VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Adam Verner]

Hey all, I've been asked to teach an audio book workshop to the entire SAGAFTRA community in Chicago in about a week (gulp), and one of the things they'd like insight on is ACX. Having avoided it like the plague thus far, I'd love any stories/experiences you might have the time to share, particularly if ACX was your first entry into the business.

If you have time, please answer the questions below and email them to adam@adamverner.com. I won't use any names and you'll be providing invaluable insight! Ya'll are the best!

1. Did you set up a home studio specifically to record books for ACX? Is there anything you would have done differently? If this was your first book, what caught you off guard or was unexpected?

2. Did you hire anyone to do editing or mastering, or do it yourself?

3. Will you be pursuing more books through ACX?

4. Have you found the monetary compensation through ACX to be worth the time and effort?

And any other tidbits or advice you'd like to share....
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Adam
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Natural Voice
adamverner.com
adamverner.com/blog
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[Leslie Humble]

If I may piggyback a ACX question along with Adam's......I recently had a rights holder approach me about voicing an audio book. I tried to lead them into the direction of ACX and here was their reply:

"What I read about whispersynce is that once a book goes audio, within about a month Amazon puts it into whispersynce and gives your audio book for $1.99 to anyone who also bought the Kindle and you don't have a choice in that matter. It's ACX and Amazon's way to dominate the market, although it means the voices, producers, and authors don't make hardly any money on them after that point.
I do not want to put my clients in that position if I can find a way around it. I don't know about you, although I do not want to work for royalties on a $1.99 product."

Is this how it works if you bought a Kindle?

Thanks Adam I hope you didn't mind me adding a question too.
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There are rules to the Universe. Learn them and prosper. www.HumbleVoiceover.com

[Jeffrey Kafer]

Leslie, that's 100% correct. You get no say in if your title is whispersync'd, and you never have any control of pricing on anything on Audible.

[Bruce]

Yep, my ACX royalty share fee just went from $3.16 per book down to less than 50 cents each during a sale of unknown length on the best selling book I've got on there.

Oh, and my first royalty check from them? Still don't have it. They forgot to include it with my statement and it will take them two months to find it and send it or a replacement.

B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[Adam Verner]

Hah! Good point Jeffrey, I was just assuming people wouldn't want their name mentioned. I should just Skype you in as an expert witness

Good points about the Whispersync stuff - I'll mention that as well.
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Adam
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Natural Voice
adamverner.com
adamverner.com/blog
twitter.com/adam_verner
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[ConnieTerwilliger]

I've done 3 fiction audiobooks and several non-fiction with non-commercial distribution. Two of the fiction were through ACX using the SAG-AFTRA contract with stipend plus royalties and the other through another group with no royalties.

1. Did you set up a home studio specifically to record books for ACX? Is there anything you would have done differently? If this was your first book, what caught you off guard or was unexpected?

No, used the same studio. Nothing really unexpected, I picked books with no pushed deadlines, so there wasn't the stress of having to have it all done in a short period of time.

2. Did you hire anyone to do editing or mastering, or do it yourself?

The two through ACX, no. I was part of a team on the other one. Have to say, I liked NOT having to do the final editing and proofing.

3. Will you be pursuing more books through ACX?

Probably not unless I find a title that has a good stipend, plus royalty share AND it has the potential of selling enough copies to make my end pfh in the $400 range.

I have had three other "rights holders" contact me to read their books, but I have passed due to either schedule, fee or simply the subject matter and way the book was written.

4. Have you found the monetary compensation through ACX to be worth the time and effort?

One book sold well to start with and keeps selling a few copies. The second book is not selling at all. I have had two months go by without a check because the minimum royalties are too low for them to cut a check.
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Playing for a living...
www.voiceover-talent.com
YouTube Channel: http://youtube.com/connieterwilliger

[cyclometh]

I have four ACX books in my "Active projects" list right now. I don't do royalty share projects unless they're going to be a major seller or if they're one particular series that I started out doing.

1. I set up my studio before I knew about ACX, so not for them, no. But I've done a lot of work through them and for other publishers.

2. I hire proofers, sometimes editors. Depends on workload.

3. Absolutely.

4. Yes. I'm getting projects that pay commensurate with what I get under covered agreements with other publishers. I've been quite pleased with that.

ACX does need to address some of their website warts, but it's a good system overall, in my estimation.
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Corey "Vox Man" Snow
http://voxman.net

[Bruce]

[Lee Gordon]

It's always better to under-promise than to under-deliver.
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Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

[Adam Verner]

Thank you so much everyone! I have some great feedback to share with attendees. I'll post pictures of the event if I can get them.
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Adam
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Natural Voice
adamverner.com
adamverner.com/blog
twitter.com/adam_verner
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