Side Hustle – Earn Extra Income as an audiobook narrator

by Chris Durst       Dec. 6, 2024

Discover a side hustle opportunity that will turn your passion for reading into extra income with ACX, Amazon’s Audiobook Creation Exchange.

Here’s how this side hustle works: Explore over 1,000 available titles, choose your preferred payment method, and embark on a journey to create audiobooks for Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. Learn more about rates, the narration process, and how you can start auditioning today!

If you have a good voice and read aloud with clarity and passion, this could be a nice way to make some extra income.

The ACX system is set up to pay in two ways — your choice. Either get paid a flat fee for your work or share a percentage of the royalties on sales.

Regarding how much ACX narrators can make, if you choose the per-finished-hour route, I’ve found quite a few reliable references that put pay at about $100 per finished audio hour. I also found a good thread on Reddit where people who are doing it discuss their experiences, and the information there seems to confirm the pay rate.

One thing to keep in mind is a finished audio hour doesn’t simply mean an hour of reading as some of what you have recorded may require editing and that can take time as well. It’s best to figure that it will take over an hour to create an hour of finished audio!

Here’s what Amazon has posted about the role:

Choose the books you want to audition for! Through ACX, you can find an unlimited number of potential acting gigs, and the audiobooks you produce will be available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.

Choose how you’d like to get paid for your narration work:

• Your own per-finished-hour rate, paid upon successful completion of the audiobook.
• Share royalties from sales with the Rights Holder.

On ACX, an Audiobook Narrator is Also an Audiobook Producer.

Follow our Video Lessons and Resources to learn how to set up a home studio then edit and master your audiobook before it goes up for sale. Or find a studio professional to help out with the recording, editing, and mastering.

Here’s How It Works:

Step 1. Create a Profile – Sign up on ACX and create a profile that details your acting and audiobook experience.

Step 2. Upload Samples – Tag an unlimited number of samples in your Profile, based on accents, genre, and style. The more audio samples you include, the easier it is for authors to find you.

Step 3. How do you want to get paid? – Choose a per-finished-hour rate, or choose to share 50% of royalties. If you’re unsure, choose both.

Step 4. Audition – Search for books you’re interested in narrating and producing, and record a few minutes of the manuscript. If you’re the Rights Holder’s top choice, you’ll receive an Offer.

Step 5. Accept the Offer – When a Rights Holder makes you an Offer, agree on delivery dates for the first 15 minutes of audio and the final audiobook, and payment terms.

Step 6. Start Recording – Record, edit, and upload the a 15 minute checkpoint of the audiobook, which the Rights Holder will approve or provide feedback. When the sample is approved, record the remainder of the project.

Step 7. Work with Other Studio Professionals – To create a professional audiobook, you may want the guidance of other audiobook experts. If you need to hire one, or more, we have Independent Contractor Agreements you may use.

Step 8. Finish the Recording – Upload each completed chapter of the audiobook to meet our Audio Submission Requirements and Production Standard Terms. Before payment, the Rights Holder must approve the full audiobook, and has the right to request changes.

Step 9. Get Paid – If you and the Rights Holder agreed on a Pay for Production fee, you will be paid directly by the Rights Holder. If you produced the audiobook as a Royalty Share deal, then you’ll be paid based on 50% of the royalties on sales.

Step 10. Come back for more – ACX has tons of books waiting to be turned into audiobooks, so keep auditioning! If you’re highly experienced narrator with at least 25 audiobook credits, apply to be an Audible Approved Producer.

CLICK HERE for full details and to start auditioning! For more jobs like these, check our Newest Jobs & Gigs page. To be the first to hear about jobs like these, like our Facebook page.

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