Today we’d like to introduce you to Lillian Rachel.
Hi Lillian, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
At a point where my options were wide open, and I was seeking a career that would both challenge me and most importantly be fun, Audiobook Narration suddenly became an option that shone like a beacon! It was not something I had considered before, but jumped in fully committed.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I did not come from an acting background, and did not have any specialist tech experience so my learning curve was steep to say the least. But every obstacle seemed an opportunity to learn something new, and I’ve taken that attitude with me as I’ve grown, explored other aspects of voice acting, and ultimately come back to my first love of audiobooks. Auditioning, and rejection is part of the job and I’ve learned not to take that personally, I could just remind them of their ex, or they heard someone else they liked first and didn’t even get to my audition! On the other hand it was important to get coaching from industry experts to make sure I was on the right track and continuing to grow and improve not only as a performer but as a business too. I think for many creatives, the business side of freelance work is the hardest as it’s just to the fun part the day.
Now, nearly ten years and several industry awards and nominations later, I am glad to say it is worth staying curious and moving beyond comfort zones.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
While I have enjoyed voicing projects from corporate training videos to animation, most of my work is in audiobooks and audio drama. I’m frequently requested for historical fiction and romance, which with my love of Jane Austen and the success of Bridgerton, is a great genre to work in. I also narrate fantasy and nonfiction. My background in the UK, Europe and across the USA, and having a range of accents and dialects to draw from all bring depth and life experience to draw from. My love of history, both in fiction and nonfiction is definitely reflected in my portfolio of work, over 100 audiobooks now. I definitely lean towards stories with strong women with a sense of humour!
I work with publishers, producers and directly with independent authors. Ultimately I’m in awe of writers, the worlds they build, the characters I get to represent, and the stories I get embody.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
From other narrators to established coaches this industry has some of the most welcoming people I have ever met, and there is absolutely no way I would be where I am now without their support, literally too many to name! I was in my 40s and hadn’t acted since my teens. The nonjudgemental way my coaches accepted and taught me has been integral to my success. Plus the way my husband did not hesitate a second when I told him what I wanted to be “when I grew up” is priceless.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://LillianRachel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillianrachelvo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LillianRachelVoiceActor
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianrachelwarkentin/
