Barb Lyon
Voice Artist

Does the thought of working outside your comfort zone make you pump the brakes? Why? What’s the worst that could happen? I don’t usually go in for character work as a voice actor. I’ve listened to plenty of talent in voiceover workouts who seem so much more skilled than I am, so I often just take a pass. I remember listening to Ron Perlman’s narration of The Strain (highly recommended!) and being blown away. Now that’s character work.

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of getting booked for a voice over job. It’s that perfect mix of excitement, validation, and “let’s do this!” energy. But if we’re being honest, sometimes that rush can make us forget the very basics that set us up for success. I’ve learned over time that preparation isn’t just about making my own job easier. It’s about making my clients’ lives easier, too. When you show up ready, thoughtful, and one step ahead, it builds trust.

I’ll be honest: I don’t love auditioning. In fact, I kind of hate it. Voice over auditions can be really discouraging if you let them. It’s only fun when you’re winning, right? And you certainly don’t win every time. If you spend days submitting auditions with no callbacks or voiceover bookings, it can feel like a weight hanging around your neck. But last week, thanks to a Mel Robbins podcast, I reframed how I look at the whole process of auditioning for voice over work.

When it comes to voiceover work, one truth stands tall: fail to prepare, prepare to fail. If you’ve ever been in a session that felt rushed, bumpy, or full of preventable hiccups, you already know how quickly confidence can slip. But when you show up calm, focused, and ready, you don’t just deliver a read, you deliver an experience that makes creative directors, executive producers, and instructional designers want to call you again and again.

A few years ago, I was working with a client on a project, a video I believe, and it was patched. We had just finished up and we were chatting away, and he had a question that surprised me: what challenge did I want to conquer next. That came out of the blue. It’s kind of a weird question to get from a client, no? I surprised myself with what came out of my mouth next.

Whether it’s a brand anthem, a training video, a thought leadership piece, or a B2B product showcase, the success of a corporate narration depends on more than a polished voice. It’s about interpreting the story beneath the surface. It's the unspoken tone, intention, and pacing that makes a video truly connect.

As voice actors, especially in the eLearning space, we’re often handed a script with little direction. Over the years, okay, decades, I’ve learned that if you pull out the nuggets of info buried in the client’s document, you don’t have to “just read it”. You can record with a deeper knowledge that really shapes the sound of the module. It’s all part of delivering expert narration that’s not only polished and professional, but also compassionate, clear, and engaging.