Good Aural -The Audiobook Podcast
Good Aural is a podcast about what makes an audiobook work. Hosted by award-winning narrator Brenda Scott Wlazlo, it breaks down what actually makes a performance land. Episodes cover character, chemistry, pacing, prep, and the moments that keep listeners engaged. It is aimed at narrators, actors, audiobook fans, and anyone curious about the industry, offering honest, practical insights rooted in real experience.
Episodes
Episode 27: PRH’s New RS+ Model: Opportunity or Dangerous Precedent?
Send us Fan MailPenguin Random House and SAG-AFTRA have created a new limited RS+ model for roughly 200 backlist titles.But the agreement has sparked a much bigger conversation about rates, full-production labor, revenue sharing, transparency, and what happens when human narrators are asked to compete with the cost of AI.This week, I’m digging into why the agreement exists, why some narrators see
Episode 26: The Plight of the Workhorse Narrator
Send us Fan MailAudiobooks are getting bigger. Celebrity casts, splashy productions, behind-the-scenes videos, mainstream press. And honestly? That’s exciting.But as audiobooks become more visible, I’ve been wondering whether the career audiobook narrator is actually getting harder to see.In this episode:Why celebrity audiobook casting isn’t really the problemHow the pathways to recognition are ch
Episode 25: Maintenance Mode: Your Career Has to Survive Your Life
Send us Fan MailWell, I’ve got some news. I’m pregnant! I’m thrilled to finally be able to say that out loud. I am also deep in the first trimester, and holy cow, it has kicked my butt.I’ve spent most of September doing the absolute bare minimum. I’m getting my work done. I’m answering the emails that need answers. But all of the extra stuff I’m normally doing to grow my career? Not happening.So t
Episode 24: You’re Not the Star (And That’s Actually Good News)
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Good Aural, I’m looking at audiobook production through my theater brain and talking about what changes when we stop thinking only like performers and start thinking like members of a much larger creative team.Because talent matters. Obviously. But once you can do the job, there’s another question that matters when producers are deciding whether they want to work
Episode 23: Who Gets to be an Audiobook Coach?
Send us Fan MailThere is a LOT of discourse happening right now about who is actually qualified to coach audiobook narrators, and I have thoughts.Because on one end, we have incredibly experienced, prolific narrators whose advice may not always apply to someone trying to break into this industry in 2026. On the other, we have newer narrators who are really good at navigating the current hustle and
Episode 22: Trying to Sound Sexy: What Romance Narration Is Really About
Send us Fan MailWhat makes a romantic scene genuinely sexy in audio? For me, it begins with character. What does this person want? What are they afraid to reveal? What changes between these two people because of this encounter? What it doesn't involve is heavy breathing and trying to sound "seductive." In this episode, we look briefly at the history of romance, from Jane Austen and
Episode 21: You Can't Act Genre...Can you? (Re: the Convo on Character Choices)
Send us Fan MailToday, I’m revisiting character work and giving my friend Steve his due ;)After my last episode on nuance and character choices, Steve, who is both a character actor and a dialect coach, pointed out that genre changes the conversation. And he’s right.I still think subtlety is king. But subtle doesn’t look the same in every book. A cozy mystery, LitRPG, middle grade adventure, thril
Episode 20: BookTok and the Audiobook Industry (Does Your Follower Count Matter?)
Send us Fan MailLets talk BookTok. What began as a giant virtual book club is now a major marketing force. Publishers watch it, authors build campaigns around it, and Audible has created a dedicated BookTok destination. In this episode, I talk about how follower counts are becoming part of an audiobook narrator’s professional currency (particularly in romance and LitRPG) and what that means for ta
Episode 19: When should you raise your rates and how do you do it without panicking?!
Send us Fan MailWhen should you raise your rates and how do you do it without panicking?!In this episode, I’m opening up the hush-hush conversation about money in the audiobook industry. We’re talking about underpricing, scarcity, ongoing series, loyalty rates, invisible labor, and the fear that charging more will make you less castable.Most importantly, I’m giving you a practical plan for moving
Episode 18: Ethics and AI (A Creative Industry's Dilemma)
Send us Fan MailAI use is everywhere. But what does that mean exactly? Did someone use a tool to correct grammar? Did they have it look for redundancy in their writing or did they use it to create a cover, write AND narrate their book? In this episode, I break down the current AI categories to know in publishing and outline ways that narrators can not just protect their performances, but their mor
Episode 17: The Duet Narration Disconnect (What Multicast Audiobooks Are Missing)
Send us Fan MailThis week, I’m talking about the production problem behind duet narration, what audiobooks could learn from audio drama, and the small changes that could make these performances feel FAR more connected. I’m also asking what happens when the cheapest answer to the growing demand for multiple voices becomes AI.Duet narration does not just need two voices. It needs two people who soun
Episode 16: Finding a Door Into Difficult Stories
Send us Fan MailIf you're in this industry long enough, you'll get THAT book. That one that challenges your tongue and breath control, the one that didn't get the full editor pass, or the one where the characters and you just don't seem to click. And I get it. It's hard to get passed. So in this episode we chat about ways to dig in deeper, shift your mindset and do the dan
Episode 15: My Biggest Prediction About Audiobooks
Send us Fan MailAudiobooks are more popular than ever and that means that companies are going to compete to keep the consumer attention on THEIR platform. What does that have to do with us? A lot. In this episode we deep dive into my predictions about the future of audiobook consumerism, the reasoning behind the current shift into streaming, and what we can do to make sure our names are at the top
Episode 14: Ignoring Bad Reviews Is Not Good Advice
Send us Fan MailIn today's internet landscape, just "Ignoring bad reviews" isn't a viable solution to engaging and building your community and brand online. So, what do we do? How do we wade through the trolls and criticism to create our online presence and be seen as the competent and compassionate audiobook professionals we are? In this episode, I break down some steps we can
Episode 13: That Growly Voice Is Hurting You (Why Pitch Is the Fastest Way to Break a Character Voice)
Send us Fan MailMy social media feed has been filled with narrators showing off their deepest, growliest, most rumbling male voices. Some of them sound incredible.Buuuuuuut there’s a difference between a voice that sounds impressive for 30 seconds and a voice you can sustain through a ten-book series.In this episode, we’re talking about the anatomy behind your voice, the warning signs of vocal str
Episode 12: Why Everyone Else Seems Ahead of You (And Why That’s Not True)
Send us Fan MailFeeling like everyone all of a suddenly took a masterclass in Canva while you slept? Same.This week, I’m talking about the comparison trap, creative block, scarcity mindset, and what happens when watching everyone else succeed starts robbing you of your own momentum. From turning envy into useful information to creating a “proof file” for the days your brain conveniently forgets ev
Episode 11: Reading Between the Lines: Narrating Queer Romance
Send us Fan Mailhis week, I’m talking about queer romance in all it's history, subtext-y, glory. We cover the stories that had to be coded for generations, and the ways those roots still show up in the books we’re narrating today.From sapphic romance and power dynamics to acceptance, vulnerability, and the desire to be truly seen, we’re diving into some of the emotional undercurrents that can
Episode 10: How Hormones Affect the Female Voice
Send us Fan MailLadies… have you ever noticed your voice feels a little strained, tired, swollen, emotionally overworked, carrying things it technically shouldn’t have to carry? Weird how that happens. 🙂But truly. This episode is definitely about estrogen.And definitely not about the exhausting reality so many women in romance audio have been privately navigating for years.So grab a heating pad, a
Episode 9: The Hidden Burnout Behind Avoidance
Send us Fan MailThis week, I’m talking about the emotional side of creative work that I think a lot of artists quietly carry around but rarely say out loud.The weird shame spiral that happens after a bad review, an awkward coaching session, a communication mistake, or a project that just didn’t go the way you hoped. The way those moments attach themselves to the work afterward until suddenly openi
Episode 8: Audible's new Royalty Share + Virtual Voice Push - Let's talk about it.
Send us Fan MailIn this bonus episode of Good Aural, we’re talking about the ACX and Audible royalty changes, why narrators are freaking out a little bit, and what this industry shift could actually mean for your career moving forward.Because this isn’t just about percentages and payouts. It’s about the growing move toward subscription and engagement-based listening, the uncertainty surrounding ro
Episode 7: Your Nervous System Doesn’t Know It’s Fiction
Send us Fan MailAs audiobook narrators, we spend hours embodying fear, grief, rage, trauma, heartbreak, panic, and vulnerability in order to make stories feel real for listeners. But what happens when your nervous system starts responding to those emotions too?This week on Good Aural, I’m talking about emotional resilience in audiobook narration. We’re talking trigger warnings, boundaries, nervous
Episode 6: You're Already the Expert. Act Like it.
Send us Fan MailEverybody keeps asking how to break into audiobooks.Wrong question.The real question is: what makes you impossible to replace?In this episode of Good Aural, Brenda talks about the biggest career shift happening in audiobook narration right now and why being “generically good” is no longer enough to build a sustainable career.The narrators getting cast consistently aren’t just selli
Episode 5: Time, Energy, and the Listening Toll (No One Tells You This Part)
Send us Fan MailEveryone says audiobook narration “takes time.”But no one really explains what that means.Not just the hours in the booth, but the mental load. The second-guessing. The way your day has to shift to make room for quiet, focus, and consistency. The way your energy gets pulled into the work even after you step away from the mic.In this episode, I’m breaking down the real time commitme
Episode 4: The Advice Is Outdated (And It’s Holding You Back)
Send us Fan MailIf you’ve been told that breaking into audiobook narration is as simple as reading in a closet, making a sample, and hopping on auditions… we need to talk.Because that advice isn’t wrong. It’s just incomplete.In this episode, I’m unpacking why so much of the guidance floating around this industry feels stale and why following it step-by-step might actually be what’s keeping you stu
Episode 3: The Art and Duty of Prep
Send us Fan MailWhat’s trending in audiobooks right now? Apparently… not prepping.In this episode, I’m digging into the growing conversation around “no prep” narration and why I don’t buy it. We’re talking about the difference between an actor being surprised and a character being surprised, the trust between narrator and listener, and why going in blind might actually be doing your performance a
Episode 2: You know what’s trending in audiobooks right now? Not being a storyteller.
Send us Fan MailYou know what’s trending in audiobooks right now? Not being a storyteller. Or at least not sounding like one. I’m talking about where audiobook narration started, what we were trained to prioritize, and why listeners today are craving something way more grounded and real. Less performance, more presence. Listen to find out how to actually do that behind the mic.Good Aural is hosted
Episode 1: The Truth About Audiobook Narration (It’s Not What You Think)
Send us Fan MailEpisode 1: The Truth About Audiobook Narration (It’s Not What You Think)If you’ve ever thought audiobook narration is just reading out loud… this is your first reframe.In this episode of Good Aural, I break down what audiobook narration actually is—and why having a “good voice” is not what makes a performance work. We talk about the biggest misconceptions, what listeners are really
Good Aural - Trailer
Send us Fan MailGood Aural is a podcast about what actually makes an audiobook work.Hosted by full-time narrator Brenda Scott Wlazlo, this show pulls back the curtain on the craft behind audiobook storytelling—from performance and pacing to character work, chemistry, and the choices listeners feel but can’t always name.With over 250 titles across romance, fantasy, and beyond, Brenda shares real-wo
