The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

Audiobook Narration And Performance Tips For Authors With Sean Pratt

09.08.2019 - By Joanna PennPlay

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Successful authors have to perform their work — whether that's reading at a book launch or literary festival, on a podcast or radio show, or even with audiobook narration. In today's show, Sean Pratt gives some tips for giving your best performance at every stage of your author journey.

In the introduction, I talk about my own challenges with health in the last week, based on overdoing it at the computer and ignoring persistent pain for too long. Don't do that!

Today's show is sponsored by my own audiobooks for authors. If you love audio, take your author career to the next level with How to Write Non-Fiction, How to Make a Living with your Writing, The Successful Author Mindset, Successful Self-Publishing, The Healthy Writer, and more. Search ‘joanna penn' on your favorite audiobook app, or request at your local library.

For samples and links, go to TheCreativePenn.com/audio

Sean Pratt has been a professional actor in theatre, film, TV, and voiceovers for 30 years and has narrated over 1000 audiobooks. He's also the author of To Be or Wanna Be: The Top Ten Differences Between a Successful Actor and a Starving Artist.

You can listen above or on iTunes or your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and full transcript below.

Show Notes

* How the audiobook industry has changed since Sean started, particularly recently

* Tips for authors who want to narrate their books or read aloud at live events

* Why writing for performance is different than writing for reading silently

* Three steps for preparing to narrate a book

* Why practicing is the best teacher of all when it comes to narration

* Thoughts on AI audio narration

* Why being flexible and adaptable is so important for freelancers

You can find Sean Pratt at SeanPrattPresents.com and on Twitter @SPPresents

Transcript of Interview with Sean Pratt

Joanna: Sean Pratt has been a professional actor in theatre, film, TV, and voiceovers for 30 years and has narrated over 1000 audiobooks.

He's also the author of To Be or Wanna Be: The Top Ten Differences Between a Successful Actor and a Starving Artist.

Welcome, Sean.

Sean: Thank you very much for having me. I'm excited to be here.

Joanna: It's great to have you on the show.

Tell us more about you and your journey into writing an audio book narration.

Sean: Let's start with the audiobooks. I grew up as an actor and actually started acting when I was 10 in Oklahoma City Oklahoma where I'm from. I went off to college I got my acting degree and went off to New York to become a classical theater actor.

Along the way I ran into audiobooks, I'd say around 1994. I met an actor who did them professionally when he wasn't doing theater. And one thing led to another and by 1996 I'd started nar...

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