When I work with my nonfiction business book authors, one thing I urge (OK, insist) they do is to record an audiobook. Typically, this involves finding a local studio with a competent engineer who understands what is required to produce audio files that ACX.com (Audible’s company) will accept the first time out followed by a marathon of recording sessions.

While this process is both expensive and exhausting it is the right choice for an author who has more money than time and just wants to show up, read, and have someone else handle the rest of it (there are a few steps…).

You may (not) be surprised to learn that most nonfiction authors are not that type of author. (Me either.)

So what do you do if you have a great nonfiction book up on Amazon that could benefit from an audiobook but don’t want to cough up the cabbage to do it in a professional recording studio with an engineer?

Better, what if you realized the potential and power of being able to produce top-quality audio in the comfort of your own home, whenever the spirit moved you?

I could be (and am) pretty excited about that. You? So here’s where I’m going with this.

A couple months ago, I was introduced by a friend to David H. Lawrence XVII. Said friend said David was in the process of taking the skills he teaches to professional voice actors and making them available to authors who want to learn to narrate their own books and might I be interested in becoming an affiliate?

Intriguing enough.

David and I hopped on a Zoom where he explained the program to me. (And where the XVII came from, he’s an interesting cat!) The bottom line is this is a unique opportunity to learn a craft that will serve you for the rest of your writing life, and learn it from the best.

I just watched the first video from the 3-part free mini-course he’s offering this week, and it is rich.

The mini-course access has expired but if you Go here you can see exactly what’s in the full course. It’s stunning.

Here’s what you’ll learn ++++:

• The four big reasons we should narrate our own books.
• Two questions we should ask ourselves that will help us figure out whether we want to narrate our own books (or not).
• The shocking feedback some people who have used an AI-generated voice to record their book have received. (OMG.)
• What to do if you’re afraid your voice isn’t good enough. (I have a slight lisp so, yeah.) Spoiler alert: The answer our voices are perfect and David explains why.

David also walks us through how to get the manuscript ready for recording—including two things I never thought of, and this ain’t my first rodeo!

He goes on to demystify the technology part of it, including giving us the exact make and model of all the gear he uses to narrate for best-selling authors.

There are two other lessons that will be released yet this week so if you want to be notified when each lesson goes live—be sure to join his mailing list. (FD: I said yes to becoming an affiliate but I’m also a student so just know I’d be spreading the word on this anyway.)

If the idea of narrating the story you wrote appeals to you……or if you’re already narrating your own books but aren’t happy with results you’re getting……check out the full NYOB course here. It will help you.

Questions, comments? Email me.

—Helena

P.S. Please feel free to share this to any author you know who is putting off narrating their own audiobook—for any reason. I’m sharing this resource in hopes it will help more good people get their great books out there.