You’d think that voice-over pros always have something to talk about, but what happens when someone’s not feeding them any lines?
Would they still have something interesting to say, or would they be less vocal without a mic and a script?
Well, judging by the many voice-over blogs you can find online, we can’t seem to shut up.
And if we cannot talk, we must type.
Take me, for instance. You know I can’t stop yammering, and I am sure I’m not alone. Why is that? Is there really that much to blabber and blog about?
Yes, there isn’t!
MOO!
I’ve come to the conclusion that VO-Pros and cows have one thing in common: they are ruminants. Most ruminants have four stomachs.
The first stomach chamber (the “rumen”) is the chamber in which large amounts of food are stored and softened. Once it is processed, it is regurgitated and chewed and digested again in different chambers.
At the end there’s only one thing left: bullsh*t.
What I just described is the recycling of supposedly “hot voice-over topics” you and I like to ruminate about. Every year, the same issues and trends resurface, and they are milked and milked until there’s nothing left but utter claptrap.
Here is my shortlist of some of the most boring issues in our business:
- PC or Mac?
- Are Pay-to-Plays worth the money?
- ISDN: must or rust?
- Do real pros only use ProTools?
- Headphones or no headphones?
- Do you perform better while sitting, standing up or laying down?
- Could a headshot help or hurt your voice-over career?
- My mic is better than your mic.
- Union or Non-Union?
- Should I slate or watermark my demo?
- Social Media: indispensable tools or magnificent distraction?
- What did Stephanie Ciccarelli have for lunch?
- How to succeed in voice-overs without really trying.
- What would Don LaFontaine do?
- Remedies for dry mouth and sore throat.
- Harlan Hogan’s next big Porta-something.
- Do egg cartons really help soundproof a room?
- Joan Baker in a bikini.
- Are celebrities stealing our business?
- Is it “voice-over” or “voiceover”?
- Why isn’t there an Oscar or an Emmy for Best Narrator?
- Why Ted Williams?
- What the heck is “neutral English”?
- How many “followers” and “friends” does one need in order to be deemed relevant?
- Don’t talk to me about reasonable rates. It’s just beer money.
- When does self-promotion become spamming?
MEA CULPA
I will be the first one to admit that I have sinned by writing about some of these topics myself. That’s why I solemnly vow to not behave like a cow. For my own sanity and yours, I will seek out greener pastures and find more exciting things to write about, and I challenge you to do the same.
Rumination might be good for our bovine friends, but “obsessive or abnormal reflection upon an idea or deliberation over a choice” may lead to depression in humans, says Yale University psychologist Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, PhD. Rumination may also weaken thinking and problem-solving, and drive away critical social support.
In other words, by chewing over the stories of the past, we might actually un-enlighten and isolate ourselves. That must be the last thing any serious blogger would hope to achieve.
Ruminating is not illuminating.
Now, chew on that for a while!
Paul Strikwerda ©nethervoice
PS Be sweet. Please retweet!
Thanks Paul,
It’ll be great to move on, REALLY!
• Landed VO Job Statistics, their usage (or mis-usage) and what they really mean (or don’t).
• Are there REALLY enough jobs to meet the demand from Voice-Over artists (or is it simply a statistical impossibility)?
• Why has common courtesy gone out the window? (I spent my time auditioning…why can’t the requestor write “thanks, but your audition sucks…and we’re using somebody else!”)
• Phone patch – remote direction with just a few Hertz of quality…”I just want to hear the inflection…REALLY!”
Terrific, Phil. I’m totally with you!
This response was posted by Perry Norton on Facebook:
As for inane topics, how about, “Is Voice Over One Word or Two?”
Seriously though, for me, the curious thing is HOW people are using their blogs. While I am the glad reader of voice over blogs (there are jewels of tips to be had, and I read your blog regularly) — but while I am sincerely humbled by the generosity of our v/o community — I don’t understand why we blog to each OTHER.
Do we agree that blogging is primarily a marketing tool to generate interest in one’s services? Do architects or house cleaners market to other engineers and house cleaners? There’s so much creativity out there, I don’t know why all these good folks don’t put it to use toward their target market.
I suspect that all the ad and multimedia agencies out there don’t care how we get around a PC or noise issue – they want to know that we understand THEM, that we have a solution to a problem for THEM, that we understand THEIR needs. How about more blogs in that vein?
Paul,
You’re really on hit with this topic! Seperating the dross from the silver (or the blog from the blather) in the this industry is hard work . I’m no technophobe but my eyes glaze over when blogs and post boast of who has the biggest mike, home studio, editing software, ect. Soooo, I read very few vo blogs with the obvious exception of this one. I look for industry nuts and bolts to build my business. I’ve come across some good information here! But I still have to seperate the silver from the dross:0)
That’s what you have to do to strike gold, Maurice. There are some fine colleagues with some mighty fine blogs, but it’s time we start looking outward instead of inward.
You have great points as always Paul. But please consider that what may seem inane and superfluous to master craftsmen like you, may be of great interest to those of us who are at the apprentice and journeymen level. I may not be able to offer you work, but always enjoy reading whatever you write.
Good point, Robert. But in this digital age, not much gets lost and one can always delve into the archives of the blogosphere. I want fresh and original content.
I am not looking for work, by the way. Work is looking for me!
Paul,
I find myself spending less and less time in the online v.o. troughs. Quite frankly, I got to the point where I was boring myself.
I do bite my tongue every now and again and stop myself mid-type from saying something like “No, the problem is you suck.” or “Just freaking Google it you Jackass, there’s at least 327 searchable threads on the subject that I know of”.
Just for kicks one day, I think I’ll try to find out exactly how many times I’ve sugested to someone online that they should look into welding instead of voice over. As for voiceover or voice over, it woold seem that most of my reference material dating back 10, 15 or 25 years has it as voiceover. I suppose we have all bowed to the will of the Microsoft spell checker.
Oh and for the record, I don’t think we’ve actually discussed the topic of Steven Lowell in a bikini nearly enough. Nor has there been an official poll as far as I know.
Welding is a fitting and noble profession, and welders probably make more than the average voiceover talent. If you like to connect, welding is the way to go. It’s where everything eventually comes together.
The problem is that too many people have bought into the idea that -if theyhave a website, they must have a blog because it’s good for SEO. Just jam-pack your articles with keywords and let Google do the rest.
No one will ever become interesting by writing for search engines instead of for people.
Thanks J.S. for never boring me with your comments. You’re one of the most un-boring people in this business (after Steven Lowell, that is).
Oh jeez, I HAD to get my “Paul-Fix” in for the day. Bravo, Paul! Steve Lowell in a bikini hmmm… Imagine my Mom in a thong… uh, unthink that.
Here’s the link to the picture I just received from Steven:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64575706@N02/5881042335/
I’m not a voiceover artist, just occasional employ one for a project, but the same is true in any industry-related blog. Writing for people rather than search engines is the only way. I have a personal blog but not a professional one because I don’t want to ramble on about the same things someone else has already done well. I’d much rather learn new things and take new turns with my mind than go over the same stuff. On the personal side, I have much more to say. Sometimes. Thanks for sharing so well.
Hello Rebecca, I love your use of poetry to reach levels that almost seem beyond words. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read my prose about voice-over pros!
Thank you for NOT hiding your points,”yammering”s and “suspect”s inside your vessels.
We hebben uitrusting nodig.
That is your writings which all these good folks may need to debate about.
Morgen,I shall Aanraken a few points of sparkling views.
Keep releasing your ‘Mea Culpa’s; it feels I am not alone in the crowds…along with the “Loudness of My Silent Voices” ….
Miné Bilgé
Your comments are as sweet as Turkish Delight, Miné . Thanks for the touch of Dutch!
One item on your list is incorrect: There is a form of American English Speech called by many names, one is, “Standard American English.” I am a degreed voice speech coach and my many many colleagues and I can explain what that is to you if we had the time here but don’t. Standard American English is a form of speech relatively free of regionalisms, dialects, accents in American English. All actors in America know this. Most have to acquire this. Otherwise, for example, an actor from Tennessee or Texas could only voice spots or theatrical scripts set in Tennesee or Texas. If offered a play set in NYC or France, that actor would be unable to do the part. Suffice it to say here, Paul, you do not know of what you speak in this case. In fact, I’m passionate about this subject and have trained countless actors and voice actors and people in public life, TV radio politics, celebrities in America, to speak Standard American English and they have, as a result, made so much more money, expanded their work so far, succeeded so much more. You’ve struck a chord with me because I know this subject with over 30 years’ experience and training. Do not propagate this falsehood my friend. It is so vital people know they can minimize accents, dialects (foreign ones too!) and I also teach ACCENT ACQUISITION. Meryl Streep knows this as do countless others. Need to play an Australian? Puerto Rican cop? What? I can help. Please correct this error.
I admire you very much but please encourage people to clean up their speech for greater success.
Passionate and caring…
Bettye Zoller
VOICESVOICES.COM
(and my online course sponsored by Voiceoverxtra and John Florian in Standard American English acquisition, Minimization of Accents etc. starts late August. Maybe we need you to listen to it?)
Hi Bettye, I assume you are referring to “neutral English”? If that indeed is the case, I don’t believe I was “propagating a falsehood”. I was merely (and jokingly) referring to one of the hot topics of our business.
In the past six months, I have contacted and been contacted by many voice actors from different parts of the globe. It turns out that the term “neutral English” is defined differently, depending on the national context and culture. Standard American English would not be deemed neutral in the U.K. or Australia.
It would be interesting to find out how one conducts an online course to minimize accents, but I have no interest in sounding neutral. Clients hire me for the fact that I sound anything but neutral. Neutral is not a niche.
Neutral or standard American English has many many names. Consult Wikipedia for a start. In my doctoral voice speech training, we learned of languages worldwide and all have many variations within the general language category. It’s very complex and suffice it to say here that I have no interest in changing the way the world speaks. My online course sponsored by voxtra is for actors who are limited vocally because of a pronounced accent or regionalism. For example, Texas is particularly rife with accents, not one, but many, depending on the part of Texas in which one grew up or perhaps lived for awhile. Chicago has city accents that vary from neighborhood to neighborhood. So does NYC. In London, there are many versions of British English spoken. Germany, Switzerland, same…universal. This course is going to purify vowels, improve articulation, minimize regionalisms, soften accents, people never LOSE a mother tongue but as you can see and hear in major film stars and stage actors who assume various roles, an actor can modify and minimize a native accent or dialect and also can acquire new ones! This is the actor’s craft. It’s been important to actors for thousands of years I suppose, and still is a vital skill. I’m teaching basic principles of this in my online course. I also coach privately in-person and by phone or webcam. As a member of VASTA Voice Speech Trainers Assoc., I enjoy the sharing with many colleagues worldwide who also do what I do. So we’re out of the realm of “voice over talk” here and we’re into linguistics and speech modification, voice improvement. Very very complex. Gotta go to work in my recording studio now. All best. Bettye
Standard American English’s equivalent in England would be RP (Received Pronunciation) as a voice over artist, it is considered to be the accent or non accent if you will, to have, if you want to work more regularly. Unless you are famous for your accent, you will be cutting down the amount of gigs you get, if you cannot RP your vowel sounds!
We also have the Northern v the Southern A, Northern short example ask with the A as in ASP, and Southern ask with the A as in are. Southern is RP.
Many thanks for tjhat, Tanya.
In the past I have written about so-called “neutral English” and different accents. Here are the links:
http://wp.me/pBTtY-OK and http://wp.me/pBTtY-1BA
Howdy Paul,
Fur dis cowpoke – I aKchuly liv in ranchn’ kuntrie in Colarada – Yur blog e uthers heps greenhorns lik mee lurn der way round da reight seide uf a mike en how nott to git kicked out uf ah studio. I red one blog, den anuder and den I half ta deecide if’m anee smaarter! Afer 18 munths of walkin dis path I reed fuwer blogs dese days, so I guess I’m learn’ da ropes.
Tanks fur da edukachun. Pleese keepr RSS feed goin!
So loonge pardner,
Carl
Strasburg, CO
Howdy, pardner! I see you’re getting ready for another cattle call in the life of a voice talent. Grab the bull by the horns, my friend and saddle up for a heck of a ride!
Actually Paul, in this business I find it necessary more often than not, to grab the bull by the TAIL, and face the, uh … situation.
That certainly includes all the subjects mentioned, as well as any other offerings from the Department of Redundancy Dept.
You are a great toreador in the voice-over arena, my friend! As the saying goes: the devil is in the tail.
Hi Paul,
I must admit to having a bad case of VO community burnout. And this from someone who runs a VO website! I have been laying low because whenever any ONE thing begins to take over my life, I purposely choose to remove myself for awhile, in order to gain a more holistic perspective. I am tired of all the “chat”-ter, the endless self-promotion (that tries not to be), and the bickering and ego wars that go on (sometimes subtly, sometimes not so…See Paul’s “Elizabeth Grattan” entry above…)
New VO groups are cropping up everyday on LinkedIn, Facebook, and elsewhere. Some of the new ones post way too often, when there is nothing to say. There is an almost desperate plea for new members, to create a validity where none exists. The older ones boast of their growing numbers, while my email inbox is a constant reminder of how many new posts have been added to these group chats in the last hour or two. Where do these people get the time? And, yes, the repetition of information and demand for attention can be mind numbing.
At the end of the day, there is only so much anyone can say about anything before it has all been said. And with so many newbies climbing on the bandwagon, they now have a million ways to find out the same information.
When I started Internet Voice Coach over a year ago, I wanted to create a place that was able to communicate all of this information with an eye on the bigger picture; that voiceover training was not only there to help you possibly find or hone your career, but that it could be a profoundly fun route to finding your true voice, the voice that has the power to move mountains, and hearts, and that you could bring that voice (and the awareness that comes with it) to your workplace, to your family and to your community in a way that can help people understand things clearly, playfully and with great spirit.
Our members are living proof that this works. Finding their voice in this way has opened up new avenues of thought that have taken them down paths they had never considered when first attempting a voiceover career. This is the beauty of the voice. When it is animated by real spirit it can take you into wonderful places of discovery and possibility. Obviously, it can help you sustain a voiceover career as well, but stepping back from it all, as I have lately, makes me realize the importance of moving beyond the voice’s more utilitarian purposes and to extol its potential for the greater good, something that can not often be found in a self-serving chat group.
Humbly yours,
David
Dear David, you’re absolutely right. We often need to step back in order to gain a new perspective. Painters never stay too close to the canvas. Generals get lost on the battefield if they don’t focus on the big picture. Close-ups only reveal part of what is going on in front of the camera.
As a contributor to Internet Voice Coach, I have seen you build a new community, stone by stone. Your emphasis on professional playfullness is something that is missing in so many other sites and groups.
Someone once told Leo Buscaglia: “Life is a serious business, you know.” He answered: “First of all, life is not a business. Secondly, it isn’t serious.”
Once we move beyond the daily chatter of topics that have been regurgitated many times over, we might -at some point- get to the essence of what truly matters: caritas et amor.
LOL very funny post and most engaging after a recent FB ranting of my own about Pay2Plays!
Actually, I still like to check out posts on marketing because that terrain is constantly shifting in this digital age. The rest, having accrued some dirt under these wheels, is yes, rumination… Cud for others!!! I didn’t recognize some of those topics, but bikinis!?!? LOL.
Thanks for your insights and humor… And for always being responsive.
Tell me about it! When I wrote this post, I realized that some of my hot topics would resonate with some people and not with others. It’s like a Vegas buffet. Eat as much as you want, but only take the things you enjoy and recognize.
You forgot my favorite recent LinkedIn ad nauseam rerun (which always appears as a standalone post): “Hi! I’m new to this group! I offer VO services! Yaddayaddayaddayaddayaddayadda….”
This is followed by: “Can you please spend a few hours to critique my demos and take a look at my website?” That way, I don’t have to pay Nancy Wolfson or Pat Fraley.
Couldn’t agree more with all that’s been said – a lot of questions etc appear on sites due to people feeling they ‘have’ to say something like the kid in the class who always has their hand in the air – substance is lacking – gems have to be dug for – and many have got hung up on the idea that ‘everything’ is a marketing tool and means of self promotion – so many good discussions on subjects of interest turn into advertisements…
You hit the nail on the head, Maxine. I recently made an observation on facebook about the number of jobs on voices.com that were still OPEN after many months. This thread turned into an infomercial for VOPLanet.
Most people love to buy but they hate to be sold.
Hilarious Paul!
Guilty as charged. But…they made me do it! As a consultant and all around nice guy, I get asked these questions directly everyday. Ok, maybe not the one about Lowell in a bikini, but just about every other one.
The technology has created the conversation. Why do we do this? The answer is the same as to why a dog licks his private parts. So many want to know and now everyone thinks that because they’re a voice actor with a home studio, what they do is whats best for everyone else. The fact is that so few know the right answers, because there are no right answers. Every voice is different, every home studio is different, and unless you have experience listening to different studios and other voice actors in copious amounts, you have what David Letterman would refer to as “limited perspective.” But because we can, and we get the feeling that we’re “getting published,” we do.
I think I react when I see a post of one of these questions and someone responds with info they think is so unique, when in fact it’s not a dead horse, it’s dried glue. But like my trusty Havanese, Arie, I respond because I can. I want to turn off the notifications, but then I might miss an opportunity to find a new consultation client, or get the chance to dispel more VO mythology.
Eventually I believe that this will all level off and end up like the CB craze of the 70’s. We’ll get bored and hopefully realize that when business is slow, we need to look for more business and not reasons to not look for more business.
Hilarious post Paul. Oops, there goes another 20 minutes!
Dan, every question -old or new- is an opportunity to share knowledge and educate readers. By doing that, you establish yourself as a trustworthy resource. Your answers may lead a newbie to your website, and perhaps this person will sign up for a coaching session. For you, it makes great sense to keep on doing what you’re doing.
Personally, I can relate to David Rosenthal. I too suffer from voice-overload and blog fatigue. My focus on this line of work has made me narrow-minded and on the brink of boring. I have to look outward for inspiration. Perhaps it’s time to start a blog about gardening or hiking!
“Start a blog” …..?
I recall, very early on in the Cyber Universe, a webpage entitled, “The Last Page” ie. “This is the last page on the internet. Enjoy the rest of your life.” If that was so then, how much more so now. As I peruse things like Bob Souer’s blog role (recently edited down to size!), I can’t help but wonder, when do all these people find time to actually work?
That’s point three of my post “8 Things I hate about you“.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I’ve come out with a line of special voice over actor’s toothpaste. If you really want to double your chances for booking v.o. gigs, you owe it to yourself to try a couple of tubes. I’ve only got 100 tubes available so act now. There may or may not be more voice over toothpaste in the future, so get yours now. (Special bundles include voice over floss, voice over toothbrushes and new garlic flavored voice over hummus.)
That’s great J.S. Now Steven can knit his own voice-over dental floss bikini. Perhaps Joan Baker can voice the ad:
“Voice actors can finally come clean with Gilbert’s Oral Hygiene Products. You’ll never utter a dirty word again.”
That generated an honest snort and chortle from me, spontaneous!!! Must go back to to VO recording now… enough of this break!!!
Just a note on “Neutral English” – as you pointed out, Ms Zoller seemed to have misunderstood your meaning – – and it is a question that not only comes up a lot — but we see it asked for in many Pay for Play auditions.
The interesting thing that I have found is that “Neutral English” really depends upon WHERE you are. To someone in Australia, an American’s “neutral English” would not be “neutral” at all. Same if the producer is in Calcutta, or the UK – or Hong Kong.
The term means very different things to different people, depending on how English is spoken wherever they are….
At least that has been my experience….
VERY nicely written, Paul – one of my absolute favorites!
aloha
Tito Gray
And it’s interesting, (PS to my post here just now) that as some here have commented, the internet has made dialogue and conversation so “easy” yet so very complex! I have stopped entering into diatribes and discussions that border on arguments, usually useless and a waste of time. I commented here, Paul, because I was surprised at your saying neutral English (as you call it, only one of many many names and one that is really not preferred by speech practitioners) bores you. I guess it was in jest? Did not know that until your comments here…my sense of humor about this very vital subject is, I suppose, slim. I care so deeply about voice and speech and so many in acting and voice overs do not understand that speech is the building block of everything personal and private! People first judge speech in an individual and all the clothing or the recording equipment or the acting skills mean nothing if speech is deficient. All best.
Bettye
I wrote: “I have no interest in sounding neutral. Clients hire me for the fact that I sound anything but neutral. Neutral is not a niche.”
I have written two blogs about neutral English:
http://wp.me/pBTtY-OK and http://wp.me/pBTtY-1BA
Rather than repeat myself and sin against what the blog above is all about, I invite you to take a few minutes to read my not so neutral take on “neutral English”.
Amazing comments here!
Paul, your blog is by far the most interesting one I read regularly.
I too have as of this year become burned out on the same old VO rhetoric and subject matter. I’m glad to see I’m not alone.
I too have wondered why so many VO blogs are aimed toward OTHER VO talent. Some of that is a good idea. But not when the entire blog seems to be written that way. How is the average client or prospective client benefiting from that? Shouldn’t VO blogs be more helpful, informative to our clients/prospective clients.
This subject has been on my mind a lot lately as I am creating my own very first blog right now. Ah, yes, another VO blog you say! Well, I am wrestling with the content structure and reading this thread has given me more support for using caution as I create.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!
Hi Rick… my cowboy-colleague! The contents of your blog should depend on your main purpose and your ideal audience. It should also reflect your personal passions and showcase your experience and expertise. However, if your focus is too narrow, your audience will be small. As you can see, my most popular article has very little to do with voice-overs. It’s about cold calling and drumming up new business.
Let me know when I can add you to my blog roll
What I want to know is, during those long recording sessions, should a male vo (presumably) where briefs or boxers, if clothed at all. I’m really stumped.
What would Don LaFontaine do?
A simple bow tie might suffice in tropical temperatures.
Some narrators like to dress the part and might prefer to wear period costumes to really get into the story.
If you’re narrating the life and times of Muhammad Ali, I’d definitely wear boxers.
Wow – you really went after it today, Paul. And got some great comments, too!
Some of us who blog to VO folks (like YOU!) truly want to share their knowledge base. And building credibility is not a bad side benefit of blogging. There are actually some of us out here in this community who cast voices and like to see it when the jerks expose themselves….
But you make a point about THINKing before slamming fingers to the keyboard. Sure hope you like my blog coming this week, tho!
Tim Keenan
CreativeMediaRecording.com
But Tim, there’s no blog page on your website…
The timing here is rather funny as I just did an on-hold message for Holland Dairy Agricultural Products. No, I did not have to Moo – which I did a little more frequently when our teenagers were younger:)
Steven Lowell and Stephanie Ciccarelli have been “real” friends in my voiceover career and the subject of two very popular blog posts:
– Treat people well and they will remember you (http://t.co/cGplaCv)
– Getting Animated with Stephanie Ciccarelli (http://t.co/q0q1WP7)
Any chance I can get added to your blog roll Paul?
I would gladly return the favor.
Sincerely,
Ralph Hass
http://HasTheVoice.blogspot.com
Your wish has been granted, Ralph. I don’t intend to make my blog roll as long as Mr. Souer’s, but blogs such as yours are always welcome.
I read your Steven and Stephanie stories and I learned something new. That’s exactly what I’m looking for in a blog!
Steven has been a good sport and he sent me a link to a picture of him in a red bikini. It looks surprisingly good on him. Perhaps we should send Ted Leonsis a copy…
I’m a serial “guest blogger.” Need to set up my own someday – soon!….
Paul,
Your “list” and this blog entry are par excellence. Although some of the mental pictures I’m now stuck with, are going to require some therapy and Psychotropic medications to get rid of them.
I’m no fan of blogs myself. Too much “noise” (most of the time) and reading is my job, not necessarily my joy (depending on the subject matter). Then there’s the matter of ever diminishing hard drive space (a euphemism for my brain). I need that space to remember to breathe.
Oh! And Time. I’m getting to an age where Time has a value that dollars fail to compensate.
Great post. Thanks for sharing.
JS- I’d like to order 50 tubes of that toothpaste. Put it on Rick Lance’s credit card.
I recently overheard a 9-year old boy talking do his Dad. His father was reminding him of something his son had forgotten to do.
The boy answered: “Oh come on Dad… Do you think I have a memory chip in my brain?”
Now, before you set up some therapy sessions, you should see this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64575706@N02/5881042335/
(courtesy of Steven Lowell)
Oh lordy, what a picture
Looking good Steve
i loved your rant..sorry blog Paul! I often shout at my screen, ‘why don’t you bloody look it up’ or more increasingly…’yes of course I will give you all my contacts and trade secrets it has taken me 25 years in the business to obtain’ please,take my firstborn child as well, and my blood…GAH!I too get totally bored by the repetitiveness of some forums, so let’s start something new….hmm…nope can’t think of anything, I’m off to make some scintillating IVR messages TTFN:)
I know how you feel. Here’s another rant you might enjoy:
https://www.nethervoice.com/nethervoice/2011/05/31/8-things-i-hate-about-you/
My advice to any aspiring blogger out there: If you don’t have anything to say, please don’t say it!
What is more interested and unsaid here yet. Why do we write to ourselves on our blogs. Who is your website for?
Why are we not writing for our clients and prospective client, the intended eyeballs and the reason we pay money to post things online in the first place.
Great rhetorical questions, Mitch. Our lot tends to be rather introspective. In Dutch we call that “navel staring”. In the end it all depends on the purpose of our blog. Some writers do an excellent job keeping us informed of the latest developments in our field. Others focus on social media. Some blogs are highly personal and anecdotal. There’s one thing we don’t need: more of the same.
Writing about a chicken might be of interest to one type of reader.
Writing about a tie dyed chicken would be of interest to the same reader, but because of its niche, also attracts lots of other readers.
Writing about having sex with a tie dyed chicken would probably go viral.
Information these days gets old quickly. Observations that are truly thought out tend to be the things we can write about and deliver the “engagement promise” with.
As long as your reader doesn’t walk away saying “that’s 3 minutes of my life I’ll never have back”, then there’s probably some sort of value proposition. Since few of us get to really make much news or present breaking news, it might seem the observation(s) is what we got.
Oh and don’t bother telling me that you’re at the corner of Broadway and 7th on your way to go see someone have sex with a tie dyed chicken. And absolutely don’t be be the 32,341st person to retweet that somebody is at the corner of Broadway and 7th on their way to go see someone have sex with a tie dyed chicken.
Two roosters staring at a window of a poultry shop. One points at one of the plucked fresh chicken on display and says to he’s friend: “She’s sexy!”
You’re right: info gets old fast. This morning’s tweet is yesterday’s news. That’s why I strive to write stuff that’s still relevant one year from now. After that, there are no guarantees.
One pro-blogger recently removed all the dates from his posts. That way, his readers wouldn’t get the impresion they were reading something hopelessly outdated.
The best articles are timeless… and feature hot chicks!
Paul,
Your blogging is boring you forgot to mention that on your lame list. Also big head Vo’s are all blogging around us and you’re on top of that boring list- Please write about something forward thinking and contributing something positive to our industry. Thankx
Thanks for that comment, L. Shimmy. Now I know why my blog attracts 5000+ visitors per month and this particular post has 60 comments. I just couldn’t figure it out until you pointed me in the right direction. If you happen to write a blog, please pass the web address along. I obviously have a lot to learn and perhaps I could take a few cues from you.
Paul:
I neither stand nor sit but rather I squat.
With that settled, can we now begin a discussion on the best position for performing a voice over job?
Best always,
-Peter
Peter, thanks for letting us know where you stand… on this issue. I had to sit on it for a while, before I purchased my kneeling chair. I would be lying if I told you that I’m not happy with my decision. On the contrary: it’s a great choice. And with my new home studio, I no longer have to be a squatter.
Happy Fourth!
Paul,
You’re doing a fantastic job in conveying the important message with humor and style. Not easy to do but so much more effective than plain “preaching” for the most part. My hat’s off to you!!!
Can you add me on your blog roll?
Thanks,
Dottie
a.k.a. The Voice & Voice Coach of Rosetta Stone’s Mandarin products
Thanks for your kind words, Dottie. Even though I am a non-denominational officiant, I do my best not to preach. But as you can tell, it’s impossible to please every reader and I’m fine with that.
What’s the url of your blog?
How many followers do you need to be considered relevant? You need exactly… er, um… fifty-seven followers in order to be relevant! (I hope that’s not too obscure… tee hee hee hee!)
That’s intriguing Chris. How did you arrive at 57? What happens if you get over that limit?
I dunno; Heinz Varieties doesn’t go above that, as far as I know. See Manchurian Candidate (1962, Sinatra, et al), where the senator is asked for a specific number of communists, and he happens to see the catsup (or Ketchup, for us non-neutral English types, I guess) bottle.
I suppose it’s not funny. Oh, well; can’t fault me for not trying.
Whew! I’m glad writing about the VO industry from the perspective of a talent agent didn’t make the boring list :)-
Nice piece Paul. I will tweet about it now!
Roger King
El Presidente
PN Agency – http://www.pnagency.com
Ethnic Voice Talent – http://www.ethnicvoicetalent.com
(416) 515-8918
pnagency@pnagency.com
Check out my VO blog – http://www.voiceovercanada.ca
Now on Twitter – http://twitter.com/#!/voiceovercanada
Thanks for stopping by, Roger. Your thoughts and (re)tweets are always appreciated and never boring. Greetings from your ethnic Dutchman!
Paul – Thank you for making me laugh out loud on what is turning out to be a pretty miserable and frustrating Friday!
Any day I can make someone laugh is a good day! The sound of laughter is one of my favorite sounds in the world. Cheers!
Oh Paul,
You got me to literally laugh out loud multiple times while reading that list.
Thank you sir, I needed that.
=)
Lauren
Oh No You Di’nt!! You had to mention (she who shall not be named)….thank god the linkedin groups have been a little more habitable lately…Everyone’s got their place, but certain people don’t belong outside their bubble. Regardless, the flood of “voice dream” and “Helpful VO Advice for YOU!” posts have just become static to me. I really don’t even read blogs but if there’s meat to it I’ll bite. (VoiceVegan?) Great article.