All write with coffee...: To speak or not to speak... yes, it's a question.

Monday, 21 December 2009

To speak or not to speak... yes, it's a question.

Here is a copy of me reading Rebecca by Daphne de Maurier (Don't laugh, it's my first recording...just testing it out. Yikes... this says more about me than I am prepared to disclose...so enjoy.)

Still unsure what to do with my next novel, I have been scouring the internet for ideas. I care about making money with my next novel for one reason: it would take the pressure off my husband to be sole provider for our family. If I didn't have that reason, I would give away my words for free.

That being said, I am a writer and editor because I love it. I'm not into PR however. I'll blog about my book, twitter it to hell and back and maybe join facebook. However, leaving the comfort of my home is not really my thing. (Although, I may be forced to one day...)

So, my idea: Podcast Chapter Exchange -- Receive Free. Give Free. It's All Free.

Why Podcast? Why MP3? Why Audiobooks?
Many authors have written books but find it difficult to publicize it. Also, the market for audiobooks is an ever-expanding one and an expensive one at that.

I looked on the internet to turn my book into an audiobook and whoa! the prices. EXPENSIVE! There's no way I can afford it, hell, there's no way most author (especially first time authors) can afford it.

I would just start reading my own novels but I don't like my voice and would like perhaps someone with a better accent. What do I do? A good question.

I belong to a website that exchanges chapters for review. I love it. I review their work, they edit and review mine. Simple.

Why can't we do the same thing with our novels? I read chapters of your novel for free, you do the same. We all have our novels in audiobook format for download on the web. Or hell, we can charge for them if we like. If we can get voices from around the world, we can have our stories read - men or woman, different accents, or we can just have a man read a chapter written in male POV and a female read a chapter in female POV. We can experiment with background music or sound effects. The world...wide web is ours!

I even found a free program to record with: Audacity

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: I tried a few times and couldn't get the thing to play, Ann.

It's an interesting concept, trading chapters, but then our readers would only be other writers, yes?

I have a silly voice and no microphone, and I could never listen to books as opposed to reading. I have to see it in print or my mind wanders. Makes lectures at school difficult; I have to write it while the prof speaks, or it goes right through me.

Your idea could work for many though. Just not for me. :); 21 December 2009 at 22:44
Ann Elle Altman said...: I understand what you're saying about the mind wandering. I am trying to listen to Atonement by McEwan and I find myself listening to the same chapter over and over just to remember what was being read. However, I know there is an ever-growing market for audiobooks...the sales every year goes up as oppose to the sale of books going down. I guess a lot of the world prefer easy books on the go.

ann; 22 December 2009 at 18:37