Tag Archives: The Book Designer

This Week in Links: October 1 – 5

Posted on October 5, 2018 by | Leave a comment

TVO_3000x1000

ACX is excited to announce that we’re once again partnering with The Society of Voice Arts and Sciences at That’s Voiceover 2018! This year’s event will take place on Saturday, November 17th at the Sheraton Universal Hotel at Universal Studios Hollywood, and we’re offering a number of ways audiobook actors and producers can interact with ACX and Audible Studios:

  • Learn from our all-star panel presentation, Becoming an Audiobook Actor-preneur. Scott Brick, Luke Daniels, and Khristine Hvam will help you develop the tools you need to grow a long career in audiobook performance/production.
  • Meet the ACX team at our exhibit hall booth. Bring your audiobook production, performance, and marketing questions. We want to hear from you!
  • Read for Audible Studios. Schedule a one-on-one session with Audible Studios producer Chris Sacco and get feedback on your performance in the moment. The top male and female talent will each land a contract to perform a title for Audible Studios. Sign up here.

Get your tickets here, and make sure to use code ACXTVO18 to get 20% off. We hope to see you there.

For Producers:

Would You Survive The Shark Tank? – via Paul Strikwerda – “If I were an investor on Shark Tank or Dragons’ Den, and you came to me with a pitch to back your business, what would I be looking for?”

6 Ways Social Media Can Hurt Your Voice Over Business – via Debbie Grattan – “To make sure your social media efforts end up benefiting instead of hurting your business, it’s crucial to steer clear of six different social media habits that can damage your VO career.“

Speak From Your Diaphragm! – via Dr. Ann Utterback – Learn the why this piece of advice is so often repeated, and how to implement it in front of the mic.

For Rights Holders:

Meet the Super Fan … the Secret Sauce Authors Want – via The Book Designer – “[W]hen you set out to develop and build Super Fans, you create a cult of sorts. You are “the one” that they are dedicated/devoted to. Whatever your words are, they think you are the cat’s meow.”

Know The Media’s Purpose In Order to Have Your Book Covered by The – via BookMarkertingBuzzBlog – “[T]he media and authors need to find one another and click. They must see value in each other, a value greater than most others provide for them. Can you give the media what it wants.”

October Observances to Inspire Your Author Marketing – via author marketing experts – Turn to the calendar when in need of a touchstone for your book marketing efforts.

Leave a comment

Posted in This Week In Links

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

This Week in Links: September 3 – 7

Posted on September 7, 2018 by | Leave a comment

For Producers:

Narrators Have To Look Up Pronunciations Of Those Unfamiliar, Odd-Sounding Words. (Here’s How) – via Voice-Over Xtra – “Good narrators recognize that geography, demographics, and even economic status can play a large role in how certain words are pronounced.”

What Virtual Assistants Can Do For Your Voice Over Business – via Voice Over Herald – “You want to spend more time searching for new clients, being inside your booth recording, or perfecting your craft but you can’t find the time because you have been playing catch-up. How are you going to grow your business if you are overloaded with tasks and responsibilities that take you away from the money-making activities?”

Three Ways to Spice Up Your Vocal Delivery – via Dr. Ann Utterback – “If you say phrases exactly the same way each time, they become stale and uninteresting. Worse, if you voice these exactly the same each time, they can become a bore for you and the listener.”

10 Tips for a Successful Home Audition – via Edge Studio – Herein lies solid advice for VO’s of all stripes, including audiobook narrators.

For Rights Holders:

6 Ways Video Blogging Can Save Your Author Promotion – via Author Marketing Experts – Forging a deeper connection with your fans to growing a new creative skill are just two reasons to explore a new way to marketing yourself online.

How to Sell Books to Someone Other Than Your Mom – via The Write Practice – “There’s nothing wrong with selling a book to Mom, by the way. But ideally you write and sell a book that thousands of people can’t wait to get their hands on. Here’s how to do it.”

The Best Free Media Contacts Tool You Probably Aren’t Using – via The Book Designer – Learn all about this free service and get some tips for making the most of your (audio)book PR efforts.

Writer Branding: A Cheat Sheet for Your Brand Elements – via The Write Conversation – Learn two simple ways to break down and analyze aspects of your visual brand to ensure you demonstrate consistency across all of your author materials.

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in This Week In Links

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

This Week in Links: July 30 – August 3

Posted on August 3, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Producers:

How To Edit Voice-Over Recordings A Lot Faster – With A Gaming Mouse! – via Voice-Over Xtra – Learn how to streamline your audiobook editing with some gear you may not even have considered for your studio.

Filling In The Blanks – via Paul Strikwerda – “You can’t give a client what s/he wants to hear, if you have no clue what it is.”

The Only Thing That’s Constant… – via Dave Courvoisier – Find inspiration in the ways your VO career “enhance[s] the definition of being human.”

Hey, I Know You!: Creating and Maintaining Your Personal Brand – via ACX University – Building a strong narrator brand and marketing your ACX productions can increase your earnings and provide a “value add” for the Rights Holders you work with.

Rights Holders:

How to Recycle, Repurpose and Promote Your Publicity – via The Book Designer – As you continue to build you Author brand, get tips on how to get the best return on the exposure you’re already getting.

Authors Should Promote Books Like Street Entertainers Sell Their Talents – via BookMarketingBuzzBlog – Turns out you can find marketing inspiration in the funniest of places. Find out how two different types of creatives have more in common than you may think.

11 Ways to Simplify Your (book promotion) Life – via author marketing experts – “Simplifying for authors is different…because most of us have day jobs and for us, simplifying isn’t just about keeping things simple, it’s also about preventing that bottleneck when too many things hit at once.”

How to Use Awareness Days to Promote Your Self-published Books – via ALLi – “Awareness Days of some kind or other happen just about every day of the year. There can be few authors who can’t find at least one day that somehow chimes with their books, if only they take the time and trouble to look. But what to do when you find one that suits you?”

Leave a comment

Posted in This Week In Links

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

This Week in Links: June 18 – 22

Posted on June 22, 2018 by | 1 comment

For Rights Holders:

SEO for Authors – Part 2 – via The Book Designer – We shared part one of this series last week, and the next post digs a little deeper into ways authors can leverage search engines to boost discovery of their (audio)book.

What Indie Authors Can Learn About Branding from IHOP – via Author Marketing Expert – The chain restaurant’s recent rebranding offers a lens through which authors can examine their own marketing efforts.

Are Authors Really Promoting The Benefits Of Their Books? – via BookMarketingBuzzBlog – “Many authors promote their books in simple terms – “It’s a fun read” or “You’ll learn a lot.” They may position themselves as experts on something, but fail to highlight what one will truly gain by consuming their book. Here’s a tip: know the benefits your book offers and champion them.”

How to Make Your Sentences More Descriptive – via The Write Conversation – We say it time and again: the better your writing, the better your audiobook Producer can perform it. With that in mind, read up on how to strike the right balance between straightforward and purple prose.

For Producers:

In Double-Digit Climb, Audiobook Sales Jump 23% To Over $2.5 Billion In 2017 – via Voice-Over Xtra – The audiobook business is booming! Take a look at the key insights from the Audio Publishers Association’s annual sales survey.

Why Go to an Industry Convention? Insight from the Perspective of Voice over Conferences and More – via Natasha Marchewka – Learn the “Why? What? Where? When?” of getting out of the booth and into a VO conference.

You Must Master These 4 Skills For a Successful Voiceover Business – via Gravy for the Brain – You have to wear a lot of hats as an actor-entrepreneur – four of them, according to this article. Find out how to make each one fit properly.

7 Processes to Success – via Dave Courvoisier – “The trick to discipline — beyond will power — is PROCESS. ‘…a continuous action, operation, or series of changes taking place in a definite manner.'”

1 Comment

Posted in This Week In Links

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This Week in Links: June 11 – 15

Posted on June 15, 2018 by | Leave a comment

For Producers:

If You Start Crying – Don’t Stop Narrating! And More Tips From BookCon – via Voice-Over Xtra – Audiobook narrator Tom Dheere shares what he learned from the panelists at the “Into the Booth” panel at this year’s event.

Chill Out this Summer – via Dr. Ann Utterback – The good doctor shares her advice for de-stressing this summer to unlock your best on-mic performance.

Deliver On Your Promises – The Most Important Voiceover Advice – via Gravy for the Brain – “Your word and your bond will say more about you and your brand than any advertising campaign ever could.”

Break Out of Your… – via Dave Courvoisier – Dave’s here to tell us about the value of shaking things up to get a clear mind and fresh perspective.

For Rights Holders:

SEO for Authors – Part 1 – via The Book Designer – Learn how Search Engine Optimization can help authors drive traffic, build email lists, and sell more (audio)books.

Which Message Should Authors Sell To The News Media? – via BookMarketingBuzzBlog – “What exactly is the message you want to convey and sell to the news media so journalists, broadcasters, and social media sites will want to cover you and your book?”

5 Steps to Writing Great Character Chemistry – via Helping Writers Become Authors – give your audiobook producer something to sink their teeth into by building your writing skills.

Social Media Strategies in this New World of Algorithms – via The Write Conversation – Author Edie Melson lays out her strategy to “help you find a blueprint to continue to make valuable online connections.”

 

Leave a comment

Posted in This Week In Links

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This Week in Links: March 12 – 16

Posted on March 16, 2018 by | Leave a comment

For Rights Holders:

9 Types of Pitches to Use When Promoting Your Book – via The Book Designer – “The success of your book depends on approaching people, companies and groups and asking for their help to publicize, promote and sell it… Here are nine things consider when it comes time to pitch your book—before, during or after your launch.”

How To Promote Your Book Like My Self-Promoting Kid – via Book Marketing BuzzBlog – Learn how emulating 13-year-old Ben in three key ways can help you shine light on your latest audiobook project.

How to Implement the Ideal Content Strategy to Grow Your Author Brand – via ALLi – “Jyotsna Ramachamdran, founder and director of Happy Self-Publishing, asks why a carefully curated content strategy is so important for authors, and how to build and implement one.”

Is a Press Release Still a Good Book Promotion Tool? – via Author Marketing Experts – AME offers a ruling on this tried and true technique. Take note of the rules you’ll want to follow to make sure your press release breaks through the crowd.

For Producers:

A Voice Artists Shouldn’t Just Talk. Also Listen to Yourself – via Edge Studio – Read up on the value of including time to listen back to past performances in your daily practice sessions.

Let’s Talk About Your Jaw – via Dr. Ann Utterback – Stress can wreak havoc on your jaw, which in turn can disrupt your vocal performance. Never fear – the doctor’s got some exercises that can help relieve tension and build strength.

Celia Siegel’s Voiceover Achiever – via Paul Strikwerda – “The big question in our industry used to be: Do you have a beautiful voice? Do you know how to act? Those are still important. But they’re no longer enough. These days the question is: Are you brandable?”

ACX U Presents: Ahead of the Curve: Prospecting for Pros – via ACX – Audible Approved Producers Steven Jay Cohen and Neil Hellegers discuss the finer points of researching authors with books not yet in audio and bringing them to ACX to produce their audiobook.

Leave a comment

Posted in This Week In Links

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.”

Leave a comment

Posted in This Week In Links, Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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?”

2 Comments

Posted in This Week In Links

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

1 Comment

Posted in This Week In Links

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

2 Comments

Posted in This Week In Links

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,