Producing an Audiobook

Maria Issaris of Audiobooks Radio is offering an insight into the intricacies and challenges of audiobook production via a zoom session. She says that “Audiobook production is exciting and intense, technical and emotional, all at once. Each production team (and that includes the authors and publishers!) become immersed, experiencing the 'storytelling' version of their work as it emerges from the hard page and onto an audio-platform.”

As a format, the audiobook is experiencing dramatic growth, but the process of producing a compelling audiobook is quite complex and technically challenging. It is great to see some emerging Australian players in this field.

Maria Issaris: “So here we are. We want listeners to have a profound experience when listening to audiobooks. We developed cost-effective, absolutely high quality, global standard audiobook production for small publishers and individual authors. We want books to be disseminated on global platforms. We don't take royalties. audiobookradio uploads and cross‑promotes, but does not collect royalties, nor charge ongoing fees.And we love it!”

Rules for Reading

Author Ryan Holiday details his down-to-earth reading habits/strategy.

“If you see a book you want, just buy it. Don’t worry about the price. Reading is not a luxury. It’s not something you splurge on. It’s a necessity. Even if all you get is one life-changing idea from a book, that’s still a pretty good return on investment.”

— Ryan Holiday

Music and cultural critic Ted Gioia outlines his lifetime reading plan, and it is very impressive and inspiring.

“When I was 18, I tackled War and Peace. When I was 19, I did Don Quixote. The next year, I read The Brothers Karamazov, and after that it was Moby Dick and The Tale of Genji and The Magic Mountain. And I’ve kept doing this for decades. The cumulative impact of this is life-changing.”

— Ted Gioia

AIs Move into Audiobooks...

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:

“But despite the positive impact AI voice generation can make, the technology is associated with numerous risks as well. Some of them include misuse, fraud, impersonation, and even voice theft, which especially affects professional voice actors.”

— TNW

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:

“Also, it’s worth bearing in mind that the listener will get used to an AI voice after a few minutes and start accepting it as a real voice.”

— Reedsy

Get Your Title Onto Borrowbox via IngramSpark

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 on ABC Radio

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.”

“A lovely Aussie story that everyone can relate to. Loved reading the book right from the start. I could hear the author reading the story to me at the start and as I got further into the book, wrapped into the characters of the story, I couldn’t put the book down as I sat in on the edge of my chair wondering what was going to happen next.”

— Christine, Queensland

author2audio - audiobook and podcast production for independent authors

Dave Stokes writes regarding his excellent audiobook service to independent authors…

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:

Recording guide

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

Book Cover Designs, May 2022

Audiobook production by Australian Narrators

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/

Codename Camille now in Audio Format

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.

AI Narration of Audiobooks

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.

Recording an Audiobook — What You Need to Know

What Do You Need To Know About
Recording Audiobooks?

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.

Self-recording An Audiobook

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.

What Skills Are Required to Record An Audiobook?

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:

• Acting Background

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.

• Capacity To Portray Various Voices, Accents, And Dialects

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.

• Endurance

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.

• Ability To Conduct Research

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.

Hiring Professional Audiobook Narrator

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.

What Is The Cost Of Producing An Audiobook?

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.

Additional Assets

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. 

Make Better Books—Or Audiobooks And Reach More Readers

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.

Local Audio Book Producing

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.

Creating Your Own Audiobook — Points to Consider

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.

From Revolution to Reflection — Book Cover

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.

Getting Your Book Out Loud

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.