At the LA Times Festival of Books, moderator Karen Grigsby Bates sat down with four “crown jewels” of the audiobook narration community—Julia Whelan, Dominic Hoffman, January LaVoy, and Scott Brick—to unravel the hidden complexities of their craft.
Far from simply reading words into a microphone, the panel emphasized that audiobook narration is an immersive, full-body acting experience. LaVoy debunked the myth that narration happens solely between the eyes and the throat, describing it instead as a rigorous acting job disguised as a voiceover gig. Hoffman, who recently voiced an extensive cast in James McBride’s The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, echoed this sentiment, noting the “sniper-like focus” required to seamlessly switch between multiple Eastern European, Jewish, and Black dialects without losing the story’s thread.
The discussion also highlighted the logistical realities and immense physical toll of the industry. While Brick and LaVoy utilize external studios to avoid cabin fever, Whelan primarily operates from her home setup. LaVoy revealed that early in her career, she voiced up to 70 books a year—an unsustainable pace that eventually forced her to cap her workload to preserve her physical and mental health.
The panel did not shy away from modern industry tensions, particularly the rise of AI. Whelan championed the value of human imperfection, arguing that a machine cannot replicate the infinite variation of humanity or the deeply ingrained life experiences a voice actor brings to a text. Furthermore, she passionately advocated for a royalty-based compensation model, pointing out the ethical dilemma of narrators receiving only a flat “per finished hour” rate while their performances continue to generate lasting profits.