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- Narrators speak
Happy new week!
We’re down to the final lap of 2024! What are you grateful for this year?
You can share with us here and we’ll publish some of your responses in the course of the month.
Narrators Speak
I have come to love audiobooks because they give me the chance to “read” with my eyes closed after staring at a screen (working) all day. Audiobooks can be convenient too, you can listen to your favorite title while driving, doing chores or going on your evening walk and so on. And they can definitely put more life into characters.
Behind audiobooks, there are narrators who ensure that you get a lovely experience. Narrators put in hours of work understanding characters, training their voices and even learning accents.
Today, we have the pleasure of hearing from 3 passionate narrators! They tell us why they love being narrators, how they are adapting to industry changes, and the importance of community, among other things.
Meet the narrators
Katie Thompson
Katie Thompson is a classically trained vocalist, entrepreneur, and award-winning audiobook narrator who’s spent over 15 years doing what she loves most: performing. Whether she’s on stage or behind the mic, Katie brings unique energy and passion to everything she does.
 | Her voice has been described as smooth, expressive, and engaging—perfect for breathing life into all kinds of characters. Katie loves narrating across genres, from steamy romances to spine-tingling thrillers and sweeping fantasy epics. She’s always up for a new challenge and loves connecting with listeners through the stories she tells. When diving into more spicy projects, Katie switches gears and narrates under the pseudonym K.T. Gray. Storytelling isn’t just her career—it’s her calling. |
Amber McCulloch
Amber McCulloch is a mum of three from Colorado who began audiobook narration in later summer of 2024. “….@amber.does.audio did an amazing job narrating my book, and I’ll always be grateful for the time and love she put into Ayleen’s journey…….” (Find Amber on Threads here) |  |
Phil Gilbert
Phil Gilbert is an audiobook narrator and voice actor working out of his home studio just outside of NYC in Maplewood, New Jersey. He grew up loving the books of Asimov, Crichton, Clancy, Bradbury, and L’Engle. His love of reading is one of the early connections he made with his wife - they met in eighth grade - and something they now share with their two elementary-age daughters.
Prior to his voice acting journey, Phil traveled the world working on the production teams for live events that included Broadway musicals, USO-style shows on overseas Air Force bases, sold-out concerts in NFL football stadiums, and bespoke corporate events for Fortune 500 companies including Nintendo, HP, Blizzard Games, and Salesforce. In 2020, Phil found a passion for audiobook narration and began working to find his voice and hone his skills. He has worked with some of the top coaches in the industry, studying with Lucas Calhoun, Andy Roth, Sara Kapner, and Emilea Wilson, to name a few. |
Phil loves collaborating with his clients and prides himself on being easy to work with, whether in-person or remote. As a voracious reader, he loves the experience of narrating a book that he might have never otherwise picked up.
7 Questions for the narrators
1. On beginnings…
“Make easy money from home!” was what the cutesy curated TikTok in front of me claimed. All I’d have to do was read books into my computer and money would flow. As a now beginner narrator, I can tell you that’s surely not the case. Not just because more effort is required in any side hustle than will be sold to you, either. It’s an interesting time in narration. The industry has become more accessible through more independent avenues accepting auditions from complete newbies. |  Amber McCulloch |
 Katie Thompson | I got my start by auditioning on ACX, where I landed my first few audiobooks. From there, I decided to document my journey on TikTok and Instagram—sharing behind-the-scenes moments, finished audiobooks, and the ups and downs of narrating. That’s when things really started to take off. Connecting with readers and authors through social media has been a total game-changer, and now, most of my opportunities come directly from those relationships. |
2. What do you love about audio narrating?
I find that narrators have a lot more freedom to interpret characters and text than in other voice arts. Some of this is due to the fact that - as someone often working with independently-published authors - I am usually directing and producing the entire audiobook. I also think that books are frequently written in a way that puts the onus on the reader to give voice to the characters in their own mind.
Beyond the artistic freedoms, audiobook narration also gives me an incredible amount of flexibility in my home life. My kids are 7 and 10 years old, so the fact that I can start recording each day after I drop them at school and then turn the mic off as soon as it’s time for after-school activities…it’s honestly a dream.
3. Can audio narration be a full time job?
Katie Thompson Narration can absolutely be a full-time career! Right now, I’m juggling part-time narration with being the primary caregiver for my toddler, but I’m lucky enough to be booking projects months in advance. It’s definitely hard work, but for anyone willing to put in the time, energy, and heart, it can be such a rewarding and fulfilling path. |
Phil Gilbert I’ve truly found this industry absolutely welcoming. It’s really amazing. Authors, publishers, readers, and certainly other narrators, are genuinely looking to help one another. It helps a lot that it’s not a zero sum game. So probably the only real obstacle I have found is giving myself the time to develop as a narrator. | Finding my voice - as it stands today - has taken a lot of time in the booth, and there’s really no replacement for that.  |
Amber McCulloch The ability to do your recording, editing and mastering from the comfort of your home and during hours of one’s own choosing is attractive. Which means the industry is seeing a large influx of newbies and hopefuls, who not only have to compete with one another to stand out and secure offers, but also against the advent of AI narration. As a newbie myself, the former facilitated my feet-first jump into the industry, while the second has made me dread losing traction in this job that I am coming to deeply love. So how do I cope? A couple of ways. First, I’ve taken realistic stock of my own willingness to invest in narration and audio work. How much do I love it? How well does it truly fit with my skill set? Am I willing and able to do the research, the practice, invest in the equipment? |
As I find the answers to those questions, I make a plan for how to implement those answers. I make concrete plans for how to get a new microphone, when to look at upgraded booth options, what kind of projects I want to audition for to showcase and work on my range and set realistic goals for when I will give myself the space to reassess. As for the concerns about competition- I decide to lean away from it, and into community. Other narrators, new or not, are not my competition. They are my coworkers. They are my inspiration. They are my encouragement, my teachers; my comrades. The wonderful work they do is less a threat to me than it is a call to do better, to choose better, and to relish the performance that is narration- not just to myself, but to those who would kid themselves into thinking AI could replace any of that. |
5. Any tips on spotting scams?
The best way to spot scams is to do your homework. Take the time to look up authors, publishers, and book titles to make sure everything checks out. Personally, I make it a point to communicate a lot with the authors and publishers I work with—it’s amazing how quickly things can feel “off” if the offer or situation isn’t legit. Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Anyone who’s genuine and truly invested in the project should be more than happy to share information and collaborate to make the process as smooth and successful as possible. Trust your gut and stay curious!
6. Tell us about the work you’re most proud of and any career highlights!
Phil Gilbert I’m in the middle of narrating a multi-book series that sees a group of characters attempting to survive in the modern world after an EMP attack effectively turns off everything that has a computer chip in it. When I listen back to the work I was doing in 2020, I don’t think I had enough understanding of my own voice to properly portray the rollercoaster of emotions that these characters go through in every chapter of a thriller like this. (The books, by the way, are part of the ‘Conquer the Dark’ series by author T.L. Payne.) | I’m also nearing the end of the ‘Veil of Shadows’ series by author M.R. Pritchard. For fans of ACOTAR and other dark fantasy romances, these books have got it all…angels, demons, zombies, heaven, hell, and one bad-ass female lead who doesn’t always keep it together but really is trying. The author took a chance on me early on in my journey, and it has really been a lot of fun to discover and explore the new and old characters in each of these books. |
Katie Thompson  | Some of the best moments in my narration journey have been those unforgettable milestones that remind me why I love what I do. Winning my first award—the Sultry Listeners Award for Best Sci-Fi Romance—was such an incredible honor and a total pinch-me moment. Another highlight has been getting to travel to book signings across the US as a signing narrator, meeting amazing readers and authors who share the same love for storytelling. And most recently, I hit a huge career goal by booking my first audiobook with a Big 5 publisher—a dream I’ve been working toward for years. |
7. On the power of community……….
I adore the community I have found with other narrators, as well as that of authors and readers who value the work narrators put in. Being a beginning narrator can seem fraught with challenges, and as with any freelance job it can feel like you’re going it alone. Reach out, and you realize that you’re not. And if the industry is right for you, you can grow to become right for it.
Katie Thompson I’m part of a bunch of Facebook groups for narrators, authors, and readers, and I love how each one serves a different purpose. Since I fall into all three categories, these groups have become amazing spaces for asking questions, sharing recommendations, finding encouragement, and connecting with others in the community. They’ve been such a great resource for me! Just a quick tip: every group has its own set of rules, so take a minute to familiarize yourself with them before jumping in—it’ll make your experience so much smoother. | To name a few: |
Noticeboard
Opportunity Corner
Producer/Coach vacancy at CitizenRacecar CitizenRacecar seeks a motivated producer ORcoach in or near Frederick, Maryland to help teach the next generation of audio journalists! | 2025 Voices Fellowship Voices is a student fellowship program that provides aspiring journalists with career-ready skills to succeed in the continually-evolving media landscape. Apply here |
Events
Brand Podcast Summit , 2025 (Online)This is a virtual event for marketers, founders and business owners looking to make podcasting work for their brand. Venue: Online Cost: Free Register Here | Voiceover connect conference (Port Harcourt, Nigeria)Date: 14, Dec, 2024 |
Game Developers Conference 2025 (San Fransisco, CAThis event brings together programmers, artists, producers, game designers, audio professionals, and business leaders, tto shape the world's leading entertainment industry across five days of education, innovation, and networking. Date: 17-21 March,2025
| Voiceover Atlanta Conference (Atlanta, GA) This is the go-to event for VO professionals to stay up-to-date with trends, performance skills, best practices for running solopreneur businesses and to get advice and insight from experts in the industry. Date: 20-23 March, 2025 Register Here |
This week on the ACE podcast club
¡Viva La Festiva! Podcast Join Jacob on this exciting podcast, reviewing fun festivals and interviewing festival organizers and even some of the performers at festivals!  |
Audio Citizens’ Empire Newsletter features audio talent including but not limited to voice artists, spoken word artists, podcasters, public speakers, radio hosts and so on. |