We recently connected with Theresa Bakken and have shared our conversation below.

Theresa, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Audiobook narration, production and distribution is a booming business. Creator technology is accessible and affordable. Listeners of all demographics are exploring stories of all genres. Authors have more and more say about who narrates their work. And, marketplaces connecting authors to narrators are growing in size and numbers. So, narrators have a lot to learn about technology, business, marketing, relationship building, researching, and of course acting. So, I think for me being flexible, trustworthy, entrepreneurial, and industrious are critical assets. I think despite the immediacy of the technology, audiobook narration is still a slow art form and narrators need to be willing to work with coaches and commit to constantly learning and improving their craft.

Theresa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I studied communications on both theater and music scholarships at Texas Lutheran University. Those Texas roots are easy to tap into for accent work. I won an Emmy Award in broadcast journalism in my first career (before I had kids). Now, I record from my home studio in Colorado, where I live with my husband, my honey bees, and a small barn full of feathered and wooly friends. My three grown children inspire, encourage and remind me that each chapter in life builds on the last and opens new doors. I brought my love of audiobooks and my broadcast journalism interview skills to the Desideratum Podcast. I produce the pods conversations with storytellers around featured scenes from their audiobooks. The podcast work has attracted national audio industry sponsors like Blackstone, Dreamscape,and Pozotron.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I think we need to see social media as an opportunity to learn, lift others up, shine a light on others and build relationships. The less self serving you are on the platforms – the better. Try to see your followers as your community, not your ‘audience’, and be sensitive to too much self celebration. You want your posts to make people feel good, to feel connected – not ‘less than’. When you do toot your own horn, find ways to express gratitude too. No one succeeds alone.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

If you like something share it. Tell the creator, tell your friends, tell the general public through online reviews. Whatever it is, go to the publisher or distributor or wherever you subscribed to the content and give it some love! It matters to the success of the creator, your uplifting words might keep that creative afloat (in many ways), and it lets the distributor know what their patrons want more of.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theresabakkennarrator.com/about/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theresabakkennarrator
• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/theresa.bakken.7
• Linkedin: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/theresabakken-19318512
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/bakkennarrator
• Youtube: https://YouTube.com/channel/UCDTZWyKjrzoNO02y.y-kMbXA
• Other: https://linktr.ee/bakkennarrator