30 min
How to Sound Natural When Reading a Podcast Script Podcasting with Aaron
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- Design
It seems like some people can get on a podcast or video and sound so effortless and natural. How is this possible? What's the secret?
I got a question from a listener asking how they could improve their speaking voice when reading from a script. Since most of my episodes are scripted, I decided to share everything I've learned about improving my speaking voice and how I read from a script without sounding monotone or boring.
Key Takeaways:
If you want to get better at something, do it everyday, even if it’s just 10-30 minutes.
Telling yourself you’ll never be good at something only keeps you from getting better at it. Instead, try saying, “I’m not good at this yet, but I’m going to put in the time and get better at it.”
Get comfortable with talking out loud and listening back to your recordings. It’s how you get better.
I believe that success comes with skill, so don’t worry if you don’t have a great voice yet. Work on improving and you’ll grow a bigger audience as you improve.
Remember that not everyone is going to like the way you talk. You gotta learn to be ok with that.
The first (and I’d say most important) piece of advice I have for you if you want to improve your ability to read out loud is:
Practice Reading Out Loud Every Day
Jay Britton said this in episode 48, and it’s the best advice I’ve heard: Reading a script out loud is a skill. If you want to get better, practice.
Like all skills, you aren’t born with a natural ability. As you do it more often, you’ll get more comfortable with it, you’ll get better at it, and people will start to notice. They’ll tell you you’re good at it which will increase your confidence and make you want to do it even more.
If you want to get better at something, do it everyday, even if it’s just 10-30 minutes.
Learn to Read Ahead
Another great piece of advice Jay Britton gave was learn to read ahead while you’re reading something out loud.
Reading ahead will feel unnatural at first, but after you do it for awhile it will get easier and you’ll start making less mistakes. You’ll make fewer mistakes because you’ll know which words are coming, and you’ll be less likely to mess up the intonation of a sentence.
Don’t Worry About the Type of Voice You Have, Worry About How Well You Can Use It
We can’t all sound like Ben Toalson or Barry White. Instead of being sad that you don’t have a deep sexy voice, focus instead on being a confident and dynamic speaker. Learn how to use your voice to the best of its abilities.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re speaking:
Use emotion in your voice. Don’t talk like a robot.
Project your voice. Not too loud, but clear and full.
If you mess up, stop, relax, and say the word or sentence over correctly. Don’t freak out or apologize.
Don’t rush. It’s ok to talk a little slower than average if you speak intentionally.
Speak clearly, make sure you say every word correctly (enunciate).
Stop Telling Yourself “I Can’t”
We all have things we’re good at, right? We all have things we’re comfortable with. If you’re telling yourself that you’ll never be good at reading or talking out loud, I need you to stop doing that. You can get better. It just takes practice.
Telling yourself you’ll never be good at something only keeps you from getting better at it. Instead, try saying, “I’m not good at this yet, but I’m going to put in the time and get better at it.”
Work on Your Podcast Voice
You aren’t stuck with the voice that you have. You aren’t stuck with the way that you speak right now. You can practice speaking in a way that people will find interesting.
I think of podcast voice as kind of like Will Farrell’s character’s voice in Anchorman. You want to speak in your voice, just a little slower (if you’re a fast talker), and a little clearer.
Mimic the People With Voices You Like For Practice, But Try to Find Your Own Unique Voice
It seems like some people can get on a podcast or video and sound so effortless and natural. How is this possible? What's the secret?
I got a question from a listener asking how they could improve their speaking voice when reading from a script. Since most of my episodes are scripted, I decided to share everything I've learned about improving my speaking voice and how I read from a script without sounding monotone or boring.
Key Takeaways:
If you want to get better at something, do it everyday, even if it’s just 10-30 minutes.
Telling yourself you’ll never be good at something only keeps you from getting better at it. Instead, try saying, “I’m not good at this yet, but I’m going to put in the time and get better at it.”
Get comfortable with talking out loud and listening back to your recordings. It’s how you get better.
I believe that success comes with skill, so don’t worry if you don’t have a great voice yet. Work on improving and you’ll grow a bigger audience as you improve.
Remember that not everyone is going to like the way you talk. You gotta learn to be ok with that.
The first (and I’d say most important) piece of advice I have for you if you want to improve your ability to read out loud is:
Practice Reading Out Loud Every Day
Jay Britton said this in episode 48, and it’s the best advice I’ve heard: Reading a script out loud is a skill. If you want to get better, practice.
Like all skills, you aren’t born with a natural ability. As you do it more often, you’ll get more comfortable with it, you’ll get better at it, and people will start to notice. They’ll tell you you’re good at it which will increase your confidence and make you want to do it even more.
If you want to get better at something, do it everyday, even if it’s just 10-30 minutes.
Learn to Read Ahead
Another great piece of advice Jay Britton gave was learn to read ahead while you’re reading something out loud.
Reading ahead will feel unnatural at first, but after you do it for awhile it will get easier and you’ll start making less mistakes. You’ll make fewer mistakes because you’ll know which words are coming, and you’ll be less likely to mess up the intonation of a sentence.
Don’t Worry About the Type of Voice You Have, Worry About How Well You Can Use It
We can’t all sound like Ben Toalson or Barry White. Instead of being sad that you don’t have a deep sexy voice, focus instead on being a confident and dynamic speaker. Learn how to use your voice to the best of its abilities.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re speaking:
Use emotion in your voice. Don’t talk like a robot.
Project your voice. Not too loud, but clear and full.
If you mess up, stop, relax, and say the word or sentence over correctly. Don’t freak out or apologize.
Don’t rush. It’s ok to talk a little slower than average if you speak intentionally.
Speak clearly, make sure you say every word correctly (enunciate).
Stop Telling Yourself “I Can’t”
We all have things we’re good at, right? We all have things we’re comfortable with. If you’re telling yourself that you’ll never be good at reading or talking out loud, I need you to stop doing that. You can get better. It just takes practice.
Telling yourself you’ll never be good at something only keeps you from getting better at it. Instead, try saying, “I’m not good at this yet, but I’m going to put in the time and get better at it.”
Work on Your Podcast Voice
You aren’t stuck with the voice that you have. You aren’t stuck with the way that you speak right now. You can practice speaking in a way that people will find interesting.
I think of podcast voice as kind of like Will Farrell’s character’s voice in Anchorman. You want to speak in your voice, just a little slower (if you’re a fast talker), and a little clearer.
Mimic the People With Voices You Like For Practice, But Try to Find Your Own Unique Voice
30 min