Self producing/publishing an audiobook

Latte And Now For That Latte
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Hi.
Does anyone have experience with publishing an audiobook on Amazon in the context where you would have produced the audio content yourself without going through ACX?

I am trying to google how it works (if doable, even) but all I keep getting so far are instructions on how to use ACX and recruit a narrator.
Not what I want at the moment.

I’d also like to know what then the audiobook could be listened to on (device wise), and if, in this case, there is any equivalent of an ebook’s DRM.

Thanks.

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What I know is that you need a Sound studio for quality recordings. Voice actors are expensive and recording will take several days. After recording, your book needs editing as well, to remove bloopers, repeats and possibly breathing.
Production costs is what kept my from creating audiobooks myself.
Distribution in Europe is controlled by a few large corporations and – other than selling the MP3-file through your own website – you cannot go around them if you want to be available on Audible or StoryTel.
I’ve been looking into computer generated voices through Azure or Amazon Polly. Both have reasonably good voices and much progress has been made lately making them sound naturally. The actual generation of voices for an audiobook is possible, but needs know-how and some confidence. You pay per character and thousands of characters may seem a lot, but you get there fast when you want to have an entire novel narrated.
For now, I’ve not been convinced either process will result in an audiobook that I can sell for a reasonable price.

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Thanks for the insight, @AntoniDol :slight_smile:

That I don’t think I’d want to. I want my stuff to have a minimum of protection…
(Not that I am super famous or anything, but still… After working so hard on a project, the least I’d want is that whatever people will “buy” it, actually buy it.)

Now, Audible is Amazon, right?
If so, getting the audiobook to Audible shouldn’t be a problem. Nor is the production in my case.
Which leaves two questions:
One regarding whether Audible as copy-protection, and if it does (tho I’d expect that indeed it does) limit the buyers to their app?

And second: whether ACX is also Amazon, and if the latter accepts audiobooks that weren’t produced through that service.

I’ll probably dig out my KDP forum login info and ask there at some point.

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I read you can supply your own audiobook.

In e-books, it’s adviced not to use copy protection or DRM on readers, because it’s easily circumvented by knowlegeable readers and seriously hampers reading by others. Don’t know about audiobooks, though.