by Liz Solar | May 15, 2023 | Embark the Podcast, Voice Over
Alan Alda says, “It is the space between the lines that make it a great performance.”
Never underestimate the power of the pause. This is true in acting as well as in speaking and music. A message, for instance a radio commercial or an eLearning module isn’t just conveyed with words, it’s with your pauses.
Used strategically, it’s a tool to help you build an intellectual and emotional connection with your audience. A pause gives your audience or listener time to process what you said. It helps your listener stay engaged and follow what comes next. If you tend to speak rapidly, allowing adequate time for pauses becomes even more important. (more…)
by Liz Solar | Apr 18, 2023 | Branding, Embark the Podcast, Marketing, Voice, Voice Over, Writing
Congratulations. You added ‘author’ to your list of bonafides. Despite marketing and promoting your paperback or e-book, it’s being ignored. What to do?
Just add audio.
Audiobooks are one of the strongest ways to hook readers. In the last decade, audiobook have enjoyed double-digit increases each year.
Read more (more…)
by Liz Solar | Mar 1, 2023 | Embark the Podcast, Voice, Voice Over
We can often tell a lot about someone by the sound of their voice. We detect warmth, intelligence — or lack thereof — status, often regionality. But can we ever really judge or know someone by how they sound?
For over 15 years I’ve been a professional voice actor. Before that, I was a radio announcer. Much of that time, listeners thought I was blonde. Now, thanks to the aging process and Goldwell HairColor 8GB, and a few strategically placed strands of 10B, I am blonde. Almost. And none the ditzier for it. Although I can certainly sound that way. (more…)
by Liz Solar | Feb 6, 2023 | Voice, Voice Over
One of a multi-part series on how our voice can serve, move and influence.
The sound of our voice and how we use it are important and make us feel good. A 2012 article in Evolution and Human Behavior reported just hearing the voice of our loved ones versus a text conversation reduces our blood cortisol levels and heightens the release of oxytocin, the feel-good hormone associated with bonding.
I received an email from someone I’ve never met and most likely never will. As a voice actor, aside from a client’s gratitude, I rarely know how my storytelling affects the listener. My delight and surprise at receiving the message was surpassed by how deeply their words affected me.
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by Liz Solar | Jan 2, 2023 | Embark the Podcast, Voice
Happy New Year!
Sick of New Year’s resolutions that fizzle up by January 31? Go for a fresh start instead.
Have you heard of the ‘fresh start effect’?
Research states occasions like New Year’s, birthdays, holidays or even the beginning of a week or month are associated with increased aspirational behavior, These ‘temporal landmarks’ help people split their perception of time into “before” and “after,” and help you bounce back from any previous failures, real or imagined.
Fresh starts or ‘performance resets’ generally follow less-than-stellar periods of personal/professional performance. If this is your experience, give yourself time to recover and grace to ensure a more resilient mindset coming into it.
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by Liz Solar | Sep 22, 2022 | Embark the Podcast, Voice Over
As a voice actor, I receive a lot of auditions that request a ‘conversational read’. The style requires voice talent to sound relatable, likeable and empathetic. It’s the voice of a good friend or trusted adviser. As if you’re in, you know, a conversation.
It strikes me that in a time when the marketing version of conversation is so popular, our real-world conversation is decidedly not. Genuine, engaged conversation – that give and take of ideas information and feeling – is often absent in a world filled with noise and hit-and-run commentary.
Over the last two years I have advocated better conversations to understand each other, to see each other as human beings rather than opinions. Or punching bags. Find common ground.
We have much more in common with each other than we think.
So, in the spirit of better, more connected conversations, I propose this solution: Get a dog. (more…)
by Liz Solar | Sep 5, 2021 | Embark the Podcast
Director, choreographer, and playwright Michael Bobbitt has dedicated his professional career to arts leadership. As Executive Director of the MA Cultural Council, Michael is the highest-ranking cultural official in Massachusetts. Before he joined the Council last year, he served as Artistic Director of the New Repertory Theatre in Watertown, MA, and the Adventure Theatre-MTC in Maryland. He has served as an Associate Professor of Theatre at both the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Howard University.. (more…)
by Liz Solar | Aug 15, 2021 | Branding, Embark the Podcast, Marketing, Voice, Voice Over
Pauline Cheung is a confidence coach works with people to transform the fears that can hold one back to the unwavering confidence to move forward in life and career. From an early age, Pauline herself unconsciously picked on messages it was not safe to be herself. It wasn’t until after she graduated college she decided to figure out what she wanted to do and who she wanted to be.
What she learned through her experiences, and through piecing together advice from mentors and coaches, is that the fear is normal. Fear shows up when we’re on the cusp of stepping into something big, whether it’s a stronger presence in meetings, shifting into a new role, or promoting our personal brand. The solution wasn’t to get rid of fear (which never worked for long), but transform her relationship to fear, which lead her to a successful career that includes international marketing for The Disney Companies.
Our two-part conversation can be heard on my Embark podcast. Many thanks to Pauline for sharing her story, and for answering these five questions. (more…)
by Liz Solar | Jul 26, 2021 | Embark the Podcast
Author Elizabeth Splaine has had several lives: hospital administrator, opera singer, vocal coach, audiobook narrator and writer. As a guest on my podcast Embark, we talked about her latest novel Devil’s Grace, the healthcare system, unexplained phenomenon and the power of forgiveness. If you’re looking for a summer read, check out Devil’s Grace. In the meantime, get to know Elizabeth a little better as I pose five questions following our recorded conversation. (more…)
by Liz Solar | Jul 15, 2021 | Embark the Podcast
The ultimate multitasker and ‘parallel’ entrepreneur, Bobbie Carlton is an award-winning marketing and PR professional and founder of Innovation women. Often called ‘Boston’s Innovation Den Mother’ and ‘the Startup Fairy Godmother,’ Bobbie’s on a mission to introduce women speakers to more audiences and change the dynamic of the ‘manel,’ the all male speakers panel. We spoke last week on my Embark podcast. She graciously answered a few more questions here. (more…)