Things to do · Arts and crafts
Try voice acting
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Voiceover, audiobook and radio drama work is acting with nothing but your voice, a script and a microphone, and hearing your own take played back is half the lesson. Beginners can start with a single online class, a ten-week studio course or a free volunteer audiobook project recorded at home.
GentleUnder £100 / $130A few weeksIndoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
What a beginners' course covers
City Lit's Voiceovers beginners' course works through radio commercials, audiobooks and other voiceover recordings, helps you identify your voice type and plays back your recordings for feedback. It asks that you can read a script accurately and give and take constructive feedback; no previous mic experience is needed.
In the US, the University of Utah's Lifelong Learning class covered reading and interpreting scripts, setting up a home studio, joining talent agencies and auditioning, with the last session in the library's audio studio. Cuesta College's online introduction, taught by the voiceover group Voices For All, is a single 90-minute Zoom class with script reading and coaching, followed by an evaluation call.
For audiobook narration without a fee, LibriVox volunteers record books that are in the public domain. LibriVox says you need no experience and no audition, just your voice, free software, a computer and maybe an inexpensive microphone, and you can do as much or as little as you like.
Ways in compared
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| City Lit, London | Voiceovers: beginners; ten weekly sessions in the media studio, 2027 runs | £349, or £244 concession |
| City Lit, London | Acting for radio and podcast dramas: beginners; six weekly sessions, some acting experience expected | £299, or £209 concession |
| Cuesta College, California | One 90-minute class on Zoom plus a follow-up evaluation call; age 18 and over | $49 |
| University of Utah Lifelong Learning, Salt Lake City | Voice Acting: An Introduction; four evening sessions (2025 run) | $154, including a $5 parking fee |
| LibriVox (online) | Volunteer reading of public-domain books, recorded at home | Free; you need a computer, free software and perhaps an inexpensive microphone |
City Lit's beginners' course page describes in-person sessions at Keeley Street, though one part of the page calls it online, so check the format before booking.
How to start
- Book a beginners' class: a one-off online introduction or a weekly course at an adult education college or university continuing-education programme.
- Read a page of a book aloud into your phone, then listen back and notice where you stumble, rush or run out of breath.
- Read LibriVox's volunteer page and pick a short public-domain text to record as a first go at narration.
Where to go
- City Lit: Voiceovers: beginners (London) UK
- LibriVox: volunteer to read public-domain audiobooks
- Cuesta College Community Education: Introduction to Voiceovers (online) US
We opened these links on 13 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Two ways to plan it.
Plan it yourself Free
The links you need to book it, get there, find somewhere to stay and eat, and see what else there is to do nearby. They are searches for you to run; nothing is saved.
Show the links
Plan it with dates
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Do you need experience to start voice acting?
No. City Lit's Voiceovers course is aimed at beginners, and LibriVox says you need no prior experience and no audition to read for it.
How can I practise audiobook narration for free?
Volunteer with LibriVox, which records public-domain books read by volunteers. You record at home and can do as much or as little as you like.
What equipment do I need to record audiobooks at home?
LibriVox says you need your voice, free recording software, a computer and maybe an inexpensive microphone.
What does a voiceover class teach?
Typically script reading, microphone technique and playback with feedback. City Lit covers commercials and audiobooks, and the University of Utah class also covered home studios, talent agencies and auditions.
Where this comes from: City Lit, Voiceovers: beginners; City Lit, Acting for radio and podcast dramas: beginners; Cuesta College Community Education, Introduction to Voiceovers; University of Utah Lifelong Learning, Voice Acting: An Introduction; LibriVox, Volunteer for LibriVox. Opened 13 November 2026.
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