Every narrator knows that the performance in the booth is just one piece of the larger puzzle of audiobook narration.
There’s a whole world of hidden tasks, like emails, manuscript prep, pickups, file management, and administration. These tasks can add hours (or even days) to each project.
The good news? With the right systems and the helpful tools, you can streamline much of this behind-the-scenes work and keep your focus where it belongs: telling the story.
Before you record a single word, you have to know the book inside and out. Manuscript prep isn’t just reading ahead; it’s detective work.
This stage can take hours, but it saves you from mistakes and the need for endless pickups later. Tools like Pozotron’s Pronunciation and Character Guides can dramatically reduce prep time by automating word lists, pronunciation suggestions, and characters. Whether you use Pozotron, spreadsheets, or the manuscript itself, proper preparation will save you time in the long run.
Communication is essential, whether you are working with indie authors or publishers. But every back-and-forth takes time:
A single book can generate dozens of emails. One way to reduce this is to create email templates for common messages.
When working with an Indie author, having a standard welcome packet can be a great way to save time and answer questions up front. We’ve even got an email template to send to introduce your Indie authors to Pozotron for collaboration.
Even with meticulous prep, pickups are unavoidable. Proofers or rights holders may flag missed words, misreads, or mispronunciations that need fixing. Recording and editing pickups requires time, careful matching of tone and energy, and proper file management.
Pickups are one of the biggest hidden time sinks because they come after you think you’re finished. Building time for them into your schedule can help keep the process efficient. Some narrators choose to pre-proof their audio before sending it off to editing. This is a personal choice in your process, but it can help you manage your time more efficiently.
Pozotron is a great tool for proofing and finding those needed pickups. Our AI-powered proofing algorithm matches your manuscript text to the narrated audio to catch mispronunciations, inserted words, missed words, and long pauses. And to help even further, you can export DAW markers to insert those pickups back into your project easily.
Behind every finished audiobook are dozens (sometimes hundreds) of audio files. Organizing them is not glamorous, but it’s crucial.
Having a clear organization on your computer is essential. You should be familiar with the location of all files for each project and be able to access them quickly. Create a system that’s easy to navigate and remember. It may also be helpful to keep a file of each publisher or distributor's specs and file delivery methods that you can easily refer to.
You can utilize Pozotron’s Character Voices Guide to keep track of your character voices. Or create a Custom Character Guide saved in your Pozotron account, which you can refer back to across multiple projects.
Consider having two forms of backup for your files. If your computer crashes or one of those methods goes down, having a secondary backup will save you time and frustration.
Beyond the book itself, narrators are also running businesses. This includes:
Even while working on one book, you are often completing tasks for the previous book, such as invoicing and doing work to secure the next project, including outreach and marketing. Each task may seem small on its own, but together they add up to hours each week.
Using templates, automation tools, or setting aside one “admin day” a week can help you stay on top of the business side without it bleeding into performance time.
One of the best ways to stay on top of all the hidden time costs is to create a system that works for you. Organization isn’t glamorous, but it’s what keeps projects on track and deadlines realistic.
By building a system and sticking to it, you protect yourself from overwhelm, avoid missed deadlines, and keep both clients and proofers happy.
Thankfully, narrators don’t have to tackle all of these hidden tasks alone. Advances in technology have made the work more manageable. Pozotron can help you:
Technology doesn’t replace narrators, proofers, or engineers; it lightens the load, helping to juggle all the hidden tasks without burning out.
Audiobook production is far more than reading aloud. Manuscript preparation, email management, pickups, file organization, and administrative tasks all require time and attention. These hidden costs can be draining, but with helpful systems and supportive tools, they don’t have to overwhelm you.
At Pozotron, we’re here to help narrators work smarter, not harder. Our tools streamline the unglamorous aspects of production, allowing you to spend more time where it matters most.