Creating audio erotica isn't just about having a sexy voice. It's about crafting compelling and authentic character voices that carry the narrative and draw listeners in.  

The people you include in your narrated sex stories and how authentic they seem to your audience make or break your success as a voice actor. Whether you're new to the scene or have already found your niche, here's how to write about a character people want to listen (and get off) to.  

What is character voice?  

When you're writing erotica or learning how to voice act, unique characters draw audiences in. Creating a clear, realistic persona in your stories requires a distinguished voice, which is how the character communicates in dialogues or monologues. 

Voice includes critical elements like personality, background, motivations, emotional state, and defense mechanisms, which you can develop with the following tools:  

• Diction: Does the character prefer formal language, slang, or a mix of different words? Their diction, or word choice, indicates things like age and education. 

• Pacing and rhythm: What is the character's flow of speech? Decide if they use long, meandering sentences or if they're short and to the point.

• Voice: In this case, voice refers to their voice's physical sound and pitch, like deep, raspy, or high-pitched. How your character sounds, including their vocal range, complements or contrasts with their personality.

• Body language: Non-verbal cues add surprising power and depth to the character's voice, indicating things like emotions without using words. This doesn’t usually apply to audio-only content, but deciding how a character would physically react to dialogue helps you determine how they should sound. 

• Tone: Your character's attitude is shaped by the combination of diction, pacing, and body language. These elements add up to the “tone” of their voice. Think of how to describe the voice you want them to have — depending on the situation, they might be excited, curious, or seductive. 

How to write a unique character voice 

Creating a unique character voice for audio erotica or erotic literature requires diving into the nitty-gritty of who they are. Use these eight crucial aspects to shape how your character feels and sounds so they feel real to listeners:  

1. Personality 

If your character has a big, bold personality, they likely use confident language to say what's on their mind, while a shy character might hesitate often or stay quiet in moments when other characters would speak up. Make your character's voice and speech match who they are as people. 

2. Age 

Age affects more than you think when it comes to how characters talk. Younger characters might throw around the latest slang and talk a mile a minute, while older characters might take their time and use old-timey phrases. Your character's voice should reflect the generation they were born in.  

3. Background 

Where your character comes from is essential to their intonation and expression. Someone from a big, loud family might be used to constant yelling and fighting, while someone who grew up in a quieter household might prefer to be quiet and listen. Your character's past experiences shape what they say, how they say it, and even when they say it. Don’t forget to consider where they’re from geographically and how it affects their speech. 

4. Education 

When it comes to character voice, more education usually means a more extensive vocabulary. You can also convey education through curiosity, thinking processes, or how your character argues or agrees with others.  

5. Dialect 

Dialect or accent lets listeners know where your character is from, right down to the city, like Los Angeles or New York. It includes the particular words, phrases, and even rhythms unique to that region and communicates your character's backstory. Always keep it respectful so it feels authentic.

6. Profession 

What your character does for a living influences how they speak. From a doctor using medical terms to an artist describing things in imaginative ways, your character's job affects their perspective on life and knowledge of the world, which affects their voice.  

7. Motivations 

What does your character want? Your character's motivations, from love to revenge, can sneak into how they speak. Someone on a mission for the latter might have a harder edge to their voice, while someone looking for the former might sound hopeful.  

8. Goals

Consider where your character is trying to get in life and how it might shape conversations. If they're trying to solve a problem, they might ask a lot of questions. If they're trying to win someone over, they might be full of compliments. Your character's goals influence their dialogue, so write accordingly.  

5 tips for writing a persona using a character's voice  

Crafting a memorable character voice is about blending realistic voices with storytelling and adding some erotic fun. Here are a few tricks for nailing different types of voices in writing and doing it well:  

1. Read fiction for inspiration  

Explore different types of fiction, from long-winded Victorian novels to contemporary short stories, to take a masterclass in character voice. These works demonstrate how characters' speaking styles reflect their personalities, periods, and societies, inspiring you to add depth to your character. 

2. Describe voices creatively 

When you’re writing a script or still brainstorming who your characters will be, add as much detail as possible. Is there a gravelly edge to your character's voice, or do they have a smooth cadence?  

Note this information down so you don’t forget to translate it into the dialogue. Even if it’s just an aside (“Said with force.”) you’ll remember how to intonate when recording the character’s part.

3. Use dialogue  

Dialogue moves the plot forward and allows you to showcase your character's unique speech pattern. To find inspiration, listen to real-world conversations to see how people's speech patterns, word choices, and even silences reveal their personalities and emotions. Use these observations to write more believable conversations.  

4. Use sentence structure  

How a character strings words together can tell listeners everything they need to know. A direct, no-nonsense character might choose short sentences, while more dreamy characters might favor longer constructions. To add more distinction to your character, experiment with punctuation to change the flow and pace of their sentences. 

5. Consider character voices works-in-progress  

Your characters should evolve throughout your stories. Consider their backgrounds, life experiences, and journeys within the narrative to gain new insights into their personalities and help them evolve.  

Common character roles   

You'll see several archetypal character roles in storytelling and the media, which can help you determine how to shape your character's voice. Here's what four of them bring to the table:  

The friend

This authentic character role is like chatting with a friend or family member. This archetype reflects the audience's desire for genuine, believable voices that are approachable, relatable, and casual. This role is a favorite in advertising and storytelling for building trust and emotional engagement.  

The narrator 

The narrator is an observer, offering insights, commentary, and context about what's going on. They guide listeners through the narrative without interfering. A good narrator's voice carries the story with conviction, maintaining a neutral stance and shaping the audience's understanding of the story. This role should be unbiased but unique.  

The announcer

This classic voice type is measured, confident, and designed to capture attention. With dynamic delivery, announcers can make anything seem exciting and important, from game scores to award winners.  

The instructor

When your audience needs to learn something, the instructor's voice guides them. This character role is knowledgeable and clear, ideal for educating, informing, and motivating audiences. Think of the instructor's voice as that of a friendly teacher or mentor.  

Get started with Quinn  

Quinn, the audio erotica app created by women for the world, offers a diverse range of ethical erotic content. Get inspired by thousands of sexual stories, playlists, and guided masturbation sessions across categories like kink, bondage, dirty talk, aftercare, and couple,

To share your erotic voice acting with a broad audience, become a Quinn creator. To listen now, download the Quinn app for iOS or Android.