Getting Started in Audiobook Publishing - A Foolproof Guide
August 29, 2008
Recent studies show that audiobooks are a quickly expanding market. In fact, the number of audiobooks recorded yearly is forecast to increase by 500% over the next four years. How do you get into this lucrative market? By becoming an audiobook publisher.
You just need 2 elements:
- a book
- a voice
Finding a voice over artist to work with is made easy with online voice over marketplaces. You can audition multiple voice talent at once, or simply browse, listen to demos, and select a professional voice talent based on their demos.
But what book should you record?
How Many Audiobooks Can Fit in the Average iPod?
August 28, 2008
As computer storage technologies improve and drop in price, it becomes easier and easier for consumers to afford MP3 players and smartphones with storage capacities larger than many home computers. Today, you can buy an
- iPod Shuffle with 2 gigabytes of storage for under $100
- iPod Classic with 160GB of storage space is under $400
Audiophiles can take days and days worth of music with them wherever, whenever…
Question: But how much can a bibliophile take in their portable music player in the form of audiobooks?
What’s Different About a Good Audiobook Narrator?
August 27, 2008
(vs. other voice-over actors)?
Just like a good doctor, a trusted lawyer or an inspirational music teacher, a good audiobook narrator is hard to find.
So what it that makes these “good” narrators so elusive and what makes them any different from the thousands of voice actors listed online?
Simply put, there are a number of elements that go into the preparation and recording of an audiobook - some that are obvious and many that are tucked away between the pages. Audiobook narration is a specialty skill and a herculean effort that comes with a lot of heavy lifting, presenting heightened demands unmatched in other niches of voice acting.
When it comes to narrating audiobooks you need a good storyteller who is…
Will Your Audiobook Go The Distance?
August 26, 2008
Are you planning on publishing an audiobook? When working on an audiobook, there are many things to consider, some more important than others.
One of the most important factors that you should be concerned with is:
Will my audiobook go the distance?
I don’t mean going the distance purely from a revenue point of view, I’m thinking of something much bigger that will help you with getting those bigger rewards in the finance department.
Before your decision to publish a particular audiobook is chiseled in stone, you’ll need to Read more
How Should Audiobook Type Influence My Choice of Narrator Voice Talent?
August 25, 2008
Just like there are different styles and types of movies, books and music, there are different styles, ranges and textures of voice that are best suited to particular roles, including narrative roles.
When picking a voice talent to narrate an audiobook, it is very important that you consider the genre of the story and do some research on the author’s intent before sending out a casting call or contacting a voice talent to record for your project.
Let’s say you have a contract to produce one of the Canadian award-winning author Margaret Atwood’s books and need to pick a voice talent to record for “The Blind Assassin”.
How Much Will a Narrator or Voice Talent Really Cost?
August 22, 2008
This topic has been up in the air for years. Back in Spring, our team collaborated with dozens of professional voice talent to settle the score on acceptable benchmarks for non-union voice-over rates. Download the PDF Voices.com Standard Voice-over Rates here.
Ever wondered how much voice-overs really cost?
Voice talents, as you can well imagine, were quite passionate about this topic, and eager to help ’set the record straight’ on the median fees charged by professionals working in the online voice-over marketplace.
Budgeting for a Narrator Voice Talent - How Do You Do It?
August 21, 2008
When you post a job, you likely have a set amount of money in mind that you are willing to pay for voice talent services.
Are there any variables in your budgeting that are worth more than others?
For instance, when you are hiring a professional, does their talent have more to do with the amount of money you will budget, or is getting a narrator for less money (and potentially, hiring a less qualified person) the deciding factor?
Narration Audio - How Do You Like it Delivered?
August 20, 2008
Delivering Digital Audio Files
When it comes to receiving audio files from narrators or voice talents, how do you prefer that they send them to you?
Do you have very specific needs or is plain old MP3 via FTP sufficient for you?
Leave your comments here on this post!
In a digital world, it seems like there are almost too many conveniences!
One of those bountiful gifts of technology is the ability to send and receive multimedia files over the Internet - that, folks, includes audio!
Whether it’s email, FTP, Source-Connect, Skype, or a good old fashioned CD in the mail, how do you prefer to receive digital audio files?
Leave a comment here (also if you could, state what your feelings are about ISDN in today’s marketplace).
Cheers!
Stephanie
Photo:Ladik
Voice Actors for Your Audiobook - Where to Start?
August 19, 2008
Familiar with Google? Actively using their search engine to conduct keyword searches online?
As good as Google and their contemporaries are for finding generic subject matter, they are no match for finding niche search queries or specific answers to your questions about narrators, voice-overs and voice actors.
Take our friend James, for instance…
Anyone Else for a Free Voice-over Job Posting?
August 18, 2008
Did you know that at InteractiveVoices, you can now post single narrator voice-over jobs for free?
It’s never been easier to gather responses from qualified narrator talent, complete with price quotes and voice-over demos of your script.
If only all recruiting was this simple!
Whether you have an immediate need or 30 days to make your decision, there’s no easier or better way to find a voice talent to record your project.
Why is this job posting service free for you to use?
