How to Brief Your Audiobook Narrator: A Practical Guide for Indie Authors
- Nicky Griffiths
- Oct 28, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 30
Your narrator won’t just read your book - they’ll bring it to life.But only if they know what really matters to you.
Whether you’re working with a professional narrator or briefing one for the first time, your input helps shape the tone, pacing, and emotional resonance of your audiobook. A few clear notes from you can make all the difference between an audiobook that feels ‘fine’ and one that truly reflects your story.
You won’t always be live in the recording session, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have creative input. The more specific and helpful your direction, the more likely you are to get the result you imagined - and avoid costly retakes along the way.
This guide gives you 20 practical prompts you can use to brief your narrator (or production team) with clarity and confidence. Whether you’re outlining characters, flagging tone shifts, or sharing your vision for a pivotal scene, these tips will help you feel prepared and empowered before recording begins.
Let’s make sure your audiobook sounds as good as it reads.
1. Crafting Detailed Character Profiles
Think about your main characters. What are they like? Are they young and fiery or old and wise? Giving your narrator a solid character profile helps them get inside each character’s head.
Here’s what you want to give them:
Basic Traits: Age, appearance, personality quirks—anything that affects the character's voice.
Background: Is your character from a tough background, or did they grow up with a silver spoon?
Unique Features: Do they have a stutter, a unique way of speaking, or a slow, deliberate way of forming thoughts?
Just sharing a few simple facts like this helps narrators shape voices that fit.
2. Specifying Accents and Dialects for Characters
You know your characters’ backgrounds, but your narrator might not. Accents and dialects make a huge difference, so let them know.
Here’s how:
Get Specific: British, Northern, Southern US, Irish, Australian… narrow it down. If they’re from Yorkshire, don’t just say “British accent”—go for “Yorkshire accent.”
Check the Words: Got characters who use slang or specific regional sayings? Share a few examples, so the narrator gets a feel for the lingo.
A well-described accent can take a character from generic to genuine.
3. Using Character Backstories to Guide Tone
Backstory matters more than you’d think. If your narrator knows why your character is angry, sad, or bitter, they’ll bring that tone to the performance.
Examples of what to share:
Past Traumas or Wins: If a character lost their family or has always been a winner, that’s big. It shapes their outlook, voice, and attitude.
Character Arcs: Does their tone change over time? Maybe they start bitter but get softer as the story progresses.
Even if you only share one or two sentences, it helps the narrator know where the character’s coming from.
4. Defining the Overall Mood of the Book
Is your book dark and moody or light-hearted and funny? Whatever the vibe, your narrator needs to know.
How to set the mood:
Tone of Voice: Describe the general feeling. If it’s noir, let them know the tone should be slow and mysterious.
Genre Vibes: If it’s a horror, you want suspense; if it’s a rom-com, it should feel light and fun.
The mood affects how the narrator approaches the whole book, so don’t leave it out.
5. Setting Scene Descriptions for an Immersive Atmosphere
Settings are the stage of your story. And the more vivid the scene, the better your narrator can build it.
What to include:
Sights, Sounds, and Smells: A foggy city street feels different from a sunny beach. Let the narrator know what’s around.
Changes in Atmosphere: Does it go from noisy to quiet? Chaotic to calm? Describe how the environment feels.
Scene descriptions help narrators create a mental picture they can bring to life with their voice.
6. Communicating Preferred Narration Pacing
Nothing kills a good audiobook like mismatched pacing. If your thriller is read like a bedtime story, it’s game over.
Here’s what to tell them:
When to Slow Down: For suspenseful scenes or introspective moments, ask for a slower pace.
When to Speed Up: If it’s an action-packed scene, let the narrator know you want a faster delivery.
This way, you get pacing that matches the action on the page.
7. Sharing Dialogue Subtext and Emotional Cues
Dialogue is where a lot of magic happens. But without the right cues, your narrator might miss the nuances you’ve written in.
Here’s what helps:
Emotions in Dialogue: Are they happy, sad, furious? Include a few notes to guide delivery.
Unspoken Feelings: If a character is pretending to be calm but is actually terrified, say so. This adds depth to the performance.
Subtext and emotional cues keep the dialogue from sounding flat or missing its mark.
8. Including Physical Actions for Realistic Narration
Think about all those little actions—whispering, laughing, sighing—that make a scene feel real. Tell your narrator what’s happening.
How to do it:
Actions to Note: Whispering, crying, laughing, or pausing. These cues help with delivery.
When to Emphasise: If there’s a big action moment, like someone slamming a door or running, let the narrator know to reflect that.
Physical actions in the narration make it feel more like a movie in audio form.
9. Detailing Character Relationships and Motivations
Relationships shape how characters speak to each other. Who’s got the power, who’s vulnerable?
What to share:
Character Dynamics: Are they friends, enemies, lovers? This affects tone and attitude.
Motivations: Does a character want something from the other, or are they just passing the time? Let the narrator know the angle.
Relationships bring out the layers in a scene, so don’t skip the details here.
10. Specifying Vocal Traits for Main Characters
Is your character’s voice deep and booming, or light and soft?
Some pointers:
Distinctive Vocal Traits: Mention anything specific like pitch, tone, or a gravelly texture.
Signature Sounds: Maybe they have a catchphrase or a unique way of speaking. Drop those in too.
These small traits make characters memorable, even in audio format.
11. Explaining the Book’s Themes and Key Messages
The narrator’s performance can help underline the bigger themes in your book.
Share this with them:
Central Messages: Are there key phrases or ideas they should emphasise? Point these out.
Big Themes: Whether it’s love, loss, or redemption, let them know what the story’s really about.
When a narrator knows the themes, they can highlight them in subtle but powerful ways.
12. Creating a Pronunciation Guide
Names and terms matter, and nothing is worse than a mispronounced key name. Create a guide, and you’re sorted.
Here’s what to include:
Names and Places: Any unique names, locations, or fantasy words with their pronunciation.
Tricky Terms: Words that might not be familiar to most people or are commonly mispronounced.
A pronunciation guide saves everyone time and prevents those awkward, “Is that how you say it?” moments. If you can voice the words yourself in a voice note or even give a link to an existing and correct pronunciation, even better!
13. Marking Scene and Chapter Transitions
You want a smooth flow from scene to scene.
How to help:
Clear Transitions: If there’s a flashback or shift, mark it. Your narrator will thank you.
Pacing Changes: If a transition means a change in pace, mention that too.
Clean transitions keep the listener engaged and not confused.
14. Pointing Out Emotional High Points
Highlight those big emotional moments. They’re the pay-off scenes that need extra impact.
What to mention:
Peak Moments: Point out where things get intense, like a dramatic revelation or a tear-jerking goodbye.
Hints for Emphasis: Let them know when to lean in or pull back emotionally.
When the narrator knows the emotional highs, the listener will feel them too.
15. Providing Visual References for Scenes
If you have any visuals—like maps, character sketches, or location photos—share them.
How it helps:
Setting Visualisation: Seeing a map or sketch helps the narrator picture the scene better.
Inspiration for Tone: Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, and it brings the narration to life.
16. Clarifying Time Shifts and Flashbacks
Time shifts can throw listeners off if not handled right.
Here’s how to help:
Note Time Jumps: Mention when a scene is a flashback, a memory, or a fast-forward.
Pacing for the Change: If a flashback should be slower, say so.
Clear shifts keep the story flowing and help the narrator adjust their style accordingly.
17. Explaining Genre Conventions and Audience Expectations
Your genre has a big impact on narration style.For horror, you want tension; for romance, you want warmth.
What to mention:
Tone Adjustments by Genre: Let them know the general vibe, whether it’s tense, funny, or dramatic.
Audience Focus: If it’s young adult, they’ll go one way; if it’s high fantasy, another.
18. Describing Humor, Sarcasm, and Satire
If your book’s got humour, sarcasm, or satire, the delivery is everything.
Tips for sharing:
Nuance Help: If it’s dry humour or dark comedy, say so.
19. Emphasising Repeated Phrases and Motifs
Those repeated lines or motifs add depth to a story. Don’t let them fall flat.
How to highlight:
Repetition Marks: If a phrase is important, let the narrator know to give it some weight.
Motif Markers: If a line repeats through the story, ask for subtle emphasis each time.
20. Giving Constructive Feedback on Narration Samples
Finally, when you get a sample, don’t be shy about giving feedback. Clear, straightforward comments help your narrator adjust and nail the final performance.
What to cover:
What Worked: Always start with what’s going well—it helps narrators know when they’re on the right track.
Specific Fixes: Mention exact moments to tweak. Maybe the pacing’s off, or the tone could shift. Direct and honest.
Feedback makes the final product great and ensures the audiobook sounds just like you imagined.
Set Your Narrator (and Your Book) Up for Success
The magic of a great audiobook doesn't just happen in the booth – it starts with you. When you take the time to guide your narrator with the right details, you’re not just handing over a manuscript. You’re handing over a world.
Your story, your characters, your pacing, your emotional arcs – they all deserve to be heard the way you imagined them. And the best way to make that happen is by being intentional about your brief.
Ready to Put This Audiobook Narrator Guide Into Action?
If you’re an indie author looking to create a standout audiobook, we’re here to help. At Indie Audiobook Productions, we specialise in high-quality, collaborative audiobook production tailored to your vision.
Join our newsletter for monthly insights, tips, and behind-the-scenes stories from the world of indie audiobooks. Or get in touch to chat about how we can support your next audiobook project.
Comments