You’ve been training. You’re working as an actor, even. But it doesn’t feel sustainable yet, because you’re spending so much time and energy on side jobs that have nothing to do with your art. 

 

Then an audition or callback lands…and you’re already running on fumes.

 

Can you relate?

 

That was me back when I lived in New York City. I was convinced NYC was where I was meant to be, the place my acting dreams of theatre and TV/film would finally click into place. But it wasn’t my path. For me, the big city felt unrelentingly oppressive. I was exhausted, lonely, and broke.

 

It took moving back to my home town for me to see that success in acting doesn’t have to look just one way. When I stopped trying to force the path I had imagined at 5 years old, and instead learned how to chart my own, I found opportunities I hadn’t seen before, and I finally started building a career that fit me. My life changed.

I put my acting tools to work across multiple mediums, and I earned good money from my craft. Honestly, for me, that was the dream.

Today, I make a full-time living as a creative – acting, coaching, creating, and running a multiple six-figure business that supports not just me, but my partner and our team of fellow creatives.

And the best part? No more side hustles that aren’t aligned. Through my acting work, I have health insurance and contribute to a pension. I even became the breadwinner in my family (from acting work alone!), and that stability helped my husband leave a job he didn’t love so he could pursue creative work full-time too.

All of this became possible because I discovered Audiobook Narration.

Did you know audiobook producers and publishers are always looking for “new to them” talent – trained actors who are ready to put their skills to work?

Yup.

I’ve narrated 200 audiobooks, and I’ve helped hundreds of actors do the same, booking work directly with publishers through The Great Audiobook Adventure™ framework.

Here are three reasons to consider narrating audiobooks:

1. It makes use of every acting tool you have.

Not only do you get to voice the narrator and live inside the main character, you also bring every single character in the book to life.

Finally, all that training gets to work: script analysis, character creation, breath support, vocal technique, stamina, emotional truth, even improv. And because I’m acting in audiobooks all the time, my skills stay sharp. My cold reading improved drastically, and my confidence grew in a way I didn’t expect.

2. Better odds of casting opportunities.

Tens of thousands of audiobooks are produced every year, and far fewer actors are actively pursuing this lane compared to TV/film.

Translation: there’s demand, there’s space, and there are decision-makers who genuinely need trained actors who can deliver. Producers and publishers are looking for new voices, and if you’re already an actor, you’re not starting from zero, you’re starting from trained.

3. Fewer auditions. More bookings.

I’ve narrated 200 audiobooks, and at least 100 of those were direct offers, meaning I didn’t audition at all.

Sometimes it was a repeat client who already trusted my work. Other times, someone heard my samples, saw my materials, and felt confident I was the right fit.

And here’s what’s especially cool about publisher auditions: when you build relationships directly with publishers, and they do reach out with an audition, you’re often one of just a handful of narrators they’ve invited. It’s a totally different experience than competing with hundreds (or thousands) of submissions in other corners of the industry.

 

Want to explore this path for yourself?

If you’re curious about breaking into the audiobook publishing industry, you’re invited to my free class Narrate Your Way to Abundance. Together, we’ll explore whether audiobook narration is a good fit for you, and I’ll teach you three tools you need to start working with publishers.

Head to www.audiobookadventure.com/class to register, and I’ll see you there. 

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Elise Arsenault (she/her) is an award-winning actor, audiobook narrator, TEDx speaker, and host of the SOVAS-nominated The Global Actor™ Podcast. Founder of The Global Actor™ and co-creator (with her partner Justin Marra) of The Great Audiobook Adventure™, Elise helps trained actors turn their craft into sustainable, values-aligned careers including audiobook work directly with publishers. Her performance credits span regional theatre, television, national commercials, video games, and 200+ audiobooks. She received an AudioFile Earphones Award and a SOVAS nomination for her narration of Madonna: A Rebel Life.