We often cast our productions using a pool of narrators we regularly work with if a non-fiction title isn’t to be read by the author. We provide a casting brief for non-fiction titles including questions that we ask the rights holder (author and/or publisher) to fill out so we can get a better understanding of suitable candidates for the narration and put forward a list of names with links to their previous work.

We recommend holding auditions so the rights holder can be sure the narrator is the right fit for the title. We’ll find a suitable audition extract from the manuscript that we feel will allow the rights holder to make an informed decision before inviting narrators to record samples. We can offer an honest, professional opinion should the rights holder need support when choosing their preferred narrator.

We have regularly worked with authors who have narrated their own non-fiction books and can tailor our production approach to fit the specific needs of an author and offer coaching sessions in advance. Contact us for more information.

A producer/director is assigned to the production once the book is cast. They are expected to read the manuscript in advance to familiarise themselves with the text before providing pre-production notes. Notes usually include queries for the rights holder and pronunciation research, while the producer/director will also highlight issues and offer solutions when the transition from page to audio isn’t straightforward, e.g. when there are visual elements referenced in the text such as photographs and tables. They may include directorial notes and outline creative decisions if necessary. The narrator will also be preparing the manuscript ahead of the production.

Whilst there is a level of pre-production work that is always expected, the requirements for non-fiction titles can vary and as a result the approach can also be shaped by this. To provide an example, we recently produced Charles Dowding’s No Dig for DK and our team took on additional pre-production responsibilities including manuscript editing and consulting with the publisher and author to work around all the book’s visual elements. We also consulted on how an accompanying PDF (which is common with non-fiction audiobooks) should be formatted and outlined content that needed to be included so we could then write several calls to action throughout the manuscript where we felt listeners needs to be directed to that document. Charles Dowding narrated this title himself, but if it the audiobook was read by a different narrator our team would have had to carry out extensive pronunciation research for hundreds of words that only someone with specialist knowledge would know, e.g. Latin names for plants.

By contrast, Reverse Mentoring for Hachette was a more straightforward read and there was minimal work when it came to altering the structure of the text for the audio version.

Every audiobook production is different and has its own set of challenges. The producer/director will work closely with the narrator during recording sessions, guiding them when necessary and acting as an important sounding board to discuss ideas and offer solutions.

As the recording progresses, the producer/director will follow the manuscript, making notes for the editor and sending them content regularly. They listen out for misreads, mispronounced words, extraneous noises and instances when the delivery isn’t quite right: diction, pacing, issues with intonation and more.

While some requirements of the producer/director role never change, every one has their own approach and their level of involvement can vary depending on the project and narrator requirements. Direction may be more thorough if we’re working with an author who is narrating their own book if they have limited or no previous recording experience, but when we work with actors our ethos is to trust the performer and aim to honour their interpretation of the text. However, we also feel it’s important that narrators are open-minded and consider that we encourage the producer/director to make suggestions if they feel it may enhance the delivery of any given sentence or passage.

We’re often asked how long an audiobook will be and how long it will take to record. Every audiobook production is different and the final duration of two books with the same word count can vary for several reasons including the narrator’s natural pacing and the construction of the narrative. As a general rule of thumb, we’d expect to record 30,000 words (usually around 100 pages) in a full-day recording session, but this can also vary as every book has its own set of challenges, so we always cast and schedule a production with provisions in place should the narrator need more time.

The post production process includes the following:

• Editing – Editors take the raw audio from studio sessions and follow the producer/director’s notes as they work through the content and remove anything that shouldn’t be there to leave a clean read. This can include extraneous noises such as loud breaths, mouth clicks and stomach rumbles.

• Mixing – The mixing process uses a combination of equalisation (EQ) to adjust the tonal characteristics of the narrator’s voice and audio compression to ensure a constant volume level throughout a chapter.

• Mastering – This is the final step in the audio post production workflow. It uses compression, limiting and noise reduction to achieve a finished audiobook that is consistent in volume and quality throughout to make for a pleasant listening experience for the consumer.

• Proofing – We listen back through and highlight any issues such as misread lines, mispronounced words and noises we’ve missed and mark them for a pick up session. Rights holders are offered the opportunity to do the same.

• Pick up session – We review any issues highlighted during the proofing process and hold a session with the narrator to make any re-records that are necessary. This is always scheduled at the start of the process.

The final audio (master files) are shared with the rights holder and directly to a distributor if required (ACX, Findaway Voices, Author’s Republic et al) in line with their delivery guidelines.

From there the audiobooks can be made available by online retailers within a matter of weeks and ready to be found by a whole new audience who can enjoy them through this exciting and increasingly popular medium.