Category Archives: This Week In Links

This Week in Links: February 5 – 9

Posted on February 9, 2018 by | Leave a comment

For Rights Holders:

Five Marketing Tools for Authors Who Hate Marketing – via Writer Unboxed – “If you’re a writer and you’re on social media, have a website, blog, or even just talk about your work with friends, you’re already marketing. So here are five inexpensive and relatively easy-to-use tools to help optimize the marketing you’re already doing.”

How to Collaborate Effectively with Other Indie Authors In Your Genre – via ALLi – Find out what happened when one author decided to stop competing with his fellow writers and start building a shared fan base.

Book Marketing (and Publicity) is not About Book Sales – via Author Marketing Experts – Learn why “exposure,” while harder to measure than unit sales, can be just as important an area of focus as the number of (audio)books you sell.

15 Ways to Strengthen Writer Courage – via Live Write Thrive – Do you suffer from Imposter Syndrome? Are there steps you’d like to take in your career, if only they didn’t seem so daunting? Read on to find ways to overcome your fears and access your inner strength.

For Producers:

Who Are Finalists For The Coveted 2018 Audio Publishers Association Audie Awards? – via Voice-Over Xtra – Audible has racked up 28 nominations, including 6 titles published by ACX Producers and Rights Holders! Check out the full list of nominees.

3 Things to Consider Before You Build Your Voice Over Studio – via Marc Scott – Follow along as the VO pro and coach shares lessons (and photos) from his own home studio construction process.

The Superbowl’s 3 Big Lessons for Voice Actors – via Dave Courvoisier – “It’s not often I find inspiration in professional sports…but there is much to be noted in the successful portrayal of the truly deserving individual who masters spectacle, excellence, and legacy.”

ACX U Presents: Beyond the Booth: Monetizing Your Voice – via ACX – Find out how to make sure the time you spend off-mic is just as lucrative as the time you spend on it.

 

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This Week in Links: January 29 – February 2

Posted on February 2, 2018 by | Leave a comment

For Producers:

3 Reasons Why You Need a VO Accountability Partner – via Dave Courvoisier – Learn the benefits of an honest relationship with a trusted colleague and how to select the right person for you.

Three Characteristics Of Successful Voice Actors: What Keeps Them On Top? – via Voice-Over Xtra – “I think we all know well-educated people with great skills and a nice set-up who can barely make ends meet. So, there must be other factors at play that determine the difference between success and failure.”

The Voice Actor’s Law of Diminishing Returns – via Backstage – “I was willing to buy into the lie rather than face the truth that the marathon path to success in VO requires persistence, savvy, patience, hard work, facing your demons, and overcoming your fears.”

Is Your Portfolio Demonstrating the Best You? – via Natasha Marchewka – Are you highlighting the full breadth of your abilities on your ACX profile, your website, and elsewhere? Natasha’s got tips to make the most out of your promotional real estate.

For Rights Holders:

Why Focused Goals Can Help You Sell More Books – via a marketing expert – “If you have no direction other than “book sales” you’ll often make bad decisions, spend money you shouldn’t have, and end up nowhere near the final, end goal of selling more books.”

Submit Your Book to Holiday Gift Guides – via The Book Designer – Getting your audiobook listed in a book guide can be a great way to expose your work to tons of potential listeners. Note that you needn’t wait for the year-end holidays to take action on this tip.

What Your Brand Needs – via CreateSpace – What’s the one simple trick that will make your author brand more interesting to your fans? CreateSpace’s Richard Ridley offers his answer.

How to Get Kicked Out of a Facebook Group – via Build Book Buzz Facebook groups are a hotbed of fan activity and a great place to connect with listeners. Make sure you conduct yourself appropriately by checking out this list of “don’ts.”

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This Week in Links: January 22 – 26

Posted on January 26, 2018 by | 2 comments

For Rights Holders:

‘Failed’ Songwriter Goes Up Against Bruce Springsteen for a Grammy – via Variety – Have you heard? ACX’s first Grammy nomination is for Shelly Peiken’s Confessions of a Serial Songwriter. Learn about Shelly and her road to the nomination here.

Free Book Trailer Templates – via Adazing – Trailers work, especially for audiobooks! So, team up with your narrator, and use this guide to create one with software you probably already have on your computer.

How to Jumpstart Book Reviews for Self-Published Books – via The Book Designer – These easy-to-follow tactics can help you get audiobook reviews too, of course.

Indie Author PSA: Do NOT Do These Things in 2018 – via Author Marketing Experts – When setting goals for success, it can be helpful to remember actions you’ll work to avoid.

For Producers:

From Couch to Mic: How To Market Your Voice-Over Skills – via suchavoice – “What does ‘market myself more’ or ‘get more gigs’ look like to you? What do you do every day to make that happen?”

5 Tips for Working From Home – via Marc Scott – Let Marc show you the way towards achieving a healthy work/life balance when your home is your office.

Surviving the Gig Economy – via Paul Strikwerda – “Today I’d like to share a number of attributes I believe to be the trademark of any successful solopreneur. If you want to make it on your own, you have to be…”

4 Ways to Avoid Shooting Your VO in the Foot – via Dave Courvoisier – “We make enough mistakes on our own through impatience, inattention, sloppiness, or just plain ole pig-headedness.  Why add to your troubles with stupidity?”

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This Year in Links: 2017

Posted on December 28, 2017 by | 1 comment

All year long, we’ve been sharing audiobook production, publishing, and marketing links from around the web. Today, we’ve gathered your favorites from the past year, along with a look at the creators who published them. Read on for some great advice, and you just might find your new favorite site to bookmark.

For Producers:

Karen Commins is an Audible Approved ACX Producer, and has been a professional voiceover talent since 1999. She’s produced and recorded over 50 titles in her custom-built home studio, in addition to writing articles on audiobook production and publishing on her blog.

Dave Courvoisier is a voice actor, blogger and Emmy-winning TV news anchor. His blog features a variety of topics for VO’s, and his experience in the industry makes them worth your attention.

Paul Strikwerda is a Dutch-English voiceover pro, coach, and writer. His lengthy posts are often philosophical in nature, and tackle VO theory more than specific technical advice.

Dr. Ann Utterback is a voice specialist with more than 40 years experience working with broadcasters, voice over artists and podcasters around the world. Her blog is a great place to learn how to take care of your instrument.

For Rights Holders:

ALLi is the Alliance of Independent Authors, a non-profit professional association for authors who self-publish. Their blog focuses on teaching publishing and marketing skills to authors who don’t have the backing of a major publisher.

The Book Designer is Joel Friedlander, a man with a 40-year history in printing, graphic design, typography, book design, and advertising. His blog focuses on “researching new ways for you to get your books into print, to make them more apt to sell, and be a source of pride to both author and publisher.”

BookMarketingBuzzBlog is written by Brian Feinblum, a veteran of two decades in the industry of book publishing publicity and marketing. On his blog, you’ll discover savvy but entertaining insights on book marketing, public relations, branding, and advertising.

Our partners in publishing, CreateSpace  is the one stop shop for your print on demand needs. Their blog features bite-sized pieces of publishing and marketing wisdom, with a bit of beginner’s slant.

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This Week in Links: December 4 – 8

Posted on December 8, 2017 by | 2 comments

For Rights Holders:

Increase Engagement in Your Marketing with Visuals – via The Book Designer – “You know the saying that a picture is worth 1,000 words? It may be true but what’s proven is that a photo is better than text when it comes to social media engagement.”

How Ordinary Authors Can Promote a Book Like a Great Author – via BookMarketingBuzzBlog – The difference between an “ordinary” author and a “great” author is often a simple change in your perspective. Find out how to elevate your attitude to get to great.

10 Critical Author Marketing Lessons We Can Learn from Apple – via where writers win – This handy infographic should give you some ideas for ways to successfully market your audiobook.

20 Best Songs for Writers and About Writing: The Ultimate Writing Mixtape – via Writers Digest – Set the tone in your writer’s room with this snappy mix of literary-focused tunes.

For Producers:

Marketing Seasons & Rhythms: When Are Best Times For The Voice Over Biz? – via Voice-Over Xtra – “All effective marketers in every business field know the calendar year and what they should do (OR NOT DO) for maximum effect each month.”

The Turning Point – via Paul Strikwerda – Are you working towards you own success, or just hoping good things will happen to you?

Don’t Let a Cold Wreck Your Holiday or Your Voice – via Dr. Ann Utterback – Crowds and confined spaces are breeding grounds for cold-causing germs. Learn how to combat them this holiday season, and spare yourself the literal headache of missed workdays.

Audiobook Advice from Hall of Fame Narrators – via ACX – Learn from your peers as they share their reflections on a successful career in audiobook narration.

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This Week in Links: October 16 – 20

Posted on October 20, 2017 by | Leave a comment

It’s that time of year again. While you’re prepping for Halloween, we’re prepping for the upcoming December audiobook sales season. For the best chance for your book to be on sale in time for the 2017 holidays, we recommend your titles are approved and submitted to ACX by Friday, December 1, 2017.

Please also ensure your audiobook meets all of our Audio Submission Requirements before submitting, as your title may be delayed going on-sale if our QA team needs to reach out to you with questions. Watch our recent video on passing ACX QA, then check out our favorite links from the past week below.

For Producers:

Study Peter Coyote’s Compelling Narration In Ken Burns’ ‘The Vietnam War’ PBS Series – via Voice-Over Xtra – Listening to the narrator’s documentary and contrasting it against his audiobook performance can be an enlightening exercise.

Voiceovers, Napping, and Meditation – via Tom Dheere – “Whether it’s napping, mediating, exercise, yoga, or reading a book with a warm beverage, at some point during the day you should find time to recharge.”

The One Surefire Way to Find New Clients – via Dave Courvoisier – CourVO offers a surprisingly simple directive, for those willing to put in the effort.

The Agony Of Ignorance – via Paul Strikwerda – Read Paul’s advice for achieving “unconscious competence,” and why it’s better in the long run not to get spoon-fed easy answers.

For Rights Holders:

Book Promotion: Do This, Not That – October 2017 – via The Book Designer – Instead of hoping your friends will leave glowing reviews of your (audio)book, learn how to earn reviews from motivated readers and listeners.

Opinion: How Indie Authors Can Stop Worrying and Learn to Love Book Marketing – via Alli – “You wrote the story you needed to tell – now you need to ensure the people who need to hear it have the opportunity to do so.”

Utilize Your Blog as a Powerful Marketing Tool – via The Write Conversation – “A blog post infused with personality, well-written content, and benefit to the readers can cause them to follow your blog or explore your website. But first, you have to get them interested in your post.”

Using Physicality to Bring Your Characters (And Your Fiction) to Life – via Writer’s Digest – Add this one to the “give your narrator something awesome to say” folder.

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This Week in Links: ACX University Edition

Posted on October 6, 2017 by | Leave a comment

Yesterday, we wrapped up the 2017 semester of ACX University. This year’s event featured audiobook production, publishing, and marketing advice for ACX authors and actors. We broadcast enlightening conversations with bestselling authors, Audible Approved Producers, and the top minds from ACX and Audible Studios. You can watch all episodes below, and subscribe to our YouTube channel to get notified about future ACX videos.

For Producers:

Performance Perfection: Go Behind the Mic – via ACX – In this episode, Sarah Mollo – Christensen performs passages and receive corrections from award-winning director Kat Lambrix.

How to Pass ACX QA Every Time! – via ACX – In this episode, David and Brendan from the ACX QA team discuss editing, mastering, and spacing issues, causes and treatments for each issue, and some fixes for after the fact.

Ahead of the Curve: Prospecting for Pros – via ACX – Audible Approved Producers Steven Jay Cohen and Neil Hellegers share their secrets for how to maximize their profit and time by finding great projects both on and off the ACX platform.

Beyond the Booth: Monetizing Your Voice – via ACX – Join us for a discussion featuring Andi Arndt and Carin Gilfry on how conferences, voiceover coaching, and performance awards can help you boost your bottom line.

For Rights Holders:

Peace, Love, & Understanding Your Audio Partner – via ACX –  Join us as we talk to publishing duo Piers Platt and James Fouhey, an author and narrator who’ve created eight audiobooks together.

The Life of an Audiobook Publisher – via ACX – Follow bestseller Kym Grosso through the process of creating an audiobook from scratch, all the way to completing the finished audiobook.

If You Market, They Will Listen: Marketing 101 – via ACX – In this session featuring bestselling author Lauren Blakely and author marketing consultant Kate Tilton, you’ll learn audiobook-specific marketing tactics to attract reviews and sell more copies.

The Elements of a Well-Reviewed Audiobook – via ACX – Paul Stokes of AudiobookReviewer.com and Robin Whitten of AudioFile Magazine discuss  how they choose which audiobooks make their listen lists. From the performance to the cover art, they’ll share how to improve your submission and improve your chances of receiving reader and professional reviews.

 

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This Week in Links: August 21 – 25

Posted on August 25, 2017 by | 1 comment

Did you hear the news? ACX University is back for 2017, with eight episodes coming in September. This year, we’ve expanded our premiere audiobook education event to cover topics for authors and publishers in addition to actors and producers. Check out this year’s curriculum, meet the panelists, and catch up on past year’s lessons here. Make sure to follow us on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, where you can watch every episode of this year’s program for free!

For Producers:

Why George Guidall Is the Undisputed King of Audiobooks – via The New York Times – Learn audiobook performance theory from the venerated veteran.

Should You Neutralize Your Accent? – via Paul Strikwerda – “Even though it’s fun to do all kinds of accents and characters, nine out of ten times clients hire me because I sound like me, and not like someone else.”

Should You Ever Volunteer to Do Voice-Over for Free? – via Edge Studio – “One way to add to your experience is volunteer work. But should you volunteer to do voice work for free? There are pros and cons, so read on…”

The Still Small Voice – via Karen Commins – Find out how rediscovering the love for her childhood instrument reminded Karen how listening to that little voice inside can be important for your VO career.

For Rights Holders:

Making A Great Author Website In 16 Steps – via BookMarketingBuzzBlog – “First, look at your site from the eyes of those who would come to visit it…Second, ask yourself if you started from scratch, how different would a brand new site look in comparison to what you have?”

Brands to Avoid – via CreateSpace – When building your author brand, be authentic, and remember to highlight the positive aspects of yourself and your books.

4 Questions You Should Never Ask About Your Book – via Helping Writers Become Authors – “In short, good writing is not about finding the right answer. It’s about finding the right question.”

20 Inspiring Writing Podcasts to Subscribe to Right Now – via The Write Life – “For writers looking to bust writer’s block, hone their craft or spice up a boring commute, there’s no shortage of podcasts from amateurs and experts alike.”

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This Week in Links: August 14 – 18

Posted on August 18, 2017 by | Leave a comment

For Rights Holders:

4 Social Media Productivity Tips for Authors – via The Book Designer – “We all know that marketing takes time. Too much time, some might say. I insist that it needn’t take time away from your writing. Not if you adhere to some productivity tips.”

Learning to Listen: Tips to Help You Get Into Audiobooks – via BookRiot – Try passing this advice along to those readers you’re yet to convert into listeners.

5 Email Marketing Tips for Self-Published Authors – via where writers win – “Email marketing is a fantastic way to stay front of mind and to let your readers know about everything from competitions to new releases.”

This is The Reason Book Marketing is Exhausting You and How to Fix That – via BadRedhead – “Many writers are exhausted by book marketing — even those who haven’t released their book yet. Sometimes, simply the thought of where to begin can be enough to stop a writer from ever starting at all. What to do?”

For Producers:

Voiceovers And Your Problem – via Tom Dheere – Tom offers five things to listen for if you want to make it as a voice talent.

Allowing Your Voice-Over Niche to Evolve Over Time – via suchavoice – “I didn’t set out years ago with this niche as my goal, but through hard work and perseverance, I was able to find my path over time.”

A Networking & Publicity Tactic from My Savvy 12-year-old Daughter – via Natasha Marchewka – “Way too often, I experience others as closed off and disinterested in group situations that would allow for valuable networking and even camaraderie. Being open to connecting helps us grow our business and, further, can help us grow as people.”

Yes, You Can….But SHOULD You? – via Dave Courvoisier – How big is your wheelhouse, really? Dave guides you through realistically approaching auditions.

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This Week in Links: July 31 – August 4

Posted on August 4, 2017 by | 1 comment

For Producers:

Got The Summertime Business Blues? Plant Seeds Early For The Long Game – via Voice-Over Xtra – It turns out there is a cure for the summertime blues, and it involves cultivating client relationships.

Breathe Easy This Summer – via Dr. Ann Utterback – Learn to narrate while standing with proper posture to deliver your best in-booth performance.

The Importance of Listening Skills for Voiceover Work – via Victoria DeAnda – “Listening, which is an integral aspect of any form of communication, helps any voice actor learn control, adapt to new styles, and become more confident overall.”

No Shortage of Advice – via Dave Courvoisier – Wondering if any of your past VO clients are ready to work with you again? Dave’s got an email marketing cheat sheet so you can reignite those relationships.

For Rights Holders:

5 Reasons Audiobook Sales Are Booming And How You Can Be Part Of This Growth – via Digital Book World – “Audiobooks are a hot ticket these days – currently the fastest growing piece of the publishing industry, audiobooks are on everyone’s mind and in everyone’s ears.”

Do You Market Your Book With Urgency? – via BookMarketingBuzzBlog – Learn nine ways you to ensure you’re not getting too lax or too crazy when promoting your book.

Use a Sex Angle to Flirt with the Media for Book Publicity – via The Book Designer – Hubba hubba! Can you find a creative way to get eyes and ears on your (audio)book?

The Platform Conundrum – via CreateSpace – Author Richard Ridley demystifies phrases like “A cross-platform strategy is the most optimal solution to create buzz about your book.”

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