Audiobooks, Not Just for Writers with Money

Audiobook deals used to be for the very few, even among the traditionally published, but things have changed in recent years.  Audiobooks are the biggest growth area in publishing, and audiobook services to create your own audiobooks are now available.

Some companies offer three possible ways to pay for having your book turned into an audiobook:  you pay all the costs and get all the profits, you give a large percentage of the profits in lieu of paying the costs, or you pay part of the costs for a higher percentage of the profits. 

If you are self-published, you haven’t licensed your rights so you can go ahead with your plan to create your own audiobooks.  If your book has been published by a small or traditional press, READ YOUR CONTRACT to see if they have audiobook rights to that book.  If so, you are out of luck.

Here are a series of links to articles by authors who have created their own books which will offer you advice on getting started.  

AUDIOBOOKS 101:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/65937-diy-self-publishing-audiobooks.html

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO AUDIOBOOKS, 2014

https://www.standoutbooks.com/beginners-guide-audiobooks-authors/

AN AUTHOR’S EXPERIENCE USING ACX TO CREATE AN AUDIOBOOK:

http://writerunboxed.com/2016/11/03/audiobooks-101-a-beginners-look-at-the-process-of-getting-an-audiobook-made

GETTING STARTED WITH AUDIOBOOKS:

http://writershelpingwriters.net/2016/06/taking-audiobook-plunge-read-first/

FIVE COMMON AUDIOBOOK MISCONCEPTIONS, 2016:

https://buildbookbuzz.com/5-common-audio-book-production-misconceptions/

ONE AUTHOR’S EXPERIENCE WITH ACX:

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2013/04/audio-books-for-self-published-authors.html

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2013/04/updates-on-acx-audiobooks-and-new-rss.html

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2013/08/another-update-on-acx-and-my-thoughts.html

USING ACX.COM TO CREATE AUDIOBOOKS:

http://www.indiesunlimited.com/2016/04/25/tips-for-turning-your-book-into-an-audiobook-with-acx-com/

HOW TO CREATE AN AUDIOBOOK, 2014:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2014/03/how-to-create-audio-book.html

THREE THINGS TO CONSIDER, AUDIOBOOKS:

https://www.bookworks.com/2016/12/planning-an-audiobook-consider-these-three-things/

AUDIOBOOKS:

http://www.thepassivevoice.com/2016/08/authors-can-you-afford-to-produce-an-audiobook

CREATING YOUR OWN AUDIOBOOKS:

http://www.milesanthonysmith.com/blog/15-snappy-steps-to-self-publish-record-an-audiobook-for-85

FINDING THE BEST NARRATOR:

http://writerunboxed.com/2017/01/15/audiobooks-finding-the-best-narrator-for-your-book

Links of Interest

WRITING A GREAT ENDING:

https://killzoneblog.com/2017/01/a-checklist-for-writing-a-great-ending.html

DIGITIAL RIGHTS MANAGEMENT EXPLAINED TO SELF-PUBS:

https://www.bookworks.com/2017/01/drm-digital-rights-management-what-you-need-to-know/

THE STATE OF PUBLISHING 2016, BOTH PRO AND SELF-PUB:

https://killzoneblog.com/2017/01/state-of-the-publishing-world-2017.html

SMASHWORDS BLOG ON THE BOOK INDUSTRY, 2016:

http://blog.smashwords.com/2016/12/2017-book-industry-predictions.html

FIRST DRAFTS, WHAT SHOULD THEY LOOK LIKE?

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2017/01/what-first-draft-should-look-like.html

HOW TO CONSTRUCT PLOT TWISTS:

http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.com/2017/01/how-to-construct-plot-twists-part-1.html

FIGURING OUT YOUR MARKET:

https://writersedit.com/identify-manuscripts-target-market/

EXPANDING SELF-PUB BOOK DISTRIBUTION, MAINLY IN OTHER COUNTRIES:

http://elizabethspanncraig.com/5215/expanding-book-distribution-options/

PLUG-INS FOR WORDPRESS TO IMPROVE SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUR BLOG:

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/8-social-wordpress-plugins-to-improve-your-blog/

HOW TO EVALUATE A SMALL PRESS:

https://janefriedman.com/evaluate-small-publisher/

PACING:

http://lindasclare.com/2016/12/pacing-your-prose/

CHOOSING WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR PLOT:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2017/01/choosing-what-to-put-in-your-outline.html

PUTTING TOGETHER A GREAT ROMANCE SERIES:

http://romanceuniversity.org/2017/01/11/why-are-series-romances-so-popular-and-what-makes-for-a-great-series-by-renee-vincent-2/

CSS FOR EBOOKS:

https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2017/01/elements-of-style-css-for-ebooks2/

The Final Hook

"Keeping the Reader Reading," Part 13 of 13.

Hooks aren't just for the beginning. Smart writers always have a hook at the end to make the reader want to buy the writer's next story.

The final hook is the fulfilled promise of the story. If the story is a romance, the story should end with the promised "happily ever after." In a mystery the crime is solved or justice is meted out, and in a fantasy the quest is achieved or the monster defeated. Science fiction as a genre doesn't have such an obvious promise, but the individual story has a goal which must be reached.

A "warm fuzzy" scene that offers the reader a happy emotional feeling for the main character or characters often acts as the final hook. Warm fuzzies are the scene of domestic bliss with the hero and heroine holding their baby, or the traveler returning home to family, or the adventure companions sharing a laugh and a beer.

If a warm fuzzy doesn't fit the tone of the story, an extremely powerful and emotional final scene is the most effective hook possible. The reader will read the end, sit quietly for a short time, then mutter to himself, "Damn that was good," and he'll wait eagerly for the writer's next story.

THE END

Links of Interest

FINDING A DEVEL0PMENTAL EDITOR:

http://jamigold.com/2016/12/picking-editors-tips-for-finding-a-developmental-editor/

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS WON’T BE PAYING AUTHORS MUCH OR NOTHING:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2016/12/all-romance-ebooks-sudden-closing-many.html

A VERY SMART PRO WRITER ON WHAT THE ALL ROMANCE FAILURE MEANS TO AUTHORS AND WHAT HAPPENED BEHIND THE SCENES:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/business-musings-7624150

SURVIVING THE COLD, COTTON KILLS:

http://thrillwriting.blogspot.com/2017/01/cotton-kills-or-how-cold-did-you-let.html

A GREAT AUTHOR PHOTO:

https://killzoneblog.com/feed-items/how-to-take-a-great-author-photorule-no-1-be-true-to-yourself

STARTING YOUR STORY TOO LATE:

http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/common-writing-mistakes-pt-55/

UPING THE STORY STAKES:

https://writersedit.com/5-surefire-ways-raise-stakes-story/

SPICING UP A SCENE:

http://www.darcypattison.com/revision/boring-scene

WORLDBUILDING, THE EVOLUTIONARY APPROACH:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2017/01/how-to-build-world-and-why-evolutionary.html

PROTECTING YOURSELF AS AN AUTHOR ONLINE:

https://writerswin.com/best-ways-stay-protected-online-self-employed-author/

THE WORLD OF PUBLISHING, 2016:

https://janefriedman.com/looking-back-2016-important-publishing-developments-authors-know/

CHOOSING THE VIEWPOINT:

https://www.standoutbooks.com/choosing-right-perspective/

FACEBOOK AD EXAMPLES THAT WORK:

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33319/10-examples-of-facebook-ads-that-actually-work-and-why.aspx-0

WORLDBUILDING, MAJOR RESOURCES:

http://jackalediting.tumblr.com/post/134368529015/world-building-master-list

IMMERSIVE POV:

http://writerunboxed.com/2017/01/04/immersive-pov

LISTING OF CRITIQUE GROUPS OR PARTNERS:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2017/01/are-you-looking-for-critique-group-or.html

MINES, GRENADES, ETC.:

https://killzoneblog.com/2017/01/fire-in-the-hole-fire-in-the-hole-fire-in-the-hole.html

Reaching "The End"

"Keeping the Reader Reading," Part 12.  

A story ends when the character has achieved his primary goal, or he achieves some form of closure relating to the goal unachieved. For example, he gets the girl or gets over not getting the girl.

Often, the main character has some realization about "what it's all been about" at the very end. This can be as heavy handed as a stated moral to the story, or a subtle use of imagery that has appeared through the story, or a victory celebration of some sort.

The best "moral to the story" I can think of right now is the end of the film, THE MALTESE FALCON. The hero, played by Humphrey Bogart, has turned in the woman he loves for the murder of his partner.  In a voice over, he says he did this because the code he lives by as a private eye is even more important to him than love.

My STAR-CROSSED ends as it begins with the hero talking whimsically about wishing on a star. At the end, his wish has come true in the form of the woman in his arms. I used stars through the novel as images of aspirations and dreams, and even my cover has a man's manacled hand reaching for a star that is out of reach. These images tie the novel together until the images converge at the end with the hero's final words.

The most memorable victory celebration for me is the end of the original STAR WARS where Luke, Han, and Chewie receive medals for destroying the Death Star. Everyone is happy and victory has been achieved.

The final goal being achieved might not be the end of the novel.  It may end on a final hook or may be part of the final hook which I’ll discuss next week.  

Links of Interest

LINKS TO MARKETING ARTICLES:

https://insights.bookbub.com/top-book-marketing-articles-bookbub

HOW TO RELAUNCH YOUR CAREER, PART 2:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2016/12/hitting-reboot-button-how-to-relaunch_22.html

APOLOGY LANGUAGE:

http://marcykennedy.com/2016/12/using-characters-apology-language-to-create-and-resolve-tension

BACK UP YOUR WRITING!

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2014/11/when-was-last-time-you-backed-up-your.html

WORDS OF THE YEAR, POPULAR AND ANNOYING:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/12/22/whatever-tops-most-annoying-words-of-2016-while-a-younger-crowd-doesnt-care-for-i-cant-even

USING MISDIRECTION:

http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/character-misdirection/

USING CINEMATIC TECHNIQUES IN YOUR WRITING:

http://www.livewritethrive.com/2016/12/26/6-cinematic-techniques-you-can-apply-to-your-novel-right-now

THE ANTIHERO:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2016/12/beautiful-disastersreasons-we-love-anti.html

FACEBOOK 101 FOR AUTHORS:

https://buildbookbuzz.com/facebook-101-for-authors/

THE EASIEST WAY TO CREATE CONFLICT:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2016/12/the-easiest-way-to-create-conflict.html

ALL ROMANCE EBOOK VENDOR TO CLOSE:

https://www.allromanceebooks.com

DID AMAZON’S ECHO HEAR A MURDER AND WILL AMAZON HAND OVER THE RECORDING?

https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/27/amazon-echo-audio-data-murder-case/

DESCRIBING CHARACTER EMOTIONS WITHOUT THEM BEING TOO SELF AWARE:

http://romanceuniversity.org/2016/12/28/janice-hardy-presents-five-ways-to-describe-emotions-without-making-your-character-feel-too-self-aware-2/

Waking the Reader Up

"Keeping the Reader Reading," Part 11

John Gardner, the author of GRENDEL, created the perfect analogy of writing in THE ART OF FICTION. He said that the writer creates a dream for the reader, and the writer must do nothing which wakes the reader up. Getting viewpoint right is a major part of keeping the reader within your dream.

Here are some other mistakes which will wake the reader up.

Author intrusion. The author uses language in such a way that the reader is aware of the reading and the author. If writing fiction is like photography, then author intrusion is the finger on the lens, the blurry focus, etc. The problem can be anything from writing that is too flowery or filled with too many obscure words to poor grammar or spelling. It can also be overuse of dialect or words made up for the world you create.

Wrong word choices. Pick strong verbs and avoid adverbs. Avoid "felt," "noticed," "seen," "thought," and other words like this. They distance the reader from the reality of the viewpoint character. Watch out for piled-on participial phrases and clauses which slow and break the rhythm of reading.

Repeating the character's name over and over again. Don't feel a need to constantly use the character's name in narrative. "He" or "she," is perfectly adequate except for clarity and the beginning of a scene. Name repetition reminds the reader that he is reading about a character, and it jerks him right out of that viewpoint character's head.

Overuse of characters addressing each other by name in dialogue. Don't constantly use names in dialogue. Listen to conversations and notice when people address each other by name. You won't hear many. Names are most often used at the beginning of a conversation as people greet each other. "Hello, Mary, how are you?" Or they're used to impart important or emotional information. "He's dead, Jim."

A plot that goes nowhere because the character has no goal. This is covered in my article, "How to Use Index Cards to Plot a Novel," so I won't go into it here.

Fight scenes that don't work or are meaningless to the plot. This is covered in my article, "How to Write Fight and Battle Scenes."