Frequently Asked Questions

Narrators

Can you show me what a strong narrator profile looks like?

To get an idea of what your profile will look like, simply search for a few Narrator Profiles here and then follow the example of the ones you think are strongest.

I am a narrator. Can I narrate AND produce an audiobook on ACX? How do I do this?

ACX is mostly for narrators who do their own audiobook production. So you’re in charge and responsible for delivering a full retail-ready production to the Rights Holder. But we know that when you’re producing an audiobook, you often need to employ others to help in the process. If you’re a narrator you often need to hire a studio with an engineer to record you, an audiobook editor to polish your recording, and mastering engineer to polish your production.

When you do this, you need to have your production team under contract. ACX requires that you use the correct form of the ACX's Independent Contractor Agreement when you engage independent contractors to work on your audiobook production. Doing this manages everyone's expectations, and will ensure that the people you hire to assist you in producing the audiobook for ACX are of high quality and meet ACX audio requirements. We've left spaces in each contract for you to fill in your name, the contractor's name, as well as pay rates, and expected dates for deliverables. Good luck!

I’m a union member. Can I use ACX and also contribute to my SAG-AFTRA Health & Retirement Fund?

Yes, narrators who produce an audiobook through ACX can contribute to their SAG-AFTRA H&R (health and retirement) Fund. Please note, though, that not all projects will quality for this.

As a general rule, the project must be either ( a ) a Pay For Production deal that pays $225 per finished hour or more or b.) a Royalty Share deal that comes with an advance or stipend of one hundred dollars per finished hour or more or a total stipend or advance payment of at least one thousand dollars. You will be been directly contacted by ACX about this opportunity if a stipend or advance payment is available to you. If your project qualifies and you want to contribute to SAG-AFTRA H&R, simply click the button “Accept with SAG-AFTRA H&R” when you accept an Offer to produce an audiobook. When you click this button, and otherwise comply with all terms of the ACX Payment Conditions for Certain Producers, then a portion of the payment you earn will get sent to SAG-AFTRA to fund your H&R. This amount will come out of your total payment. It is not in addition to the agreed-upon total. Please see the ACX Payment Conditions for Certain Producers for complete terms and the next FAQ for the specifics.

Which projects qualify for SAG-AFTRA H&R Fund contributions? How does it work?

Regardless of how you choose to get paid for your work—whether as a Royalty Share or Pay For Production deal—the job could qualify for contributions to your SAG-AFTRA H&R Fund. A project has to meet certain criteria to quality. (Remember that you can always choose to accept any project as a non-SAG-AFTRA job).

Here's the Deal:

  • On Royalty Share deals: For a Royalty Share deal to qualify for SAG-AFTRA H&R, the deal must provide for an advance or stipend payment of at least one hundred dollars per finished hour. Don’t worry—ACX will have already alerted you if you’re eligible for this on a particular project. It’s generally only offered to Audible Approved narrators and only on certain handpicked titles. (If you’re unsure, please contact us.) If you go ahead and accept a Royalty Share deal as an SAG-AFTRA-approved project, Audible.com will send 10.714 percent of your advance or stipend directly to SAG-AFTRA for your H&R fund contribution, and the remaining 89.286 percent will be sent directly to you by Audible after the title is complete and approved by the Rights Holder. As you earn royalties, Audible will send 10.714 percent of each royalty payment directly to SAG-AFTRA; the remaining 89.286 percent of the royalty payment will be sent to you.
  • On Pay For Production deals:For a Pay for Production deal, your finished hourly rate for an audiobook production must be $225 or more. Since neither you nor the Rights Holder is permitted to pay SAG-AFTRA directly, you must tell the Rights Holder to pay you via the SAG-AFTRA-approved Paymaster service. Send them a message after you’ve accepted the Offer and ask them to send your final payment to John McElroy Production & Talent Services, LLC, 44 Kane Avenue, Larchmont, NY 10538.The SAG-AFTRA Paymaster will keep a fee of 5 percent, send about 10 percent of the production fee to SAG-AFTRA to fund your H&R, and then send the remaining amount to you. Please see the sample payment chart below.

SAG-AFTRA H&R Contributions: Rates in a Pay For Production Deal
Rate per finished hour (PFH)SAG-AFTRA-qualified portion of the PFH  ratePortion of PFH rate that will be paid toward SAG-AFTRA
(qualified amount % for finished hour price)
Total Paymaster Fee
(5% of Avg. Payment) PFH
Less than $225
Not eligible for SAG-AFTRA benefits
N/A
N/A
$225
$200.00
$20.63
$11.25
$250
$200.00
$20.63
$12.50
$275
$200.00
$20.63
$13.75
$300
$225.00
$23.21
$15.00
$325
$250.00
$25.79
$16.25
$350
$275.00
$28.36
$17.50
$375
$300.00
$30.94
$18.75
$400
$325.00
$33.52
$20.00

The normal SAG-AFTRA contribution rate is 12 percent. Why is it 10.714 percent on ACX?

10.714 percent of a total fee is the equivalent of a base rate plus 12 percent. Rights Holders seeking to engage a Producer under a Pay For Production deal will agree to offer $X, and they will pay that same $X whether the Producer they hire is SAG-AFTRA or not. They are not paying an additional 12 percent for SAG-AFTRA talent. ACX and SAG-AFTRA did not want SAG-AFTRA members to be at a disadvantage versus non-SAG-AFTRA actors on Pay For Production deals, and felt that adding 12 percent might discourage Rights Holders from hiring actors who were SAG-AFTRA members. Producers who are SAG-AFTRA members should consider the subtraction of this 10.714 percent, as well as the 5 percent paymaster fee, when deciding on a rate to charge for their audiobook production services on ACX.

If I have narrated audiobooks that are already available on Audible.com can I automatically import them to my profile?

Not yet, but it’s a feature we hope to add soon. Most audiobooks produced in the past 25 years are available on Audible.com, so ACX has access to that data (with the exception of most audiobooks created expressly for the blind).

I’m an actor, but have never narrated an audiobook. It sounds interesting. . . . What advice do you have for me?

ACX can help you get started. Find advice and video tutorials here. But please don’t audition for titles if you are not prepared to be a Producer. Rights Holders come to ACX to find a full-service producer their audiobook.

I’ve narrated my first few audiobooks. How do I improve? Is there some way to get critiqued?

ACX has put together a large set of resources that teach you everything from setting up your home studio to more advanced techniques like editing and mastering your work. Remember, in order to work on ACX as a Producer, you must provide finished audio that's ready for retail sale and meets ACX’s Rules For Audiobook Production. We'll tell you how to produce a better finished product. Find it all on the Video Resources & Resources page.

How does it work when Audible posts a Public Domain work for production?

If you see a Title Profile for a Public Domain work, you may audition for it as you would for any other title posted on ACX. If Audible wants to make you an Offer, Audible will send you a Production Offer Page, in the exact same way as a Rights Holder would when making a production offer for their audiobook.

I’m an author and would like to narrate my own audiobook. How can I do this?

See that FAQ here.

As a narrator, how many audio samples can I upload to my profile?

You should add as many as you’d like. Focus on diversity to show off your range. In other words, don’t submit ten samples from the same audiobook unless they really highlight ten different facets of your voice and talent. And don’t worry if you don’t have many audiobook credits to your name. Simply create some samples from scratch and upload them. Then tag each sample with words that describe the skill it reflects (e.g. the genre or your lovely French accent) and include other adjectives explaining your performance.

Tip for narrators about profiles: The samples you upload, and how you tag them will greatly influence if, and how, you appear in a Rights Holder’s search. So don’t just list your skills your profile, upload samples that show how fabulous they are! (If you have yet to use all your talents in an audiobook, just record a new sample that shows them off.)

As a narrator, should I choose to be paid through a Royalty Share deal or the flat per-finished-hour fee for my narration and production work?

It will depend on what your normal per-finished-hour rate is, as well as on how many units a particular audiobook sells. Some books never even sell a hundred copies, yet there are others that sell tens of thousands. Limiting the titles listed on ACX to only professionally published books (i.e. no small press or vanity press books) increases each audiobook’s chance that it will sell well at retail.

Tip for narrators about payment: We encourage narrators to take on a mix of projects—some paying you a flat Pay For Production fee and some on a Royalty Share basis. As one narrator put it: The former can pay the rent next month, and the latter can keep royalty checks coming in for seven years to come. And after you amass a body of work, the royalty checks from all those audiobooks can really add up!

As a narrator, how do I edit my profile?

Click on the "Account Settings" link located on the upper right of almost every page on ACX and then click "Edit Personal Information". You will be asked to start from the beginning stage, so just click the “continue “ buttons on the bottom of each subsequent page until you get to the page with the information you’d like to change.

I’m interested in setting up a home studio. Can ACX help?

ACX created a series of helpful videos to give you ideas and guidance on setting up a home studio. There are also videos that teach you about audiobook editing and mastering techniques. Click here to see them.

What is an Audible Approved Producer, and how do I become one?

If you think you’re one of the best audiobook producers in the business, you can ask to become an Audible Approved Producer. If you’re accepted as Audible Approved, this will show up in your profile as a special icon. Basically, that gives you a seal of approval: the thumbs-up from Audible.com shows that you’re experienced and respected, and it can encourage Rights Holders to choose you for their project!

Anyone can apply, but as a general rule, most Audible-Approved Producers have narrated and/or produced twenty-five audiobooks that are available on Audible.com and have a verifiable record of achievement in the audiobook industry. Email us at Audio@acx.com and ask to be considered as an Audible Approved Producer.