Write it, then read it aloud
Write it, then read it aloud
How writers and creators are getting closer to readers, and finding new ones, with their voice
Within a day of recording her first narration of one of her recent Substack posts,
hit #2 on Apple’s U.S. podcast charts. The audio wasn’t really a podcast—it was a read-aloud of one of Heather’s beloved missives from Letters from an American—but it enjoyed all the benefits of a podcast’s distribution. Using Substack’s tools, she disseminated the audio through the Substack app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other players.The popular historian had long been reaching into her subscribers’ hearts with text, but now she had found a way to whisper in their ears.
Ever since we introduced a suite of audio tools in mid-2022, writers and creators have been using voiceovers to deepen their relationship with existing subscribers and reach new audiences. We’ve seen from our data that writers who have been augmenting their publications with audio or video in some way—whether that be a show that anchors their Substack or supplementary materials such as narrations—grow their mailing lists and revenue 2.5 times faster than publishers who don’t use audio or video.
But voiceovers can be so much more than a simple read-aloud. To inspire you to experiment with these audio tools, here are some examples of how writers and creators are using them to enhance their Substack.
Announcing your Substack with a personal touch
When
launched his Substack earlier this year, he treated new subscribers to a personal read-aloud of his introductory post, “40 Years On.” , who writes about the British royals, did the same for her Substack announcement post for So Many Thoughts. These audio announcements help readers become more familiar with the writer’s voice and build trust in the relationship., who writes about self-improvement, started adding voiceovers to his posts after hearing Tim Ferriss and James Clear talk about the value of audio for writers. He says, “It makes my writing more personal when I read it out. [My readers] get to hear where the emphasis is, they hear me laugh, and it builds a deeper reader relationship.”As a writer on Substack, you can add a voiceover retroactively, meaning you can do one now for your welcome post, even if it was published long ago. To do so, open the post you wish to edit, tap the headphones icon, and select Voiceover. You can either record your voiceover right then and there or upload a pre-recorded file.
Reading an article or story aloud
Many writers use voiceovers to read their posts aloud for subscribers—whether to narrate their essay, advice column, news article, commentary, short story, or poem—or they employ an AI voice to do the read-aloud for them.
For example, every morning,
, a radio DJ, reads soulful short stories about nature and life on the Alaska-focused Kodiak Crossing. Her creation pays homage to the character Chris-in-the-Morning from the cult-favorite TV show Northern Exposure. Check out “Time’s Gentle Flow” to get the idea.These tools are particularly useful for subscribers who use the Substack mobile app (available on iOS and Android), from which they can play the audio while browsing other posts and comments. In email, the voiceover player appears at the top of the post. When a subscriber clicks on the player, they will be taken to the web browser or app to listen to the audio.
, a voice coach and author of Permission to Speak, reads aloud her posts to subscribers and advocates for nurturing your own “unicorn” voice. She says, “Ever since I began adding voiceovers to my posts, I’ve gotten such encouraging notes from subscribers who love that I get all emotional when I speak my words. My favorite note was ‘I forgot this was not a private voice note, because it felt like you were speaking directly to me!’”Read and listen to more: “The Radical Act of Being Cool With Your Voice”
Here are some other examples of read-alouds, where listeners can better get to know the writers they already love or are just discovering:
Musician and poet
narrates “A Time of Gifts”Historian
reads “Researching the women of early medieval England on the web”Author
reads his poem “Rattled”Comedian
reads “Making the Cut”Software engineer
reads “How to Plan and Execute Software Projects”Political commentator
reads “No ordinary moment”Dog-loving writer
reads “Momo, Part V”Best-selling novelist
presents “5 Questions with My Favorite Authors: Tess Sharpe”- , producer and creator of The Most, narrates “Behind ‘Howie’: 100% Handmade Kids TV”
Slow-living writer
voiceovers “Breakfast Chats: Getting Back to Routines”
Bonus for subscribers
Writers often use voiceovers for bonus content, adding context or detail that wouldn’t otherwise be found in the regular post. This bonus content can also be used as a perk for paid subscribers. On Substack, you have the option to paywall a voiceover and keep the text of the post free, or you can have both the text and voiceover be only for paid subscribers.
For
’s , voice is a key distinguishing factor of his publication. “Voiceovers bring me closer to my readers,” he says. “All text on the internet looks pretty much the same, but nobody’s voice sounds like mine.”Adam started adding voiceovers after some readers said they wanted to share his posts with friends who only listen to podcasts. He thought: Why not reach people through their ears as well as their eyes? Adam uses skills from his work as a standup comedian to add asides, riffs, and performance aspects that don’t make it into the main text. “I get lots of comments from readers on things that are only in the voiceovers and not in the text, so I know that (a) people are listening, and (b) they like the little idiosyncrasies in the spoken version.”
There are other ways to bring voice to subscribers beyond the read-aloud. For example, journalism professor
, who reviews sites, apps, and features in , uses a voiceover to give an overview of his posts to paid subscribers. TV writer , who writes for Rolling Stone, employs a voiceover artist to read his lively posts on TV and books. Former New York Times fashion critic reads her offbeat culture stories aloud, and shares the context in which they were written.Read more: Can I paywall a voiceover?
Posting voiceovers to podcast players
Heather Cox Richardson isn’t the only Substack writer creating a top podcast out of her read-aloud posts. Laura Kennedy paywalls her read-alouds, which she sends out as podcast episodes instead of using the voiceover tool on a text post.
Adam of Experimental History endorses Laura’s approach as an effective way to reach new audiences: “The other day someone told me, ‘I was listening to The Daily in the shower, and right after the episode ended, you came on!’ If you can reach people when they’re naked, that’s pretty powerful.”
Using voiceovers to great effect? Share more about your use of audio on Substack, in the comments.
In the coming weeks, we will be introducing more audio and video resources and tools for writers and creators. Stay tuned for a breakdown of business models for podcasters, use cases of Substack shows, and more.
Write it, then read it aloud