Can I Upload My Own Audiobooks to Audible

When I finished writing and publishing Where the Hell is Tesla?, I looked at the Amazon.com book page, noticed the absence of an audiobook/CD, and said to myself "Hmmm. I wonder if I could do that myself?"

I establish out I could. And guess what? You can too. Yous, an contained author, tin characterize and publish your own audiobook — for free! (Or close.)

I won't say it'due south one-click piece of cake, though. There are many small things to do right, and many pocket-size things that can make a recording atrocious. In fact, here'south a really smart commodity outlining numerous reasons why yous SHOULDN'T characterize your own book. Just if you're still into it after reading that, any author that's a chip technical can practice it, without breaking the banking concern, using tools you already have (or that won't price yous an arm and a leg to buy).

Before we become started:

• You should already have your book done and published. If not, take care of that commencement and render to this post later. Information technology'll still be hither!
• You should have admission to a computer or an iPad.
• For my demonstration, I'1000 using sure gear and software you may not have, and I'yard talking exclusively about Amazon, simply the general principles will yet apply.
• This is meant to be an overview, non a tutorial. But I'yard happy to answer any specific questions you accept, so caput on over to the Contact page and fire off a question at whatsoever fourth dimension.

Okay, set?

1. Create an business relationship with ACX. ACX is office of Audible.com, an Amazon.com subsidiary. They help build and manage audio content that gets sold on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. When you first your account, all you'll need is your bank data (so they can pay yous royalties — that's a good thing), and to find your title in the Amazon database. Once you have your account created, take a look at the Audio Submission Requirements. Basically, know this:

• You have to include separate opening credits, affiliate files, closing credits, and a one-5 minute sample.
• Leave silence at the start and end of each affiliate, and read the chapter headings aloud
• Reduce dissonance on the low end, and make sure it'southward not louder than -3dB (Don't worry, I evidence you lot how in the video)
• Consign at 192kbps MP3 at 44.1kHz (once again, it sounds hard just it's easy)

2. Get your studio set up. Of class, by studio I mean anywhere you can set upwards. You'll need:

• A calculator or an iPad. I use a Mac (my business organisation is copywriting/design/advertising, so Macs are the standard), and every bit a recording author, this has a great benefit — considering every Mac comes with…
• Recording software. Garageband is the proper noun of the app that comes free with a Mac. For more complicated projects at our studio, nosotros use ProTools, but for a unmarried voice, Garageband is perfect. Easy to apply, fifty-fifty for beginners. And it comes free with iPads, too. If you're working on a PC, you'll demand an alternative. I've heard from several people after this post was published that Audacity is freeware and information technology's groovy. That's not an endorsement, merely to let you know that recording options aren't limited to mac folk.
• A microphone. You lot could endeavour to become abroad with the internal mic on your computer or iPad, but for a cleaner, less noisy sound… you'll desire to accept a better mic.  I utilise an AKG C3000 (about $200, there are a lot of good mics in this price range). Merely I also take a USB interface called a DUET2 that the mic plugs into (another $600). If yous don't experience like plunking down $800 earlier yous've fifty-fifty started, here'due south the good news: at that place are enough of USB mics that are skilful enough for this work, and can plug directly into your computer or iPad. I establish a corking commodity comparing several, only here's the quick — for a basic, adept sound, try The Blue Microphones Snowball ($55). For a great mic that plugs directly into an iPad as well as a PC, endeavor the Apogee MiC 96k ($229)
• Headphones. If you want to monitor yourself (not a requirement, but a good idea), you'll demand a pair of headphones. From my experience, basic headphones should be fine.
• A quiet space. This 1'south common sense, and critical. Whatsoever extra room noise can ruin a recording, so choose a infinite with very niggling ambient noise. Also, open up spaces with naught on the walls tin can bounciness the audio all over. Utilise blankets, cream, whatever you can to dampen the sound. (We use foam inexplainable circled pretty tightly around the microphone. You can see it in the video.)

3. Start recording! Fire upward Garageband, create a new vocalization track, and become. Alternatively, I've created a Garageband file with the settings I utilise practical to the chief track and kickoff rail. You can download it here. (40MB)

This isn't meant to be a detailed tutorial on Garageband, and so I won't get into terminology, or every setting, but basically here's what to set in everyday language:

• Make sure your principal volume just hits the "yellow" during loud moments, stays in the mid-to-high greenish area, and never hits the carmine.
• Under Controls (the little dial-looking-push button top left) make certain your "noise gate" is checked, and set to around -65dB (You can play with this setting to make sure yous don't go weird-sounding clipping, but brand sure when you're non talking, you don't hear annihilation at all).
• Also under controls, click on the compressor, the EQ, and give yourself a wee bit of reverb. (I show the dials and such in the video, just again, play with this to become the sound you like.)

Okay, when you lot're set to hit the record button and start speaking, go along these tips in mind:

• Keep the mic well-nigh 6″ – eight″ from your confront. Yous tin can play around with this. When yous have to whisper, y'all tin can come in a lilliputian closer, and when you have to scream or shout, DEFINITELY pull back, and turn your head away from the mic a bit.
• Brand sure you're speaking clearly, and make as few mistakes every bit possible. When you make a mistake, if information technology's a pocket-sized one, just leave a breath, say a quick "boop!" and echo. This keeps your catamenia going, and gives y'all a visual cue when yous get back to edit — the "boop!" shows upward every bit a little spike in the waveform. For a larger mistake, cease recording, delete that range, and get again. If y'all practice these two, y'all'll give thanks yourself when you have to go through and edit all this!
• Make sure your stride is not too fast and not too tedious. Effort it a few different ways, play information technology back. Let someone else mind to them and compare.
• Minimize loud jiff sounds, lip smacks, natural language clicks, pops and other noises. Again, you'll thank yourself later when yous don't take to edit out all this. Yous can besides buy a inexpensive pop filter (it'southward in the video) that helps with some of this, mostly the "p" sound.
• Go along characters, voices, and accents consequent, without making them too over-the-peak or cartoony. (Although for my book, a comedy, I purposely went a bit over-the-pinnacle.). And keep the energy of operation consistent

Once yous've recorded your opening credits, create a new runway. And so for each affiliate, do the same. So in the terminate, you'll have a separate track for each chapter. This makes information technology easier to organize and export.

Note: If you desire a quick music stinger for your opening credits, or a sound effect here and there, you lot can find tons of royalty free music beds and sfx on iTunes. At that place are lots of sites out there as well, LOTS, then if you lot experience like digging, go for it. Also for free sounds, my usual go-to site is SoundBible.com. Maybe not the biggest catalog, but it's FREE, and information technology's easy to use/download.

iv. Edit and consign your recordings. This is fun, but tedious, piece of work. You lot'll be taking out extra jiff sounds, playing with volume and noise, a LOT. When you're done (whew!) solo each track and export 192kbps MP3s at 44.1kHz (sounds complicated but it'due south a couple of buttons).

5. Upload your files to ACX. Likewise might sound confusing, but it's easy. You can meet in the video, 1-two-3!

Then, in one case you're done, y'all're done. ACX takes over and packages upwards your files, and — bold y'all don't accept any problems they come dorsum to you with — they distribute it for you through Amazon, Aural, and Apple iBooks. And you lot earn a percentage of each sale — in my DIY case, 40%. Astonishing!

If yous have any questions at all about the procedure, I'd be happy to answer (or investigate if I don't have an reply). Just head on over to the Contact page.

Most the Book:

SCI-FI ODYSSEY. COMEDY. LOVE STORY. AND OF COURSE… NIKOLA TESLA. I'll let Chip, the main character tell you more: "I found the journal at work. Well, I don't know if y'all'd call it work, simply that'south where I institute information technology. Information technology's the lost journal of Nikola Tesla, ane of the greatest inventors and visionaries ever. Earlier he died in 1943, he kept a notebook filled with spectacular claims and outrageous plans. One of these plans was for an "Interdimensional Transfer Apparatus" – that allowed someone (in this case me and my friend Pete) to travel to other versions of the infinite possibilities around united states of america. Crazy, right? But that'south just where the crazy starts."

CHIP'S OFFICIAL DISCLAIMER: This is a piece of work of fiction: the events depicted in the collection of emails did not happen. I accept never been in contact with a covert authorities grouping attempting to suppress noesis of the lost journal of Nikola Tesla. I have non been threatened with death if I divulge the secrets contained inside. They did not buy me this handsome jacket (oh crap, you lot're reading this – trust me, it looks cracking on me). They did not come to my identify, and liquor me upward, and offer to publish this book every bit a sci-fi comedy novel to throw the public off the trail of the real truth.

Or did they?

I'm kidding. Of form they didn't.

Or did they?

God, I can't go along my big mouth shut.

Praise for Where the Hell is Tesla?…

Where theHell is Tesla? has been compared to Terry Pratchett (the Discworld Series), Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and even Kurt Vonnegut (I know, that final one is probably a stretch.)

"If Pecker and Ted were approaching centre age (and gotten simplythis much more world weary along the way), then went on an Fifty-fifty More than Fantabulous Science Fact Adventure, y'all might become something like Rob Dircks' debut novel,Where the Hell is Telsa? Smart, funny, and just similar its titular scientist, impressively inventive, this is a must-read for anyone who aced science and, even more so, for those of the states who didn't. Which means, quite simply, it's a book for everyone."

– Michael Zam, Screenwriting Professor, NYU

"Reminds me of Vonnegut. Yeah, I said that."

– Ruth Sinanian, Connoisseur of Fine Literature

Amazon.com Reviews…

"An extraordinarily unexpected delight… volition appeal to fans of Pratchett and Adams."

"A wild, witty wonderful ride through a historically accurate properties. You will express mirth, it's non dumb humor but very smart."

"Very entertaining and a great homage to a great scientist. If you're looking to laugh out loud while reading, then this is the book for you."

"I was laughing at times and on the edge of my seat other times. The character of Scrap is wonderful."

About Rob Dircks

Hi. I'm the owner of Goldfinch Publishing. After independently publishing my commencement two books, I fell in love with not only writing, just the new process of publishing. As a copywriter, designer, and programmer for over 20 years, I realized I had some skills that might be able to help other authors. So in addition to hawking my own books (feel complimentary to buy them hither), I'll be editing, producing, and promoting the works of other talented authors as well hither on this site.

My past? I've been many things – author, ad agency owner, aspiring screenwriter, stock video producer, iPhone app developer, photographer, and more. I was even a Sears baby photographer fashion back in college. (If I never come across another cherry velvet babe Christmas dress, that'll be just fine.) Experience costless to reach out to me on the general Contact Us page, through the Goldfinch SELECT submission process, or with a request for data on paid services over at Goldfinch A LA Carte du jour.

dukesreaut1982.blogspot.com

Source: https://robdircks.com/yes-you-can-record-your-own-audiobook-heres-how/

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