Why in the world should you save your auditions?

If you’re not doing this… why not? You absolutely should.

There's actually a really good reason to save your auditions.

Why in the world should you save your auditions?- 3:34

Hey guys, it’s Gabby — welcome to another edition of The Gift of Gab!

Today we’re talking about something I don’t think we discuss nearly enough: archiving your auditions and your work. If you’re not doing this… why not? You absolutely should.

The “Secret” of Archiving

Okay, it’s not really a secret — but it might as well be, because hardly anyone talks about it. Most professional voice actors save and archive everything.

Yes, everything.

• Every audition

• Every job

• Every take

Some folks organize into neat folders. Me? I keep one giant folder labeled Auditions. Then, every few months (maybe a quarter or half the year), I go in and purge it.

But here’s the thing: I’m not just deleting stuff. I’m mining for gold.

Mining Your Folder for Gold

When you go back through your auditions, you’ll often stumble on really strong material — reads you loved but didn’t book. Those can become:

• Samples for new clients

• Clips for your marketing

• Material that makes its way into a demo

Just because you didn’t book it doesn’t mean it’s worthless. It could be a gem waiting to shine later.

Mining for Lessons

The other side of archiving is just as valuable: listening for the crap.

As you review old auditions, ask yourself:

• What would I have done differently?

• Why don’t I like this read?

• What was missing?

Sometimes you’ll have an “aha” moment: Ohhh, that’s why I didn’t book it. That self-awareness gives you actual data to grow from and improve future auditions.

Watching Your Progress

One of the coolest benefits of archiving is seeing your growth over time.

When you’re new, you’ll probably hear lots of things you’d do differently now. But as your skills sharpen, those moments shrink. You’ll start to listen back and think:

“Nope. I stand by that choice. I’d read it the exact same way today.”

That’s a powerful marker of growth — you can literally hear your progress.

The Takeaway

Archiving auditions isn’t just about clearing space. It’s about:

• Reviewing your work

• Finding hidden gems

• Learning from past mistakes

• Tracking your progress over time
  

It’s a simple but powerful practice to help you grow as a voice actor.

Thanks so much for tuning in! If you want more tips like this, check out my other Gift of Gab episodes.

704-674-8294 / GabrielleNistico.com / gabby@voiceovervixen.com

Gabrielle Nistico, Gabby Nistico, The Voiceover Vixen, The Business First VO Coach, #VoiceoverVixen #VoiceOnFire #BusinessFirstVOCoach Voiceover, Charlotte, North Carolina, computers, technology, auditions, auditioning, tech