audio books

[Marti Talbott]

Occasionally, someone wants to privately make audios out of my books, but I'm lost on how that would work. Anyone do it without going through the established audio people?

If someone makes a audio copy, then I would have to upload it in order for it to show up under my product page, and then pay the audio person, right?

Are there restrictions on Amazon, etc., that prohibit independent audios?

Anything else I should know?

[Mammasan]

Best bet is to go to ACX and on the "How it Works" page click the "Authors as Narrators" link, it'll tell you the ropes.

[KevinH]

I've made audio versions of just about everything.  It sounds like maybe you're trying to create an audiobook without going through an outfit like ACX, Findaway Voices, or the like.  I'm not sure how that would work, but it seems that I've heard someone mention somewhere that they were creating their own audiobooks independently and selling them. In short, it sounds like it's possible, but I don't know the process.

[Marti Talbott]

I've made audio versions of just about everything.  It sounds like maybe you're trying to create an audiobook without going through an outfit like ACX, Findaway Voices, or the like.  I'm not sure how that would work, but it seems that I've heard someone mention somewhere that they were creating their own audiobooks independently and selling them. In short, it sounds like it's possible, but I don't know the process.

I don't know how to do it either. It's for a friend who wants to give it a try.

[Bill Hiatt]

You can create your own audiobook independently. My first one was created by a company other than ACX, Findaway, etc. However, to the best of my knowledge, you need to distribute through one of those companies. There doesn't seem to be a system like KDP for getting audiobooks up on Amazon (or any other store, as far as I can tell). Someone could sell audiobooks from their own site without a distributor, but the site would have to have a lot of traffic to make that worthwhile.

[TimothyEllis]

You can create your own audiobook independently. My first one was created by a company other than ACX, Findaway, etc. However, to the best of my knowledge, you need to distribute through one of those companies. There doesn't seem to be a system like KDP for getting audiobooks up on Amazon (or any other store, as far as I can tell). Someone could sell audiobooks from their own site without a distributor, but the site would have to have a lot of traffic to make that worthwhile.

You can upload your self made audio to Findaway for distribution.

[Bill Hiatt]

You can create your own audiobook independently. My first one was created by a company other than ACX, Findaway, etc. However, to the best of my knowledge, you need to distribute through one of those companies. There doesn't seem to be a system like KDP for getting audiobooks up on Amazon (or any other store, as far as I can tell). Someone could sell audiobooks from their own site without a distributor, but the site would have to have a lot of traffic to make that worthwhile.

You can upload your self made audio to Findaway for distribution.

Yes, that's what I meant. You can upload your self made audio to ACX also. What you can't do is upload it directly on Amazon the way you can with KDP. You have to do that through a distributor. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

[The Bass Bagwhan]

The short answer, already kind of covered by others here, is that someone (like myself) can narrate and produce your audiobook and provide you with all the files necessary to upload them to Amazon (which is done through ACX/Audible) or a wide distributor like Findaway. You would pay that Producer a flat fee to provide the files — a royalty sharing agreement outside of ACX would be difficult, but not impossible.
A significant part of the skills is knowing what exactly ACX requires.

[notthatamanda]

Occasionally, someone wants to privately make audios out of my books, but I'm lost on how that would work. Anyone do it without going through the established audio people?

If someone makes a audio copy, then I would have to upload it in order for it to show up under my product page, and then pay the audio person, right?

Are there restrictions on Amazon, etc., that prohibit independent audios?

Anything else I should know?

I'm just typing before caffeine here but why not suggest they sign up as a narrator on ACX or Findaway, and then you could work it out through that. Findaway would require you pay them 50% up front, I think.

[Marti Talbott]

Occasionally, someone wants to privately make audios out of my books, but I'm lost on how that would work. Anyone do it without going through the established audio people?

If someone makes a audio copy, then I would have to upload it in order for it to show up under my product page, and then pay the audio person, right?

Are there restrictions on Amazon, etc., that prohibit independent audios?

Anything else I should know?

I'm just typing before caffeine here but why not suggest they sign up as a narrator on ACX or Findaway, and then you could work it out through that. Findaway would require you pay them 50% up front, I think.

Good idea. I'll suggest it.