Choose the voice your book needs

Begin with performance suitability

Ask what the book needs emotionally and structurally. A romance, memoir, comic fantasy and technical history make different demands. Genre experience is useful when it supports interpretation, not when it produces a stock performance.

Listen for intention, subtext, pace and the difference between acting and simply reading aloud. Character voices should be recognisable without becoming distracting or difficult to sustain.

Treat accent as part of character

Authenticity matters when place or identity is central. Ask about the performer’s lived or trained familiarity, and give context rather than a vague accent label. A regional accent should serve the character, not turn into caricature.

As one editorial example, Jimmy MacGregor’s Scottish narration work shows the value of listening to long-form samples from a working performer. Authors should still choose the narrator whose voice, acting and process best fit their own book.

Assess the recording, not only the voice

Use headphones and speakers. Listen for room echo, traffic, computer fans, mouth noise, harsh processing and inconsistent distance. Ask who edits and masters the audio and how files are checked against the distributor’s current specification.

Run a fair audition

Send every candidate the same one-to-three-page passage, with relevant context and pronunciations. Choose a passage containing narration, dialogue and an emotional or technical challenge. Do not ask for a free chapter.

Score interpretation, clarity, pacing, character separation, accent, sound and how well direction was followed. A small table is better than relying on first impressions.

Check the working relationship

Discuss schedule, availability, communication rhythm, file delivery, proofing, pickups and what happens if the manuscript changes. A prompt, specific response during casting is useful evidence about the production relationship.

Understand rates and contracts

PFH means per finished hour, not per hour spent recording. A fixed fee, royalty share or hybrid arrangement shifts cost and risk differently. Define payment stages, included corrections, author changes, credits, delivery rights and cancellation terms in writing. Obtain professional advice where the stakes justify it.

The agreement should prohibit unapproved voice cloning, synthetic derivatives and model training from recordings or auditions. Define permitted uses and require fresh written consent for anything beyond producing and promoting the named audiobook.

Select the production model

Solo is efficient and cohesive. Dual typically divides viewpoints or sections. Duet lets performers retain characters across scenes. Multicast offers breadth at greater casting, scheduling and editing complexity. The most performers is not automatically the most effective choice.