Voices of the north
With investment from publishers and arts funding bodies, audiobook production is set to boom in the north of England.
In recent years, the UK publishing industry has branched out and become less London-centric, a trend that increasingly includes audiobooks. Audiobooks are a specialised segment of publishing, and involve audio production and voiceover work. The workflow runs parallel to editorial and print production, but is distinct from both.
Producers can also occupy this dual creative and technical role, acting as both director and audio engineer. Audiobook narration is part acting, part storytelling, and never wholly one or the other. Not every actor can engage with a text in the detailed way required by audiobook narration, or sustain a high level of reading fluency and consistency across long recording days. There is publishing, production and voice talent all over the UK, yet, like print publishing, the audiobook industry has historically been concentrated in the capital.
That’s not to say that audiobooks have exclusively been the preserve of London publishers. Leicestershire’s W F Howes celebrated 25 years in the business in November 2023; Isis in Oxford has been operating since the 1980s; and HarperNorth is expected to publish its 100th audiobook by the end of 2024. There are well-established producers like Chatterbox Audio which operates recording studios in Chippenham and Cornwall. Specialised audiobook producers are less common in the north of England, though UCLan Publishing has been offering commercial audiobook services at its Preston campus since 2019.
Audiobook narration is part acting, part storytelling, and never wholly one or the other
Hachette UK’s commitment to diversifying publishing has resulted in five national offices opening across the UK, including in Newcastle and Manchester. Sheffield is the largest office. Currently, 60% of the staff are from Sheffield and the surrounding area. It is also the home to Carmelite Studios Sheffield, the first dedicated audiobook production facility owned and operated by a Big Five publisher outside London. HUK’s audiobook production arm in the north opened in April 2024 and is expected to output upwards of 40 titles annually. Staffed by my colleagues, studio assistant Millie Gee and producer Cathy Ife, the Sheffield team’s key objective is voice talent, developing talent in the area and providing opportunities for local voice artists. Beginning in the autumn, the Carmelite Studios team will be running casting workshops pairing new voice talent with an experienced audiobook producer. These sessions will provide actors with an introduction to some of the fundamentals of audiobook recording.
Strong local ties
Gee has already reported an “incredible response” from the local community, with strong ties being built with universities and acting schools. She added: “We have ambitious plans to increase accessibility, visibility and opportunity for the voice actors of Sheffield and beyond.”
Our approach to diversifying audio production extends to our Newcastle office too. In November 2023, New Writing North (NWN) audio development producer Lucie McNeil proposed an audiobook studio and talent development hub within existing facilities at Northumbria University, where NWN is headquartered. McNeil’s approach to transparency and accessibility mirrors Carmelite Studio Sheffield’s in aiming to create opportunities for local talent. Thanks to McNeil’s vision and Hachette UK’s commitment to commissioning regional productions, NWN has secured Creative UK funding to optimise the existing audio facilities at Northumbria University for audiobook production.
McNeil said: “I’m reaching out to emerging and established North-East based voice talent now and creating training pathways with our partners. We’re fortunate to have can-do colleagues at Northumbria University and Creative UK who see NWN’s Sounds Good Audio Studio as a creative audio hub right here in the city centre, honing all sorts of talent with state-of-the-art infrastructure and leadership.”
In addition to Hachette UK’s audio productions, the NWN Sounds Good Audio Studio will be available to other publishers, to Hachette UK’s and Northumbria University Publishing MA students, and McNeil is leading a programme of audio storytelling development for 15 north-of-Tyne writers with NWN’s executive director for Programme and Impact, Anna Disley, and Creative UK.
Other big publishers are looking to expand their operations beyond London as well. According to Bonnier trade audio and business development director Jon Watt, 5% of Bonnier’s audio productions over the past year has been produced in the north, and that percentage is expected to increase in the next 12 months.
Meanwhile, a representative from Penguin Random House Audio told me that “casting authentic and accurate voices is central to our approach; we want to reflect the diversity of our authors and listeners. We collaborate with studios, actors and agencies across the country and we’re proactively fostering new talent both in front of, and behind, the microphone. We’ve recently worked with agencies, studios, producers and actors from Tyneside, Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield”.
And this is just the beginning. The audiobook industry will continue to diversify beyond London, and the increasing focus on the north will provide even more opportunities for fresh publishing, production and voice talent. This can only be positive for audiobook publishers, the wider industry and listeners.
