Johnathan McClain is a multi-talented creative professional working as a screenwriter, narrator, actor, and novelist. With a background in theater and television, Johnathan transitioned to audiobook narration in 2012, coinciding with Amazon's acquisition of Audible when the demand for narrators exploded. His first major audiobook projects included narrating several Jack Reacher novels, and he has since recorded over 200 books across various genres including sci-fi, fantasy, lit-RPG, mystery thrillers, and romance.

In this episode:

Journey from child actor to audiobook narrator
Theater experience as preparation for narration
Transition from TV to complete performance control
Why voice quality alone isn't enough
Adapting narration style across genres
Preparation process for fiction vs. non-fiction
Author-narrator collaboration workflow
Best practices for manuscript formatting
Challenges of dual vs. duet narration
Common narration mistakes and solutions
Tips for DIY audiobook narration

Resources mentioned:

Audible/ACX - https://www.acx.com/
Find A Way Voices - https://www.findawayvoices.com/
iAnnotate - https://www.folia.com/iannotate
Audio Technica 4040 - Microphone recommendation for home recording
Focusrite Solo - Preamp recommendation for home recording

Book Recommendations:

"James" by Percival Everett - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385550367?&linkCode=ll1&tag=pubperf-20&linkId=400c65572fa1761b41f901ed6233057c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
"The Wealth of Shadows" by Graham Moore - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CG8G3NRT?&linkCode=ll1&tag=pubperf-20&linkId=400c65572fa1761b41f901ed6233057c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Connect with Johnathan McClain:

Website: Available for contact through his personal website
"Meet Your Maker" - Fantasy series co-written with Seth MacDuffie and published by Podium
"Newtown" series - Popular lit-RPG series narrated by Johnathan

Connect with Teddy Smith:

@teddyagsmith
Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
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Johnathan McClain - Narrating 200+ Audiobooks: Secrets from an Award Winning Multi-Genre Voice Actor