Finding your voice
“The one thing you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice. Your mind. Your story. Your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.”
I recently spent two fantastic days recording the audio version of my new book, Untangled, at Offbeat Studios in Edinburgh. It was a completely new experience for me (I have to admit that I’ve never even listened to an audio book before, let alone recorded one), but the on-site team was amazing and I soaked up the advice of a very experienced sound engineer and producer. They were incredibly capable and helped me to understand that recording an audio book isn’t just about reading it aloud, it’s about bringing it to life for the listeners.
Throughout those two days I found myself genuinely surprised by the power of the spoken word, and the heartfelt way in which I was able to convey some of the emotion and the sentiment contained in the book. As a result, the Untangled audio book feels like such a work of love and I am delighted with the final product!
Some of the things I learned from the experience are just as applicable to life in general as they are to recording an audio book, which is why I want to share them with you here.
Take advice from those in the know
Whatever you’re involved in, let others with more experience guide you. Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed if you’re starting from zero - we all have to start somewhere.
Immerse yourself in the process (whatever it is)
Even if it’s something totally new and you’re completely unsure of yourself, give yourself permission to jump in and just see what happens! You’ll probably learn a lot, and you’ll almost certainly have fun doing it.
Think about your message
Take some time to reflect on what you stand for, and what your mission and purpose are in life. Once you can answer this question, you’ll know what message you want to convey to the world. We’re all imperfect, so why not let your true self be seen?
Find your voice
Untangled is intended for an international audience, so I knew when I was recording it that it was important to use clear diction and articulate my thoughts and words clearly. But what mattered even more was to make sure that my words - and voice - conveyed the care and compassion that I genuinely feel for people who are living through change.
I’d like to invite you to think about what matters to you, what your message is and how you are conveying it in your day-to-day life. What are you putting across? Take a moment to reflect on not just your words and actions, but the emotion and sentiment behind them. Find your voice. And don’t be afraid to use it.
Untangled is available in bookshops and online (and as an audio book) from November 2023.
