Listen for the story, not the voice
A beautiful voice reading at you is a demo reel. A narrator disappearing into your book is a performance.
A striking voice is the least important thing you are hiring. Listen instead for pacing that follows meaning, dialogue that sounds like people, and a narrator who understands what each scene is doing.
Play a sample and stop watching the clock. If you forget you were evaluating, that is the signal.
Audition on your own pages
Generic samples show range; only a custom audition shows fit. Send two or three pages that include dialogue between your main characters and one emotionally loaded moment.
A professional narrator will welcome this. It is how they decide whether the book is right for them, too.
Questions worth asking
How do you handle notes and revisions — and how many rounds are included? What is your delivery schedule? Who does your editing and QC? What happens if a pickup is needed after delivery?
The answers matter less than whether they come back specific. Vague answers about process now become vague files later.
Red flags
No contract, or reluctance to specify what is included. Dramatic underpricing. No mention of proofing or QC. Rights confusion.
And the quiet one: no questions about your book. A narrator who is not curious about the story will not serve it.