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/

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.

Bookbub Goes After Audiobooks

Not content with dominating the world of ebook promotion, Bookbub is dipping its toes into the booming world of audiobooks by joining forces with Findaway Voices. They are up against ACX, Amazon’s successful audio production arm. Audiobooks are much more expensive to produce than ebooks, so there is a barrier to entry akin to the old traditional publishing world. Until someone trains an AI to narrate stories effectively, that is…

“The biggest name in eBook discovery is jumping in to audiobooks, creating new opportunities for authors who distribute their audiobooks wide.”

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.

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.

Create your own Audiobooks with Amazon

Not content with dominating the online sale of printed books and ebooks, Amazon is also moving to extend its dominance in audio books. The e-commerce giant already owns Audible. ACX is aimed at small publishers and authors wanting to create an audiobook version of existing print editions. Given the increasing popularity of podcasting and streaming music services, it makes sense to offer independent authors a way to grab a slice of that audio content pie. Authors can create their own audio, but they would need decent equipment and some technical savvy to meet ACX's audio quality requirements. ACX steers authors towards their roster of professional narrators and producers, and offers long term distribution through Audible.