Joining My Tribe
“I claimed a seat in the front row. I knew if I sat there, I could avoid hearing the sigh-heaving and witnessing the eye-rolling that might occur behind me due to the inordinate number of questions I might ask.”
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There is no better time to write about a life-changing experience than within a week of returning home — before the “glow” is gone.
I recently returned from my very first audiobook narrator workshop, having pounced on this all-day opportunity held in Los Angeles this year. It was offered in concert with the “Audie” awards (like the Oscars for audiobook narration excellence) by the Audiobook Publishers Association.
My day started very early. I quietly exited my daughter’s house just “up the hill” from the hotel venue and prayed an Uber driver would not balk at an $8 fare after having to navigate up the winding road toward the Hollywood sign. Fortunately, I was saved, arriving at the hotel a full 45 minutes before the workshop began.
Heading downstairs with my lobby coffee in hand, I plunked myself down on a low-slung chair and waited as I watched workers setting up the continental breakfast goodies outside a very modestly sized meeting room that held no more than 35 people. I was the first to arrive.
Soon a sweaty guy with rumpled hair in gym clothes arrived to look over the preparation. I recognized him as one of the hosts and greeted him. He was gracious and recalled me from the narrator's Facebook page we both post to. Then he disappeared to shower and return shortly.
Soon others began arriving. I met a few fellow narrators I had befriended on social media, then got in line to receive my swag bag and goodies for the day. I grabbed more coffee, a forbidden sweet, and claimed a seat in the front row. I knew if I sat there, I could avoid hearing the sigh-heaving and witnessing the eye-rolling that might occur behind me due to the inordinate number of questions I might ask. I had LOTS of questions.
The two hosts were already award-winning superstars, having narrated books a rookie only dreams of being considered for. Both exuded a great sense of humor and set up a day that will remain in my heart as my best day yet as a voice actor.
We received tips on everything from running our businesses to what to include in our websites (TWO CLICKS!) to how to do reach-outs for auditions to traveling on airline points and staying in great hotels along the way.
But the highlights of the day were those when we listened to and asked questions of people from among the “Big Five” publishers — those people we would ordinarily think of as unapproachable. Seriously. Many of us new to the industry were still grabbing for any book we could get, no matter how small the job.
To my relief, these people are real humans — friendly folks who sit in offices and do their best to match a voice with a story. They told us how to make their jobs easier and why communication and responsiveness are at the top of their list for a good narrator once they begin working with them. They convinced me not to be afraid of them, especially if I see myself as a perfect match for a particular book they are publishing.
During breaks, I may have let my obnoxious side show — offering my contact QR code to a few of them. That fat stack of business cards was abandoned early on. I hoped these illustrious few might someday look me up or even remember me from the workshop. But I have no illusions that I am still a fledgling at all this and need a slew more books under my belt.
The day ended just before a “social” began just down the hall, where I was supposed to try to make an impression on serious audiobook people in attendance before telling them I was desperate to be placed on their lists of narrators.
I suck at this part. I never quite grasp when the perfect moment might be to approach a group of people, introduce myself, and know who to speak with. You see, my bravado exists behind a microphone and an iMac. And while I love to dress up and meet people I am SUPPOSED to meet and mix with, social mixers are my Achilles heel. So instead of making the kinds of connections I had dreamed about when I booked this day, I shrank out of the room at least 30 minutes earlier than I should have. Honest to God. Nobody trains you to be good at this part. When they tell you to “be yourself” they honestly don’t know what that means in my case, as I refer to myself as “something you can’t scrape off your shoe.”
Bottom line? My in-person audiobook workshop cherry is now popped (oh.. sorry for the reference). I have lots of regrets for not having met every single person in the classroom and gotten their names and numbers. But I also know workshops like this are a part of my future, and the investment I am making in that future is a worthy one.
Next year in Jerusalem? Nope. It’s in New York.