VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

sdaeley17 · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 10:37 pm Post subject:

I haven`t done any books myself (other than volunteer stuff for librivox) but I‘ve edited enough of my own long format elearning to know that the only way I`d be making a decent wage is if someone else edited for me (I`m kind of ashamed of my editing ratio.) I collaborated with Karen Souer on some projects last month, and she was such a joy to work with! It`s important to know how to edit well, but it`s such a relief not having to do it for every project, especially when you`ve got a week to finish 3 books of English idioms and your girlfriend is breathing down your neck to enjoy your vacation!

But, back on topic, (sort of) Jeffrey, do you ever narrate multiple books in a day? Or do you prefer to finish one cover to cover before starting the next one?
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 12:00 am Post subject:

I work on one book at a time.
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sdaeley17 · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 3:51 am Post subject:

Thank ya, sir!
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"There's Magic all around us; you just have to see it. And the most wonderful Magic of all, is just bein' alive." -Uncle Montork, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

HeatherMasters · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 10:28 pm Post subject:

You guys have me second guessing myself. In my mind, if I make $175 PFH, and spend 5 hours total for every 1 finished hour, I make $35 bucks an hour. If I contract out the editing for $50 PFH, and spend 2 hours for every finished hour, then I make $62.50 an hour. I am spelling this out so you can fill me in if I'm forgetting to factor in something. I'm in my first year of business, and so, basically know jack squat compared to all of you. Is there something I'm not seeing that should alter my method?
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 12:16 am Post subject:

Well... sort of. From a strictly math perspective, yes.

But that's only valid math if you have something else to do during that 3 hours of outsourcing. You don't want to pay someone $50 pfh if you're sitting on the couch watching Dr. Phil.

It boils down to opportunity cost. If you're doing your own editing, then you're not doing narration that could pay 4x that amount.
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Bish · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 7:50 am Post subject:

As an alternative view to Jeff's... your maths are reasonable and the principle is sound. However (Dr, Phil notwithstanding) I would rather clean a cesspit or re-grout the shower than edit another one of my own audiobooks again. I send myself to sleep and I find editing my own work an incredibly arduous tasks.

Obviously it depends on the pfh income to start with, but my next book gets the the editing outsourced regardless of how I'm going to use the time saved. I love narrating... I hate editing. By outsourcing, I can do what I love and not have the editing part hanging over me like the sword of Damocles... because that negativity can impact my performance.
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Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

I don't mind editing a 2 minute audition, or even a 10-minute long form VO job....but 8 hour audiobooks definitely fall into the mind-numbing category.

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 8:03 am Post subject:

I'm also with you guys, I absolutely will not edit/proof my own audiobooks. Even the royalty-share, where I get only a backend payment, I outsource. Yes, I take a LOSS* before the book ships, just because I won't do my own post production.

*I do not recommend this for everyone.
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HeatherMasters · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 5:49 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the clarification Jeff. It explains why I'm fine now, when I only work 3 hours a day, but may run into problems when I want to expand my hours.

georgethetech · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 12:57 pm Post subject:

narratorhelper.com charges around $80PFH to proof, pickup edit, and master an experienced narrator's punch-n-rolled' or error marked recording. There worse the narrator, the higher the rate.

Someone starting an ACX-like project handling the entire production processes better have immense patience and a sugar daddy/momma or a stellar 401K.
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yarg28 · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:21 pm Post subject:

great thread!

Lynn Benson · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 4:04 pm Post subject:

I personally spend tons of time editing my audiobooks. Sheesh! Somehow I learn slowly.
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Kim Fuller · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 5:03 pm Post subject:

Can anyone tell me if I have my definition right? "Punch editing" is editing after the narrator takes out any false starts, major issues - but has not removed every mouth click, or other smaller issues?

I have seen reference by those who offer editing services to "punch editing" and "unedited editing"

Could always just ask them but there seems to be a common understanding.

Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

If I have absolutely nothing else going on, and little to no interruptions,(ha ha) I can knock out 1.5-2 hours of finished audio in a day.....but given the typical day of interruptions and sidetracking, I'm lucky to get 30-45 minutes of finished audio in a day....and realistically probably towards the lower end of that range.

Which is why for an 8-hour book I usually need to plan for 3 weeks of editing.

But no matter how you slice it, it's a mental and physical drain.

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:59 pm Post subject: