What does the process of production look like from the rights-holder/author’s end?
The specifics differ depending on the platform you chose to work through. I recommend either Findaway or ACX (more about that here). But the gist of it is the same:
After you’ve selected your narrator and agreed on a rate, you’ll send them an offer to produce the audiobook.
If I agree to produce for you, you and I will both sign a production contract that specifies the rates, expected deadline, rights, and protections afforded to each of us.
You’ll a copy of your manuscript to me through the platform you’re working through, along with any production notes you might have. These notes can be anything from how to pronounce a character’s name to a specific tone/vocal quality you’re looking for.
I’ll take some time to read your manuscript (usually between 4-7 days), then I’ll produce a short sample of finished audio. This is usually just the first chapter, and no longer than 15 minutes in length. You’ll listen to that sample, then have the opportunity to offer critique, any additional notes, and/or request something be changed. Most contracts allow for you to reject the 15 minute sample twice, after which your narrator will resubmit according to the changes you request.
Once you approve of the sample, your work is done for a while. I’ll record, edit, and master the remainder of the book according to your specifications and the requirements for the platform. This is the longest part of production. For reference, creating a single hour of finished audio takes roughly 6.7 hours of labor. Combined with other projects I may have, you should expect this part of production to take at least a month or longer, especially for books longer than 7 hours.
If we haven’t already worked this out, I’ll reach out near the end of production to ask for input on the retail sample. Every audio-book has a retail sample, which is a short (2-5 minute) excerpt from the book that prospective buyers can listen to before making a purchase. If you have any specific requests regarding what part of your book I should use, this is when you’ll tell me. I’ll also give you the option to wait until the finished audio is all uploaded so you can make a decision based on that. If you have no input, I’ll usually pick part of the first chapter.
If all goes well, I’ll deliver you all the finished files through the platform by a delivery date we’ve agreed upon. You’ll be able to listen to each of these files to see if there’s anything that still needs changing. Listen carefully- while I do listen to each file for mistakes multiple times, it’s possible that a few will still slip by.
If there are changes that need to be made, you’ll request that through the platform. I’ll make the changes you request and resubmit. Most contracts allow you to request changes two separate times.
If there are no changes that need to be made, you’ll hit the “approve” button, and the book will be sent off to Quality Assurance.
This is usually the stage at which payment happens, although some sites/contracts will differ. Please note that the book will not pass Quality Assurance until I have verified payment. If you’re working with me through ACX, you’ll pay me directly (I prefer PayPal).
At this point, the book is out of both of our hands. It is possible (but unlikely) that the book will fail QA, in which case we will both be notified of the issue. Don’t panic! Most of the time, these issues require very simple fixes, and I’ll be able to handle that myself.
If the book doesn’t fail QA, you can expect your book to go on sale some time in the next 1-2 weeks after submission!
All that said, not every narrator works the same, nor every rights-holder/author. Some authors prefer to have a finer grain of control over their work. You may prefer to listen to and correct chapters as they’re finished, rather than at the end of production. Some authors prefer a more hands-off approach, in which case we’ll discus production very minimally (or even not at all, if you’d like).
I’ll be willing and able to work with you however you want it done, provided you aren’t being intentionally difficult.