USING ACX TO PRODUCE AN AUDIOBOOK M.L. Humphrey
FIRST THINGS FIRST: WHY PUT A BOOK IN AUDIO? Audiobook listeners are a separate audience from print or ebook readers Less crowded market More product offerings = more visibility and more professional looking
DISADVANTAGES OF AUDIO Cost Seven year terms in contracts Time Spent vs. Reward Harder to maintain privacy if you use pen names
WHAT IS ACX? ACX is Amazon s audiobook creation platform Allows authors to: Find narrators to produce an audiobook Publish an audiobook to Audible.com, itunes, and Amazon Also provides a platform for narrators to offer their services to authors Currently only open to residents of the US or UK
GETTING STARTED http://www.acx.com/
ACX SIGN-UP Click on SIGN UP NOW in top left corner It will ask for your Amazon log-in information Same as your KDP Dashboard log-in where you publish your ebooks Fill in the requested information and you re good to go
MAIN SCREEN You can start a title either by clicking on the Assert more titles link in the open for auditions tab or by clicking on ADD YOUR TITLE in the top right corner.
ADD NEW TITLE SCREEN If your titles don t automatically display, enter your author name or title and search. Amazon looks at books listed on amazon.com and returns any matches.
WHAT TITLES YOU CAN PUT INTO AUDIO You must have the audio rights in order to put a book into audio This means even a trade-published author could use ACX to produce an audiobook, BUT, if you are trade-published, CHECK YOUR CONTRACT first. Also, if you somehow have the rights to produce someone else s book in audio, you could do that. BUT YOU MUST HAVE THE RIGHTS. If you re self-published, this isn t as much of an issue because you wouldn t normally sell your audio rights without knowing you d done so.
PICK YOUR POISON: PRODUCTION TYPES When you click on your title, you will be given three options:
PICK YOUR POISON: PRODUCTION TYPES Nine times out of ten you want the first option, I m looking for someone to narrate and produce my audiobook
PICK YOUR POISON: PRODUCTION TYPES I have chosen the second option I already have audio files when I was publishing a collection where the individual titles had already been individually published.
PICK YOUR POISON: PRODUCTION TYPES While it may be tempting to narrate your own book (the third option), it s not as easy as it looks.
THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS Once you choose your option, you ll be shown the ACX Book Posting Agreement. READ IT. UNDERSTAND IT.
THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS Note the 7 year commitment you are making.
THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS Note it again.
THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS And again.
REVIEWING YOUR BOOK BEFORE AUDITIONS Amazon will pull in your blurb from your amazon.com listing with HTML tags showing. If you want to change the wording, do so now.
REVIEWING YOUR BOOK BEFORE AUDITIONS You will also need to provide the book s copyright information. NOTE: This will display on your audiobook page.
SPECIFYING WHAT YOU WANT IN A NARRATOR Choose your book s type (fiction vs. non-fiction) and a category for your book. The list provided is not as detailed as on amazon.com. Also, specify what you re looking for in a narrator.
SPECIFYING WHAT YOU WANT IN A NARRATOR Available languages are English, French, German and Spanish. (But obviously you d need to provide a script in that language.) There are many, many options for accent, voice age, and voice style.
SPECIFYING WHAT YOU WANT IN A NARRATOR You can put anything you want in additional comments. Especially if you re thinking you want to do a revenue-share here s where you d list sales numbers, etc. I tend to use this spot to warn about profanity or heat level, if applicable. This is also where I state no auditions are needed if I already have a narrator selected.
UPLOADING YOUR SCRIPT Include notes about needed accents for characters in the sample, if applicable. (For fiction, it s good to use a multi-character scene for your audition.)
UPLOADING YOUR SCRIPT If I already have my narrator selected, I don t upload a script. I simply choose to input my audition script as text and then include a note that a narrator has already been selected and no auditions are needed.
RIGHTS AND WORDCOUNT On the next screen you need to input word count for the title so they can estimate length. You will pay based on finished hours which are estimated at 9,300 words PFH. Also, if you only have limited rights, here s where you indicate that.
PAYING YOUR NARRATOR: ROYALTY SHARE Royalty share doesn t require any money up front. But You split your royalties 50/50 with the narrator for the next seven years AND you don t own the recording at the end of that seven years. You also have to be exclusive to ACX.
PAYING YOUR NARRATOR: PAY FOR PRODUCTION In Pay for Production, you choose a range you re willing to pay and narrators willing to work for that amount will audition. I ve done fine for non-fiction in the $100-$200 range, but for fiction you ll want to consider paying more.
PAYING YOUR NARRATOR: HYBRID Some authors have also done a hybrid deal where they choose royalty share on ACX but also offer a flat PFH rate on top of that to attract a better quality of narrator for the royalty share option.
TYPE OF DISTRIBUTION Exclusive Distribution: Higher payout (currently 40%) but you re locked in to Audible, itunes, and Amazon exclusively for seven years. Non-Exclusive Distribution: Lower payout (currently 25%) but you can distribute elsewhere as well. For example, through Authors Republic.
FINAL PRE-AUDITION REVIEW Once you ve completed all the information, you ll see a final summary screen. If it all looks good, then post it and hopefully auditions will start pouring in.
REVIEWING YOUR AUDITIONS As you receive auditions, they ll be displayed in the audition tab for the title. You can play them by clicking on the arrow on the screen, but for those you re considering seriously you should download a copy and listen to it that way as well.
REVIEWING YOUR AUDITIONS You can mark each one you review as like/dislike/maybe. I don t do that, but you can. Also, many narrators will include a comment about their availability or their PFH rate with their audition.
REVIEWING YOUR AUDITIONS After I see that I ll have enough auditions to choose from, I usually update the note on the title so everyone knows when I ll be reviewing auditions and making a decision. I ve found that I generally have enough auditions to make a decision within a few days but I know some who have not been that fortunate. Usually, I narrow the selections down to a top three and message each of them to let them know they ve made my final round. At that time I ask: What their timelines are for completion. (You ll also need this for the contract.) Whether they accept payment via paypal and, if so, if they charge any extra fee for that. (I only pay through paypal business and will not pay any extra fees.) What their rate is if not already stated. (You ll also need this for the contract.) I message all other narrators to let them know I ve gone with someone else and to thank them for their audition.
REVIEWING YOUR AUDITIONS Some auditions are very easy to eliminate almost immediately. Their delivery is wooden or their accent is not at all what you want or their pacing is completely off. But once you eliminate those, listen for: Speed of delivery. Newer narrators tend to talk too fast. Breathiness. This is why you download the auditions. Some narrators will take long indrawn breaths between words or sentences and these become very noticeable after a while. Background noise. I ve yet to have this issue with a narrator or audition, but there shouldn t be obvious background noises. Plosives. Certain letters (like p) can be delivered with too much oomph and are distracting to a listener.
REVIEWING YOUR AUDITIONS Next, I look at what the narrator has already done and what kind of reviews they ve received for their work. You can see reviews on audible.com of the narrator as well as the story. I wouldn t hire any narrator that received low reviews. You can also see what other material they ve done. Some narrators have awards or a following of their own. (Generally not at the lower price points.) This could mean you might attract listeners who happen to like that narrator. If you don t like any of the auditions you ve received, you can also message narrators on the site and ask if they d be interested, but I d encourage you to always get an audition using your material before making a choice.
MAKING AN OFFER You can make an offer on the narrator s profile page.
MAKING AN OFFER Choose your title name from the dropdown menu next to You want to produce an audiobook for your title and then choose payment terms and exclusive/non-exclusive again.
MAKING AN OFFER You ll also need to choose a date for them to submit the first 15 minutes and the completed audiobook. (This is why you should ask during the audition stage so you have it ready.) I usually give 48 hours to accept, but usually it s accepted same-day.
MAKING AN OFFER Amazon will display a simplified version of the contract for you to accept. Confirm that all of the details are correct before sending it. I recommend also reading the ACX Audiobook Production Standard Terms the first time around as well.
PRODUCTION After you ve made an offer, the book will be listed under Offers. Once they accept, it will be listed under In Production. To do anything with it at that point, click on the book name and you ll see the production screen:
PRODUCTION: UPLOAD THE MANUSCRIPT The first thing you need to do is upload a copy of your manuscript. I always upload a digital version, but you could mail it. Unless you want your narrator to read your front or back matter, strip it out of the file.
PRODUCTION: THE FIRST 15 MINUTES The next step in the process is to review the first 15 minutes and make sure it sounds like what you expected. THIS IS WHEN YOU CAN STILL BACK OUT WITHOUT COST, SO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. Download and view in full-screen so you can note the time of any errors.
PRODUCTION: THE FIRST 15 MINUTES What to listen for: Match to the text It doesn t have to be 100% but shouldn t change the meaning Pacing Consistent sound level Delivery (Did they get the intent right?) Names (Make sure they re saying the right name) Consistency of character voices Transition between dialogue and narrative paragraphs
PRODUCTION: THE FIRST 15 MINUTES Providing Feedback Note the time of any issue or error Be specific about what needs fixed Example: At 4:15 should be Melody not Melanie At 6:22 missing last sentence in the paragraph, You bet you did. For new narrators, I won t approve the first 15 until I m confident they ll be able to fix any issues without a problem. DO NOT AIM FOR PERFECTION No narrator is going to be able to deliver every single line in exactly the way you want them to
PRODUCTION: YOUR REVIEW Once you approve the first 15, the book will move into full production. The narrator will then load each chapter file by itself as well as opening and closing credits and a sample.
PRODUCTION: THE REST With most narrators, you ll wait until they re done to review the files, but you may want to be more hands-on during the production phase and review on a rolling basis. If that s the case, get your narrator to agree to it so they re loading the files as they re done and aren t surprised when you send them feedback. I did this with a novel that I wanted to make sure stayed on track that had a few tricky sections that weren t covered in the first 15 and also with a non-fiction narrator who I probably shouldn t have hired due to pacing issues. The narrator I work with most often uploads all the files but doesn t submit them for final review until I ve listened to all of them and we ve made all the edits. Others lock it for my review. However, you can t approve a title for publication until it s submitted for final review so you have to get the narrators to lock it down before you can officially approve it.
PRODUCTION: YOUR REVIEW Be sure to download all of the files to listen to them. Tell your narrator the file/chapter name and the time in that file where any changes need to be made. Be sure you see Message Sent for any message you send. Once the narrator submits changes, listen to make sure they did what you needed and didn t introduce new errors. Most changes will require them to re-do the sentence not just the word, so be sure you listen to enough of the narration around the change to catch any newly-introduced issue. I also listen to the beginning and end to make sure the file wasn t cut off when it was reloaded. You technically only have a couple of rounds of review per the contract, but if you re reasonable a narrator will work with you past that. The only time I ve needed this was when a narrator was struggling with the delivery of a specific sentence that HAD to be delivered a certain way. Otherwise I find it usually takes one round of edits.
PRODUCTION: CREDITS AND SAMPLE What to Include Opening Credits: Title of Book Written By Narrated By Closing Credits: This has been Written By Narrated By Copyright (print year) Production Copyright (audio year) Sample Five Minutes Max. with no introductory chapter or sound
PRODUCTION: COVER ART Before you can submit the file for review, you need to also provide a cover for the audiobook. You can t just use your paperback or ebook cover because audiobook covers are square.
PRODUCTION: COVER ART Cover requirements: Cover must be square (min 2400x2400) File size less than 8 MB 72 dpi RGB JPG, PNG, or TIF Alphanumeric name No colored borders on the side** ** They do actually approve colored borders, but what they don t want is you taking your ebook cover and putting a border around it and calling it a day.
PRODUCTION: YOUR REVIEW Once everything looks ready, click on Approve Audiobook NOTE: Changes after this point are incredibly difficult, so get it right the first time It will pop up with a this title is published by box and you can change that to reflect your pen name if you use one.
FINAL APPROVAL If you re doing pay-for-production, once you submit the file ACX will tell you what you owe your narrator. You ll need to send them their payment and then confirm that with ACX before things can proceed. The narrator will then need to confirm they received payment before ACX will review the files.
FINAL APPROVAL ACX review usually takes about a week but has taken longer recently. You may get back a note from ACX that something needs fixed. If that happens, your narrator will need to fix the files and upload them again. I ve had this happen three times in twenty-four submissions and each time the narrator had it fixed promptly, but this is a reminder of why you need to be nice to your audiobook narrator. Because at this point they ve already been paid so the only thing forcing them to reply promptly is a pride in their own work, professionalism, and liking you enough to care. Note that ACX is reviewing for technical issues like file type consistency and whether the files are recorded in the right sound range. They aren t judging the narration. After ACX approves your book, it will be put on sale.
SALES REPORTING ACX sales reporting is generally delayed a few days. On your main screen it will show you life-to-date sales. You can click on View Sales Dashboard to see more detailed information, including month-to-date sales. This is also where you go to find your monthly earnings reports which are usually released at the end of the next month.
SALES REPORTING You very likely will not get paid based on the list price of your title, so don t get too excited by a $21.95 list price. Whispersync allows a user to pay a reduced price if they buy the print version, too. Audible Subscriptions users pay Audible for a monthly subscription and your payout is a fixed amt. Audible Discounts Audible members can also buy audiobooks at a discount off retail. Examples from my own books: Full-length novel (71,620 words, non-exclusive): Average payout 72 cents Short story collection (57,900 words, non-exclusive): Average payout $4.05 Non-fiction title (14,544 words, exclusive): Average payout $1.93 Non-fiction title (24,400 words, non-exclusive): Average payout 77 cents You can also earn bounty payments for new listeners ($50) although some territories may not be eligible for them.
QUESTIONS?
CONTACT INFORMATION If you have any questions you can reach me at mlhumphreywriter [at] gmail.com. I also have a website at mlhumphrey.com. I don t check the email daily, but I do check it regularly.