This Week in Links: December 19 -December 23

Posted on December 23, 2016 by | Leave a comment

FOR RIGHTS HOLDERS:

How I Chose a Narrator for My Audiobook – via Josh Steimle – Josh provides great advice on how to pick the right narrator for your project and how to choose when you receive numerous auditions.

Build An Epic Visual Strategy for Your Author Brand – via Your Writer Platform – Branding has become as important as the words contained in your book. See how to properly brand yourself to ensure you reach your target audience.

What Are You Thankful For? (Here’s Why Each of Us Is a #ThankfulWriter – via Writer’s Digest – Tis the season to be thankful for all the things we have. Take a moment to reflect on what makes you a #ThankfulWriter.

Is Your Plan For Success “I Just Want to Write My Books”? – via The Book Designer – Marketing a book once it’s completed can sometimes be harder than actually writing the book.  TBD has helpful advice for what happens after “The End”.

FOR PRODUCERS:

9 VO Hacks to Sound Better and Save Money – via Voices.com – Who doesn’t want to sound better while being more productive and saving some money all at the same time?

A Client’s Guide to Selecting the Right Voice-Over Talent for Your Project – via Debbie Grattan – Getting picked for a project can be difficult. Check out this great article about how to turn that audition into an offer.

Drink Up for A Better Voice – via VoiceOverHerald.com – Magic potions, snake oil, bizarre concoctions? Nothing works better for your voice than a tall glass of H2O. Discover the benefits of being (and staying) hydrated.

4 Ways To Get From Good To Great – via Nether Voice – Paul shares tricks of the trade that you might have overlooked or never thought of that can make you a better narrator.

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This Week in Links: December 12-16

Posted on December 16, 2016 by | 2 comments

FOR RIGHTS HOLDERS:

How to Conduct a Year-End Review for Your Writing: 25+ Questions to Consider – via TheWriteLife.com –Sometimes it’s important to take inventory of what you’ve done so that you can get a better idea of where you’re going. How was your 2016?

Marketing tip: link your blog posts to Goodreads and Amazon – via CreateSpace.com – A blog is a great way to let your audience know what you’re up to. Making sure it’s linked to the right websites and resources is key to making it successful.

1 Simple Marketing Tip to Boost the Reach of Author Facebook Pages – SelfPublishingAdvice.com – Facebook is a great way to stay in touch with family and friends. It can also be a wonderful resource for promoting and marketing your title.

How the Age of Digital Books is Fostering the Writing and Self-Publishing of Mid-length Books – via SelfPublishingAdvice.com – Is more better? An interesting article about how digital books and publishing are changing the way authors approach shorter, more concise content.

FOR PRODUCERS:

Apps for Voice Over Actors – via VoiceOverHerald.com – Need to record an audition on the run? These apps can help your smart phone into a mobile studio.

Are Your Prejudices Hurting Your Voice Overs? – VO Master Class – You know what they say about people who assume… Gary Terzza explains the psychology of assumption when it comes to traditional roles in narration and how they can hinder your performance.

The 5 Elements of a Winning Voice Over Audition – via Michaellangservo.com – Every audition is different and each needs to be approached as such. Check out these helpful suggestions for how to turn auditions into offers.

Video Lessons and Resources – via ACX.com – Sometimes you don’t need to scour the internet for great advice and resources for getting started with #vo work. The ACX website has a wealth of helpful information from video tutorials to Amazon wish list of equipment to help you get started.

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This Week in Links: November 14 – 18

Posted on November 18, 2016 by | 1 comment

For Rights Holders:

7 Signs Your Book is “Professionally Published” – via The Book Designer – Want your book to stand out to ACX Producers? Follow these important tips.

15 Tips to Boost Facebook Engagement for Indie Authors – via Bookworks – Start by using demographics to plan your marketing. Then, take things to the next level with these points.
Book Marketing: How to Lighten the Load with a Checklist – via ALLi – “When the task of marketing your self-published book feels unmanageable, it can help to ‘eat the elephant one bite at a time’ (Editor’s note: please don’t actually eat an elephant).”

88 Books in 20 Months: The Inside Story of a Bestselling Author’s Marketing Strategy – via Digital Book World – Get a look at how one successful indie author markets her titles while keeping her output high.

For Producers:

Flying The Unfriendly Skies – via Dr. Ann Utterback – Dry air and exposure to germs can derail your narration plans this holiday season. Luckily, the good doctor is here to help.

What’s In a Coach – via Paul Allen Rubin – “If you’re considering coaching and don’t regard yourself as an actor, my best advice is take acting lessons, and begin to think and react like an actor.”

Voice Over Agony Uncle – via Gary Terzza – The British VO and coach answers a variety of questions in his latest mailbag.

What We’re Listening To: The ACX Team– via Audible range – We’ve highlighted a few of our favorite listens for Audible’s online magazine.

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This Week in Links: October 31 – November 4

Posted on November 4, 2016 by | Leave a comment

For Producers:

Secrets From Successful Voice-Overs – via Paul Strikwerda – It’s easy to view your path as a Boulevard of Broken Dreams; your peers offer their best advice to make sure you don’t get stuck there.

How Punctuation Marks Help You Read Voice Over Scripts Better – via Voice Over Herald – “Punctuation is important for voice overs as it works as an aid in reading, phrasing, and in the overall interpretation of the script.”

How To Pick A Voice Over Conference To Attend – via Marc Scott – Learning and networking at an industry event is a great way to advance your career. Might we humbly suggest you join us at That’s Voiceover next week?

5 Things You Should Do for Your VO Business Before the End of the Year – via Dave Courvoisier – Don’t wait until January to take stock and set yourself up for another successful year.

For Rights Holders:

Which Demographic Do You Promote Your Book To? – via BookMarketingBuzzBlog – “When promoting – and writing – a book, one must always think about the readership demographics.  Which types of media will you pursue?  What kind of fan do you hope to create?”

Book Marketing Success & Failure [PODCAST] – via Book Marketing Tools – Bestselling author A.J. Cosmo shares what he’s learned from his promotional efforts that worked… or didn’t.

Favorite Ways to Promote a Virtual Book Tour – via Build Book Buzz – Learn how to make the most out of your online book tour efforts without ever leaving your office.

Simplify Your Social Media Marketing: Set Up Outpost Channels – via Smart Marketing for Authors – Build a presence on your lesser-used social platforms in order to boost your efforts on those you can dedicate more time to.

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This Week in Links: October 24 – 28

Posted on October 28, 2016 by | 2 comments

For Rights Holders:

7 Tips for Avoiding Book Marketing Trends That No Longer Work – via Digital Book World – Maximize your marketing efforts by avoiding the pitfalls of these outdated attempts.

Paid Advertising Strategies: What Works? – via The Verbs – Spoiler alert: the answer in this post turns out to be Facebook, and the author covers every aspect of how to be successful on the platform.

Book Publicity Do’s & Don’ts for Indie Authors – via BookWorks – “Getting press and having a constant promotional presence IS vital, but how does an author with no PR experience go about getting that presence?”

The 4 Most Effective Book Marketing Strategies That Work – via BadRedhead Media – “You don’t need a marketing or business degree, but you do need to spend time learning.”

For Producers:

Awesome Guide to 2016 Microphones – via Dave Courvoisier – If you’re in the market for some new gear, check out this comprehensiveness guide.

How to Know You Should Become a Voiceover Coach – via Victoria DeAnda – Looking to supplement your income, expand your network, or give back to the VO community? Here’s how to know if coaching is right for you.

Are Your Prejudices Hurting Your Voice Overs? – via Gary Terzza – “Far too many beginners pigeonhole their voices too early on and in so doing cut out swathes of work opportunities.”

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This Week in Links: October 17 – 21

Posted on October 21, 2016 by | 1 comment

Deadline for Holiday Season Audiobook Submissions

We know, we know; Halloween is still a week away. But this isn’t an example of holiday creep. We just need to inform you that the deadline to submit audiobooks to ACX for the best chance to be on sale for the holiday season is Friday, December 2. Make sure your productions meet our Audio Submission Requirements and submit, review, or approve holiday projects in advance of that day to take advantage of the gift-giving season.

Need help producing, publishing, or marketing those productions? Read on…

For Producers:

How Can a Voice Over Actor Manage a Busy Day – via Voice Over Herald – “To manage your voice over business better you have to allot time to accomplish all tasks that goes along with running a business.”

Upping the Articulation Challenge – via Dr. Ann Utterback – “This challenge attacks some sloppiness that has become okay in conversation, but it’s often not acceptable for professional work.”

Pronunciation, Dialect, & Speech Resources for Audiobook Narrators – via AudioEloquence – Bookmark this one-stop shop for voiceover performance resources right now.

Your One-Hour Audiobook MBA – via ACX/That’s Voiceover – Learn how to mind your own audiobook business during our panel in Los Angeles this November!

For Rights Holders:

Turn Your Author Website Up to 11 (with Bonus Content) – via Digital Book World – Once you’ve got your author website set up, you’ve got to get listeners to visit it.

How to Write a Book Trailer – via The Verbs – Authors and actors can – and should – team up to create engrossing audiobook trailers to promote their titles.

Book Promotion: Do This, Not That – October 2016 – via The Book Designer – Learn from one author’s experience with what she did vs. what she should have done.

Should You Promote Your Book By Yourself? – via BookMarketingBuzzBlog – 28 questions to ask yourself before you start promoting your title.

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This Week in Links: October 10 – 14

Posted on October 15, 2016 by | Leave a comment

For Rights Holders:

Time Management Tips for Busy Authorpreneurs – via BookWorks -“You know what  you’re supposed to do—write your book, start a blog and website, and turn to social media to help you market everything you’ve created. But where do you start?”

How to Market Books From the Customer’s Perspective – via BookBusiness – Find out why focusing on content instead of product may help your marketing efforts.

Writers Need These 10 Resolutions For The New Year — In October – via BookMarketingBuzzBlog – Get a jump start on improving your career with these promises.

How to Create An Author Brand – Case Study – with Jessica Bell – via Alli – Learn how one writer tackled the complex issue by “branding the author rather than the books.”

For Producers:

Stars of the Spoken Word: Meet the Audiobook Narrators Who Are Quietly Saving Book Publishing – via Salon – “A group of artistically minded actors have made audiobooks one of the publishing world’s rare success stories ”

9 Mantra to Sell Yourself Better as Voice Over Actor – via Voice Over Herald – Calm your soul, and further your career with these tips for success.

6 Reasons People Trust a Female Voice Over Male Voices – via Debbie Grattan – Could it be true that women have more “trustworthy” voices? And how much does Trustworthiness matter?

How Does a Word Get Into the Dictionary? [INFOGRAPHIC] – via Writer’s Digest – Get a cheeky peek at how new words gain official entry into the English language.

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This Week in Links: September 26 – 30

Posted on September 30, 2016 by | Leave a comment

For Producers:

How to Prepare a Non-Fiction Audiobook for Recording – Start at the Macro Level – via Voice-Over Xtra – Learn how to give a great non-fiction performance by scrutinizing the clues in the book itself.

5 Ways To Apply The 80/20 Rule To Your Voice Over Business – via Marc Scott – “It’s all about focus and working smarter, not harder.”

Keep Allergies From Wrecking Your Voice – via Dr. Ann Utterback – Attack the problem from both sides with Dr. Utterback’s tips for minimizing and treating the effects of seasonal allergies on your voice.

6 Essential Hacks to Boost Your Voice Overs – Via Gary Terzza –  “Voice over work can be rewarding and fun, but sometimes you need that shot in the arm to energise your performance and increase your chances of getting hired.”

For Rights Holders:

10 Things Authors Need to Stop Doing on Social Media Immediately – via Digital Book World – Find out what you should be doing on social media via these examples of what you really shouldn’t be doing.

Author Marketing Mastery – Looking for Press Attention? Think Like a Journalist! – via where writers win – “To enjoy attention from traditional PR sources… requires understanding who you’re pitching, how to pitch each journalist, and what role you want traditional PR to play in your overall author marketing strategy.”

[PODCAST] Author Email Marketing Automation – via BookMarketingTools – On automating your email marketing tasks so you can spend more time writing.

10 Tips for Authors to up Their Book Marketing Skills – via Book Machine – “The basic premise of book marketing is this: write great books that people want to read, then effectively market them.”

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This Week in Links: September 12 – 16

Posted on September 16, 2016 by | Leave a comment

For Rights Holders:

Resurrecting a Failed Book Marketing Campaign – via BookMarketingTools – If at first you don’t succeed… find the courage to try again.

7 Ways to Promote Your Book You Probably Haven’t Considered – via The Write Life – “[I]f you’re looking to reach a broader audience, consider a few of these promotional techniques to expand your reach”

When Social Media Just Makes You Tired – via The Write Conversation –  If you’re feeling burnt out on social media, stay in the marketing game with these simple tips.

Three Ways to Build a Following – via CreateSpace – “While you’re taking the steps to become a successful brand, here are three pieces of advice to keep you on task and headed in the right direction.”

For Producers:

How To Start A Local Voice Over Group And Keep It Going And Growing – Today! – via Voice-Over Xtra – It’s important to get out of the booth to meet, and learn from, your fellow producers.

How One Podcasting Network is Trying to Save America’s Regional Slang – via Mental Floss – Learn why regional dialects have been disappearing and what one company is doing to preserve them.

Video Lessons & Resources – via ACX -Have you checked out our producer resources on ACX.com recently? There’s a wealth of information on everything from narration to mastering.

Voiceover Talent Alone Won’t Pay the Bills – via Debbie Grattan – On the importance of continuous improvement within your field.

 

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This Week in Links: September 5 – 9

Posted on September 9, 2016 by | Leave a comment

For Producers:

The Final Exam of Articulation – via Dr. Ann Utterback – “An artificial and over-pronounced delivery is as offensive as using sloppy articulation and should be avoided at all costs.”

3 Ways to Make Your Voice Over Profiles More Visible and Credible on Social Media – via Voice Over Herald – Advice on figuring out where and how to get the best return for your time online.

When/What to ReTool? – via Dave Courvoisier – Learn when to stop and appreciate career success and when to make changes to avoid complacency.

A Special Voice Over – Prince with 1,000 Enemies by Under Armour – via Voice-Over Herald – A football star and his mother team for an unlikely VO from the apparel company.

For Rights Holders:

How Will an Author Platform Make You a More Successful Author? – via BadRedhead Media – “Many writers run kicking and screaming from the term author platform, but … you need to understand that selling books is a business.”

Authors: Boost Book Marketing with These 5 Apps – The Book Designer – Find a handful of ways to make your marketing more imagine friendly with these mobile apps.

5 Great Self-Publishing Tips – via BookMarketingTools – We’d humbly add the sixth self-publishing tip: self-publish your audio with ACX!

Book Marketing: How the Cover of Your Self-published Book Influences Your Brand as an Indie Author – via Alli – “A strong brand helps an author in the same way it helps any organisation: it gives your name recognition and helps to sell your work.”

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