Set up an account
The first thing you’ll need to do is set up an account at www.acx.com.
Narrator
ACX provides services to connect narrators with authors, but I chose not to use this service and instead recorded my audiobook myself.
Audio Files
You will need your audio book produced as a separate file for each chapter. You will also need the opening credits and closing credits along with a sample. All of the audio files must meet ACX’s audio requirements. It is not common to include dedications, acknowledgements or about the author pages so I did not include this information.
Cover
The cover for your audiobook must be created to ACX’s specifications. Note the red overlay in the bottom right corner of their examples. In some instances they may put a banner there (an example of this is “Exclusive to Audible”). I don’t foresee any reasons they will put a banner on my cover so I didn’t worry that it would cover my name. If you browse around, it’s clear that most covers are not created with this in mind. If this concerns you though, be sure to take it into account.
What you need
In order to complete setup for your audiobook you’ll need the following:
- If your book is available on Amazon, you will be able to enter it as a starting point for your title. Presumably this will help them link together once it’s live.
- Your cover
- Your audio files
Contract
When you set up your audiobook you will need to sign a contract with ACX. You will either choose to give them exclusive rights to distribute your audiobook (to Audible and iTunes) or you won’t. I chose not to in order to also list my audiobook elsewhere through Author’s Republic, but this will give you a lower royalty rate. The big thing to note with the contract is that you must give ACX the rights to distribute your audiobook for 7 years. This seems like a long time, but there’s no way around it.
Listing
ACX states that it can take up to 30 days for audiobook to reviewed and approved before it will be listed.
Making Changes
It appears you can make changes to your audiobook, but in order to do so you have to send ACX all of the audio files again.