Triumph of Patience: After 4.5 years, my Musical Graphic Audiobook is DONE!
The Long and Winding Road to Creating My Greatest Achievement of Sound: A full-cast musical graphic audiobook with musical score, sound design, and incredible voice actors from around the globe! LISTEN NOW!
Persistence, determination, and an unwavering passion for storytelling—these are the qualities that lie at the heart of every creative endeavor. In a world driven by instant gratification, where patience seems to be a forgotten virtue, the completion of a project that spans several years is a testament to the dedication and tenacity of its creator. Today, we celebrate the extraordinary achievement of an audiobook that has finally reached its culmination after an arduous 4.5-year journey. While there were many times I thought I wouldn't be able to accomplish this feat and many long nights where I wondered if I was "cutting down the wrong forest", I was committed to finishing, and my perseverance won in the end.
Inception and Inspiration
It all began with a spark of inspiration—an idea that blossomed on a long and boring flight back from Louisiana. Whipping out my laptop, I wrote 20+ pages of world-building and story ideas. It felt original, and it gave me life. Touching down in Salt Lake City, the ideas continued pouring out like a broken fire hydrant, and the vision of an immersive audiobook took shape. I envisioned a world where music and sound were the power source, where people on a corrupt and flooded Earth would have a chance to earn a place on Paradise, where original sports and languages dominated, and where a lone protagonist would be kidnapped from Paradise, brought to Earth, and forced to earn her own way back home on Paradise.
The Road Less Traveled
Creating an immersive musical audiobook was no small feat. It required meticulous planning, tireless research, and a team of talented individuals who shared the same passion and dedication. As I embarked on this ambitious endeavor, everyone close to me soon realized that the road ahead was not paved with quick victories but rather with countless hours of work, collaboration, and unforeseen challenges. My wife was a trooper through all of this. She sacrificed time and our savings right alongside me, and she handled it like a champ!
The Hurdles and Triumphs
Over 4.5 years, the project encountered numerous obstacles—technical glitches, scheduling conflicts, botched recording sessions, numerous mixing engineers, the recasting of actors, and the inevitable ebb and flow of a busy dad life. However, through it all, I refused to succumb to despair. Instead, I did my best to turn every setback into an opportunity for growth and learning. Each hurdle gave my writing more purpose, my characters more depth, and my ideas time to breathe.
The Power of Collaboration
Behind every successful audiobook lies a team of dedicated individuals who bring their expertise and creativity to the table. Sound engineers, linguists, acoustic science experts, voice actors, singers, orchestras and choirs, editors, and producers all played an integral role in shaping the final product. Their unwavering commitment and shared vision ensured that every word spoken, every sound effect, and every pause resonated with the essence of the story.
The Emotional Rollercoaster
The journey of creating an audiobook is an emotional rollercoaster ride. Moments of doubt and frustration often intermingled with elation and pride. Yet, through it all, I remained resolute, fueled by my unwavering belief in the power of my music and story. Every late night spent editing and composing, every revision made, and every retake recorded brought me one step closer to the finish line. There were definitely times when I felt like I was standing at the base of an insurmountable mountain.
The Sweet Taste of Victory
And finally, after 4.5 years of perseverance, we finished it! My dream is materialized, and the result is something I can be proud of for decades to come. As the final chapters were edited, scored, and mixed, the final composition playing to the end, a profound sense of accomplishment filled the air.
If you have a dream that seems insurmountable, remember everything is accomplished one step at a time. Everything worth anything requires patience and perseverance. Your dreams can be realized, and always remember, the journey is often just as rewarding as the destination.
Link: LISTEN TO THE AUDIOBOOK!
by: Shaun Barrowes
