How Do You Make An Audiobook?

How, you might wonder, does one make an audiobook? When I started writing Lost & Found: Finding The Power In Your Voice I knew it would also be an audiobook. Additionally, a lot of people that I teach express a desire to use their voice in a variety of ways from singing to songwriting, presenting to voiceover. So I thought I would take this week to share some of the behind-the-scenes from my experience recording my first ever audiobook!

Truth be told, it’s not my first time recording an audiobook (you can purchase Dreamland Burning or The Evening Road both of which I read for here), but this is my first audiobook. 

So my day usually goes something like this: I wake up, walk my dog,  come home, shower, get dressed,  eat breakfast and pack a lunch. At some point during the process of showering or while I’m in the kitchen, I’ll do my vocal warm-ups because amplified speaking  picks up all the nuances of your voice. So you don’t want to sound extra groggy, raspy or have a dry mouth. Then I pack some water, tea, my hard drive and iPad, which has the Kindle version of my book and head to the studio.

Once I arrive at the Clive Davis Institute, where I’ve been recording (and currently teach) Charles McCrorey, who is engineering this project, handles all the technical set up and after about 20 minutes we’re ready to record. We always do a test to check that the levels and tone of my voice match the first day of recording. I then go through the book, reading chapter after chapter. Charles follows along on his laptop making sure I don’t misread anything. If I do, we stop and I re-record or “punch-in” in the moment. I decided early on to block out 3 hours for recording because I wanted an amount of time where I could make headway and also stay peppy and clear headed. I usually read anywhere from 40 to 50 pages. Just like with singing I’m super focused on the message behind the text and revealing it through the tone of my voice, articulation and energetic intention. 

For more behind-the-scenes for this audiobook, make sure to join the mailing list and Instagram. And to start your own voice journey, email here to find out about my 3 month program to expand your range and the impact of your voice in the world.