Finding The Right Audiobook Coach
Finding the right audiobook coach can help you level up your career
I had a question from a reader that I’ve been thinking about. They wanted to know: How do I find the right audiobook coach, and what should I do if a coach I was working with gave me bad advice?
This is such a layered question, and I’m not sure I have the right answer for everyone. Finding a coach can be overwhelming. How do you even start looking?
I did a quick Google Search of Audiobook Coach and the first results actually made me happy. Emily Lawrence, Erin Moon, Andi Arndt, Julie Wilson, Helen Lloyd, and Brick by Brick (Scott Brick) were the top searches. All of these individuals are wonderful people, coaches, and most importantly, have a strong presence in the audiobook industry. So a Google Search does offer some solid options.
Additionally, Narrators Road Map was one of the top searches. This is a great resource of audiobook specific material curated by Karen Commins. You’ll find suggestions for coaches, free resources, option to join the site for full access to articles and advice, and other terrific material.
When researching coaches, here are some tips to help you:
1) First, figure out what you want from a coach. Do you want business advice? Help getting started? Tech help setting up a studio? Are you an established narrator who wants to further polish your skills? Are you only interested in working with coaches who could potentially hire you? Your ultimate goal will help you narrow your focus, and make it easier to find the right fit.
2) Make sure they are an established industry professional. If you’re working with a coach who is an audiobook narrator, they should have 100 titles to their credit. Yes. 100. Why? This shows you they’ve been in the industry for a while, have a diverse client base, and have endured some of the rapid changes happening in the industry. Can they have less than 100 titles? Absolutely. It’s not a strict number, it’s just a way for you to figure out if you’re working with an expert. If they have less than 20 titles, I’d be wary. They may have great VO experience, but they aren’t yet a specialist I audiobooks.
3) If working with a coach who is an audiobook expert but not a performer, check their website and profile. Reach out to your audiobook peers and see who they’ve worked with. See if you can find any reviews. An audiobook expert has worked with top publishers, producers, and narrators.
4) Analyze the cost. There is a wide range of costs, and levels of coaches you can work with. If there’s a hefty cost, make sure you analyze the worth to you. What would make it worth it? Do they offer enough to you to be worth it? If getting a job because of coaching is your only goal, I’d hesitate. Coaches can assist you, but there is never a guarantee of work. There are so many variables with casting that anyone who guarantees you’ll get work, can’t offer that promise unless they are the ones casting.
5) Ask to meet them. Reach out and ask if you can Zoom with the coach and chat for 10 minutes to see if they’re a fit. Ask questions and/or let them tell you about how they operate. A little chat can tell you so much.
A good coach will listen to your background and your goals and talk you through next steps. You’ll come up with a plan you’re both comfortable with. Maybe you’ll work on performance, maybe your coach will give you feedback on your website and samples. Maybe they’ll help you with auditions. Be proactive in your coaching and ask for what you need, but don’t expect that your coach can change your career. That’s ultimately up to you.
What if a coach gives you bad advice?
This is tricky. It’s hard to know what’s good advice and bad advice. If it didn’t work for you, is it bad advice, or was it not the right fit? When I get coaching, and I still do, I consider what my coach has suggested, and I see what feels right. What works for me. I do what is most authentic to me as a performer and business person.
If a coach gives advice that seems like it’s not tailored to you, then you might look at getting a different coach. Remember what your goals are and try to keep that in mind. If a coach isn’t helping you clearly define your goals and create steps to reach them, then you might need to work with someone else.
If they’ve given you bad advice, or they don’t fit with you, find someone new. You can ask for a refund if there was something egregious, or simply move on. Talk over what mistakes you made with your new coach and remember that there is always the opportunity for growth.
Everyone makes mistakes. It’s okay. Deal with the mistake, and then do better next time. Move on.
What if you want to work with someone who isn’t a coach?
You can reach out to any narrator or industry professional you want and ask if they could coach you. Don’t ask them for coffee or say you’ll treat them to a sandwich. While it feels like a nice offer, it’s a little insulting. A coach offers valuable advice. You are asking them to be your teacher. Honor that and pay for the time. Ask them what they would charge for an hour session. Let them know your goals: website review, acting help, brainstorming ways to get cast.
Do I have to have a coach?
No. Of course not. This career can happen with or without guidance, but a coach can be a shortcut, a guide, and a support system. They can help you understand unspoken etiquette in the industry and how things work. They can point you quickly in the direction you want to go without you having to spend hours figuring it out. Their guidance is an assest and is worth investing in.
Are there Other opportunities besides coaching?
Attend a workshop or class. For me, I’m at a point where if there isn’t a casting director or producer at the workshop or class, it’s not really valuable to me, so I look for workshops that have casting people attending or offering instruction. If you are new to audiobooks, a conference or workshop with established narrators may be incredibly useful.
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If you have advice or know of a coach, workshop, or conference that has worked for you, please feel free to comment. If you had a bad experience, feel free to comment too, but please leave out specific names. I don’t want to blackball anyone, but I do feel like it’s important to know that not every coaching experience is useful. Finding the right coach can mean meeting and working with a variety of people before you find the one who really inspires you and clicks with you.
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TANYA EBY is a narrator, writer, and audiobook casting director. She was a coach for a while as The Comfy Mentor but she found that it was hard for her to charge a rate that would cover her time and effort in coaching others. She’s open to coaching again, but prefers to help guide people, answer questions about next steps and goals, and talk about plans. She’s not really a performance coach.
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Excellent advice!
Thanks for the shoutout Tanya! I’m proud of the community we’ve created at narrator.life and the feedback we’ve gotten from narrators.