You're looking at Less Wrong's discussion board. This includes all posts, including those that haven't been promoted to the front page yet. For more information, see About Less Wrong.

Perplexed comments on HP:MoR Audio Book Pilot - Less Wrong Discussion

18 Post author: Eneasz 29 March 2011 06:05AM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (30)

You are viewing a single comment's thread.

Comment author: Perplexed 29 March 2011 07:43:56AM 2 points [-]

I have one over-riding question to anyone/everyone: is this of any value?

I think so. Audiobooks are great for long car trips. As for your other questions - your voice is great, but you need some practice. And some editing - there were a few noticeable stumbles that ought to have been corrected in a professional sounding product. If I had to offer one piece of advice on your manner, I would probably suggest that you try to make it more 'theatrical' - don't worry about being too 'cheezy' - cheese works in this format.

I was a little surprised that you abridged and modified the text so much. Is that standard in audio books? And there was one thing I didn't like - the echo-chamber effect for Harry's thinking to himself. I suppose you need some kind of effect, but I didn't care for the one you chose. But that is a minor point. Well done!

Comment author: wedrifid 29 March 2011 02:11:46PM 5 points [-]

I was a little surprised that you abridged and modified the text so much. Is that standard in audio books?

Yes, it is common... but it shouldn't be! I can't stand abridged versions.

Comment author: Eneasz 29 March 2011 03:06:56PM 2 points [-]

Actually the "abridged" part is in reference to the flash-forwards that start out several of the early chapters (I just don't know how to do those in a way that doesn't sound confusing). The rest was read straight, directly from the most recent version available at fanfic.net. Eliezer changed the original text of the first chapter a fair bit, which also surprised me when I went back and re-read it in preparation for this.

I'd definitely fix the stumbles in any final version I put out. Is the echo-chamber OK for the letter-writing portion?

Thanks for the feedback! :)

Comment author: Perplexed 29 March 2011 05:31:21PM 6 points [-]

Eliezer changed the original text of the first chapter a fair bit...

Ah, you are right. I was looking at an old .pdf copy when I accused you of excessive abridging. As for abridging the flash-forwards, you probably made the right choice. Though you could present them before the announcement of chapter name and title and other boilerplate.

As for the echo chamber, I would save it for things done in 'Magical Voice' - spell invocations, oracular pronouncements, sorting hat, etc. I do agree that the letter-writing and thoughts-to-self ought to be distinguished in some way, and perhaps in the same way, but the echo/reverb just doesn't seem right for them. They should somehow be less portentious, rather than more.