Every story asks something different of a narrator. Some demand gravity, others humor, and a few—like George MacDonald’s The Light Princess—ask for both at once.
I’m excited to share that The Light Princess, Episode 3 of the Gentle Magic series, has just launched. This short-form audio adaptation is a playful yet poignant tale of a princess cursed with weightlessness—both in body and in heart—and the journey she must take to discover what it means to love.
One of the questions I get most often is: “How do you decide what a story should sound like?”
The truth is, every audio book asks for a slightly different voice, a different rhythm, a different balance of play and pause.
With The Light Princess—Episode 3 of the Gentle Magic series—I found myself constantly balancing opposites. This fairy tale, first told by George MacDonald in the 19th century, is whimsical, humorous, and tender all at once. The princess is literally cursed with weightlessness. She laughs too easily, floats out of reach, and doesn’t take anything seriously. But at the heart of the story lies the challenge of learning what love really means—something that can’t be approached with lightness alone.
Choices Behind the Mic
When narrators work with a director, we’re given external notes and adjustments. But when self-directing—as many audio book narrators do—we’re constantly making judgment calls in real time:
- Tone shifts: Where should the narration sparkle with fairy-tale lightness, and where should it deepen into sincerity?
- Pacing: Do I linger on a phrase to let the humor land, or move quickly to keep the energy flowing?
- Characterization: How distinct should each voice be in a fairy tale? Do I lean into caricature for comic moments, or keep the voices closer to a natural read?
- Breath and silence: Where is the pause more powerful than the line itself?
Self-directing requires a kind of double-awareness: you’re performing in the moment, but you’re also listening as a future audience member would. You have to trust your instincts, but also step outside of them and ask, “Does this serve the story?”
Available Now
The Light Princess is available to listen through: