Record Your Own Audiobook from Home

Karen Woodward reports:

"Before a writer can take advantage of ACX [Audio Creation Exchange], or any other technology designed to help us sell audiobooks, we have to produce the darn things! And ACX will help with this, by either matching you with professionals...or...umpteen tutorials on how to do the work yourself...The number one thing you want to do is cut down on noise...[You need a] [d]esk for your computer...[a] [s]tand for the script...[s]omething...to absorb the sound on surfaces...[and a] chair that's comfortable and won't creak...[Turn your] computer off [if it gets noisy], take a coffee break, and let it cool down...Use a fast peripheral drive with lots of capacity...[Back up] your work...Use a pop filter or shield. This deflects and minimizes sounds that can distort the recording...[You can use either a] large [diaphragm condensor] mic [which] is the standard for the industry and costs between $400 and $600...[or a USB-powered] snowball mic [which] will do the job if you want a [lower-cost] solution...Research it and find out what is available in your area. Go to audio stores, try out their microphones, ask questions, and find a balance of price and performance that suits you."