So the first thing I need to recommend about when to outsource your editing is a mindset change. It’s understandable that when beginning a voiceover business, money can be at a premium. Between classes, equipment, coaching, and marketing, there’s a hefty dollar cost before the money comes flowing in. Any additional expenses can feel dangerous or maybe unneeded. Jobs you get at first may not have ideal rates or client relationships. In fact, there is some benefit early on in your career as a voice actor to editing your own work because it’s a crash course in audio production.
However, at some point, there’s an important fact about what you’re doing that you need to think of. Business takes investment. In order to grow, you need to put money back into your business, and one of the best ways to do that is concentrate the most on what you do the best.
Talk. Your voice is one thing in your business that only you can do. Your voice is the centerpiece of your ability to make money in general. And the more you focus on what you do best, the more of it you can do. Obviously there are limitations with needing breaks to rest your voice, but outsourcing your editing also gives you more time for marketing, invoicing, or any of the other business elements you may need to catch up on.
As an added bonus, you’ll also have more time for family or personal needs, which is easy to lose in the entrepreneurial mindset. So although it can seem like an unnecessary expense to hire an outside editor or proofer, it’s a worthwhile investment to help make your business more effective and sustainable for you. And cost isn’t the only mindset worry that you need to change–some people enjoy the process of editing and figure that why shouldn’t they just take care of it themselves? As an established talent, this can also hold you back because like it or not, you could have a better or more efficient use of your time. Give yourself the ability to have a greater flexibility in your day. It might be a scary jump to make, but it is worth it to make your business run like a business. You don’t have to-and shouldn’t-wear all the hats yourself.
Here are a few things to consider that will help you decide whether it’s time to outsource your audio. It’s important to make sure that not only are you ready, but that you’re ready to put forward effort on your part to make sure that hiring out not only is but stays effective as a business choice.
- Length of audio. Are you working on shorter or longer audio in general? With shorter pieces (like less than 10 minutes) you may have a better ROI by doing the editing yourself, if you’ve got enough experience to make it work smoothly. It’s not that you can’t outsource shorter work, but by the time you send it out and wait for the audio to come back, you could have probably just had it done yourself. Many people do a good variety of work, and some much longer than that, but your auditions and short pieces are probably worth it to take care of in house. ***Though if you are in the position to hire an in-person assistant, audio editing for short narrations is a great task for them to handle. See number 5 & 6 on this list
Finances ROI/income. I would never advise someone to take bread out of their families’ mouths, but it’s important to think about as you build your business that for some time after you start you may need either savings or a second income to help cover start up costs. Long term, editing will emphatically pay for itself, especially with longer work. Not only does it involve cost savings to focus on what you do best, it also offers benefits in terms of workflow smoothness, and the psychological benefit of having one less thing to worry about. But in the beginning when you’re still paying out more than you bring in, outsourcing may not be a good fit. When you are the sole person responsible for your business it’s easy to fall into an individual mindset, but shifting to a collabrative/team mindset can open up a lot of freedom for you. Lots of people come into voiceover from creative industries, where that kind of thought can be hard to set down for yourself. But it’s a necessary part of being successful, and sustainable. - Expectations. You should know what you’re looking for in an editor. What kind of turn around do you want? Keep in mind that what you do in your own life is not necessarily how someone else is going to think or operate. It helps to think carefully about your needs, and write them all out so that you can speak clearly about them and make sure that you get what you’re looking for. But also, particularly, if you have an acting or non-techie mindset, it can be a good thing to be willing to listen if your editor has experience that can help you learn what is reasonable from their end of the business. A good editor will be a strong support and aid in your work.
- Friends in the business. One of the best ways to find a good editor is through word of mouth. Experienced talent often have an editor or two as a go to person, especially in the audiobook world. Sometimes end clients do the editing on their own, but even in such cases, talents will often hire a proofer to help make sure their narration is as polished as possible before they turn it in. And when you have a variety of clients, having an editor will help you be ready no matter what end client you’re working with. (Or whether or not they need editing.)
- In person or at a distance. Another good question to ask yourself is whether you’d want to be physically near someone who is working for you. Some people would rather be able to see and talk to their employees face to face, and some don’t mind if the communication is all online. It’s a good idea to figure this out before you start looking so that you don’t end up in a situation you’re uncomfortable with.
- Training. If you’re an experienced talent who knows the ins and outs of audio, sometimes you can get a little bit of a bargain by training someone-a friend, relative, child, or intern-and work with them. That can have upsides and downsides though, since the person doesn’t have your years of experience and getting good with audio takes a lot of time. Hiring a freelance pro means working with someone who already has the experience and knowledge you need-although you should make sure that they have recommendations or experience like you would with any contractor.
At the end of the day, handing off your long form narration editing can free you up to tackle things in your business that otherwise would be pushed to the wayside. It can be scary to give up control, but prioritizing the things that need your direct attention is an important step in growing, and thriving in your business. Investing in a reliable, skilled editor can do wonders for your career if you give it a chance.