What do these two very different books have in common?
They were both recorded by their authors in my home studio.
And both of them did a terrific job of it too!
Recording an audiobook is not for the faint hearted. It takes a long time. These authors had to come back to my studio several times, for sessions ranging from 1-3 hours, and each time they came we had to start with corrections from the last session (there were always a few).
So, if you’ve written a book and you’d like an audio version of it – should you narrate it yourself?
Well, the answer is… it depends.
For some books, there’s no one better to tell the story than the person who wrote it. For others, hiring a professional narrator will produce a better listening experience.
Here are some of the pros and cons to help you decide.
The Pros….
You know your book best. Nobody understands your characters, your intended emphasis or the emotions behind the words quite like you do. If it’s a non-fiction book, you’re also the expert on the subject, and your passion and personality can really come across in the recording.
Listeners often enjoy hearing directly from the author. It creates a personal connection and can make the audiobook feel more genuine, particularly for memoirs, business books and personal development titles.
If you’re recording your own narration, you don’t need to pay a professional voice actor to read the book. You still need a good recording environment and someone to edit and master the audio, but it can reduce the overall production costs.
The Cons…..
As I’ve already said, it’s not a task for the faint of heart. Reading aloud for several hours while maintaining a consistent pace, energy and tone is surprisingly demanding. And it gets hot in my little studio!
Everyone stumbles over words, loses their place or changes the way they read a sentence. That’s perfectly normal, but it does mean stopping, correcting and sometimes re-recording sections. Also, you’re bound to spot mistakes in the text, or change your mind about the way you wrote something. Audiobook production always takes much longer than people expect.
The recording is only part of the process. Once you’ve recorded the narration, the audio has to be listened to and mistakes have to be edited out (this usually takes at least twice as long as the initial recording).
Some people really hate hearing the sound of themselves on a recording!
So, should you do it?
If your book is deeply personal, based on your own experiences, or your readers already know you through speaking or presenting, narrating it yourself can be an excellent choice.
However, if you’re uncomfortable reading aloud, struggle to maintain an engaging delivery, or simply don’t have the time, working with a professional narrator may result in a better audiobook.
The good news is that choosing to narrate your own book doesn’t mean you’re on your own – I can help.
The authors of these two books enjoyed the experience (I think!). We didn’t rush the process, we recorded over several sessions, usually no more than 2 hours at a time to prevent fatigue, and I edited the audio in between so that we started each new session with corrections. I helped them feel relaxed behind the mic and they were pleased with the results at the end.
If you’ve written a book and are wondering whether to record it yourself, I’d be happy to chat through the options and help you decide what’s right for your project.