Author Ryan Holiday details his down-to-earth reading habits/strategy.
Music and cultural critic Ted Gioia outlines his lifetime reading plan, and it is very impressive and inspiring.
Information and tips, focusing on publishing, publicity, promotional ideas, author profiles, design resources and more.
Author Ryan Holiday details his down-to-earth reading habits/strategy.
Music and cultural critic Ted Gioia outlines his lifetime reading plan, and it is very impressive and inspiring.
A well voiced audiobook is a thing of beauty indeed — an exciting, immersive experience. And a very human one. But narrators are about to feel the cold digital breath of AIs trained to narrate with naturalistic, believable voices.
Risks abound:
No doubt the initial results for multi-narrator audiobooks will be fairly primitive, but they will improve, and probably with startling speed. AI music is already flooding the streaming world, and real-life musicians aren’t getting much income out of that. Hollywood actors won some restrictions on the use of AI in their industry, but voice actors may not have quite as much clout.
Reedsy has a cheery article on optimal ways to use AI narrators. According to the writer:
Bolinda Audio produces a book-borrowing app (Borrowbox) used widely by Australian libraries. An author client contacted them recently to see if there was a way of including their ebook title on the platform. They responded promptly with the following:
“We would be happy to distribute your titles to libraries via our digital lending solution BorrowBox, but we simply don't have the resources to deal direct with individual authors. If your titles are available from a digital distributor such as Gardners, Ingrams, IPG, or Faber Factory, then we could make them available via BorrowBox.”
Borrowbox is an excellent app with a very wide variety of audiobook and ebook titles, and represents an great opportunity for independent authors to get in front of new readers.
Jenny Wellington, author of the very entertaining novel Damengin, was interviewed on ABC Sunshine Coast — audio below.
“Damengin is a country town in Queensland weighed down by the worst drought in living memory and its inhabitants are all desperately waiting for government drought relief.
The bad news is that the funds have been sent and spent by Council's Shire Clerk Shifty Grey and his corrupt cohorts.
This is a rollicking fast-moving story about political skulduggery, greed, love and lust. It features outrageous characters, blossoming romances, pathos and importantly, has an incredibly happy ending.”
author2audio - audiobook and podcast production
We help independently published authors to create, record and publish their audiobooks to 20 plus international retailers including Amazon/Audible, Apple Books and Google Play - studio free, and you keep the royalties.
Our process takes you every step of the way - from setting up your home office recording environment and equipment, through narration technique, editing, production and to publication.
Rates start at AUD $500 (plus tax) per 10,000 words with an affordable minimum charge.
If you feel a narrator suits your needs, we can help with our experienced team of voice actors there too.
Please enjoy the following short (5 minute) video guide to recording. It'll give you a 'fly on the wall' perspective on your recording adventure:
I'll look forward to having an introductory chat with you on 0401 958 883 or at dave@author2audio. Oh - and if you like - on Zoom (and our website...)
P.S. Check out a sample from one of customer's audiobooks in the following link:
Tim Wood - Your amazing brand story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IebMcMlLGk
https://videos.files.wordpress.com/XW7N6hX1/a-river-divided-sample.mp4
As recommended by an author client, this audiobook production agency would be worth considering for those thinking about trying an audio format for their book. The site’s blurb states that:
“Jacqui & Brenton Edgecombe are Australian audiobook narrators and recording professionals ready to create an ACX standard reading of your book for distribution via all audiobook platforms. We look forward to bringing your words and your story to life for those who prefer to enjoy their books audibly.
All work recorded in our Adelaide-based home studio. We use Rode Mics, Logic Pro recording softwater and Izotrope RX7 for audio analysis.”
https://www.australiannarrators.com/
Talented novelist Kathryn Gauci has made a move into the audiobook space with audiobook giant Blackstone Audio. Nine of her titles are now availablele.com.au/author/Kathryn-Gauci/B00OPW68SM on Audible.
If you cannot afford a human to perform your audiobook, Google has an AI waiting for your epub file…
According to the documentation: “Auto-narrated audiobooks use a digital voice to read ebooks. Auto-narration works best on nonfiction titles.”
An author who AI-recorded his book gives his opinion of the service.
Guest article by Chloe Harris.
Audiobooks are booming and are one of the fastest-growing segments of the publishing industry. As a consequence, each year, more writers produce audiobooks.
However, audio presents a more complex set of challenges to solve. Accents and linguistic quirks, for example, must be taken into account if you wish to produce a global offering.
Say no more—we've put up a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about recording audiobooks.
You'll need a quiet location, systems, technology, time, and some technical knowledge to produce your audiobook. The hardware and software you'll need will probably cost only around $200. The time you spend narrating your book and editing your sound files in post-production will be by far the most significant expenditure.
Recording an audiobook is more than a pastime; it's a profession. Nevertheless, like with any profession, some skills are needed to get started. Hence, before you plunge into self-recording an audiobook, make sure you have the following:
Having a basic understanding of acting makes a significant difference when recording an audiobook. Narration is, more or less, an acting job. You're taking on the roles of various characters and narrating tales. Thus a background in acting could mean a lot.
These skills may seem obvious, but effectively portraying a character from various backgrounds is a crucial skill that will make your audiobook dynamic and exciting.
A typical narration day may appear straightforward: you sit down for several hours and read aloud from a book. But these hours may drag on and tire you, so it's essential to keep up as much as possible.
Finally, there's research! So, how will this fit into the picture? Isn't it simply a narrative you're recounting? But what if you're recording and come across a phrase, a country name, or something else you don't know how to pronounce? Doing your research ahead of time may help you improve your storytelling abilities significantly.
If you don't think your speaking voice is up to the task, look for a professional narrator online. The hiring steps are as follows;
You sign up for an account with one of the audiobook publishers or production firms.
You can find a narrator (also known as a producer) through listening to their auditions.
You and the narrator agree on the rate for each completed hour of the audiobook.
The narrator will record the audiobook and submit it for your approval.
Your audio file is delivered after you pay the producer.
You may only keep the expense of recording devices if you intend to record, edit, and release your audiobook independently. Depending on the particular items you buy, this may cost anywhere from $150 to $500, but producing an audiobook at the lower end of this range will be challenging.
If you collaborate with an audiobook production company or a professional narrator, audiobooks of 10 recording hours should cost around $1,000 to $5,000. The estimated expense covers everything from the equipment to the narrative to the finishing. However, this does not include any future marketing expenses, such as advertisement.
You'll also need a cover page in addition to the audiobook recording and a good book description. Also, if you're converting an eBook to an audiobook, the process is as simple as hiring a professional book cover designer for no more than 30 minutes of their time. It would also be a good idea to have your book proofread by a professional. That way, when you're ready to record your audiobook, everything will be a breeze.
Life may move at a breakneck speed. It's hard to find time to read when you have a lot on your plate. An audiobook is a handy way to deal with this problem.
"One in every five Australians now listens to audiobooks. Thus, if you want to attract new readers, audio format is the way to go. Furthermore, it does not need a significant financial commitment since you may hire a narrator or record the audiobook yourself," says Daniel Wilson—an audiobook voice talent and freelance writer at ProUp
Finally, a good cover may help you market your future audiobook more effectively. Sharp contrasts, appropriate highlights, a design that works for square sizes on mobile devices, and appealing imagery will all be present on such a cover. Please do not hesitate to contact us at WORKINGTYPE if you need help developing an excellent audiobook cover design.
Audio books are a fast growing part of the publishing landscape, driven by the ubiquity of smart phones. Recording an audio edition of a book can be extremely expensive and not a little technically challenging. So we were very interested to hear of a local audio book recording service charging reasonable rates. Check out their site here. An explanation of the service to authors here. Check out this book produced by author2audible on Audible, and the author page.
With the rise and rise of Audiobooks, some authors may be considering an audio version of their work. Whether they narrate it themselves (possible, but not always a good idea), or engage an actor at eye watering per-hour prices, there are many aspects to consider, most of which are covered in this excellent interview. Audiobooks are a powerful format with fairly high barriers to entry, platform independent, perfect for time poor people or those on the move, and only set to further expand. In my long experience as an audiobook consumer, the quality of the narrator is absolutely crucial — a good voice can make even indifferent prose sound oddly compelling. Some listeners will follow the narrator to different books just to hear his or her voice, which means some narrators are in massive demand.
In his youth James O’Brien was a republican firebrand, campaigning against the British presence in Northern Ireland and sympathetic with the aims, if not always the methods, of the IRA. Time and experience mellowed his views and he left Ireland for a prosperous life in Australia. We designed the cover for his memoir some years ago, and recently adjusted the layout for an audio book version he created in conjunction with Findaway Voices.
Audiobooks are currently the fastest growing segment of the publishing world. Listeners can login to audiobook services such as Audible, Playster of Apple Books on almost any device, and listen at home, the car or while walking. In short, it is a portable and very immediate format. Until recently, the process of recording a professional ebook has largely been restricted to publishers, due to the expenses involved. However, audiobook recording services have been established aimed at independent authors. An author client recently recounted their experience using Findaway Voices, and was vocal in praise of their service. This article posted at the Creative Penn in mid 2018 largely echoes his praise. Amazon’s own audibook recording service to authors is here.