Audiobook Manuscript Markup Key

Use this as a starting point. Replace symbols and colors with the marks you can read quickly while narrating.

/        Short pause or breath
//       Fuller pause, beat, realization, or emotional shift
CAPS     Emphasis or stress
M:       Speaker cue for Mara or another character initial
[audio]  Pronunciation audio reference exists
[ask]    Author, producer, or rights-holder question
[PU]     Pickup or proofing note to review later

Sample passage:
M: I thought you were joking. // You knew the whole time.
She reached for Mirelle [audio] and stopped / before the name left her mouth.

Keep the key small. Every mark should help the performance read rather than compete with the prose.