Really interesting insights into the creation of the audio experience. I always wondered whether authors get a say in who voices their words. Do you think Ellen could be ideal to voice all of your varied writing? Or do different styles of your books lend themselves to different voices?
I suspect she could. This is the advantage in working with an experienced actress; she has some very real skills together with a well-lived life to bring breadth and depth to the projects she takes on. I can imagine her reading a gentle picturebook to life, too.
Hello Arthur Meek. What a lovely thing to see you here on Alison's site. She was my amazing MFA thesis Supervisor at UBC. I love it when people from completely different worlds (but not really) somehow connect. Also, reminds me of something I just learnt: "Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous".
Well well well! Hey David! I’ve been back in NZ for a few months and I keep bumping into you on bookshelves - A Man of the People at The Green Dolphin in Auckland, Lovelock’s Dream Run and A Pack of Girls at Playmarket. And here you are! There’s a message in this for me. I’ll hit you up on the FB presently.
Love this article, Alison. "Poetry Voice" is weird...I've experienced it rising up and taking over me when I've tried to read my poetry...and recognise it in others too. It's something about 'performing' and wanting to take it to the next level, but trying too hard and it sounds affected. Actors battle with it all the time. It feels forced because somehow the voice isn't centred and natural. It's because some part of you originally learnt lines and can recite them, but letting go and just allowing / trusting them to flow is so hard to do, particularly if the character is far from your natural state / rhythm. Love the honesty in this and all your work, too. Plus, you spelt exactly 'excatly' when talking about the cat, which is a lovely neologism :) cheers DG
A smile about the "excatly"--which I did find later and change... maybe I'll have to change it back!
The poetry voice. I've had times when I've just had to take a breath and slow ("recalibrating?") Centred and natural. It's tough--especially when you're one of many sharing your work and all around is that tone. To ponder, and work on. Maybe it says something about the need to read poetry aloud on one's own to find the voice.
Thank you for this beautifully detailed picture of what collaboration looks like Alison! As a loner, I know it often takes me lots of thought and courage to share my work with others. This post is empowering, and I can't wait to listen to the audio of Dance Me to the End!
It struck me, years ago, when an MFA student who at that time was earning a living from screen-writing and working in film... and then she wrote a YA novel in my class, and told me that she found the process so lonely! She was used to the collaborative atmosphere.
It made me pause! and think. Though more and more, for me, only the writing piece is alone. Between sharing with a writing group and so many others as part of bringing the work out to the world--altogether it makes me feel that the writing time is precious.
And each part makes me not take the others for granted--the beautiful solitude, and the connections with others.
I heard Lucy Ellman read from her Ducks, Newburyport one evening on the CBC. After that, I couldn’t imagine anybody but Ms. Ellman reading it, all 45 hours of it. An actor read it for the audiobook. Nowhere near as well based on the sample I heard. It sounded like ‘actor’s voice’.
With Ellen Dubin, I think I have the best. She reads as I hear the voice in my head. I think I've been most fortunate in this, truly. No "actor's voice"--she's real.
Really interesting insights into the creation of the audio experience. I always wondered whether authors get a say in who voices their words. Do you think Ellen could be ideal to voice all of your varied writing? Or do different styles of your books lend themselves to different voices?
I suspect she could. This is the advantage in working with an experienced actress; she has some very real skills together with a well-lived life to bring breadth and depth to the projects she takes on. I can imagine her reading a gentle picturebook to life, too.
Hello Arthur Meek. What a lovely thing to see you here on Alison's site. She was my amazing MFA thesis Supervisor at UBC. I love it when people from completely different worlds (but not really) somehow connect. Also, reminds me of something I just learnt: "Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous".
David! I love the quote--thank you for sharing those words. And for your other and kind words, too. I'm so glad you're here.
Well well well! Hey David! I’ve been back in NZ for a few months and I keep bumping into you on bookshelves - A Man of the People at The Green Dolphin in Auckland, Lovelock’s Dream Run and A Pack of Girls at Playmarket. And here you are! There’s a message in this for me. I’ll hit you up on the FB presently.
Love this article, Alison. "Poetry Voice" is weird...I've experienced it rising up and taking over me when I've tried to read my poetry...and recognise it in others too. It's something about 'performing' and wanting to take it to the next level, but trying too hard and it sounds affected. Actors battle with it all the time. It feels forced because somehow the voice isn't centred and natural. It's because some part of you originally learnt lines and can recite them, but letting go and just allowing / trusting them to flow is so hard to do, particularly if the character is far from your natural state / rhythm. Love the honesty in this and all your work, too. Plus, you spelt exactly 'excatly' when talking about the cat, which is a lovely neologism :) cheers DG
A smile about the "excatly"--which I did find later and change... maybe I'll have to change it back!
The poetry voice. I've had times when I've just had to take a breath and slow ("recalibrating?") Centred and natural. It's tough--especially when you're one of many sharing your work and all around is that tone. To ponder, and work on. Maybe it says something about the need to read poetry aloud on one's own to find the voice.
Thank you for this beautifully detailed picture of what collaboration looks like Alison! As a loner, I know it often takes me lots of thought and courage to share my work with others. This post is empowering, and I can't wait to listen to the audio of Dance Me to the End!
It struck me, years ago, when an MFA student who at that time was earning a living from screen-writing and working in film... and then she wrote a YA novel in my class, and told me that she found the process so lonely! She was used to the collaborative atmosphere.
It made me pause! and think. Though more and more, for me, only the writing piece is alone. Between sharing with a writing group and so many others as part of bringing the work out to the world--altogether it makes me feel that the writing time is precious.
And each part makes me not take the others for granted--the beautiful solitude, and the connections with others.
Thank, Njamba! So good to see you here!
I heard Lucy Ellman read from her Ducks, Newburyport one evening on the CBC. After that, I couldn’t imagine anybody but Ms. Ellman reading it, all 45 hours of it. An actor read it for the audiobook. Nowhere near as well based on the sample I heard. It sounded like ‘actor’s voice’.
Audiobook of Dance Me etc.: Brave.
With Ellen Dubin, I think I have the best. She reads as I hear the voice in my head. I think I've been most fortunate in this, truly. No "actor's voice"--she's real.