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Audiobook Narration: From Setup to Performance

In this episode of Killer Prose, Tanner shares his one-year journey into audiobook narration. He details his initial struggles with recording quality and his gradual shift from podcasting to high-quality VO work. Tanner gets into the technical and financial aspects of setting up a professional recording environment, debunking myths about costly setups. He offers practical advice on equipment, room treatment, and skill development, explaining how he created a professional VO booth on a budget. Tanner also discusses the benefits of producing audio-first content, allowing for a direct connection with audiences and bypassing traditional publishing channels.

00:00 Introduction to Audiobook Narration

00:58 Setting Up a Professional Recording Studio

02:05 Differences Between Podcasting and Audiobook Narration

03:11 Building a Home Studio on a Budget

09:16 Improving Your Voice Acting Skills

10:39 Embracing Audio-First Content

13:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Connect with the Killer Prose at: https://www.killerprose.com

Connect with me and sign up for my newsletter at https://tannerrutledgebooks.com/

Email me at: killerpenbooks@gmail.com

Connect with me on FB at: https://www.facebook.com/writingfright

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/killerprosepodcast/

VO Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tannerrutledgevo/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ1HGx45K7dwaYIRJg_VcYQ?themeRefresh=1

Joe Zieja's Voice Acting Academy: https://learnvoiceacting.com/

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About the Podcast

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Killer Prose

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About your host

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Tanner Rutledge

Tanner Rutledge writes small-town mysteries and supernatural thrillers. Before turning to fiction, he spent 15 years as a private investigator, working on everything from missing persons to homicide cases. Those years gave him an intimate understanding of motivation and the quick thinking it takes to crack a case.

Tanner’s love of storytelling started early. He was the kid who wrote spooky tales for his second-grade classmates and stayed was always up late reading Stephen King and RL Stine under the covers. In college, he studied criminal justice but couldn’t stay away from creative writing and literature classes. When the world shut down in 2020, he finally gave himself permission to shift his focus back to writing and hasn’t looked back since.

He also hosts The Killer Prose Podcast, where he talks about the craft of writing, creativity, and the strange overlap between true crime and the paranormal.

When he’s not writing, you can usually find him spending time with his family or hanging out with his little black cat, Broccoli—his constant companion and occasional editor.