Here are some great reasons to love home studios.

1. You’re the boss.

Taking greater control of your career can be an opportunity to learn new skills and uncover some you didn’t even know you had. And learning more about your industry is a process that exposes you to more people in the business and gives you a greater understanding of all aspects of production. Plus, the more skills you have, the more money you can make.

So how do you go about learning what it really takes to run your own home studio? Ask around! Talk to friends in the industry, studios and engineers you’ve worked with in the past and colleagues who have made the leap to home recording. They can tell you if you’re experienced enough to embark on this endeavor, and you can also learn from the mistakes they made. And don’t forget audio message boards, online tutorials (right here on ACX and on YouTube), and helpful blogs (ahem). Of course, you’re always free to drop us a line at audio@acx.com – we’re always happy to help.

If you’ve worked with some great engineers over the years, pick their brains for insight. Most passionate professionals love to pontificate on the positive points of their profession.  Once you gather some initial ideas, put them into use yourself. Practice practice practice! And remember, as far as recording goes, you’ll only need to learn the best settings for your voice once. When you work them out, you can use the same settings time and again from project to project.

2. More jobs.

A home studio allows you to work as you want to. And you won’t have to turn down jobs because of scheduling conflicts. So you can always go into a big pro studio when you get called by Joe Bigshot Producer, but you can also chase ACX gigs. And when you do have a home studio and at least a few audiobooks under your belt, it’s well worth contacting every audio publisher out there—they’ll want to hear from you.

3. Creative control.

There are many positive aspects to running the show yourself and being your own boss. The biggest is that you can really make the project your own, as you have more creative control without too many cooks spoiling the broth. You’ll still receive feedback from the person who hired you, and you may even want to ask your engineer friends to listen to your samples and give you some more tips.

4. Convenience.

Who hasn’t fantasized about rolling out of bed and into “the office” while still in pajamas? If you’re in the VO business know that a day’s work can often entail running uptown for an audition, downtown for a pickup session, and crosstown to deliver a batch of files. Having a few projects lined up for your home studio affords you greater control of your schedule, cuts down on commuting costs, and lets you work in a comfortable environment.

It’s true, not everyone lives in a quiet shack in the middle of nowhere. Construction, barking dogs, and your neighbor’s kids can create distractions and impart unwanted sound effects on your recording. But the longer you do it, the more you’ll learn the rhythm of your living environment and the times of day (or night) that provide a quiet window for recording. For those with flexible schedules, slotting in a few hours to record at the right time can be a productive use of what may otherwise be down time.

5. It doesn’t have to break the bank.

A mid-level setup (like the one highlighted on ACX’s Video Lessons and Resources page) can deliver great-sounding productions without breaking the bank. And while top-notch gear can often carry with it a top-notch price tag, it doesn’t have to. Want even better equipment without all the cost?  Buy used. Scour eBay, Craigslist and music and equipment stores with pre-owned inventory. Already know people in the industry? Ask around and find out if anyone is looking to part with some gently used gear. Get creative and you’ll be impressed with the results.

As with any home business, you must be able to set boundaries, and that may take some getting used to. But setting up and running a home studio can be educational, rewarding and liberating. It can provide you with more options for work and greater control over your own destiny. And best of all, if done right, it can be an additional revenue stream to compliment the money you make recording for traditional studios. Are you ready to fall in love?

Audible created Author Services because authors have a special authority among readers and listeners. Authors who personally create awareness of their work can dramatically increase their audience; Author Services rewards authors for the kind of personal interaction that only authors can do to expand their audience. Moreover, as everyone who’s been following ACX knows, digital audio is growing rapidly and has become an important part of mainstream culture. Audio is a category that contributes significantly to authors’ overall success.

We encourage all ACX authors to visit www.audible.com/authorservices to begin taking immediate advantage of this new revenue stream. Of course, if your book is not in audio, we are here to help!

From the post:

“Most authors sign away their audio rights in a publishing contract, and nothing ever happens, because publishers are still working on the old model with cavemen slowly carving out physical recordings. All those possible audio books never ever get made and the author can’t do a damn thing about it because she no longer owns the rights.

It’s maddening. It’s infuriating. It’s needless.

The Husband admires my tenacity. Actually, what he says is “You’re like a dog with a bone” and “You’re a walking nightmare” and “You’re like rust — you never stop.”  Same thing! Anyway, I kept gnawing at the gate, wanting my audio rights returned for my books, badgering my first agent, badgering my editors, etc. And I got a new agent — and she got my audio rights returned from my publisher!”

Read Marta Acosta’s entire post here:

http://vampirewire.blogspot.com/2012/04/my-audiobook-journey-with-acxaudible.html

In May of 2011, I found my perfect mate on match.com. On our first date, I told Susi about my book. I explained how I had developed a classification process for all service and sales associates: Welcomers, Robots, the Indifferent and Hostiles, and how this concept could help any business secure repeat customers.  At the end of our 45-minute rendezvous, I not only told Susi that I wanted to see her again, but also said, “You are a Welcomer!” The first question she asked was, “Will I really hear from you again?” to which I responded with an emphatic “yes.”  The second thing Susi said was, “I’m not sure what a ‘Welcomer’ is, but it sounds like a good thing.”

Over the next few months, Susi and I got to know each other very well and spent a great deal of time together. One of my friends and neighbors, Jen, works for Audible.com and I wanted Susi to meet her. Susi enjoys listening to audiobooks and mentioned that she was in love with Scott Brick.  She listens to all of his books, especially the Nelson DeMille mystery novels. When Jen heard this, she blurted, “Maybe he can narrate your book!” Susi almost fell out of her chair. My first thought was, “Who is this Scott Brick?”

Jen also told me about ACX and how I could get my book narrated. I registered for the site the next day. It was really easy. I selected the portion of the book I wanted read, the type of narration style and my proposed royalty arrangement. The first thought that came to my mind is “Hey, this is just like match.com.”

The process was amazing. When I received my first email that an audition was waiting, I was so excited. To hear the narrator read the words I had written was energizing. Although the first submission was fantastic, I was eager to hear more, since I know from any experience, it’s always best to be a comparison shopper.

During this process, I got a call from Jen, who told me that Scott was participating in ACX and might be available to narrate my book. When I told Susi that Scott Brick might be reading my words, she said, “Oh my God, I now know what it feels like to be in heaven!”

After Scott submitted his audition via ACX, I immediately accepted it. He was a pleasure to work with.  After he read the manuscript he had two questions. The first was, “When it says ‘readers’ in the book, do you want me to say ‘readers’ or ‘listeners?” I told him “listeners.”  Additionally, my book has many sidebars and he recommended that those be read by a woman friend of his to help differentiate between the narrative of the stories and the text within the shaded boxes.

When the book was completed, it was perfect. Scott and his friend turned my manuscript into an amazing play. When I listened to the entire version, I was so happy. I never realized how emotional I would feel hearing my own words read out loud by such a renowned narrator.

As a new author, I certainly feel lucky to have worked with Scott. While corresponding with him to make final payment arrangements, I told him how much I appreciated that he agreed to read my book and that I hoped he thought it was good. He quickly responded that he thoroughly enjoyed my book, thought it was not just good, but great, and had already implemented some of the recommendations I provided into his own business. I said “Wow!”  I have a winning book in my hands!

Without match.com, I never would have met Susi, or heard of Scott Brick. Without ACX.com, Susi would never have heard my words read by her favorite narrator.

ACX.com is a terrific way to meet narrators. It’s easy and fun! Try to find your perfect match!

How did you discover ACX?

I found out about ACX through my old assistant, Ian Claudius. He’s now running a publishing start-up I invested in, and he came to me with the idea of retaining my audio rights and just doing the audiobooks myself. I thought it was a great idea, and I was in.

You’ve now narrated four of your books. What makes the audiobook format important to you as an author? Do you think the audio format is becoming more important for authors?

I actually didn’t want to narrate the audiobooks at first, and only did it because they paid me 5k (Editor’s note: “they” refers to the audio publishers of Max’s previously published, non-ACX audio titles). But once I did it, and I started getting feedback from my fans, I realized that they really liked how I told the stories. They liked that I laughed at certain parts or that I ad-libbed certain things not in the book, or my little intonations or things that I did that only the person who wrote the book could bring to the reading of the stories. Once I realized that they liked it, I started taking it seriously and really putting some time into it.

I have no idea what the future holds for audio format for books. Sometimes I wonder about this–I think that oral storytelling is an incredibly cool and difficult art form, but I don’t think most authors currently give any real thought to creating different products for audio than for print–myself included–and maybe they should. Though the fact is, they are different art forms. For example, because I am a funny writer and quick-witted in person, lots of people tell me I should do stand-up comedy. No chance. That is a VERY different style of comedy, but people who aren’t artists don’t get that.

Any advice for other authors considering narrating their own work? How challenging is narration, and does it get easier?

It depends. If you like doing it, and you can bring something to the work that a professional voice actor cannot, then yes. I hate my recorded voice, but I do bring an authenticity and immediateness to my readings that no actor could ever replicate, because he wasn’t there and he didn’t live these experiences. I did.

Did you find yourself changing or editing your book as you narrated it? Did the experience change the way you felt about the book(s) in any way?

Oh yes. No matter how much I edit it, reading the book out loud fundamentally changes how I see it. I ALWAYS want to make changes and it drives me nuts each time. But that’s part of writing a book–you can always find something to fix. Sometimes you gotta just put it out.

A big part of the ACX message is self-empowerment for authors—promoting your work and driving your sales. You have proven that this method works. What tips can you give other authors about effective promotion and use of social media? What approaches/strategies have worked for you? 

Oh man, there are about 1000 things I could say here. I wrote a big piece about this for Tim Ferriss, but the big takeaway is this: The best marketing is a great book. The second best marketing is having something out there for free that people can try.

You recently described your “new life” in The New Yorker. What’s next for Tucker Max on the book front?

I just signed on to co-write the autobiography of the highest grossing movie star in the world. I can’t say exactly who it is until his people announce the book, but you should be able to guess who it is from that pretty obvious clue.

To download Max’s new audiobook of Hilarity Ensues, see here; for Sloppy Seconds, go here.

Carpenter, a former editor at the Village Voice, where her articles on crime and the law won a Pulitzer Prize, is also a longtime ACX supporter. During the audio production of Missing Beauty, she agreed to collect a few of her thoughts on the book and the audiobook. We’re happy to share them below.

Missing Beauty was my first book. It was published over  twenty years ago by W. W. Norton and Company and in recent years, hardcover copies have been increasingly hard to come by. (Every time I would find one on Amazon. I’d snap it up). So I am thrilled to know that it will now be enjoying a brand new life — as an audiobook.

I’d been aware for the past few years that editors, agents and other publishing people in my acquaintance were relying more heavily upon audiobooks; this so that they could maximize their reading time while driving, or taking cross-country flights,  etc.  But it wasn’t until my husband’s recent book, In the Plex, was published by Audible last spring that I realized what a huge audience this  medium is gaining. Authors are enthusiastic about its potential because we are all painfully aware of how many good books have been tanked by a print sales force that is conditioned to sell nothing but celebrity biographies. A small, eccentric and brilliant little book can now, in theory, be launched onto a level playing field where it receives a first print run that stretches to infinity. Electronic and audiobooks  offer the possibility that the book will be staying in print forever. Believe it or not, that matters to an author.

I was sold on Audible when I went to the rollout of ACX and realized that older books of mine could enjoy new life by being recorded as audiobooks. I asked my agents at ICM to send a copy over to Audible’s headquarters in Newark and they worked with me to find a suitable actor. I sat in for a bit of the Missing Beauty reading, narrated by the actor, L.J. Ganser. (He also recorded Plex.)   My initial reaction was surprise that I found myself so drawn so deeply into the plot as it was read. I, of course, know how the story turns out, but L.J.  brought to it a fresh interpretation which made me realize how much of a performance art the reading of audiobooks is. You could have the same book read five times by five different actors and you wouldn’t tire of it because each would be a fresh interpretation. I am actually putting that theory to the test. The first Gothic novel ever written, The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, has been recorded in at least seven audio editions. I plan to listen to them all. I’ll let you know what I find.

Also, we urge you to check out Teresa’s new book, New York Diaries, which The New York Times called “the most convivial and unorthodox history of New York City one is likely to come across.”

To reiterate, here’s how it works, step by step:

1. Choose any of these eligible titles, which were handpicked by Audible’s editors for their promising sales potential. (You must be logged in as a studio or narrator to see the list.)
2. Submit your best audition
3. If you get a Royalty Share offer on one (or more) of these titles, accept the offer. (You can get this $100 per-finished-hour Stipend Offer on up to five productions.)
4. Completion and approval of the audiobook within the next 60 days.
5. Submit an invoice to ACX for $100 X the number of finished hours (Please contact audio@acx.com for our invoice template and complete instructions.)
6. We pay you that fee, up to a maximum $2500
7. You also earn half of the 50 – 90% escalator royalty on each sale of the audiobook (i.e. 25% – 45% as outlined here)
8. You also earn half of any $25 bounty generated by downloads of the audiobook, as outlined here

We hope many of you take advantage of this extended offer, and we wish you luck. More than anything, we encourage you to please keep auditioning and helping us get more audiobooks into the world!

At Audible, the audiobook of “The Help” has been nothing short of a phenomenon. We recognized early on the potential for breakout success of this marvelous, multicast audio version, supporting  the audiobook on the Audible site with tons of marketing to Audible members. As a result, “The Help” was Audible’s Audiobook of the Year in 2009, and has close to 300,000 downloads to date, with a 4.8 star rating at Audible and close to 20,000 ratings. Spencer and the talented ensemble of actresses created an audio experience at a level Audible members considered a redefining moment, and “The Help” remains the highest-rated audiobook of all time according to Audible members.

In July 2011, Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly described “The Help” in audio as the definitive experience of the form. “Occasionally, listening to a book is just plumb better than reading it. Yes, I’m talking about The Help.” If any ACX users are looking for a great example of audiobook narration, look no further.

And if any actors out there are wondering whether audiobooks are worth investigating, we hope Spencer’s example will inspire them to take a closer look. Spencer’s success is a testament to the emergence of audiobook narration as a powerful arena of performance, as valid and distinct a variation on acting as stage or screen, with the added possibility, as in Spencer’s case, of giving a huge lift to an actor’s career.

You never know where your next audition might lead!

How ACX Can Launch Your Audiobook Career

by Shelby Lewis

Can ACX launch a career in audiobook narration? Well, between my diligent practice, demo submissions, and diverse ACX auditions, it has certainly launched mine! And I will be forever grateful.

For people who love “going to work” every day, are intrigued by cultivating a nuanced performance over a large scale, and who frankly love storytelling, audiobooks are absolutely a breath of fresh-voiceover-air. It’s not for everybody — especially if you’re comparing payment of commercials vs. audiobooks – but since I’m coming from a theatrical background ranging from musical theatre to Shakespeare, I enjoy the multi-character exploration and the lengthy, often complex text.

“Hitting it big” in commercials is a bit of a lottery, but — for better or worse — there’s really no way to accidentally succeed in audiobooks. It’s a lot of hard work that requires patience, stamina, meticulous preparation, and an equally balanced performance of inviting subtlety and engaging energy. After narrating just one title, you’ll know veeeery quickly if you enjoy this aspect of voiceover enough to pursue it. People ask me all the time: “Gosh, it takes so much time and WORK… Do you make a lot of money?” And my answer is always: “Well, you don’t until you do.” Since winning the ACX audiobook narration contest last fall, I have personally fallen in love with this work enough that the initial money (or lack thereof) doesn’t sway me in the slightest — which is why I have accepted multiple Royalty Share projects on ACX, especially if they’re in a genre in which I’d like to build up credits.

ACX gave me my humble audiobook beginnings, and it simultaneously gave me renowned audiobook narrator and teacher Scott Brick. I first saw him as a panelist on the ACX Audiobook Narration Panel at the That’s Voiceover! Conference last fall, then met him after he announced MY NAME as the winner of ACX‘s Audiobook Contest! I shook his hand, sent him a thank you, solicited some advice, was invited to watch him work in his studio, and trained with him personally in preparation for my newly won title: Lewis Carroll’s classic “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” for Audible.com and iTunes through ACX.

If you’re interested in breaking into audiobooks, PLEASE do yourself a favor and visit:

http://scottbrickpresents.com/learn/

Scott has now mentored me into my next step up in the world of audiobooks! I am proud to say that I’m currently completing my 5th title — the group of which ranges from a nonfiction murder investigation set in Texas to a haunting Young Adult fantasy novella complete with mermaids — and a 6th title I booked TODAY for Brilliance Audio!

One thing to watch out for which I’ve noticed on new narrators’ profiles: Don’t use only your *auditions* as your samples. The key currency in audiobooks is experience. Producing projects on ACX helps you build this currency, but if you only use your audition as a sample, and that rights holder checks your profile to see if they want to book you, and then she sees that the only narration you’ve done so far is a 3-min clip of her text — well, it’s extremely obvious that you’ve never actually narrated an audiobook before and it can mean a rights holder will be more likely to go with someone more experienced. After doing a few titles on ACX, you will be able to confidently say that you are an audiobook narrator. Until then, you fake it a bit to get those few titles under your belt by reading samples of books that you LOVE and show off your range. (That said, you should definitely use the script provided to audition for a specific book–a rights holder will want to hear how your voice sounds performing his or her words.)

My dream is to become a trusted, valued, and eventually sought-after narrator, but I also accept the long road to becoming worthy of steady bookings. In audiobooks especially, you must “pay your dues,” remain consistent and reliable, and learn what your voice gives the text that’s different from anyone else’s. You are representing everyone: the author’s voice, the characters’ voices, and your own voice. To me, that is thrilling. And, needless to say, I feel very blessed.

Truly, I could not recommend ACX highly enough. It gets your foot in the door, and then challenges you to keep the door open by yourself. And I’m already seeing that, once the door is opened, the tried-and-true audiobook narrators are more than satisfied, both creatively and financially. What more could one ask for?

“I chose The Land of Laughs for Neil Gaiman Presents because I love Jonathan Carroll’s books and want to bring them to as wide an audience as possible. I suspected the character of Thomas Abbey would be both a challenge and an opportunity for the right narrator. Edoardo Ballerini conveys a certain wistfulness and vulnerability underneath Abbey’s grumpiness.”

And be sure to check out the Neil Gaiman Presents page on audible.com for more terrific audiobooks, including another recent release by Jonathan Carroll, White Apples. We are very proud to be helping bring books like these to life in audio. More to come!