Personalised audiobooks are books that use some element of tailoring to the indvidual user. Specifically, we develop audiobooks that are created in the individual’s unique voice making the audibook deeply personal.
Audiobooks can trace their roots to the origins of recorded sound. Those initial, experimental recordings, in the second half of the 19th century, needed to convey something immediate and recognisable, so lines from popular stories and poems were the chosen vehicle as the initial eye-catching (or ear-catching) items.
An aim from the outset was to use the power of recorded voices to make stories more accessible, particularly to those for whom the written word was a barrier. Children still on their journey to reading longer works, people with blindness or visual impairment, and war veterans whose war experiences made reading difficult were all part of the initial audiences. But as “talking books” evolved into “audiobooks,” it became clear that there were a wider set of audiences interested.
And with the increase in portable recording format – the cassette, the CD, and ultimately digital audio – the audiobook grew to become a cornerstone of the publishing industry and an embedded part of our everyday lives. Audiobooks have become a convenience item, allowing us to take in more information, or spend time in escapist worlds, at times when our eyes are doing other tasks.
The age of personalisation has seen greater tailoring of experiences to people’s needs and requirements. Now the world of audiobooks is the latest sphere to embark on that journey.
Personalised audiobooks allow people – their friends, their families, their communities, those they rely upon – to make recordings of their own voices which are used to create bespoke versions of meaningful stories and narratives.
Trained voice actors and beloved celebrities bring polish and elegance to the world of audiobooks. Personalised audiobooks weave a more home-spun charm. They are the personal touch, the home-cooked delight you dream about when you’re far from your homely setting, the comfortable slippers that bring more warmth and healing because they were a gift from a treasured relative.
The range of ways in which personalised audiobooks can and could be used is almost endless. Imagine the scene: you’re delayed at work, held up in traffic, detained in any number of ways. You can’t get home for your child’s bedtime story. Tonight, your partner’s voice just won’t do. It has to be your voice and your child is very clear about that.
You pause in a state of despair. But then light dawns: you already recorded a personalised audiobook version of your child’s favourite story. It can be played to bring calm to the chaos. A personalised audiobook can save the day.
Voices are powerful across time and distance. At our lowest points or greatest triumphs, we often feel the need for a calming word or a familiar voice unifying in triumph. A phone call can be just the thing. But at other times we want something of greater substance. We want a story, a reading, an affirmation in the voice we need to hear at that precise moment.
Imagine having a recording from the grandmother who opened the world of stories to you of the book that brought wonder to your life. Personalised audiobooks can do that. And as our elderly people grow older, think how powerful a story from a beloved niece, a favourite grandson, a half-forgotten neighbour could be in bringing them a little light and hope.
Personalised audiobooks are for sharing. They are the ideal personalised gift, bringing enlightenment, spreading joy, and offering a new frontier in accessible communications to explore. Join us on the journey as we help you build new connections.