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Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Audio Books by Paty Jager



I just returned from an author conference. There were several different interesting workshops and panels.  The most fun was the one put on by the Killion Group or as some may know them, Hot Damn Stock.  They make stock photos for authors to use on their book covers. They held a mock photo shoot with one of their male models, Julian, and individuals picked out of the audience. It was interesting to see how they stage the photos and all that goes into the making of a stock photo. 

The workshop I found most interesting was one presented by Ann M. Richardson an audiobook narrator.  She talked about all the things a narrator has to do and what the author can do ahead of time to make the book quicker and easier for the narrator. 

Here are some key points to getting a good narrator:
1) Either pay the full narrator fee of anywhere from $200-600(well-known narrators) per finished hour of the book. Or set up a hybrid payment of royalty share and so much per finished hour, or the royalty share and try to get a stipend from ACX. The more you can give over the royalty share the better narrator you’ll get.
2) Choose the right audition script. This is 2-3 pages out of your manuscript that has dialog from your main characters and some description text. Be sure to let them know of any specific accents. They will send you a 5 minute audition.

Once you’ve picked the narrator:
1) Send them the manuscript with enough scenes marked to give a good overall of your book and have the narrator send you a 15 minute recording. This is where you adjust any accents and send them a list of words that may have an ambiguous pronunciation.
2) When you receive the 15 minute recording. Listen close and request any specific corrections. When you have approved this, your narrator will continue to record the book.
3) Most won’t send you the audio until the whole book has been read. A few will send you a chapter at a time.  When you find corrections make sure to put down the page and sentence as well as the time stamp on the recording to make it easier for the narrator to find and make the corrections.

The part I have the most difficulty with is remembering to promote the audio book. At this point I only have one. When we re-do the other covers of my Halsey Brothers Series, I plan to get the rest of those in audiobooks. Right now, I’m trying to get my mystery series in audiobooks. I had a rough start with a narrator who backed out after she’d committed  to my book, then decided she didn’t  have time because of all her other obligations.  I’m looking for a new narrator right now.

As a reader do you like audiobooks?  If so, leave a comment and I’ll pick one person to receive a code to get my book Marshal in Petticoats FREE!

Authors, have you dipped your toes in the audiobook world? Why or why not and how is it going so far? 

After accidentally shooting a bank robber, Darcy Duncan becomes marshal of a town as accident prone as herself.  Darcy's taken care of her younger brother the last five years, and she’s not about to take orders from a corrupt mayor or a handsome drifter, whose curiosity could end her career as a marshal and take away their security

Gil Halsey is looking for his boss's son who is riding with outlaws. Taking the young man back to the ranch will seal the foreman's job. When he discovers the town's new marshal is a passionate woman with a huge regard for family and being framed for a bank heist, he has to decide which is the better future-- the feisty woman or the ranch.
 
Paty Jager writes murder mysteries and steamy western romance starring cowboys and Indians.
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15 comments:

  1. I enjoy audio books because:
    * I can listen while I drive
    * They make gym time fly by faster
    * If the narrator is really talented, I can close my eyes and be sucked into the story - though not while driving or at the gym

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  2. I haven't tried audio books. I've listened to one and it was rough because the narrator didn't do a great job between the male and female characters. I could tell it was a guy overall. I've heard great things about audio books and am considering it.

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    1. Melissa, That is the part that author has to really work on--getting the right narrator for the book. I have a really good narrator for my western, but right now I'm looking for someone to narrate my mystery books. It's easy to do through ACX.

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  3. I buy audio books that are on CDs but have had no luck listening to the ones through Amazon where you have to have a more modern system to listen in the vehicle than we have with our older truck. I pretty much only like them when driving the long distances that are part of rural living. Some that I've heard look like they'd be great if I someday have a better way to listen to them. The other thing with CDs is you can buy used ones and resell them. Not an option with the ACX ones. So far I haven't been tempted to turn them out for my books but can see that some do quite well with them.

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    1. Rain, I think it's a matter of reaching a new audience. According to the figures given at the workshop, audiobooks outsell ebooks 2 to 1. That's the reason I'm working on getting more books into audio.

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  4. I love audios! When I delivered the newspaper I think I listened to nearly every audio my library had and that's a lot. lol Audios were also a godsend for me when my kids were little. I tried reading to them, but my throat just couldn't handle it. So audiobooks to the rescue! We've listened to audios for over a decade and the kids loved them. I'm sad that I don't listen to audios much (on my own) since I quit the paper route. I really need to get back onto the dreadmill and the evilliptical, so I can listen to more of them again.

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    1. Voracious, I think it is that way, either people love them or they don't. I had a few recordings of books my kids listened to when they were young. Audiobooks for children, especially those learning to read are helpful.

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  5. I jumped in to audio about 2 years ago at the recommendation of a fellow author. At the time, it was much easier to get narrators--Amazon/ACX hadn't reduced the royalty rate, and stipends were easier to come by. I'm starting to put more of my books out in audio again--turns out my narrator for my Triple D series, set on a Colorado cattle ranch grew up on a Colorado cattle ranch, so she ended up beta reading as well a narrating!

    However, I am NOT a very good audio book LISTENER. My mind tends to roam and ramble and I get distracted too easily. But I love making my books available to those who have the listening gene.

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    1. Hi Terry, I knew you were doing audiobooks. It's good to hear you are a proponent of them. I agree on the much easier to get narrators. I'm having a tough time getting one for my mystery series. I can't afford big bucks yet and I heard that about the stipends. That's what allowed me to get a good narrator for the western. Thanks for stopping in.

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  6. Thank you for sharing what you learned about audio books at the conference. Good information. I've listened to a couple of audio books and enjoyed them, but I still prefer just reading.

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    1. Hi Sandra, I hope the information was useful to those authors thinking about making their books audible. I like books both ways, to read and to listen to. Thanks for commenting.

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  7. Paty, I've only done two book in audio, but I'd like to do them all. I just can't afford to right now, but hope to in the near future. Like Terry, my mind wanders when I'm listening, but most people love audio.

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    1. Caroline, I think the cost is the biggest thing for authors. Especially now. To get the good narrators you have to give them more than the 50% cut. Thanks for commenting.

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  8. Alisa Boisclair is my winner! I'll contact you via FB and get your prize to you. Congratulations!

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