of elements that go into the preparation and recording of an audiobook - some that are obvious and many that are tucked away between the pages. Audiobook narration is a specialty skill and a herculean effort that comes with a lot of heavy lifting, presenting heightened demands unmatched in other niches of voice acting.


When it comes to narrating audiobooks you need a good storyteller who...

  • is capable of going the long haul,
  • is dedicated to the project, and
  • has invested themselves fully to the telling of the tale
  • Narrating audiobooks is a marathon that requires the ultimate balancing act of artistic and technical endurance coupled with the ability to continuously suspend the audiences’ disbelief.

    Here’s 10 skills a good audiobook narrator will be able to display:

    Engage the listener

    Make and keep a contract with the listener to suspend their disbelief

    Give a consistent performance

    Have intuitive timing

    Develop multiple convincing and separate character voices

    Be an authentic narrator with an independent voice

    Interpret the author’s intent

    Transport the listener to a different time and place

    Maintain a solid presence

    Bring the story to life

    These 10 skills, when matched, will ensure that your audiobook has a not only good, but great narrator, and by virtue of that fact, will assure that your audience connects with the story, relates to the characters and has full confidence in the narrator’s ability to captivate, amuse and delight.