How to make an audiobook of a book that I haven’t written and sell it to audible.com?
Question by Turki: How to make an audiobook of a book that I haven’t written and sell it to audible.com?
If I want to make an audiobook out of a magazine/article/book that I haven’t written, or say, I haven’t published, what steps do I have to take?
If I want to sell that audiobook to audible.com, or iTunes, what steps would I have to take?
How does, say iTunes get its contents from big music companies?
Please mention the involved licenses, copyright infringements, contracts that will be involved. Please mention your sources.
Best answer:
Answer by Steve
“Please mention your sources” makes me think this might be a homework question.
But if you want to make an audio version of a text, assuming it’s still in copyright, you will need the permission of the copyright holder. This will be either the author or the publisher. Before you try, check whether there’s an audio version already available or due to come out. If there is, they’re not going to want to dilute its sales with another recording of the same thing. Often the publisher will make their own arrangements for the audio version – they’re not going to sit around waiting for a reader to approach them.
audible.com appear to prefer to deal with publishers rather than readers, so that the work of creating the recording is done for them, and they just have to sell it. However, there is a note at the bottom of their “contact us” page about what to do if you want to become an audiobook narrator for them.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!