Have you met my narrator Ben?
As we prepare to launch A Killer Christmas in audio book format, I’ve been reflecting on the creation process. My narrator Ben Hynes and I have worked together on three books now and I think I can safely say we’ve got it down to a fine art. I love working with Ben. Not only is his work quick and professional, he’s good at taking and giving feedback. I’m lucky to have found someone who can be flexible.
Back when we released A Deadly Rejection’s audio version, I asked Ben about why he loves recording books, how he chooses projects and which author’s work he’d most like to record.
Ben Hynes – narrator extraordinaire
How long have you been a narrator?
I only started producing my own audiobooks this year, but I trained as an actor in 2005 and have been working mainly on stage on and off since then.
Why did you become a narrator?
I love audio work, finding challenges in depicting characters and scenarios using only the voice. I am also an avid gamer and find a similar experience when listening to actors who have done character work for computer games. I found that studio time was relatively expensive to hire on an hourly basis so I decided to set up on my own. I applied to an audiobook company earlier this year and have done a few things with them, and then through ACX I have found a wider range of authors to produce for.
How do you choose which projects to work on?
For one company they send me the next book through a portal (usually classics so never too bad!) as I assume they have a big long list of books they are ready to produce. For ACX, a producer basically searches for the author and book that they like the sound of and submit an audition via the portal. It’s great because the range of books which are ready to be produced are so varied. I tend to head towards fiction and fantasy novels, as that’s where my interest lies, but there are business guides, self-help, religious and even…adult novels on there. Ahem!
What do you enjoy most about the job?
Definitely the fun of exploring new characters all the time. Making them all as unique as possible, finding voices and styles for them to really make them come alive. As an actor, that’s certainly the aspect that I find the most exciting. I do tend to read a lot as well, so I get to read a new book for work!
What’s the worst part of the job?
Sound editing can be a bit fiddly and time consuming and hearing yourself talk every day is not the most thrilling experience, but I think it’s probably working alone all the time which is the most difficult. Sometimes it’s tricky to stick to a routine. There are too many temptations! When the sun is shining, the last thing you want to be doing is reading in the semi-darkness, cooped up in a stuffy studio. But the hours are flexible, you can work from home and it’s fun, so that more than makes up for it.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a narrator?
I would say first and foremost that you need to have a passion for it and also an enjoyment of reading books. Sounds daft I know, but without that, it could get boring for you if you aren’t invested in the characters and story. Select work that you would enjoy reading yourself. Then, I just think it’s a matter of going for it. Start small, there are some great start-up kits which aren’t too expensive and all you need is some free software and a computer to link up to and you’re away. Also, spend a little bit of time looking at some of the features of the editing software that you are using. I only came to that later and you can definitely hear the quality difference in the first few books that I produced compared to later down the line.
Who is the writer you’d most like to narrate for?
Oooh, a tough one. Although with my aforementioned love of fantasy fiction, it would likely be Ben Aaronovitch and his Rivers of London series, which is fantastic, or anything by Neil Gaiman. Alas, that ship has sailed I’m afraid!
A Deadly Rejection and A Deadly Truth are now available in audio format on Audible, iTunes, Kobo and all good retailers/libraries.
A Killer Christmas is due out soon but you can get a sneaky listen of the first few chapters by joining my newsletter.