The Inspiration:
AudiobookAid.com was inspired by my mother. I was five years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The horror of my family’s situation only compounded as a pipe burst in the cold Alaska winter and my house flooded. My father’s job kept him away from the house for up to twelve hours every day.
Alone, scared, and with the wildness of the world breaking down any place of refuge, my mother looked to her children for purpose. She wanted us kids to remember her voice if she were to pass away. She sat herself down one day, and while the fresh paint dried on the recently replaced dry wall of our home, she recorded books from series such as “The Magic Tree House”, “Junie B. Jones”, and more.
After surviving multiple battles with cancer, she still records her voice to this day.
Audiobooks are a testament to me of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of impossible odds. They are a gift that we give to those who will come after us.
A Summary:
AudiobookAid.com is a website dedicated to helping people who want to narrate audiobooks gain a foothold in the surprisingly cut throat audiobook industry.
The weblog section of the website contains resources on how to begin the journey of becoming an audiobook narrator. These resources teach how to take full advantage of microphones, software, recording strategies, voice exercises, and networking opportunities.
The contact page can be used to request help or for new posts to be made addressing specific questions. It also serves as the front end of our networking strategy, where narrators who want to get a first book under their belt, and authors who want a book narrated can go to get connected with one another.
Our model prioritizes newcomers, and helps get them to a point where they are more marketable to websites such as ACX and Findaway Voices.
The project was presented at a Senior Showcase at BYU-Idaho:
Here’s a breakdown of the time spent on the project:
Project Materials:
The project materials included usage of WordPress and the WH4S web hosting service. Also included in concept generation was ChatGPT, which helped with formatting the bone structure of the blog posts. Other websites which contributed to research information are attributed on the site.
Materials for the presentation were provided by donation by Sophia Bird.
As we strive for a better world, it’s important to remember the culture, love, and society we come from to guide our steps to where we are going. It is, after all, the shoulders of terrified yet resolute giants upon which we stand.