Train yourself to talk slower in VO

Struggle with reading too fast in voice acting? Learn proven techniques to slow down, sound natural, and bring authenticity to your performances.

When you’re nervous, excited, or just naturally a fast talker, it’s easy to race through your words. But in voice acting, speed matters. Talking too quickly can make your read sound rushed, disconnected, or worse — like you’re reading instead of having a conversation.

The good news? You can absolutely train yourself to slow down. With practice, you’ll find that pacing isn’t about dragging things out — it’s about sounding authentic, present, and connected to the listener.

In this article, we’ll walk through practical, actionable methods to train yourself to talk slower — even if you’re a naturally fast speaker. By the end, you’ll have a toolkit of techniques to sound more conversational and professional in your voiceover work.

Why Slowing Down Matters in Voice Acting

Before jumping into methods, let’s talk about why pacing is so important.

• Clarity and comprehension: Listeners can only absorb information at a certain speed. If you fly through a script, you risk losing them.
• Authenticity: Natural conversations include pauses, breaths, and rhythm changes. Speeding removes that nuance and makes you sound “read-y.”
• Emotional connection: Slowing down gives space for emotion, tone, and intention to land.
• Professionalism: Casting directors can spot a rushed delivery immediately. Controlled pacing shows mastery.

Think of it this way: you don’t just want to say the words. You want your listener to feel them. Slowing down helps you do exactly that.

Step 1: Record Yourself as You Are Now

The first step to change is awareness. Most people don’t realize just how fast they’re speaking until they hear themselves.

• Read a script out loud — something short, like a 30-second commercial.
• Record it on your phone, computer, or DAW.
• Listen back with an honest ear.

Ask yourself:

• Am I rushing to get to the end?
• Do I leave natural pauses?
• Does it sound like I’m talking to someone, or at them?

You may cringe a little — and that’s okay. This step is about noticing, not judging. Once you know your natural pacing, you can start to adjust.

Step 2: Use the “Pause Pencil” Technique

One of the best tools for slowing down is marking intentional pauses in your script.

• Take a pencil (or stylus if you’re digital).
• Add a slash / wherever you want to pause — after commas, periods, or even between ideas.
• As you read, honor those slashes with a brief pause.

It may feel forced at first, but the pauses prevent you from racing. Over time, it becomes second nature.

???? Pro tip: Don’t pause like you’re stopping for a red light. Pause like you’re letting the listener lean in for what’s next.

Step 3: Practice Breath Control

Breath is the secret weapon of pacing.

When you’re nervous, your breathing gets shallow. That fuels speed. By focusing on deeper, controlled breaths, you naturally slow down.

Try this exercise:

1. Take a slow inhale through your nose for 4 counts.
2. Hold for 2 counts.
3. Exhale gently through your mouth for 6 counts.
4. Before you start a script, repeat this 2–3 times.

This calms your nervous system and sets up better control for your delivery.

Step 4: Read as If You’re Talking to One Person

One common trap in voice acting is reading to the “masses.” But the microphone doesn’t need a crowd — it needs intimacy.

Pick one person to talk to. It could be:

• A close friend
• Your partner
• Even your dog!

Picture that person in your mind as you read. Naturally, you’ll slow down, because you’re connecting instead of performing.

Step 5: Use Physical Anchors

Your body affects your pacing more than you think. If you’re fidgety or tense, you’ll rush. Try adding physical anchors:

• Stand tall with your feet grounded.
• Gesture naturally with your hands (yes, even in the booth).
• Tap a finger lightly on the script each time you want to slow down.

These physical cues pull your body — and your voice — back into a controlled rhythm.

Step 6: Embrace Silence

Silence is not your enemy. In fact, it’s one of the most powerful tools in voice acting.

Try this practice:

• Read a script.
• Every time there’s a comma, pause for a beat.
• At the end of a sentence, pause for two beats.

At first, it may feel like you’re dragging. But when you listen back, you’ll hear that those silences make your read sound thoughtful, confident, and authentic.

Step 7: Play With a Metronome

Yes, a musician’s tool can help your pacing.

• Set a metronome app to around 60–80 beats per minute.
• Practice reading a script in rhythm with the beats.

This isn’t how you’ll perform in a real session, but it trains your brain to stay aware of tempo instead of rushing. Later, you can let go of the metronome while keeping the pacing awareness.

Step 8: Shadow Conversational Speech

Sometimes the best way to learn pacing is to mimic it.

• Find a podcast host, audiobook narrator, or actor who has great conversational pacing.
• Play a short clip.
• Speak along with them, matching their rhythm and pauses.

By “shadowing” their speech patterns, you train your own brain to feel what a natural, slowed pace sounds like.

Step 9: Break the Script Into “Idea Chunks”

Instead of reading word by word, break your script into thought units. Each chunk is one complete idea.

For example:

“At Voiceover Gurus / we help new voice actors / build skills with confidence.”

Now, instead of rushing, you’re speaking thought by thought — which automatically slows your pace and makes you sound present.

Step 10: Practice with Over-Exaggeration

Here’s a trick I use with students: overdo it.

• Read a script painfully slow.
• Add long pauses, stretch the words, and lean into the silence.

Yes, it will sound ridiculous. But it helps reset your internal “speedometer.” Once you go back to normal, you’ll naturally settle at a slower, conversational pace.

Step 11: Work With Real-Time Feedback

Sometimes you just can’t tell in the moment if you’re rushing. That’s where coaching comes in.

In my Voiceover Jumpstart session at Voiceover Gurus (internal link), I give students immediate feedback on pacing, tone, and authenticity. Having someone stop you mid-read and say “slower, connect more” helps you feel the shift in real time.

Step 12: Train Daily With Short Scripts

Slowing down isn’t a one-time fix. It’s a muscle you build.

Here’s a simple daily practice:

1. Pick a 15–30 second script.
2. Mark pauses.
3. Read it out loud slowly and conversationally.
4. Record, listen back, and adjust.

Just 5–10 minutes a day makes a huge difference over time.

Bonus: What 

Not

 to Do When Slowing Down

• Don’t drag out every syllable. That sounds forced.
• Don’t insert robotic pauses. They need to feel natural.
• Don’t assume slower means boring. You can still bring energy — just with control.

External Resource for Deeper Practice

If you want another perspective, Edge Studio offers great exercises for pacing and script analysis. Combining resources can give you more tools in your toolkit.

Final Thoughts: Slow is Conversational, Not Boring

Talking slower in voice acting isn’t about being sluggish. It’s about being present. It’s about creating space for the listener to connect with you.

With daily practice — and by using tools like breath control, script chunking, and intentional pauses — you can transform from a fast talker to a conversational storyteller.

Remember: the best voice actors don’t sound like they’re reading. They sound like they’re talking to you. And pacing is the key that unlocks that authenticity.

Ready to practice slowing down with guidance?

Check out my Voiceover Jumpstart session to get personalized feedback and coaching that helps you sound confident, conversational, and authentic.