When I wrote my book, "The Locum Life: A Physician's Guide to Locum Tenens," it was an afterthought to do an audiobook. I had never narrated an audiobook before. While many professional voiceover artists are available, I thought it might be fun to narrate the book myself. I'm always up for a new challenge!
It wasn't easy. First, I tried the audio software in Final Cut Pro, the video software I use for the podcast, but found it too limited. Then, I tried Apple's GarageBand but couldn't get the desired results. Finally, I learned about the open-source software "Audacity," but it didn't work well with my Mac.
By this point, I had invested about 100 hours and gave up. A few months later, a new version of Audacity that worked with my Mac came out, and I gave it another go.
With the help of many YouTube videos and tutorials provided by ACX, Audible's submission site, I learned to use Audacity.
I took a stab at soundproofing my home office with lots of foam. I tried to record when all was quiet inside and outside the house—no recording when the washing machine was running or the gardeners working next door. Or the baby crying. Or visitors. Or toilet flushing. Or phone ringing.
After turning off the air conditioner to eliminate the hum, I recorded in the mornings in late summer and early fall. After some practice, I learned how to position the microphone consistently and edit each passage to meet Audible.com's quality requirements.
I discovered that narration was a little like acting. It required a surprising amount of concentration and emotional investment. But when it went well, it was exciting and satisfying!
Take a listen here to see for yourself: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Locum-Life-Audiobook/B08P5G9KCG?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-224604&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_224604_rh_us
When people ask whether they should record their own audiobook rather than hire a professional, I usually say "no." The time and energy required to narrate one's own book is extensive. A professional quality voiceover also requires more than a little "inner nerd" to get the software working. It would be far more cost effective to hire a professional.
But what fun would that be?
Many thanks to the 201 people who purchased "The Locum Life: A Physician's Guide to Locum Tenens" audio version!
You can also find more info on locums on my website: www.andrewwilner.com/videos
and my podcast, "The Art of Medicine with Dr. Andrew Wilner."
By the way, I'm always willing to respond to locums' questions on my website at www.andrewwilner.com. Just write me a note or leave a voicemail, and I'll get back to you (no charge).
