![]() However, because you got the “plus” up front, your risk is less, because you’re still getting paid something for your work, though it might not be as much as PFH. Pros: Same as those for Royalty Share but you have a slight bonus up front.Ĭons: There’s still no guarantee that you’ll make any royalty money at all. That rate is almost always less than a straight PFH title, so you’re still incurring some risk, but not as much as a pure Royalty Share contract. Basically, an author is offering a Royalty Share (see above) plus a bonus Per Finished Hour rate. ![]() It harkens back to the old days of Stipends. Royalty Share+ (RS+): This is a (relatively) new critter to ACX. Audible could drop the price and you just have to take 20% of whatever that is. You also have no say or control in the pricing of the books. I’m not kidding, there are Royalty Share books that have sold zero copies even after months of being on sale. Potential for large revenue, if the audiobook is successful and the author is willing to market the audiobook.Ĭons: No guarantee of making decent money. You’re paid on a monthly basis based on sales for the previous month. Royalty Share (RS): You get a portion (20%) of the book sales while the book is on sale on Audible for the next seven years (after that, the Rights Holder can take it elsewhere). Some of these offer free demos for your test drive. If you’re brand-new, try a few out to find the one that’s right for you. If you already own something and it’s familiar, run with it. They all do the same thing, they just have different ways of doing it. My advice is: Find the one that works for you. There’s a lot of debate and discussion on DAW software out there. Memory Foam Standing Mat (comfy and sound absorbing).Stand-Mounted Acoustic Panels (Free standing and easily moved).Acoustic Blankets (build your own booth).Do some searches for DIY home studios for more information. As you move your way up, there are foam panels that are specifically designed for studios. At the cheapest, you can use clothing (a closet is not a bad place to start a home studio). Basically, you’re looking to surround yourself with sound absorbing materials. Now, if your space is too noisy, you’re going to have to look into soundproofing and the like. You want sound quality that’s better than average at a minimum. An extra $20 might be worth it to save your ears some pain and sweat.ĭo not use earbuds! Even if they’re shiny high-end ones. You will be wearing these headphones for hours. Don’t skimp if you can.Ĭomfort is a consideration. This is one of those places where you’re going to hear any issues with your sound. The better the headphones, the more you’ll catch. You’re probably going to be doing your own editing to start and you’ll want to listen to yourself. PreSonus USB (Some bundles come with Studio One software).Focusrite Scarlett USB Audio Interface (Some bundles come with cords and headphones).There are pros and cons to using a USB microphone. If you’re using a USB microphone, you will not need an interface. NEAT King Bee Cardioid Solid State Condenser Microphone with Pop Filter and ShockmountĪKA: Something to connect your microphone to your PC.Audio-Technica AT2020USB PLUS Cardioid Condenser USB.Audio-Technica AT2020 Cardioid Condenser Studio XLR.Rode NT1-A Vocal Cardioid Condenser Microphone Package.Even the best narrator in the world is going to sound terrible on a cheap mic. That cheap USB mic you got at OfficeMax/Best Buy/Wal-Mart sounds like crap. But you read that already, didn’t you? A good microphone is an investment. MicrophoneĪCX has some recommendations for studio gear. You’ve probably got too much floor noise, mouth noise, breaths, and so on. Does the sound quality match? Probably not. Getting Your Equipment Together How do I tell if my setup is working properly? They cover a lot of ground on what they expect from a narrator (or producer, to use their terminology). No, I’m not copping out, it’s a great place to start. If you spot anything that doesn’t jive with what you’re seeing on ACX or have seen in the industry, please feel free to send me a note, either as a comment below or use the Contact form up top. This blog post may go out of date as ACX rolls out new features. This is all based on the observations made by myself and others while working with ACX. ![]() While not specifically a primer on starting your own podcast, many of the equipment recommendations and tools are the same, so feel free to check that out.ĭisclaimer: I don’t work for ACX and they have no input on this blog post. Rather than get annoyed, I’m putting together this unofficial newcomers guide to working with books on ACX. Since so many people want to get started narrating audiobooks, we get the same questions over and over. The narrators here are a mixed group (skill-wise and background-wise), but we’re friendly enough. So, you want to narrate books on ACX? Welcome to the club.
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