Hire a professional audiobook narrator

Audiobook voice actors are used across a wide range of long-form narration projects, from fiction and novels to non-fiction, biographies, business books, and educational content. Each genre requires a slightly different approach — storytelling and character differentiation for fiction, clarity and pacing for non-fiction, and authority for professional or academic material. Beyond traditional audiobooks, the same narration style is often used for podcasts, audio guides, and eLearning content where a consistent and engaging voice is essential over longer durations. At GoLocalise, we match each project with a narrator who suits the tone, audience, and style of the content, ensuring a natural and immersive listening experience from start to finish.

Yes — and it’s a key part of the process. We offer free voice over casting, allowing you to listen to a selection of audiobook narrators before making your choice. We can also create custom audition samples using excerpts from your manuscript, so you can hear how each narrator handles your specific content. This is especially important for audiobooks, where tone, pacing, and consistency play a major role over many hours of narration. It ensures you feel confident in your choice before moving into full production.

Using a professional audiobook voice over ensures your content is engaging, clear, and easy to follow for listeners. A skilled narrator knows how to maintain consistent pacing, bring characters or ideas to life, and keep the audience engaged throughout long listening sessions. Audiobooks also make your content more accessible and versatile, allowing audiences to consume it on the go. Whether you’re publishing a novel, a business book, or training material, high-quality narration can significantly enhance the overall experience and perceived value of your content. Working with experienced narrators and a professional production team ensures your audiobook meets industry standards and delivers a polished final product.

The timeline depends on the length and complexity of the book, but as a general guide, one finished hour of audio typically requires several hours of recording, editing, and quality control. A full audiobook can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to complete. We always provide a clear schedule upfront based on your manuscript, deadlines, and production requirements, ensuring a smooth and predictable process.

Audiobook pricing varies depending on factors such as the length of the script, the narrator’s experience, usage rights, and production requirements. Some projects are priced per finished hour, while others are quoted as a complete package including recording, editing, and mastering. At GoLocalise, we provide tailored quotes based on your specific project, ensuring you get the right balance between quality, budget, and turnaround time.

Just send us your script or files, your deadline and any references for the style you want. We will recommend the best approach, share a quote and, once approved, get straight into production with a dedicated project manager as your single point of contact.

Casting from your own manuscript, an agreed pronunciation list, recording in our Central London studios, full editing with mouth-noise and breath clean-up, proof-listening against the text, mastering to retail specification and chaptered files ready to upload — one project manager across all of it.

Yes — we produce audiobooks in over 100 languages. Bear in mind that a translated manuscript rarely matches the original for length, so a nine-hour English title can run past eleven in Spanish or German. We factor that into the schedule and the quote before you commit.

Yes, and for audiobooks we would rather you heard your own book than a showreel. Send a chapter and shortlisted narrators will record from it, so you can judge stamina and character work on your actual prose.

Delivered chapter by chapter to retail specification — typically 44.1 kHz mono MP3 at 192 kbps with RMS between -23 and -18 dB, peaks under -3 dB and a noise floor below -60 dBFS — plus the WAV masters and a retail sample.

Less than people expect: the script, or the draft of it, its total running time or word count, where the recording will be used, and the date you need it by. If the script is not signed off yet, send the draft anyway — we would rather quote on what exists than wait for a version that eats your deadline. A named project manager comes back with an itemised quote, normally within four working hours.

More than half of enquiries get a reply within thirty minutes during office hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm UK time), and the itemised quote normally follows within four working hours. After that you have one dedicated project manager who owns the job from brief to final file — not a ticket queue, and not a different name on every email. If it is easier, call +44 207 095 5730 and ask for them by name.