Let’s explain what these files are and where they’re used. Once you upload your tax and bank account information, you can start uploading your audiobook on ACX. Be easily discovered. A Powerful New Interview Strategy to Get You Hired in Today’s Challenging Economy,’ which landed coverage on various high-profile outlets like Fox News, MSNBC and NY1. This is a superb opportunity as the perceived value of an audiobook is high (and it should be since the shortest audiobook sells for $3.95!). Success Story: The audiobook received significant media coverage on Fox News, MSNBC, NY1, and many others. As with seemingly most of the world economy these days (even grocery stores! Let’s cover these the two methods of producing an audiobook—pay for production (have someone record it) vs. recording it yourself and also discuss the pros and cons of each. It’s advised that you seek a more accomplished audio engineer to edit your audiobook files, instead of getting a voice actor to edit after the fact. In this post, we will tell you about specific equipment, setting up your recording space, recording your audio, editing, and ACX’s standards. Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last few years, you have experienced the “advent of audio.”. Like any technical skill, if you’re doing it for the first time, it’s going to take a LONG time. Accompanying your audiobook will be the book cover, which is similar to the album artwork. #BookMarket, Don't miss out on the explosive audiobook market. This can add up fast! This article breaks down the pros and cons of various narration styles. Does your audience listen to their audiobooks while commuting, jogging, or might they prefer to wind down with an audiobook after a long day at the office or while cleaning house? You can get that PDF here. Audiobooks have a higher barrier to entry because you need high quality recorded audio, but the revenue stream can be huge. The movie concerns a brave fishing-boat captain in World War II-era Martinique who aids the French Resistance, battles the Nazis, and gets the girl in the end. If chose A, you’re absolutely correct. As CEO, he is responsible for setting the vision, executing the growth strategy and managing the company on a day-to-day basis. I do have a couple more questions I’d like to ask you, if you have a moment… I’m a voice-over artist, with my own studio, and my dad has just published a small collection of Irish stories. This means you will receive significantly lower ACX royalties. It’s much different, and you’re going to need to spend some money to get the following items: Set up your equipment in a space that is suitable for recording (read: QUIET) and make sure all your equipment functions correctly. But audiobooks also have some strengths. I’d like to do an audiobook. Or have an audio engineer master the files. This extra processing time can be completed by either an audio engineer/producer, or the voice actor. This is because many professional voice actors have home studios, allowing them to create professional-grade sound, without the studio rental. Audiobooks that are downloaded from iTunes are packaged in the M4B file format. Conversely, they typically employ fewer voice actors than the thousands you could find on ACX. Step 3: Record your audio. He's been a finalist of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award and a Canadian Innovator Award. Luckily at Voices, we have the world’s largest selection of professional voice actors right at your fingertips. Required fields are marked *. All those very short sounds were WAV files. “To get a sense of whether or not your voice is audiobook appropriate, share a one to two minute passage of your read with friends and family and listen to their feedback,” he says. Since we’ve been producing audiobooks for years with over 600 audiobooks produced and over 10,000 audiobooks sold, we’re happy to help you with any questions you may have. Is there any way to sell the audiobook on amazon and itunes and audible WITHOUT cutting in ACX at all? If for some reason you want to record your audiobook and then only publish it in M4B format, there are programs available to export the WAV files as M4B once they’ve been mastered as WAV files. We’ll explore the options of recording your own audiobook or hiring a professional narrator further on in this piece. Doing this will help set the tone for your recording, and will help ensure your audio sounds more uniform. ACX is a marketplace for authors, agents, publishers and rights holders to choose how to produce and distribute their audiobook on major online retailers like Audible, Amazon and iTunes. The audiobook industry is absolutely flourishing, and now, more than ever, independent authors are wondering how to make an audiobook. Namely, you need to understand whether your book’s genre, or type, will lend itself well to the audiobook medium. The mass adoption of MP3 files helped grow audiobooks into the booming industry it is now. Also be sure to keep pets out of the room, turn off HVAC vents, and stop the washing machine, dryer, and dishwasher before you start recording. [Wondering how Voices helps authors and publishers create audiobooks? MP3 files are the final file format for most audio clips. Recording audio? Although back in the day, most recording sessions were directed in person and in studio. Step 2: Equipment & Space Setup. If you can afford it, you’ll likely get better auditions if you’re willing to pay up front.”. Michele, that’s a great question! There’s a few things you should know before you start recording up a storm. Simply reach out to us at contact@gutenbergreloaded.com and you can find more information on our site at http://www.gutenbergreloaded.com. Unfortunately ACX is an Amazon company so you have to use them to get your book on Amazon and Audible, but there might be a chance to get it on iTunes (though unlikely). If I do the audiobook myself or hire someone to do it with me and pay them upfront, is there any way to get a larger than 40% royalty? Let’s say you record in GarageBand. Receive the edited and completed audio files. ), Amazon is the 800-pound gorilla in the book publishing room. They believe it makes the audiobook feel more like a theatrical drama. When I am not sipping tea with princesses or chasing the Boogey man out of closets, I’m a Kindlepreneur and digital marketing nut – it’s my career, hobby, and passion. Or if you have an audio editing background, you could save some serious money by doing the editing through your own software and equipment. Audiobook producer Lee Pritchard says the average audiobook in the UK costs an estimated £2963.40, or $3,756.08 US to produce. Still don’t believe that independently publishing your audiobook can be done? Giving background on the book, your vision for the audiobook and preferences on pacing and tone will be important to establish. Are you compiling a creative portfolio to showcase your strengths and win new clients? If you want to hear a sample, head on over to Audible and have a listen. Independent author John Wilker, who created the ‘Space Rogues’ series, says there were a few reasons why he really wanted to have a professional voice actor narrate his series. A Powerful New Interview Strategy to Get You Hired in Today’s Challenging Economy, tips and tricks for recording your own audiobook, Twilight audiobook narrator Ilyana Kadushin, legendary British narrator Jim Dale to voice all 300 characters, how to give the best voice over direction to voice actors, four main benefits to outsourcing your audiobook editing, Check out some of the awesome audiobook projects. What style of narration do you want/need? Audiobook narration is an absolute marathon. This is the best, most comprehensive info I’ve found on audio books so far. Get more narration tips and tricks for recording your own audiobook. Many companies (including my company Gutenberg Reloaded) also specialize in audiobook production. Now your audiobook is ready to be uploaded and distributed. If you want some ideas for what people are listening to and why, check out sites like AudioFileMagazine.com or AudiobookCommunity.com as well as GoodReads.com. This is covered in the “All About ACX” section below. George Smolinski is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author and is the founder of Gutenberg Reloaded, a publishing company dedicated to the needs of today’s self-published authors. ACX requires a different size cover (square rather than Kindle rectangle) and you cannot just stretch out your cover to square size. Below is a list of websites (both free and paid) where you can post your audiobook to help promote it and ask for feedback. Much of the popularity of the full cast option derives from its ability to keep the audience fully engaged for 10 plus hours. Step 1: Obtain the RIGHT equipment. Additionally, being able to hire professional audiobook narrators through platforms like Voices, is helping audiobook producers to reduce the costs associated with hiring recording studios. Remember those “ping” error sounds under the “Sounds” section of your control panel? They are WAV, MP3, and M4B files. The incredible aspect of this growth is that there seems to be no end in sight. Its easiest to understand all this by knowing what happens when you record a file. Time to record the narration, including retakes. The main point here is if you’re using ACX to publish your audiobook, the MP3 files that you upload to ACX will go to BOTH iTunes and Audible and you don’t have to do any conversion to M4B files to get your audiobook on iTunes. Hi All, This question might sound silly, but do you need to be the author of an actual book (in terms of publishing and author’s right) to make it an audiobook? Required fields are marked *. Be sure you enter your bank account and tax information for royalty payments! With millions of audiobook listeners worldwide consuming audiobooks at a fairly rapid clip, the business case for audiobooks just makes sense. I’d like to help him set up an audio book account, but I’ve also been looking to do more audio book readings for others…does your company hire voice-artists by any chance? Make your own audiobook without spending a ton of money #SelfPub, How To Make An Audiobook: Publishing on ACX and Audiobook Marketing. For a wiggly child, it can be easier to listen than to read. Check out our amazing selection of audiobook narrators. Many publishers cite the fact that we grew up listening to a book being read out loud by one voice, such as a parent or teacher. MP3 files are a lot smaller and this file type is a common audio format for smartphones. This process I’ve laid out in this video below to make it easy for you. First things first: readers coming to To Have and Have Not after seeing the Bogart/Bacall film should be forewarned that about the only thing the two have in common is the title. Facebook Group for Audiobook Promos → One more place to post your free promotional codes on Facebook with 2,500 members. In most instances we can master the audio but sometimes, we’ve had whole books recorded with substandard audio or the wrong specifications for ACX, and the author has had to record the entire book over again. When I found out this fact years ago, I was as amazed as you are now, but this is one example of Apple-Amazon collaboration, which is pretty amazing for these stiff competitors. Thanks! One of the first considerations for distribution, is to ensure that your audiobook file format enables your target audience to actually download and listen to the content. It’s also key to prepare your voice and body for such a long read, especially if you’ve never professionally voiced an audiobook. We’d love to hear stories about your experience publishing your first audiobook. A significant percentage of all audiobook sales are generated by libraries and educational institutions so it would be wise to take a look at what they are offering to their patrons and customers. Audiobooks are sound files that can be purchased online. Any digital recording program that uses WAV will save a ‘.name’ file for each individual WAV file, which usually represents each chapter or recording session. Christian Audio → If you have a Christian-themed audiobook, you can simply post it as a suggested title for them to host on their site by including the book title, author’s name, and a quick reason why they should include your book. Learn about the other important factors you need to consider before you self-publish your first audiobook. You don’t have to wait until you’ve published your audiobook to start a blog. M4B files are similar to MP3 files in that they are much smaller than WAV files, and M4B files are used by iTunes. Uncompressed WAV files are easy for audio engineers to break down during file mastering. The main advantage to M4B files is that they can be bookmarked, whereas MP3 cannot; this process, though, is very difficult for a do-it-yourselfer. If you want to take advantage of other audiobook channels beyond ACX, then you’ll have to sign a non-exclusive publication deal with ACX. Need even more resources? We’ve compiled a nifty little list of some independent authors (often called indie authors) and their success stories to inspire you before you embark on your audiobook publishing adventure. While you might think you could save money having the narrator read at a hurried pace, the listening experience will suffer resulting in an audiobook that sounds like a radio commercial. Once you get the recorded files and you’re pleased with the final product, you’ll have to pay your voice actor for their work. You’ll then upload the audiobook files, the audiobook cover art. An unabridged audiobook is the full literary work of the author that’s read word-for-word. Twilight audiobook narrator Ilyana Kadushin says narrators need an overall passion for the material you’re reading. Even entrepreneurs are riding the audiobook wave. Consistency is key to keeping an audiobook believable and engaging. LibriVox: A brilliant selection of public domain audiobooks to download free. “ALC” sales are ala carte sales by people without an Audible Listener membership or by iTunes sales. Markets pertain to people groups, for instance Children, Teen, Young Adult, and so on. Are you writing a comedy movie script or recording demos for a movie trailer? Rafe Gomez, the co-owner of VC Inc. Marketing, narrated his own audiobook ‘What’s In It For ME? Once you have selected the voice actor or actors you want to voice your audiobook, they’ll need to start recording for you. Can you point me in the right direction or is it a service you would provide. Check out these four helpful articles on mastering audiobook narration: Make sure to read our comprehensive guide to becoming a voice actor. Make sure you store your audiobook files on an external hard drive and not just on your personal computer. The barrier to entry into Kindle publishing is low—write a book, get a cover, input some metadata, and you’re done. Simple, not easy, but here are a couple key tips: Step 4: Send your audio to an audio engineer for editing. Downpour comes in behind Audible and Audiobooks.com for audiobook sales. I walk through how to satisfy these requirements in greater detail in my book - Audiobook Recording: A Beginner’s Guide to Producing Audiobooks using Audacity. You’ll discover how to setup your home studio, how to quickly edit your audiobook to give it a professional sound, and how to make the process as quick and easy as possible. Genres include themes such as Non-Fiction, Fiction, Business, Health, Science Fiction, Romance and so on. 3) You have to know that this project will take a significant amount of time.Voice acting, like any skill, takes time and practice to master. The most important thing to remember with either the pay for production or the DIY option is that you’re going to need audio files that are high quality! If you’re an independent author, chances are you’re looking to find the most cost-effective means to produce your audiobook. Most publishers use the same cover art from the print version, however some authors will get a graphic designer to make unique cover art for their audiobook version. So you get one premium audiobook (by external publishers) and one audiobook by Audible studios. The audio files will need to be formatted for the final destination, either CD or more likely in 2021, formatted to specification as an audiobook for distribution on Amazon, Audible and iTunes. This is designed to work for even total “technophobes” who don’t know the first thing about audio production. What purpose does the audiobook serve? Question: Which of the following book formats has the highest year over year growth in the last three years? While these have dramatically risen in popularity over the last few years alone, they’re not exactly new. Note that audiobooks are considered to be ‘non-broadcast’ projects. You can see from the example above that listener credit royalties are much lower than the other categories. The advantage to a private company is that they typically will do any book length (even very short books around 5,000 words) and are open to paying for production contracts. This may be more common for business, self-help and health and fitness audiobooks. Fifty percent of all Americans, aged twelve and older, have listened to an audiobook, according to a national annual consumer survey by the Audio Publishers Association. Yes! Your email address will not be published. It’s due out in June. “One, I lacked the equipment, so the investment would have been significant. but the combination of smartphones, MP3s, and busy lives have yielded fertile ground for audiobook growth. Check out some of the awesome audiobook projects we’ve been apart of.]. Editing the narration file, including adding sound effects. WAV files originated way back in 1991 and you may remember them from the early Microsoft days. When he’s not helping authors, he busies himself with his wife and four boys and extreme sports. This valuable element of your branding and promotion strategy is one that can really help your title stand out. The reality is, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to set up a soundproof studio to begin recording. Technical Skill - Most audiobook publishing platforms (including ACX) have technical requirements that your audiobook must meet before it can be sold on Audible, Amazon, iTunes, etc. If your sample read passes the test of others, then you’re good to start recording. “While your audiobook content may be great, your audiobook voicing skills may not, so it’s crucial to be honest with yourself about your capabilities.”. Listen to Whatever Your Heart Desires. The average audiobook editing fees cost around $50 per finished hour. Downpour is another platform that’s right behind Audiobooks.com in sales. Once you’ve done all this, you’ll input your tax information and your bank account information, and you’re ready to start uploading your audiobook! Well, most computers (and iPhones) use very low-quality recording and audio processing equipment simply due to the fact that you don’t need high-quality audio to do simple phone calls and run iTunes. In fact, many readers now prefer audiobooks to any other format for book consumption. It is also recommended that you have the narrator agree to a full-buyout which means that you wholly own the rights to the recording and do not need to pay the narrator any royalties derived from future sales. In contrast to Audible, … It’s also helpful is if the audiobook adheres to a trending or popular topic that’s prominent in the media and popular culture.”, “If what’s being offered is a tepid rehash of an existing message that’s available in the marketplace, it will have zero appeal to bloggers, editors, journalists, and most importantly consumers.”, Success Story: “My first audiobook (Space Rogues) was released in April (2019? Many are finding books from the public domain and turning those titles into audiobooks. 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