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Regional dialects / strange accents

Hello. I'm new to Podiobooks, but want to make a recording of my own book for release here. However, I'm Irish and have quite a strange regional accent. How acceptable would it be to release an audiobook with the narrator speaking in a regional accent? Does this generally work against the book's favour?

Also, the novel is the first person narrative of a resident of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., so would narrating it myself completely ruin the story's credibility? Any thoughts?

And finally, if I decide to have somebody else narrate the story -- have you any ideas where I can find some American accented volunteers?

Thanks!

Dave

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David "Grizzly" Smith on June 21, 2009 at 8:42pm: People will cut a certain amount of slack for an author reading their own work, and doing their best. You might well be fine.

As for volunteers, Hmmm... Well, I just finished my last project. I've done five different Public Domain books, so I'm used to reading other folks' stuff. Otherwise, here, you'll encounter mostly authors working on recording their own work. Might have better luck doing the primary narration yourself with or without other people reading dialogue for your characters.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Brian Rollins on June 22, 2009 at 8:05am: It might be a little distracting. Can the resident of PA be a transplant from the old country? Just a thought.

Check out David Alan Stern's stuff of dialects. He does both stuff for Americans wanting to do foreign accents, but he also has a series on "Americanizing" yourself, if you're not a native.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David R. O'Keeffe on June 22, 2009 at 3:44pm: Thanks for the feedback, guys. This is some really helpful stuff.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by John Dodds on June 24, 2009 at 1:19am: Hi, David,

Regional accents are great. We need to keep them. It would be a damned shame if podcasts were all recorded with a mid Atlantic or US accent. I am Scots, and have just started recording my own stuff, but also I've had two stories of mine broadcast on podcast magazines, one by an American woman (Rapunzel's Room on www.pseudopod.org) and another by an Englishman (Crossing the Border on www.crimewav.com). On both sites you'll find a mix of accents - listen to Grave of Ships on Pseudopod - that's a West Country accent (oh-aar). I think the main things is to speak clearly. Good luck.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David R. O'Keeffe on June 24, 2009 at 4:50am: Thanks John. I'll give it a crack -- I'll record the first chapter or so and post it up here. Then the community can tell me if it works or not.

I can't believe I didn't post a link to my work -- I mean, it's free and everything. http://www.latethursday.com; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by James Keeling on June 24, 2009 at 1:40pm: Ooo... interesting question... Definately try it with your own voice first. I can't tell you how much we americans enjoy hearing accents from the old country... There are a number of podiobooks that would be merely mundane without the addition of the English or Scottish accents... Give it a go with a first chapter and post it up here. We'd be happy to give it a listen...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Kafer - Male Voice talent on June 24, 2009 at 4:17pm: I think it would be very odd for someone with a non-American accent reading a first-person narrative of someone from Pennsylvania. While the audience might get used to it, it could be very confusing.

If it was 3rd person, it would be OK. But first person? Not so much.; ▶ Reply to This

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