Plumped for Adobe CC subscription

I resisted it for a long time, but having had access to all the Adobe CC programs in my previous job I found it too frustrating not being able to use Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator, Premier Pro, Audition etc so have started subscribing to the Adobe CC suite.

On the plus side, I had an interesting afternoon creating an instruction video using Premier Pro and Audition, on the negative side, I have to pay a subscription. The other negative is that I will only be able to open some of the files I create using the CC programs if I continue to pay the subscription. This did seem to be a big negative, but I have files on my computer going back 20 years that I can’t open because I don’t have the programs installed, and probably can’t get compatible versions anyway. OK, I don’t have to pay anything to use them, but I can’t open them so they are effectively useless.

It seems to be the way the world is going. Everything is becoming subscription based. Even Microsoft are moving towards a subscription, browser-based version of Windows. On the plus side, no more worrying whether hackers will be able to exploit an older version of a program, or missing out on the latest whistles and bells (that I probably won’t need).

Whatever, it is great to be able to flick between the different Adobe programs; to be able to edit Premier Pro audio file in Audition; to be able to place an illustrator file in InDesign. I suppose that I don’t have any reason not to produce the audiobook version of my book now!

Newsletter plugin

I have installed a newsletter plugin on my WordPress website. I picked Hubspot as it seems to have good reviews. It allows anyone visiting my site to sign up to receive any newsletters that I have the urge to send out.

Newsletters about what, I hear you ask? Probably about any book launches, audiobook work, possibly even a particularly successful reorganisation of my sock drawer; who knows.

If you would like to find out, or even see what the Hubspot plugin looks like in action, sign up from the Welcome page.

Weekend October gardening

We are enjoying a brief October warm spell in the UK and, despite not being a terribly keen gardener, I was out in the low autumn sun cutting back weeds, pulling up stinging nettles and generally tidying up before the winter arrives. It seems that to have a successful, neat garden it is necessary to be out titivating every five minutes, least a weed appear in an otherwise pristine border, or a squirrel attempts to dig a hole in the lawn. I must admit that I am OK with a bit of disorder in the garden, and am quite keen on squirrels, especially if it means I can spend more time writing, going out for a meal or generally enjoying activities that don’t make my back hurt. Gardening seems to be the ideal way to ache. Why does everything have to be at ground level?

When I write, I sit on a nice comfortable chair with my keyboard and monitor ideally positioned for ease of use. Perhaps I need a garden at desk height, preferable in the warm, and sheltered from the rain. Each spring I do have a little burst of enthusiasm for gardening, but fortunately it soon goes away, even without counselling. Maybe when I retire a keenness might suddenly emerge for the garden, but since my calculations indicate that I will only be able to afford to retire about 2 years after I die, that is less than likely.

Welcome to the site

It’s a busy world out there for an aspiring voice over guy with plans to write. Blogs, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest; more social media channels that you can shake an aspiring author at.

I have never had a personal website to advertise myself, well now I have, and here is the first post on said site.

I was born at a very young age, in close proximity to my mother, a little over 50 years ago. Between then and now I have not died, and, in the meantime, been a medical student, editor, cyclist, beekeeper and graphic designer, of sorts. 

In the latest development in this particular life story, I have been narrating and producing audiobooks, and writing. 

Why start voice over work? It started in my current “proper” job, when they needed some voice overs for educational material, and assistance in producing audio material. Following that enjoyable experience, I built a home recording booth, got a decent microphone and software, and recorded audiobooks, now up for sale on Audible.com.

It is not a quick process. For every hour of finished material, editing can sometimes take up to 4 hours. The human mouth can make a whole variety of noises that should not end up in a professional audiobook. Despite that, it is such fun to learn characters from the inside, to voice them, and to really bring them to life.

As for the writing, there is a saying “Everyone has a book in them, but in most cases that’s where it should stay”. Maybe that is the case for me, but until I extract some writing, give it life and publish it, how will I learn whether the world is ready for me? Ultimately I hope to write a book and produce the audiobook myself, but I also hope to win the lottery and live to be 130. While the last 2 might be tricky, the first 2 might be within my power if I try. So, here I am trying!

I have been producing a story in a serial format for work colleagues and friends, as a way of trying to keep myself and them reasonably sane during the lockdown. It has gone down quite well so far, and an additional reason for setting this site up is to allow me to tidy up the story, pull it together and publish it more widely. I will put it up in a dedicated post, and add each episode to a static page on the site. If you like it, or have any comments, please let me know. 

I also have an interest in exploring the lesser known, if not necessarily true, history behind common sayings and objects. My thoughts on the subjects might also appear on this site, but will definitely fall under the category of “fake news”, so beware! 

So, that’s me, audiobook voice over talent, aspiring writer, relapsed cyclist, and generally interested in life. If I can be of service to you, if you have any comments about anything on this site, if you would like a bit of advice on voice over work, please contact me, and enjoy the posts.