Are you ready to check your final files on ACX but not sure how? Then just sit tight. I’m here to show you, so stick around!
Hey everybody, Keith Wheeler here and if you want to continue to get all of the hints tips and tricks on how to make self-publishing a little bit easier to navigate, then, be sure to subscribe to my youtube channel and hit the bell icon so you get alerted each and every time I put out new content.
In a previous video, I showed you how to check your first 15 minutes on ACX and I’ll include a link to it, here:
https://youtu.be/dVUQru-4GDQ
So you’ve received an email telling you that your full project is ready for your review. I’m going to walk you through the process. Here we go:
First you want to log into ACX and select the In Production tab.
Next, in the middle of your screen in ACX you will see a section that says locked for review with an arrow pointing to a hyperlink to your final audiobook files. Click the hyperlink.
After you click your hyperlink you’ll be brought to your main file page where you will see all of the audio files that your ACX narrator has compiled. Now your narrator may do things slightly different than mine, but all ACX audiobooks will have an Opening credits, Closing credits and a Retail Audio Sample files.
The Retail Audio Sample file is the sample of the audiobook that customers will hear when they’re on the audiobook platform and select the listen to sample option. You want to make sure that this audio contains content that really grabs your listener’s attention. That could be the difference between an audiobook sale or not.
Now, when it comes to listening to these files, you want to make sure you have peace and quiet as well as that you use good quality headphones. This is your last check of your audiobook before the ACX quality team gets ahold of it, so make it count.
I suggest listening to the audiobook files multiple times. First time through, listen to it with a copy of the book in hand and listen for accuracy. The second time through, listen without the manuscript and simply listen to the story, how does it sound? Are there any changes you’d like the narrator to make (ie. tempo, volume, accent, etc.)
Finally, I take one more step on all of my chapter books. I download the mp3 files of the audiobook from ACX and combine them in video or audio making software. I just use Windows Movie Maker, but anything similar will work. I do this so that I can listen to the entire audiobook together and see how the chapters flow. Perhaps the narrator pauses differently in one chapter than in another, etc.
If there are any changes you want made, go in ACX and navigate back to the page where you can review your files. At the top right, you will find a button that says Request Changes. This will open up an email type box where you can list all of the changes you’d like the narrator to make before sending your audiobook files over to the ACX QA team.
Once the narrator is done with the changes, you’ll get another email. You’ll repeat the above steps to review your audiobook until your completely happy with the files.
Now that you’re completely happy with your audiobook files, you’re going to click the Approve Audiobook button. This will send an email to both you and the narrator informing you that the audiobook is now in the hands of the ACX Quality team.
The ACX QA team could take up to 14 days to review your entire audiobook. If they have any issues they will send it back for you and/or your narrator to fix, depending on the issue. At which point you’ll need to repeat the review process again and send it back over to ACX QA.
Once the ACX QA team finally approves your audiobook files, you and the narrator will receive an email that your audiobook is being pushed live. They will publish your audiobook on Audible, Amazon and iTunes.
Note: As of the recording of this video, once your audiobook is up on Audible, ACX will provide you with 25 free US promo codes as well as 25 free UK promo codes. So be sure to request these codes. They’re a great way to help promote your audiobooks and get some early audiobook reviews.
That’s it for today. If you liked the video, please give it a thumbs up and if you want to continue to get all of the hints, tips and tricks on how to make self-publishing a little bit easier to navigate, then be sure to subscribe to my youtube channel and hit the bell icon so you can get alerted each and every time I put out new content.
Until next time, remember to Write Right!