How to podcast my novel?
June 30, 2011 7:47 AM Subscribe
I'd like to podcast my novel - any drama/comedy reading tips?
Hire a professional.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 8:00 AM on June 30, 2011
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 8:00 AM on June 30, 2011
Writers read their novels on NPR pretty regularly. Listen closely to that breathy, earnest, faux-conversational tone they read in. Make sure you don't do that.
posted by griphus at 8:06 AM on June 30, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by griphus at 8:06 AM on June 30, 2011 [5 favorites]
Listen to books on tape. Find readers you like. Read each section for practice several times before you record yourself. Slow down when you speak.
posted by jeather at 8:22 AM on June 30, 2011
posted by jeather at 8:22 AM on June 30, 2011
The most common mistake beginners make is to speak too softly. Make sure you project your voice. You may need to be standing to achieve the best projection, but once you're used to it you could stay seated. Don't speak too close to the mike if you're using one. Make sure to sit at the same distance from the mike each time you record.
Don't record in the morning when your voice is likely deeper.
Don't record more than an hour at a stretch - maybe even that is too ambitious for a novice.
Have regular breaks, sips of water, gargle your throat if you need to.
posted by Dragonness at 8:51 AM on June 30, 2011
Don't record in the morning when your voice is likely deeper.
Don't record more than an hour at a stretch - maybe even that is too ambitious for a novice.
Have regular breaks, sips of water, gargle your throat if you need to.
posted by Dragonness at 8:51 AM on June 30, 2011
Oh, and always use a headset to listen back to your recording, rather than playing it over the speakers.
posted by Dragonness at 8:53 AM on June 30, 2011
posted by Dragonness at 8:53 AM on June 30, 2011
Allow yourself to make minor adaptations where your speech and its pauses provide the context and pacing that required more words in text -- it's OK to leave out some he-saids and she-saids.
When I took a voice course, The Vocal Advantage was one of the books the instructor recommended -- you can get it used for $4 shipped. (If I remember, I'll look up what the other one was when I get home.)
posted by Zed at 9:53 AM on June 30, 2011
When I took a voice course, The Vocal Advantage was one of the books the instructor recommended -- you can get it used for $4 shipped. (If I remember, I'll look up what the other one was when I get home.)
posted by Zed at 9:53 AM on June 30, 2011
Response by poster: Can you expound upon your question a bit? Are you asking about performance? Pacing? Whether drama is different than comedy? Which one is your novel?
Yes I'm asking about performance and anything else that might help me produce something that doesn't suck. Pacing, whether/how to try varying dialogue voices, how much to leave out in the transition from page to ear, how to grab and keep a listener for what seems right now like a very long haul.
Since you were kind enough to ask, the novel is called The Miracle Tree. It's about a rookie reporter sent to cover a tree that might make wishes come true. It's supposed to be funny.
posted by ecourbanist at 11:33 AM on June 30, 2011
Yes I'm asking about performance and anything else that might help me produce something that doesn't suck. Pacing, whether/how to try varying dialogue voices, how much to leave out in the transition from page to ear, how to grab and keep a listener for what seems right now like a very long haul.
Since you were kind enough to ask, the novel is called The Miracle Tree. It's about a rookie reporter sent to cover a tree that might make wishes come true. It's supposed to be funny.
posted by ecourbanist at 11:33 AM on June 30, 2011
Not too fast. Always not too fast.
Advice on editing down for reading is kind of tough without having read the book. Ideally the whole thing will be compelling enough to stand the whole treatment. If Dickens can do it, why not you?
For character variation, listen to Jim Dale doing the Harry Potter books. Never mind what you feel about Harry Potter, what he does for the cast of characters is text book.
Good luck with this. I like me a funny novel. Please remember to note in projects.
posted by IndigoJones at 4:12 PM on June 30, 2011
Advice on editing down for reading is kind of tough without having read the book. Ideally the whole thing will be compelling enough to stand the whole treatment. If Dickens can do it, why not you?
For character variation, listen to Jim Dale doing the Harry Potter books. Never mind what you feel about Harry Potter, what he does for the cast of characters is text book.
Good luck with this. I like me a funny novel. Please remember to note in projects.
posted by IndigoJones at 4:12 PM on June 30, 2011
I really enjoyed the "Playing For Keeps" podcast read by the author, Mur Lafferty. She's done several 'podiobooks' and though I haven't listened to her "You Should Be Writing" podcast you might get something from it, as I think she interviews other podcasting authors. And the DragonCon podcast has some panel discussions by writer/podcasters with practical info.
posted by oh yeah! at 6:48 PM on June 30, 2011
posted by oh yeah! at 6:48 PM on June 30, 2011
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posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:53 AM on June 30, 2011