How to Make Audio Books
An audio book contains a recorded version of a print book. While audio books for the blind have existed for decades, the commercial audio book market blossomed with the advent of books on tape in the 1970s. If you have a great speaking voice and want to earn extra money, or if you're an author looking for another way to sell your product, here's how to make an audio book.
Instructions
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Locate the source material. Get permission from the book or article's owner to record it as an audio book. If you're recording your own work, make sure that you've copyrighted the original version and the sound recording.
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Practice the material before recording. Get acquainted with the pacing and vocabulary of the piece. Try different accents and be certain of how to pronounce names or difficult words.
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Read slowly. If your speaking voice seems slow to you, it will seem normal to those listening. Enunciate and savor each word.
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Modulate your voice. Avoid speaking in a monotone; change pitch and timbre to get your point across and keep the listener engaged. Don't speak in a rapidly changing "sing-song" voice, but let the material dictate your tone of voice.
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Choose the best recording equipment you can afford. A simple mixing board will do. Check sites like Musicians Friend to find deals on four- or eight-channel mixers. Unless you expect to features lots of sound effects in your audio book, more channels aren't necessary. Invest in a good microphone, like a Shure or Telefunken.
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Hire an engineer and voice talent for more complicated projects. If the book in question needs more than one narrator, or if you need to record music and sound effects, consider hiring voice talent and an engineer. If you don't have time to do so on your own, find an audio book producer to package your book for you.
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Decide which product format you want to sell. CDs and digital downloads (MP3s) have replaced cassette tapes as the format of choice. Then figure out where to sell your audio book. You may want to use your own website, or sell it through a site like Audible.
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Resources
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Comments
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Odd that you mention Audible, the the chat line told us that they require 5 audio books before you start. I have a number of fantasic stories but 5 audio books are a lot of investment. Wishing what every good dog already sees in you, the Best!
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Odd that you mention Audible, the the chat line told ua that they require 5 audio books before you start. I have a number of books but 5 audio books are a lot of investment. Wishing what every good dog already sees in you, the Best!
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sustenance
Aug 02, 2010
These articles are ludicrous. Acting and audio production are crafts that take education and practice to master. Yes, you can do it well yourself if you have the time and resources to spend on the project, but most likely you don't or won't. In that case you have to ask whether your home-made audiobook is actually a negative reflection on you rather than a positive one. Listen to successful audiobooks. If your recording doesn't sound like them it may be time to hire a pro to assist you. Don't shortchange your text with lousy production standards!
