Whether you're a seasoned audiobook pro or this is your first audiobook adventure, EarBliss is here to make the experience....well, blissful.
It all starts with the rights.
The most important first question is: who owns the audiobook rights for your book, and in what territories? The owner of the rights is, simply enough, called the Rights Holder, or RH. What territory do the rights cover? Are they global rights, or country-specific rights? If you're not sure and you're the author, check the contract with your publisher or literary agent. (In some cases the RH can also be the author's estate.) If you're still not 100% sure, contact your lawyer and inquire. While EarBliss cannot dispense legal advice, we can steer you in the right research directions. (If you're self-publishing, you own your rights.)
Okay, you own the rights! What's next?
Contact us via email or phone, and we'll send you our Intake Form. This gives us great information about you and your project, ranging from word count and deadlines to voice style/references you might have in your head for the audiobook...and how involved you want to be in the process. Next, we'll have a detailed chat with you (or a session via Zoom, Skype, Facetime--or an email conversation, if you prefer) and talk about next steps...and give you an estimated production quote and a fully developed Production Plan.
Your audiobook on Amazon, Audible and iTunes.
While there are exceptions, the vast majority of authors desire to have their audiobooks up for sale on Amazon, Audible and iTunes. EarBliss is highly skilled and extraordinarily experienced at using Amazon's audiobook creation portal, ACX, to help you do this. As the RH if you are in the U.S, U.K., Ireland or Canada, you will choose either an exclusive contract on Amazon (which means you keep 40% of the sale of each copy as a Royalty, can NOT sell the audiobook elsewhere), or an non-exclusive contract (which means you keep 25% of the sale of each audiobook as a Royalty, can CAN sell the audiobook elsewhere). EarBliss takes a Per Finished Hour fee for you books production, you keep ALL Royalties from your book sale. If you are outside of those countries, EarBliss will serve as your U.S. anchor on the ACX portal.
What if you already have a narrator in mind, but want help with production?
We're great at that. When you contact us (or when you will out our intake form), let us know that, and we can serve as Producer for the process with your chosen voice.
What is SAG-AFTRA?
SAG-AFTRA is the American union representing over 160,000 actors and performers. In long form, it is the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Radio and Television Artists. EarBliss is a proud supporter of SAG-AFTRA, and many of our Narrator/Producers are members.
(If your question is not addressed here, contact us! We're happy to chat!)