What fun to talk about radio with a fellow on-air talent, podcast host, and radio enthusiast John Leslie. These days I am usually the one asking the questions, but for this fun conversation the tables were turned.

Thanks for a really fun hour (and change) chatting about radio, audiobooks, voiceover, writing, acting, improv, empathy, and life/work balance.

As a podcast host (and voiceover actor), I listen to – and edit – a lot of voices. Here are the five biggest turn-offs for podcast producers and listeners. The good news? You can fix these! Work at it, and you’ll know how to be a better podcast guest – and get invited back again. […]

My daughter has rediscovered books – ones without pictures! After a few years of toddler-wrangling (she had 3 babies in 2 1/2 years, now all still under 5 years old), she’s finally finding some time to read books that she can recommend to me. We discuss books! This is the first time since, well, her […]

If you become an audiobook narrator, prepare yourself to have some sort of relationship?with the author – especially if it’s a memoir. This can be imagined (especially if the author is no longer living, duh), supported with visuals and audio (you’ve done some research on YouTube, etc.) or, sometimes, it becomes a collaboration with a […]

First lesson you learn while narrating non-fiction:You may tend to become an instant expert on whatever topic you're immersed in while recording. Sooo annoying, I know. But we can't help it! There are 4 more lessons too !

…or why I probably won’t be wishing you happy birthday on Facebook anymore (unless you are family). Apologies in advance. I love you anyway. Every Monday Morning, and once a month in two other cases, I log onto google hangouts and meet with my voiceover mastermind peeps. These groups were born at faffcon and WoVO […]

Some days in the voiceover business are a real ego boost. You get nominated for an Audie Award. A friend from high school calls to say he “heard your voice on TV”, or listened to an audiobook you narrated. You get to work with a celebrity on an animated series (and discover that she is […]

Reality check, with a question: Do you find it more difficult than you’d thought it would be to get, and keep getting, work as a voice talent in 2015? I’m not one to wax poetic about the past. Change is, at best, exciting; at the very least, it’s inevitable. And certainly the voiceover business has […]

Hi, my name is Randye and I’ve lost my VOJO. (If you haven’t had your caffeine yet this morning and can’t guess, I will define VOJO for you: Voice Over plus Mojo/motivation. Got it? Now go to Starbucks, already). We all need VOJO, and we need to reignite it now and again – or daily. […]

re the myth of "downtime " for voice talents, i.e. between bookings: there is none. Other than vacations and "personal days", these are really the times we must be building our business and our skills.

There are a lot of surprises for aspiring voice talents who cross my path either as a student via Edge Studio, or just at, say, a party. You know, the ones with “such a nice voice” who need to read Dave Courvoisier’s book ( or any of the other amazing resources I blogged about a […]

For mental and physical health, make room for actual physical contact with other real live humans - and the world outside our sound-dampened spaces. Conferences like Faffcamp, and/or get outside and play!

Dear aspiring Voiceover Talent: This is a business that requires you to be self-starter. Get good at it, learn all you can, and then you must build your business. Some resources to get you started, from this very generous VO community!

When I was 17 years old, I made a vow that I would never work a Monday-Friday 9-to-5 job. It made sense at the time. I’d just finished ten weeks doing just that in Manhattan, the summer before college, to earn tuition money. It had seemed like a great opportunity, assisting in the publicity department […]

Listen, oh newbies, and you shall hear of the way things were for the (…um…) voiceketeer… (ooh! reserving that domain name right now!) Whether you’re just starting your career as a voice talent, or have been at it for a few years, you’ve probably heard from some more seasoned talents that “the voiceover ?business has […]

What? Didn't meet all your monthly voiceover goals? Look at what you did get done -both on the checklist and off it. Transfer those "un-done" tasks to the next month - and celebrate what happened instead.

Want to begin or expand your career in Voice Overs? You will hear this question, I guarantee it: “But there is so much competition. Why even bother?” Yep. That nay-sayer (even if it’s your own inner thoughts) is quite correct. Sorry, but it’s true…..well, at least the first half of the sentence is. How to […]

When you hear an ad on the radio, do you change the station, or do you listen and evaluate? Believable or fake? Interesting use of technique? The talent’s voice quality, emotional choice, use or pitch? Unusual accent or character? If you listen actively, and – even better – if you then imitate what you heard […]

You must invest in your voice over business to keep it alive, to help it grow, to help you grow - as artist, businessperson, a skilled talent in all the forms that this ever-changing business requires. Voice Over Virtual is a great investment.

When I created my Voice-Over website with the amazing folks at Artist Upgrade, we wrestled with the age-old question (well, for voice talents, anyway): “Just” a Voice Talent, or? More? I opted for the latter. Yes, I am a full-time voice talent. My VO clients are my highest work priority. If you book me, the […]