It happens to the best of us. You’re plugging along, head down, working working working. Then BAM! You get hit with a sinus infection. If you’re lucky it only serves you up a healthy dose of green snot, but otherwise leaves you unscathed. If you’re not so lucky, it affects your voice. And if you’re REALLY not so lucky, it completely takes your voice.

A #voiceover talent with no voice? Say it ain’t so!

So what’s a #VO to do? (Aside from sadly deleting all those auditions from your inbox, knowing that by the time your voice is back up to snuff they will LONG since have been booked…sigh…)

Let’s make lemons out of lemonade! If you find yourself suddenly voiceless, or for any other reason are unable to get in the booth and record, why not take advantage of that time as a way to catch up on marketing? Or continuing education?

This could be a great time to check out production companies and start sending e-mails. Or look for companies with voice rosters. You might think about starting that postcard campaign. (Don’t have a postcard yet? This is a great time to get online and design/order them!)

As for continuing education, there are loads of free resources on the Internet. Try checking out one of the @BillDeWees videos, or learn some great new technique from the fabulous @NancyWolfson, who also has some free videos online. (You can also purchase full lessons from her Braintracks Audio online store.) You can check out VoiceOver Extra for some great articles, or check out podcasts at VoiceOver Insider, Voices.com or Sound Advice.

Sure, it’s tough and frustrating to be out of the game for a few days, but at least this way you are working to improve your craft and your business until you’re able to get into the booth again.