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Voice Over With Heart: How I Add Emotion to Any Script

  • Writer: Miriam Korn
    Miriam Korn
  • Jun 12
  • 3 min read
group of people examining an x-ray

Authenticity Brings Copy to Life

It’s no surprise that a lot of the work I book in voiceover lives in the educational world—early childhood education, mental health, adolescent development. These are areas I genuinely care about. I get to learn new things every day, which is a dream for someone like me. I love kids, I love teens, and with a master’s in psychology (I’m an AMFT), I naturally bring both lived experience and deep curiosity to these reads.


Commercially, I tend to vacillate between two distinct archetypes: the young, modern mom and the college student. Both of these lanes work for me because they align with who I am. When I have at least a solid understanding of what I’m talking about—or even better, a genuine love for it—it shows. My confidence, my tone, my timing… they all rise to meet the content. There’s a groundedness that happens in the voice when the heart is all-in.

But what about the times when I don’t have a personal connection to the subject matter? What about when the copy is heavy on exposition (aka: info-dumping or laying out a lot of factual detail), or a little, well… dry?


What are the top three emotions I want the listener to feel? What are the top three things the client might want their audience to experience or believe by the end of the message?

That’s when I rely on what makes me, me—a deeply feeling, intuitive, empathic person who is highly pragmatic at times.


When the words on the page don’t immediately light me up, I take a moment and tune in. I ask myself:

  • What are the top three emotions I want the listener to feel? Or, alternatively

  • What are the top three things the client might want their audience to experience or believe by the end of this message?


Connecting the copy to real, human experience

Once I have those, I re-remember a moment in my own life when I felt those exact things. And I take it a step further using a technique inspired by Mary Wissner (and lovingly dubbed “Mary Wissner-ing it” in my mind):

  1. Where are you? Pinpoint the exact location. Be specific—kitchen table, college library, on a bench outside a middle school.

  2. What’s the question someone just asked you? Maybe it’s your best friend, your child, your therapist, your favorite teacher—whoever it is, picture their face and hear their voice.

  3. Now answer them. From that place. With those emotions. Through that memory.


The Mental Shift

There's this tiny moment of grounded imagining—it transforms even the most clinical copy into something real and heartfelt. Because now I’m not just reading. I’m connecting. I’m remembering. I’m embodying. And honestly? That’s the kind of read that books. That’s the kind of performance that moves people. Whether it’s a module for educators, a pharmaceutical for childhood illnesses, or a quirky commercial for oat milk, I bring my full self—my experience, my empathy, and my imagination—to the booth every time.


Miriam Korn

Let's work together!

Looking for a voice that brings clarity, warmth, and a deep understanding to your next project? Whether it’s educational content, emotionally grounded commercial work, dubbing or anything in between, I bring both heart and expertise to every read. With a background in psychology and a passion for storytelling, I specialize in making complex ideas feel accessible—and human.


Let’s collaborate to create content that informs, connects, and resonates.


I offer broadcast-quality audio from my professional home studio with Source Connect, and I’m happy to accommodate tight timelines—often with same-day turnaround.

Drop me a note below with your project details, and I’ll be in touch—quickly and personally.


Miriam Korn is a Voice Actor and Narrator located in Los Angeles, California. She specializes in Commercials, Narration, Medical Narration, Explainers, Dubbing, Elearning, and Animation.

 
 

Contact Miriam

Reach out with project details and I'll be in touch with fast turnarounds & professional audio.

Project type

Representation

Voice Over
Andrea Beane

301-235-1446

Contact Miriam
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