What’s holding you back?This post will be short, but it contains one of the powerful lessons I’ve learned. It has taken me a long time to realize that Read MoreAre you looking for a mentor in voiceover?Just about every week, I receive email from someone who is interested in starting a career in voiceover. Lately, I’ve noticed that more and more people are writing to me and asking for a mentor to help them get started. While it’s certainly a flattering request, whenever the word mentor is mentioned in an introductory email, […]Read MoreTo voice Royalty-Share Audiobooks… or not. That is the question.Many new audiobook publishers are only offering a royalty-share model of payment. In this model, the narrator is not paid anything up front and is instead paid a percentage of royalties based on the sales of the audiobook. Is a 50-50 split on royalties right for you? Some people would get irate at the […]Read More8 Things I Learned About Voiceover From Ted WilliamsAt the end of each year, I review my journals to see what I accomplished. In doing this exercise for 2011, I found some comments that I want to share with you. Just over a year ago, the media was in a feeding frenzy with news about a voiceover talent who seemingly became an overnight […]Read More5 Quick Tips for Following Your DreamsEvery script I’ve voiced, from the shortest audition to the longest audiobook… Every call I’ve made… Every email I’ve sent… Every postcard I’ve mailed… Every marketing campaign I’ve devised… Every web site I’ve launched… Every blog post I’ve written… Every social media update I’ve made… Every voiceover class or conference in which I’ve participated… Every […]Read MoreHas the competition got you down?To compare is to despair. I saw this quote in Bonnie Gillespie’s recent column about competition and was thinking about it this morning after I found myself feeling that I could do so oh so much more to further my voiceover career. Some voiceover colleagues seem to be on every social media site and practically […]Read MoreKaren’s 5 Tips to Combat Clutter Before it Kills Your CareerDo you ever watch the TV show Hoarders? It’s about people who have let their houses become completely overrun with STUFF. The hoarding is usually caused by some sort of traumatic loss, like a death of a loved one, a painful divorce, or children leaving the nest. For 6 weeks during August and September, Drew […]Read More3 pieces of email marketing researchWhen I wrote the article 5 pieces of e-mail marketing advice, I was referring to those times when you send a personal message rather than a general newsletter to your voiceover clients and prospects. As you might expect, an e-mail newsletter has its own considerations. Since newsletters can be a great way to unobtrusively remind […]Read MoreLaunch of “Success Leaves Tracks” NewsletterFor years, I have wanted to produce a newsletter as a gentle way to keep in touch with clients and prospects. When I started writing this blog 5 years ago, I thought it might take the place of a newsletter. However, I see now that my voiceover business can benefit from both tools. This blog focuses […]Read MoreSimple math about audiobook ratesLast updated 2/7/21 My email inbox continues to provide fodder for blog articles. Last week, someone sent me this question: I’ve been asked to record a 200 page audiobook. I’m not in a union or guild. I do have some voiceover experience. What do you recommend I charge? Original Answer While the question you […]Read More