Transmission of information and stories via the oral medium is the origin of all narrative. It is not surprising, therefore, that its appeal continues to be universal in the modern era. Part of the reason is convenience. When life keeps people too busy to sit down and read they can still listen to an audio rendition as they travel from one destination to another, complete the chores or perform a hobby.
I've always loved reading yet being read to held certain special glow. Part of it was the family interaction. When dad read to my sister and I he was theatrically engaged, performing unique character voices and gesticulating to embellish the story. Our mother's readings were less dramatic yet more contemplative, encouraging reflection of the material. I appreciate both methods of storytelling and would place my own style as somewhere between the two.
My readings lack the exuberance of my father's yet I am gradually expanding my repertoire of voices and inflections. The voice I use when reading description is soft and I imagine that some of the thoughts I have while reading are subtly communicated through my voice. The creation of unique voices, complete with accents, is an area of audio storytelling that I must work at improving. Even before I decided to create audio renditions of my work I enjoyed reading aloud since it adds another element to even a familiar story.
This topic is relevant since I have begun experimenting with narrating some of my short stories. I love the idea of bringing them to life in another medium and thereby making them more accessible. In addition to improving my reading technique, the issue of audio technology is a new area I must navigate. A quality microphone is key as well as the software to capture the recordings then share them with the wider world.
At the moment I am exploring using Windows Movie Maker to create a video file that I can upload to Youtube. Much like the other audio books and stories that can be found there, I would use an image associated with the story but the entertainment value would come exclusively from the audio content.
What are your thoughts on audio stories? What do you like or dislike about ones you've heard?
I've always loved reading yet being read to held certain special glow. Part of it was the family interaction. When dad read to my sister and I he was theatrically engaged, performing unique character voices and gesticulating to embellish the story. Our mother's readings were less dramatic yet more contemplative, encouraging reflection of the material. I appreciate both methods of storytelling and would place my own style as somewhere between the two.
My readings lack the exuberance of my father's yet I am gradually expanding my repertoire of voices and inflections. The voice I use when reading description is soft and I imagine that some of the thoughts I have while reading are subtly communicated through my voice. The creation of unique voices, complete with accents, is an area of audio storytelling that I must work at improving. Even before I decided to create audio renditions of my work I enjoyed reading aloud since it adds another element to even a familiar story.
This topic is relevant since I have begun experimenting with narrating some of my short stories. I love the idea of bringing them to life in another medium and thereby making them more accessible. In addition to improving my reading technique, the issue of audio technology is a new area I must navigate. A quality microphone is key as well as the software to capture the recordings then share them with the wider world.
At the moment I am exploring using Windows Movie Maker to create a video file that I can upload to Youtube. Much like the other audio books and stories that can be found there, I would use an image associated with the story but the entertainment value would come exclusively from the audio content.
What are your thoughts on audio stories? What do you like or dislike about ones you've heard?
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