This is a subject I often get really hung up on. Thank you for putting it out there.
I became a narrator due to a desire to work with kids and YA books. I was told by a casting director from a kids publisher, early in my career, that I wouldn’t get work in those genres because I sound “too mature.” Years later, in a workshop where I read for an accomplished YA narrator, I got, “You really understand and can convey the voices of kids and teens…you do a lot of YA work don’t you?” - (Um, no, ‘cuz I thought I couldn’t due to what I was told previously!)
The first big pub title I was cast in was a memoir of an 89 year old (I was 46.) From there, my next 1/2 dozen titles or so featured MCs who were 60+. It baffled me because I knew there were narrators who were authentically those ages.
I feel my age the most in real life settings; where those in casting are frequently half my age. I hate pitching myself - period; more so in person - and - for some reason, pitching to those much younger than I can feel phony or desperate. Is that weird?
I’ve gotten more confident in my vocal range, but still know I will never Tik my Tok or narrate live - and I wonder how much that may hold me back. I appreciate the “Don’t like it? Don’t do it “ note here.
The reminder of the significant number of women narrators helps too. I’m working on discerning what might be age related vs. what could be my introversion/dip in confidence. It’s all quite the jumble of threads to untangle! Thanks again for this!
Yeah. I hear you. I've had these struggles too. For casting, don't let one director dissuade you. This is why it helps to have multiple clients. I have a publisher that casts me mostly in women's fiction, another in paranormal and nonfiction, and another routinely gives me romance titles. Each casting director will see you differently.
For YA and children's books, I think the POV really matters. If it's 1st person POV, you might not get it with a mature sounding voice, but if it's 3rd person, then you can show your range.
The thing to remember here is there are multiple reasons why we get cast and why we don't. It's ultimately a numbers game: keep auditioning, keep building your portfolio and hopefully casting will learn you have breadth to do a lot of different roles and let you give it a try.
This is wonderful - as someone who started as a “mature” woman, the ageism I encountered really stunned me. The reminder that competition is intense for everyone is sobering and useful. And thank God for “don’t like it, don’t do it”! Thank you for writing this.
This hit home for me. I was 60 when I started pursuing audiobook narration (and other voice work), thinking about what to do after retiring from the corporate world. I came into it with a clear vision of ageism in general. But, I knew (hoped) there was a place and a need for mature voices (somewhere). It's okay that I won't get cast for the 20 somethings, nor will I audition for them. I'll stay in my lane and hope to land auditions suited for this old broad. 🙂 Thanks for another great article.
Tanya, first and foremost, thank you for this article. I woke up with a cup of coffee and read this piece you wrote. It hits me hard and it is sort of a call to reality for me. Made me think back of when I started, and what I did to get to where I am. With 40 books to date and narrating books I love and working directly with authors, it has been a wonderful journey so far…but…sometimes, I am tired of the FOMO and also the ‘rat race’ to audition and secure contracts. I was fortunate to have the funds to invest in coaching etc to strive to improve…
The topic of ‘ageism’ is real in any career, however, I think this field focuses, like you said, your voice…not looks or how many wrinkles or what color your age or shape of your body. I think it also gives so much opportunity to those who are introverts, who are physically disabled to showcase their vocal talents and I have met some that blew me away…KEEP TRYING and also BE WHO YOU ARE are good mantras to have in this ever competing arena where favorites voted by the ‘voice thirty’ fans surfaced strong and the rest of us….fighting our way to be the vocal gladiator that wins for one day :).
Not that I like it, but I'm used to ageism, having come from the acting world, where you basically play what you look like (and as you said, that's different for each casting director).
I started narrating at age 62. At first I tried playing younger when I was asked to, but I didn't think it sounded authentic. So I embraced my age, suggesting that casting people "send me your old lady books!" That worked and still does, except I don't sound elderly. At the last Quick Pitch we decided a good description for my voice is "mature but not elderly," and I think that's right. I can realistically play 40s-60s. I'm 70, and I do get books with characters ranging from 40-75.
Younger narrators may be able to play 70s vocally, but I think we older narrators add feeling to nonfiction/history and stories set in the latter half of the 20th century because we were there for it all. I remember the assassinations. I remember the anti-war demonstrations and Woodstock and marching for the ERA. That's a plus. But like all casting, it's very particular. Those books aren't all over the shelves all the time, just waiting to be narrated.
Thanks for what you said about social media. I don't mind people seeing what I look like but I don't like Tiktok at all, don't use it. I'm aware it's hugely influential in the book biz, but when I read the PW Daily they're talking about genres I don't do well in anyway, like YA, romantacy, etc. I'm sure there are literary fiction authors on Tiktok but I suspect it's not as important for them as it is for romance authors. And even on the platforms I enjoy, I'm like Sara—I hate pitching myself and I'm a real slacker when it comes to posting about work I've done. Sara's so good at it! Amazing social media posts.
This is a subject I often get really hung up on. Thank you for putting it out there.
I became a narrator due to a desire to work with kids and YA books. I was told by a casting director from a kids publisher, early in my career, that I wouldn’t get work in those genres because I sound “too mature.” Years later, in a workshop where I read for an accomplished YA narrator, I got, “You really understand and can convey the voices of kids and teens…you do a lot of YA work don’t you?” - (Um, no, ‘cuz I thought I couldn’t due to what I was told previously!)
The first big pub title I was cast in was a memoir of an 89 year old (I was 46.) From there, my next 1/2 dozen titles or so featured MCs who were 60+. It baffled me because I knew there were narrators who were authentically those ages.
I feel my age the most in real life settings; where those in casting are frequently half my age. I hate pitching myself - period; more so in person - and - for some reason, pitching to those much younger than I can feel phony or desperate. Is that weird?
I’ve gotten more confident in my vocal range, but still know I will never Tik my Tok or narrate live - and I wonder how much that may hold me back. I appreciate the “Don’t like it? Don’t do it “ note here.
The reminder of the significant number of women narrators helps too. I’m working on discerning what might be age related vs. what could be my introversion/dip in confidence. It’s all quite the jumble of threads to untangle! Thanks again for this!
Yeah. I hear you. I've had these struggles too. For casting, don't let one director dissuade you. This is why it helps to have multiple clients. I have a publisher that casts me mostly in women's fiction, another in paranormal and nonfiction, and another routinely gives me romance titles. Each casting director will see you differently.
For YA and children's books, I think the POV really matters. If it's 1st person POV, you might not get it with a mature sounding voice, but if it's 3rd person, then you can show your range.
The thing to remember here is there are multiple reasons why we get cast and why we don't. It's ultimately a numbers game: keep auditioning, keep building your portfolio and hopefully casting will learn you have breadth to do a lot of different roles and let you give it a try.
This is wonderful - as someone who started as a “mature” woman, the ageism I encountered really stunned me. The reminder that competition is intense for everyone is sobering and useful. And thank God for “don’t like it, don’t do it”! Thank you for writing this.
This hit home for me. I was 60 when I started pursuing audiobook narration (and other voice work), thinking about what to do after retiring from the corporate world. I came into it with a clear vision of ageism in general. But, I knew (hoped) there was a place and a need for mature voices (somewhere). It's okay that I won't get cast for the 20 somethings, nor will I audition for them. I'll stay in my lane and hope to land auditions suited for this old broad. 🙂 Thanks for another great article.
Tanya, first and foremost, thank you for this article. I woke up with a cup of coffee and read this piece you wrote. It hits me hard and it is sort of a call to reality for me. Made me think back of when I started, and what I did to get to where I am. With 40 books to date and narrating books I love and working directly with authors, it has been a wonderful journey so far…but…sometimes, I am tired of the FOMO and also the ‘rat race’ to audition and secure contracts. I was fortunate to have the funds to invest in coaching etc to strive to improve…
The topic of ‘ageism’ is real in any career, however, I think this field focuses, like you said, your voice…not looks or how many wrinkles or what color your age or shape of your body. I think it also gives so much opportunity to those who are introverts, who are physically disabled to showcase their vocal talents and I have met some that blew me away…KEEP TRYING and also BE WHO YOU ARE are good mantras to have in this ever competing arena where favorites voted by the ‘voice thirty’ fans surfaced strong and the rest of us….fighting our way to be the vocal gladiator that wins for one day :).
Not that I like it, but I'm used to ageism, having come from the acting world, where you basically play what you look like (and as you said, that's different for each casting director).
I started narrating at age 62. At first I tried playing younger when I was asked to, but I didn't think it sounded authentic. So I embraced my age, suggesting that casting people "send me your old lady books!" That worked and still does, except I don't sound elderly. At the last Quick Pitch we decided a good description for my voice is "mature but not elderly," and I think that's right. I can realistically play 40s-60s. I'm 70, and I do get books with characters ranging from 40-75.
Younger narrators may be able to play 70s vocally, but I think we older narrators add feeling to nonfiction/history and stories set in the latter half of the 20th century because we were there for it all. I remember the assassinations. I remember the anti-war demonstrations and Woodstock and marching for the ERA. That's a plus. But like all casting, it's very particular. Those books aren't all over the shelves all the time, just waiting to be narrated.
Thanks for what you said about social media. I don't mind people seeing what I look like but I don't like Tiktok at all, don't use it. I'm aware it's hugely influential in the book biz, but when I read the PW Daily they're talking about genres I don't do well in anyway, like YA, romantacy, etc. I'm sure there are literary fiction authors on Tiktok but I suspect it's not as important for them as it is for romance authors. And even on the platforms I enjoy, I'm like Sara—I hate pitching myself and I'm a real slacker when it comes to posting about work I've done. Sara's so good at it! Amazing social media posts.