1. Sign up for a class, webinar or workshop.

When you’re slammed with work, taking a class may be the last thing on your mind. But a slow period provides the perfect opportunity to focus on continuing your acting education. When you’re not feeling burned out from a bunch of vocally stressful sessions that week or long commutes to studios, it becomes easier to be present in the moment and take away something meaningful from the workshop.

Of course, finances may be a barrier especially when work has been slow. Saving up here and there for a “class fund” can be helpful for when you find one you’d like to take, but if that’s not an option, consider low-cost options like signing up as an auditor rather than a participant, or no-cost options like starting a workout group with your peers where you give each other feedback on your reads.

2. Learn a new skill or technique.

This might be working on learning an accent/dialect, the basics of pronouncing words and names in a different language, how to safely scream or do creature sounds…you name it. Many of these resources can be found for free on YouTube.

3. Update your website.

This is something that very easily falls by the wayside when you’re busy, but chances are you can find at least something to add or improve upon. Do you have any new credits to add to your resume? Are your home studio specs and contact information up to date? Do you feel the look of your website accurately reflects your current branding?

4. Reach out to an industry contact you haven’t connected with in a while.

This could be emailing an old business contact with notes on what you’ve been up to lately, or even just inviting a fellow actor out to coffee. Rather than going into this interaction with the expectation of some type of return, use it as an opportunity to catch up naturally and strengthen a potential relationship.

5. Check out a piece of media where the performances have been highly praised.

Chances are you’ve heard of some movie, show or game that came out recently where everyone can’t stop talking about how great the cast is, but it’s easy to think “oh, I’ll check that out at some point” and then never do. A slow period is a great opportunity to catch up on media you’ve been meaning to watch or play, and as a bonus, it can be used as an educational experience to observe and learn from the actors’ performances.

6. Optimize your social media accounts.

Social media can be a passive way of marketing yourself to potential new clients. You don’t have to go all-in on checking your feeds (especially if you’re prone to doomscrolling or comparing yourself to other people when work is slow) but you can try updating your profile or banner, following 5-10 new accounts related to your area of the industry, or creating a post or video showcasing some of your latest work. A pinned post can be a great opportunity to showcase your most recent demo.

7. Cold-email a potential new client.

Send a personalized email to 2-3 potential new clients or production companies you haven’t contacted before. This can be a little scary, but briefly introducing yourself and your credentials and explaining why you’d like to work with them can go a long way. Send it off and forget about it. If they don’t have a need for you at the moment, chances are they simply won’t respond—but if they do respond, it’s a pleasant surprise!

8. Comment or post in at least one voice acting community.

Whether that’s the VAC Discord or another voice acting server, subreddit, forum or Facebook group, start a new discussion or leave a thoughtful comment on someone else’s. If you normally lurk and the idea of actively contributing makes you anxious, try simply leaving a compliment on someone else’s demo post!

9. Make a checklist of accomplishments and goals.

Create a list of five things you’ve accomplished in the past year, and five things you hope to accomplish in the next year. These do not need to be big, lofty goals—“book the lead in an animated movie” is fine as a long-term goal, but will likely set you up for disappointment if it doesn’t happen anytime soon. Instead, focus on more manageable goals that you can realistically start to work towards, such as “book my first commercial spot” or “improve my home studio space.” Putting those goals out there can help you map out a game plan for how to get there.

10. And finally, do something completely unrelated to voice acting.

There’s a school of advice that says the best way to become a well-rounded actor is to become a well-rounded person. Take a road trip to a new place for a day, go catch Pokemon at the beach, sign up for a painting session or dance class…you name it! Having interests, skills and hobbies outside of the industry is not only healthy but can help you approach auditions with a fresh perspective.

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This article is written by Kira Buckland. While all guides and resources on this site are provided on a volunteer basis, you may optionally support with a coffee if you found them helpful!