Advice for a stumbler

[Ray White]

I wonder if anyone has some advice for a stumbler... When I try to read my lines, I often stumble on them. (Mispronounce words or say wrong words.) I mess up eight out of ten lines. I have to re-read the sentences over and over again. Sometimes I re-read a single line ten times, and mess up on the same word! Every time! I just start over, and mess up again and again. Finally, I get through that line, but mess up on the next one. And the whole thing starts over again. Sometimes I can get through a single line without a mistake, but not often.

I've tried to take breaks. I've tried to push through it. I just don't know what to do to get past this.

I understand that I can edit out the bad stuff, but there is so much that I get discouraged and quit.

[Jeffrey Kafer - Male Voice talent]

Hi Ray,

Ain't easy is it? To be honest, this is why professional narrators (such as myself) get paid to do the work. However, take comfort in knowing that we never deliver perfect readings the first time through. There are, however, some things you can do to improve your reading.

1) Print out your copy in double spaced 12 point font. If you are reading at single spaced font, you're eyes can get very tired. Spread it out to give your eyes a break.
2) Mark up your copy. Underline words that need emphasis. Highlight things that are important. Add marks for pauses. This will give your brain something to do while reading. Sounds odd, but it's true.
3) Take breaks often. Bring water to your recording area.
4) Make a conscious effort to s l o w d o w n. My guess is that when your stumbling, you're flying through the copy. You do not want your stuff to be rushed. This is usually the number one mistake by amateurs.

Good luck! With some practice, you'll get more comfortable.

[P.G. Holyfield]

All great advice from Jeffrey (especially #4). As a stumbler myself, one thing that helps me more than anyrthing else (other than the aforementioned slowwww down), I advise reading your script out loud in its entirety before getting in front of you microphone.

Figure out all of the inflections you want to use... where you want to vary your pacing... work on those problem phrases before you add the pressure of a live mic.

[Margy Rydzynski]

This is great advice. Nice to hear it from a recording professional!

Margy

[Ray White]

Thank you, guys! I'm usually a very persistent person. But this is testing the limits of my abilities. I'm not a public speaker. It took me five years to get used to talking on the phone with customers.

I will read the chapter out loud twice before recording, and I will read slowly.

[Mike Sharpe]

That sound Like me Ray..

Honestly, If you heard me on the phone you're lucky!

[Frank Marcopolos]

practice, practice, practice. and a shot of whiskey.

frank

[Jeffrey Hite]

I think these are all great advice. I stubble as well and it often takes me 5 or 6 pases to get things right. I have gotten better with practice. Now I can usually do it in two shots versus 5 or 6. I find that reading the copy out loud before hand helps some.

Also, getting someone else to read it out loud to me so I can hear it read helps. If you can't get anyone or don't want anyone else to read it to you, and can handle listening to a computer voice (like Alex if you have an Apple) I usually have read it to me right before I to the reading. This helps me catch last minute edits as well, since the computer will read exactly what you have written and nothing else.

The only other advice is to take things one line at a time. I know I start to feel rushed and anxious, and make more mistakes when I start thinking about everything that I have to read. If I can see or concentrate on just one line at a time it helps. Tell yourself I just need to read this one line.

Good Luck - Jeff

[Dave Hitt]

One more thing - give yourself permission to fail. Worrying about screwing up a line almost guarantees you will. Getting frustrated when it happens makes it more likely it will happen again.

I've been podcasting for three years. I have *never* recorded my rather short show without screwing up at least two or three times. And often, when flubbing a line, I'll flub it *again* on the next try. After the third time I just take a deep breath (literaly), relax, and do it again.

[Liane Carter]

One of the tips I give on workshops for writing and speaking is to imagine stepping into the body of your favourite character. How would he read your book? Would he be cool and calm?
Think of the tools you need to read your book the way you want to read it. Who has those?
Imagine someone laid back. Sit how they would sit, let your shoulders drop. We speed and stumble when we put too much emphasis on what we're doing. Imagine it's not your book. You are getting paid $0.10 per chapter to read it and it's just words. How much effort would you put in now? It's surprising. This helps you take out the nerves and importance. When you put in less effort, you relax and if it isn't your baby it makes it easier. Another thing that Michael Neill a great coach says is to do everything like you really love it, like it really matters. So smile and really enjoy reading it. Imagine you are changing someone's life by reading these lines, that they are just loving every word you say. Or if you are a visual person, imagine every word has to pour over someone's head before you can say the next. This is a great way to slow your pace. Also think about going to a Toastmasters meeting. They're great fun, interesting, you learn loads and get to practice public speaking if you choose to join. Hope one of these tips help. Good luck :)

[Margy Rydzynski]

You're probably tensing up, sitting or standing there in front of a microphone. Try just talking into the microphone, to get used to it. Try reading some other stuff, stuff you'd enjoy hearing back. It takes a bit of practice to get used to it.

Also, try slowing down and reading the material through on your own before going to record it. Then, when you make a mistake just take some time without stopping the machine, take a breath and start the section again. You can edit it out later.

I've found this to be very helpful, especially the part about reading the materials to be recorded out loud several times so that you can develop a rhythm and cadence.

Good luck. Don't choke up. Take a centering breath and keep on going!

Best,
Margy Rydzynski

[Taleseeker]

Thanks for the great advice everyone. I’ve just started narrating a podiobook for someone and I, too, have found I start stumbling. The conscious effort to slow down is definitely crucial – it’s one of the many things I’m learning as I go along – but I never thought about what effect my posture would have.

Two things I would say I’ve learned. Firstly, I’ve found that just as you need to concentrate to slow down, you also need to concentrate to annunciate things much more clearly than you do in casual conversation. I never noticed until now that I actually slur words likes ‘president’, but when editing out the mistakes, I can hear it. I’ve started opening my mouth wider than I usually do when recording in order to help me pronounce things correctly and clearly.

Secondly, I’ve found if you muck up on one of the middle sentences in a paragraph, it’s better to start the whole paragraph again. While you may be happy with the first few sentences, and may be confident you can pick up where you left off with the same tone of voice, the flow is often lost. It’s better to go back and start the paragraph again than to have a sudden, jarring jump in tone and pitch halfway through the paragraph where you’ve edited in a mistake-free sentence.