Okay. Here’s the deal. You should always record your pieces. I can’t even begin to list all of the whys. You’re a brilliant reader. Funny as fuck and endearing as can be, and your voice and ability to do characters is fabulous. Keep doing it and do, pet, try to get over the fear and embarrassment(?) because if you don’t, you’ll be withholding some thing beautiful from your audience of readers and listeners. The beautiful thing? You.
Yeah, yeah. Don’t go on. (I hope you know I’m joking here, pet. Please—do go on.) I’ll keep going.
Also—just got to say—I love that you and Kim are having your own mini conversation in the comments. That’s the best bit about Substack comments. No idea why I can’t tag Kim (@ doesn’t work) but you’re both awesome.
Wonderful! Weirdly this was the first Substack I have actually listened to. Spooky! Keep talking because you read so well and I will always opt to hear you from now on! I particularly loved the Bromley Odeon conversation
Oooh, what made you click the audio button this time?
Substack doesn’t give any specific metrics on how many people listen to the audio so I have no idea how many people actually use it. I’ll keep doing it though. This time was painful but nowhere near as bad as the first one. Hopefully it’ll keep getting easier. x
I’m sure it will get easier. I had a pile of ironing and was about to turn to a podcast but then thought I would try something on Substack and your post popped up, very fortuitous
Lots of knowing chuckles here…it’s funny, I don’t mind hearing my voice but all the struggles you mention I feel intensely. It’s around just having any kind of voice, opinion or sense of self.
For example, the other week, I did a Masterclass, (haha one of those things that those dastardly courses say is the be all and end all), and I can get myself into such a resourceful state before and during…but after….oh the backlash, the contraction.
For a couple of days afterwards the ‘voices’ are so violent - “Who do you think you are?!/Get back in your box/Everyone is laughing at you/You’re shit.” I know that as I keep doing the reps and proving to my body that there is absolutely nothing to fear, and that I’m not going to get into trouble, the contraction will last less and less, but my God, it’s excruciating.
I love how you, me and so many others are keeping on with working through the discomfort and I’m grateful for this Substack community, where it feels like a supportive environment to do that whilst I learn how to cycle without stabilizers.
You were absolutely wrong about one thing thing though: you have a lovely voice.
I think I should take your Masterclass, Suzy. Will you ever do one for non-brides?
And yeah—stabilisers. They were weird things. I had stabilisers on my bike for one day but they were so unstable—the didn’t both touch the ground at once and kept tipping me to one side then the other—they were removed. Maybe there’s a metaphor in there for the crutches we use but which really hold us back? You know how I love a good metaphor!
That would NOT mean the Substack community though. The support in this place is fabulous. Maybe it’s more about leaning too heavily on other people’s approval when we need to learn to trust our own worth? Or summat like that.
Trusting our own worth…ahhh ain’t that the journey hey. Trusting our intuition, trusting our selves and our gifts…
I’d love you to be at one of my masterclasses! I definitely want to open it up at some point but would really love to crack the code for the wedding speech genre first for some reason. Maybe bc like Substack, it feels like a more playful space to hang out.
😊Just curious—have you ever thought of recording your poems, Fotini? I’m not becoming an audio evangelist, honest! But I love hearing poets read their own work.
It took me a long time to consider myself a poet, a writer, to hear these words coming from other people and do no flinch with discomfort, Miranda. It took me many years to accept this part of myself. I have found my voice and I my intention is to raise it, to speak up, to let the world know I am here. But speaking is something I still struggle with.
English is not my native language. Reading and writing comes easy, but talking is not. I did my first step when I read out loud a few poems (not mine) to two amazing writers I met here on Substack. We try to get together once a week and even though our interaction is through the screen it makes a big difference to the way I express myself. The truth is that we need each other. We are social beings and as much as I value my solitude there comes a time when reaching out to others is essential.
Baby steps :) but I am getting there -- towards the day that I will read out loud my poems and accept my voice / myself without judgement.
Your writing resonated with me in so many ways and it made me feel less alone. Thank you for sharing, Miranda. 💛
This is a brilliant letter! Brilliant to read, brilliant to listen to. I have slowly found that listening back to a voiceover of my posts gets less cringey over time, and my ability to read them with out too many stutters and fumbles has improved over time. I love to be immersed in stories, whether reading or listening, so I am most definitely wishing for more Miranda. It was a joy to hear your voice and you have a gift for narration 💛✨
Miranda, you already know I adore the piece and am blown away by your voiceover. Seriously good stuff. You made me smile. You made me feel seen. And you made me think. Don't know that I could ask any more of a single piece of writing. I love your walk down memory lane, and the little scenes you brought to life were so endearing. I remember the equivalent of the Odeon recording over here in the states. (I guess we're not so different after all! 😉) And thinking of that brought back so many other GenX memories. I love the way you wove all of this into a beautiful and thought-provoking conversation about voice. I had never really thought about my challenges with voice as being at all influenced by my generation, but I think you may be onto something there.
Thank you for this piece and for pushing past your self doubt to hit record and share that with us too. I love it and can't wait to see what comes next. xo
Jamie—feeling “seen” is such a compliment. Thank you!
I don’t really know enough Gen Zs or younger to know whether this is really a generational thing, but I do remember conversations with my contemporaries from decades ago where we all complained about how much we hated our own voice. It wasn’t an issue then—no one ever really recorded or heard themselves. These days it’s expected.
Good to know we all shared that experience of shouting at a robot down a phone line. It feels very bonding!
Miranda this was bloody amazing! Bravo! You are eons ahead of me! I have tried recording my essays countless times and delete within listening back to just a few lines! I am terrified/horrified/disgusted by the sound of my own voice even though I know many people, more and more in fact, are using audio, I simply cannot send out mine.
I have an interview coming up which will be recorded and sent out here on Substack, not sure when yet, but I am already losing sleep over it thinking what the fuck I was thinking about when I said yes! I mean really... who the devil is going to want to listen anyway? I will be a tongue tied blithering, probably tearful idiot trying to act normal and failing.
You succeeded with such eloquent dexterity,I absolutely loved listening to you while I was crying into my onion skins and will again - more please - I'm green with envy! xx
Oh, Susie, I completely understand. All I can say is that the second time of recording and posting audio was more than marginally less painful than the first. I hope that pain lessens each time I do it. I even listened back in the car while taking the dog for a walk and didn’t want to crash the car to escape the horror. It was okay—just about. (Although I think the dog was a little puzzled why my voice was coming through the radio. He did that head tilt thing they do when trying to figure something out.)
I’ve also promised to do an audio podcast thing and have had similar anxieties about it. I think that’s partly what made me decide to do my own audio here—so I can either get over the horror, or make an excuse and not do it. I really don’t want to do that second option though.
One thing I’m sure of—no one hates our voice as much as we do ourselves. I’d love to hear you reading your work. It would be infinitely preferable to hearing an AI voice that has no sense of poetry or rhythm butcher your beautiful writing. When you’re ready to do so, I’ll get my own onion pile ready for chopping. xx
I just listened to your audio recorded version and loved it! This post caught my eye because I'm based in South London too, and it didn't cross my mind what it was referring to, but the nostalgia hit as I remembered that type of phone line too! Thank you ☺️
Hey, Miriam! I kind of miss that personal touch of individual information lines. It sounds SO archaic now.
I don’t know which pet of South London you’re in but wonder if you might remember the local adverts that used to play in cinemas too? The ones that were produced, I presume, by a professional production company and sold to local businesses around the country who’d then slap their own logo and VO on at the end? A kind of clip art for advertising?
The one that still sticks in my memory and which my partner and family still quote was for a local Ford car dealership “Peacocks of Balham”. I’d LOVE to find a copy of that now.
Omg that sounds amazing! I can't bring that to mind, don't know if I've forgotten or if I missed it (I'm an '87 baby - I was wondering if 'omg' revealed that or if it's universal 😂)
OMG indeed—you’re probably too young, Miriam! I’ve got a solid 12 years on you. This memory is probably from being about 9-10 when I lived in Balham area. Maybe they’d been phased out by the time you were of cinema going age?
I’m still determined to find it. One day someone will upload an archive copy to YouTube, I’m sure.
Okay. Here’s the deal. You should always record your pieces. I can’t even begin to list all of the whys. You’re a brilliant reader. Funny as fuck and endearing as can be, and your voice and ability to do characters is fabulous. Keep doing it and do, pet, try to get over the fear and embarrassment(?) because if you don’t, you’ll be withholding some thing beautiful from your audience of readers and listeners. The beautiful thing? You.
Yeah, yeah. Don’t go on. (I hope you know I’m joking here, pet. Please—do go on.) I’ll keep going.
Also—just got to say—I love that you and Kim are having your own mini conversation in the comments. That’s the best bit about Substack comments. No idea why I can’t tag Kim (@ doesn’t work) but you’re both awesome.
I concur with what Nan said! ☝️
So do I. Oh wait. That’s me. Yeah. So do I!
Me, too! Stellar job with the voiceover, Miranda. I could listen to you all day.
Wonderful! Weirdly this was the first Substack I have actually listened to. Spooky! Keep talking because you read so well and I will always opt to hear you from now on! I particularly loved the Bromley Odeon conversation
Oooh, what made you click the audio button this time?
Substack doesn’t give any specific metrics on how many people listen to the audio so I have no idea how many people actually use it. I’ll keep doing it though. This time was painful but nowhere near as bad as the first one. Hopefully it’ll keep getting easier. x
I’m sure it will get easier. I had a pile of ironing and was about to turn to a podcast but then thought I would try something on Substack and your post popped up, very fortuitous
Serendipity!
Oh how I love this!
Lots of knowing chuckles here…it’s funny, I don’t mind hearing my voice but all the struggles you mention I feel intensely. It’s around just having any kind of voice, opinion or sense of self.
For example, the other week, I did a Masterclass, (haha one of those things that those dastardly courses say is the be all and end all), and I can get myself into such a resourceful state before and during…but after….oh the backlash, the contraction.
For a couple of days afterwards the ‘voices’ are so violent - “Who do you think you are?!/Get back in your box/Everyone is laughing at you/You’re shit.” I know that as I keep doing the reps and proving to my body that there is absolutely nothing to fear, and that I’m not going to get into trouble, the contraction will last less and less, but my God, it’s excruciating.
I love how you, me and so many others are keeping on with working through the discomfort and I’m grateful for this Substack community, where it feels like a supportive environment to do that whilst I learn how to cycle without stabilizers.
You were absolutely wrong about one thing thing though: you have a lovely voice.
Just brilliant writing, as always, Miranda.
✨💫🪄
I think I should take your Masterclass, Suzy. Will you ever do one for non-brides?
And yeah—stabilisers. They were weird things. I had stabilisers on my bike for one day but they were so unstable—the didn’t both touch the ground at once and kept tipping me to one side then the other—they were removed. Maybe there’s a metaphor in there for the crutches we use but which really hold us back? You know how I love a good metaphor!
That would NOT mean the Substack community though. The support in this place is fabulous. Maybe it’s more about leaning too heavily on other people’s approval when we need to learn to trust our own worth? Or summat like that.
Love you, Substack Suzy! ❤️
Trusting our own worth…ahhh ain’t that the journey hey. Trusting our intuition, trusting our selves and our gifts…
I’d love you to be at one of my masterclasses! I definitely want to open it up at some point but would really love to crack the code for the wedding speech genre first for some reason. Maybe bc like Substack, it feels like a more playful space to hang out.
Love you to Miranda! 🤓✨💫🪄
MOSTLY BRAVE =
"It’s about trying one thing that makes you uncomfortable and seeing where it takes you."
❤️ Thank you, Christine. x
I hear you, Miranda 💛
😊Just curious—have you ever thought of recording your poems, Fotini? I’m not becoming an audio evangelist, honest! But I love hearing poets read their own work.
It took me a long time to consider myself a poet, a writer, to hear these words coming from other people and do no flinch with discomfort, Miranda. It took me many years to accept this part of myself. I have found my voice and I my intention is to raise it, to speak up, to let the world know I am here. But speaking is something I still struggle with.
English is not my native language. Reading and writing comes easy, but talking is not. I did my first step when I read out loud a few poems (not mine) to two amazing writers I met here on Substack. We try to get together once a week and even though our interaction is through the screen it makes a big difference to the way I express myself. The truth is that we need each other. We are social beings and as much as I value my solitude there comes a time when reaching out to others is essential.
Baby steps :) but I am getting there -- towards the day that I will read out loud my poems and accept my voice / myself without judgement.
Your writing resonated with me in so many ways and it made me feel less alone. Thank you for sharing, Miranda. 💛
I really love this piece. I listened to it and read it. It struck so many chords for me. Bravo!
Thank you, Christina. That means a great deal to me, coming from a writer of your quality.
This is a brilliant letter! Brilliant to read, brilliant to listen to. I have slowly found that listening back to a voiceover of my posts gets less cringey over time, and my ability to read them with out too many stutters and fumbles has improved over time. I love to be immersed in stories, whether reading or listening, so I am most definitely wishing for more Miranda. It was a joy to hear your voice and you have a gift for narration 💛✨
Aww, shucks! You are so kind, Emily. I’m always grateful to have you in my corner. Thank you. xx
Miranda, you already know I adore the piece and am blown away by your voiceover. Seriously good stuff. You made me smile. You made me feel seen. And you made me think. Don't know that I could ask any more of a single piece of writing. I love your walk down memory lane, and the little scenes you brought to life were so endearing. I remember the equivalent of the Odeon recording over here in the states. (I guess we're not so different after all! 😉) And thinking of that brought back so many other GenX memories. I love the way you wove all of this into a beautiful and thought-provoking conversation about voice. I had never really thought about my challenges with voice as being at all influenced by my generation, but I think you may be onto something there.
Thank you for this piece and for pushing past your self doubt to hit record and share that with us too. I love it and can't wait to see what comes next. xo
Jamie—feeling “seen” is such a compliment. Thank you!
I don’t really know enough Gen Zs or younger to know whether this is really a generational thing, but I do remember conversations with my contemporaries from decades ago where we all complained about how much we hated our own voice. It wasn’t an issue then—no one ever really recorded or heard themselves. These days it’s expected.
Good to know we all shared that experience of shouting at a robot down a phone line. It feels very bonding!
Miranda this was bloody amazing! Bravo! You are eons ahead of me! I have tried recording my essays countless times and delete within listening back to just a few lines! I am terrified/horrified/disgusted by the sound of my own voice even though I know many people, more and more in fact, are using audio, I simply cannot send out mine.
I have an interview coming up which will be recorded and sent out here on Substack, not sure when yet, but I am already losing sleep over it thinking what the fuck I was thinking about when I said yes! I mean really... who the devil is going to want to listen anyway? I will be a tongue tied blithering, probably tearful idiot trying to act normal and failing.
You succeeded with such eloquent dexterity,I absolutely loved listening to you while I was crying into my onion skins and will again - more please - I'm green with envy! xx
Oh, Susie, I completely understand. All I can say is that the second time of recording and posting audio was more than marginally less painful than the first. I hope that pain lessens each time I do it. I even listened back in the car while taking the dog for a walk and didn’t want to crash the car to escape the horror. It was okay—just about. (Although I think the dog was a little puzzled why my voice was coming through the radio. He did that head tilt thing they do when trying to figure something out.)
I’ve also promised to do an audio podcast thing and have had similar anxieties about it. I think that’s partly what made me decide to do my own audio here—so I can either get over the horror, or make an excuse and not do it. I really don’t want to do that second option though.
One thing I’m sure of—no one hates our voice as much as we do ourselves. I’d love to hear you reading your work. It would be infinitely preferable to hearing an AI voice that has no sense of poetry or rhythm butcher your beautiful writing. When you’re ready to do so, I’ll get my own onion pile ready for chopping. xx
Bloody brilliant (I say in my best British accent.) 😂 Bravo.👏
Ha! Nice one, Kim. Thank you for your feedback on the draft for this piece. You’re bloody brilliant. 😝
I just listened to your audio recorded version and loved it! This post caught my eye because I'm based in South London too, and it didn't cross my mind what it was referring to, but the nostalgia hit as I remembered that type of phone line too! Thank you ☺️
Hey, Miriam! I kind of miss that personal touch of individual information lines. It sounds SO archaic now.
I don’t know which pet of South London you’re in but wonder if you might remember the local adverts that used to play in cinemas too? The ones that were produced, I presume, by a professional production company and sold to local businesses around the country who’d then slap their own logo and VO on at the end? A kind of clip art for advertising?
The one that still sticks in my memory and which my partner and family still quote was for a local Ford car dealership “Peacocks of Balham”. I’d LOVE to find a copy of that now.
Omg that sounds amazing! I can't bring that to mind, don't know if I've forgotten or if I missed it (I'm an '87 baby - I was wondering if 'omg' revealed that or if it's universal 😂)
OMG indeed—you’re probably too young, Miriam! I’ve got a solid 12 years on you. This memory is probably from being about 9-10 when I lived in Balham area. Maybe they’d been phased out by the time you were of cinema going age?
I’m still determined to find it. One day someone will upload an archive copy to YouTube, I’m sure.
Yes yes yes!
I’ve spent far too long this morning going down a cinema ad rabbit hole. I haven’t found the one I want yet but I’ll let you know if I do.