Hey! I wrote a new book. Actually I wrote a series of them but more on that later.
The most common question I’m asked is, “How can I get started in acting?” But the second question is, “How do I get started in voice over?” Both have complicated answers. The Acting In Chicago book answers the first question for actors in the Midwest, but I thought it was time to answer the second question.
Introducing The Voice Over Startup Guide: How to Land Your First VO Job.
If you are among the many who are curious about the world of voice acting, but are stumped by just where to start, I gotcha.
We took a long time (about a year) to get this right. The book had to be easy to follow, efficient, and 100% effective. And, if it was going to take voice over beginners from zero to doing their first job, we had to talk about performance, because that’s what gets you hired.
But there was a problem. A book is definitely not an auditory endeavor. Reading about voice over is fine, but to really get it, you have to hear it.
So we came up with a way for readers to hear what’s being taught in the book.
Through the use of simple, step-by-step instructions, professionally written scripts and free audio files, we’re able to introduce readers to the art and science of professional voice acting in a very clear and clever way.
Scripts? Audio files? Yeah!
Voice actors work in over a dozen distinct corners of the business, from commercials to video games to audiobooks. They’re all a little different. Do you need an agent for all of them? Do you need a home recording studio? Do you need to live in a big city? You wouldn’t know any of that unless someone told you, so that’s why we open with a very detailed look at each of them.
We adapted scripts from real-world voice over projects to use as examples, and then we recorded those scripts so readers can actually hear what’s being taught. This brings learning to a whole other level. Now, you’ll know exactly which area(s) of voice over sounds like your bulls eye.
The Business Side
But beginners also need to consider the business end of things. So we spend the second half of the book on the other elements that help land voice over jobs.
What, exactly, are the tools you need to do this job? If you’ve gone down the online rabbit hole researching recording options, you’re really going to appreciate our approach to this. We give you the details you need and don’t over-complicate things.
What business practices help support your success? How can you get the word out so you can get a faster return on your investment? And success in voice over is very much a team effort. In fact, there are things you simply can’t do without someone to help get you there, so what’s involved in putting together a great team?
Once you land your first voice over job, you’ll want to continue using your time and talent to earn income. So we talk about strategies to make that happen.
The Complete Package
The Voice Over Startup Guide: How to Land Your First VO Job, really is a complete look at how to launch into this corner of the acting world. But we didn’t open the fire hose and flood you with details. I wrote Acting In Chicago in that way, because it worked for that subject. If you want to up your game in Chicago, you really do need to know everything, so I put it all in there.
But voice over is different. You don’t need to know everything to get started. People can get overwhelmed, so much that they give up. I didn’t want that to happen. Plus, there’s so much going on in VO that I didnt think I could do it justice with one book.
So I wrote a few books. And then I asked some of my talented VO friends to write ones of their own. They all follow the same format: step-by-step instructions, well-written scripts and audio files. We’ll bring them out in the coming months through a companion website that I’ll announce shortly.
For now, if you have ever wondered about adding voice over to your tool belt, I hope you give my new book a shot. Pre-order the e-book now for delivery on September 9th. The paperback and audiobook versions come out shortly thereafter.
Thanks for your time and trust!