Librivox readers present a collection of their favorite chapters and short stories, with the original author’s words all brought to life with different reader voices for each character in our popular Dramatic Reading style. This volume includes readings from... (Summary by ToddHW)
What is this collection?
We have quite a selection of plays here on LibriVox, where readers read the lines of a character in a stage play. One reader narrates the "stage directions", so that listeners can imagine the actors on stage. An editor stitches together everyone's lines, for the final production!
We also have "Dramatic Readings" of books that are not written as plays - for these, the Book Coordinator adds character cues to the original text, so that each reader can find their character's lines. The person reading the narration will also have much more to do - often, they'll read nearly the whole book!
This collection is for shorter Dramatic Readings - a short-story, a fable, or perhaps just the best chapter of a beloved novel.
If you want to get started with Dramatic Readings, this is the place to do it! We'd highly recommend doing at least one short project before you start on a book - you'll learn whether you really enjoy the work that goes into it, and you may find more people willing to help you out on a larger project as well.
This collection will host 10 projects. I will keep the Magic Window up to date, but the BC of each project will perform the other usual duties, including preparing a script from a Public Domain source, responding to any questions about their project, Proof Listening (PLing) each character's lines, and editing the final production together. BCs may ask for help on one or more of these tasks, but the responsibility is theirs. Even though these are shorter and easier than a whole book, they are still a sizeable commitment!
Instructions for joining a project are below the Magic Window! Instructions for starting one are in the next post.
Stories in this collection:
1. [OPEN] A Double Story, Chapter 12, by George MacDonald - died 1905
The BC for this project is ShellyW
Script to read from: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EuCVbIR5F2gMSmLwnUPBmWbQH_HKdvwTMoBhM9Iik5A/edit
Original Text: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5676
Author on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_MacDonald
Title on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_Princess
First published: 1875
2. Open for a new project
3. [COMPLETE] The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Chapter 2 in The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes) - died 1930
The BC for this project is Inkell, Proof Listener is BrianFullen
Script to read from: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HFxmv8n-xqBxgFgBPvRwObQ6jXE7rOqHpiaBWDHtZKw/edit?usp=sharing
Original text: https://gutenberg.org/cache/epub/69700/pg69700-images.html#chap02
Author on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle (died July 7th 1930)
Book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Case-Book_of_Sherlock_Holmes
Story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Blanched_Soldier
First published: 1927
Cast list: viewtopic.php?p=2311437#p2311437
4. [COMPLETE] Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway - died 1961
NOTE: Hemingway died in 1961. This story is not PD for readers in Europe and/or Australia, and other countries which observe copyright of author's death +70 years.
The BC for this project is: ChuckW
Script to read from: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tBqK9m4ip0xJ4hL7-QDDiw9SMFx0PomB/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116439386057496903378&rtpof=true&sd=true
Original text: https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/69683
Author on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway
Story on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hills_Like_White_Elephants
First Published: 1927
5. [COMPLETE] The Knight's Move, by Katharine Fullerton Gerould - died 1944
The BC for this project is BrianFullen.
Script to read from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QebantK-TbcYyXjSGKpWfpaO6-CpuxWO/view
Original text: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/20872/pg20872-images.html#THE_KNIGHTS_MOVE10
Author on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharine_Fullerton_Gerould
First published: 1917
Cast list: viewtopic.php?p=2319633#p2319633
6. [OPEN] The Brothers, by Luisa May Alcott - died 1888
The BC for this project is jennlea.
Script to read from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JvDqMSn0H5cS2DP7atpye4_YbK9G8yRh/view?usp=sharing
Special notes:
- Casting for this project is "gender-specific" (male voices for male roles and vice versa)
- This story takes place during the Civil War. Some of the dialogue uses a dialect that aligns with the time period. It may be considered stereotypical and/or offensive to modern readers. Please only claim a part for which you are comfortable being true to text as written.
Author on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisa_May_Alcott
First published: 1863
7. [OPEN] The Adventure of the Speckled Band, by Arthur Conan Doyle - died 1930
The BC for this project is Bookworm360
Script to read from: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1B0xy2g0RQDibyz5OehCj66dUbxvzJqC6Xf-gFytkmDw/edit?usp=sharing
Special notes:
- Casting for this project is "gender-specific (male voices for male roles and vice versa)
- Readers are more than welcome to attempt a British accent, but it is not required.
Author on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle (Jul. 7, 1930)
Title on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Speckled_Band
First published: February 1892
8. (Reserved as an extension of Speckled Band)
9. [COMPLETE] This Finer Shadow, Chapter 11, by Harlan Cozad McIntosh - died 1940
The BC for this project is: BrianFullen
Script to read from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pusP335QNR2GIPmbSa_lZVG_0-CZB5PL/view?usp=sharing
Original text: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64251
First Published: 1941
Cast list: viewtopic.php?p=2324165#p2324165
10. [OPEN] Chapter 2 from Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens - died 1870
The BC for this project is: Rapunzelina
Script to read from: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yu7pMRsyWPIWPl6ablkMICh05pmgPf3sBZju53uEQTc/edit?usp=sharing
Original text: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/730
Author on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens
Book on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Twist
First Published: 1838
Please see instructions below the Magic Window for claiming a part, and in the next post for starting a project.
Please don't download or listen to files belonging to projects in progress (unless you are the BC or PL). Our servers are not set up to handle the greater volume of traffic. Please wait until the project has been completed. Thanks!
Magic Window:
BC Admin
Instructions for readers:
Above the Magic Window, you'll find the list of stories in this collection. Each will show the name of the Book Coordinator (BC), a link to the prepared script, and any copyright information or other notes for that story project. The stories must be in the Public Domain in the USA to be included, but please be sure it is also Public Domain in your own country before signing up!
Claiming roles: Look in the Magic Window for the list of available roles. Post a reply in this thread asking for the role you would like to record, and include the name of the story the role is in.
Please note: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. When you submit your recording, you will be placing your recording in the public domain as well.
Deadline: Unless otherwise noted, your deadline is 2 months from posting your claim. If you cannot complete the recording within this time, please post in the thread to relinquish your claim or to ask the BC for an extension. If your recording is not completed by the deadline, your claim may be reassigned at the BC's discretion.
Proof Listening: Unless otherwise noted, the PL level is "Standard".
Someone will check the technical specs of your recording, will follow along to make sure that each of your lines can be heard, and will ask you to fix any mistakes that materially change the meaning of your line.
New to recording? Please see our Newbie Guide to Recording for further instructions. A quick guide to our required technical settings can be found here. When you post your file, please tell us what name you would like to use in our catalog.
What to record
Please read from the script that the BC of the project has prepared - linked above the Magic Window.
If you are reading the part of a character, please record a voice credit at the beginning of your file, like this:
Then, record each line marked for your character in the script. Please remember to leave at least 3 seconds of silence to separate each of your lines from the others, then about 5 seconds of silence at the very end of your recording.Name of character (as shown in the Magic Window), read by your catalog name
If you are reading the narration of a story, please record the usual LibriVox intro, like this:
If the BC has not added a prompt for this, you can then say something like "Cast of Characters", leave a pause of several seconds, and then "Narrated by your catalog name."Story #, in Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, volume 5. Story title, by Author.
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit librivox.org.
Then, record everything in the script that is not marked for a particular character. Please leave at least 3 seconds of silence in your recording so the editor can see where the character lines should go. You will also leave about 5 seconds of silence after you read the final line(s) below.
At the end of the narration, say:
If this is the final story in the collection, please also say:End of Story title, by Author
Remember to leave about 5 seconds of silence at the very end of the recording.End of Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, volume 5.
When finished recording
Save your file, and export it as MP3, in mono, at 128kbps (full tech specs here)
File name: drcollection5_storytitle_charactername.mp3 (*)
* Where storytitle and charactername are a shortened version of the story title, and of your character's name. All lower-case, no spaces!
Upload your MP3 file with the LibriVox Uploader: https://librivox.org/login/uploader
(If you have trouble reading the image above, please message an admin)
MC to select: redrun
Copy and paste the file link generated by the uploader into a new post in this thread along with the file duration (mm:ss). Watch this thread for prooflistening notes.
If you are the BC/editor and are also reading a role, PL at this point is optional. There will be a final PL after you are finished editing everything together.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! Just post in this thread.