In the past, I’ve posted here and there about the tools I use for my web design, marketing and audio projects and figured I’d bring them all together in one reference for others wanting to check them out. This is by no means a full list of all that is out there, just a list of what I’ve had success with. Some are free, some cost a minimal amount of dough. Overall, I know most self-published/indie authors are on a tight budget anyway, making it difficult to outsource some of the different jobs one has to do, so these tools will definitely come in handy if you’re a do-it-yourselfer like me.
Gimp (www.gimp.org) is a great FREE design program if you don’t have the cash to spare for a copy of Adobe Photoshop. I mean a legitamate copy of Photoshop. Gimp has great tools that I use for website, cover and logo design. There is a learning curve, but Gimp has a great online instruction manual, and there are innumerable tutorials online by other Gimp users. Once you learn the basics of layers and importing brushes, you’re on the right track.
Audacity (audacity.sourceforge.net) is a FREE program for recording and editing audio. I am currently using it to record myself reading my books instead of paying another company/group hundreds of thousands of dollars to do it for me. I am also using a basic Radio Shack headset with microphone to do it. It seems to work just fine since all I’m doing is reading.
I’ll include some other links that go well with Audacity -
Lame (lame.sourceforge.net/download.php) – lets you convert your Audacity file to MP3 format (FREE)
The Levelator (www.conversationsnetwork.org/levelator) – automatically balances out the audio level and volume of your audio file (FREE)
WebEasy Professional 8 (www.avanquest.com/USA/software/web-easy-professional-8-130293) is a web design program I have been using for years now. It is very user-friendly and relatively cheap – $49.95 last I looked – and gives you a great drag-and-drop canvas to work with, allowing you to include video, images, links, code, and other great items in your website. It has a relatively easy walk-through to help you get your website posted to the Web. If you want to check out what I’ve done with WebEasy, head to my website at www.davidnalderman.com.
Musicshake (www.musicshake.com) is a nifty FREE program a friend told me about that allows you to mix different, pre-recorded instruments, beats and vocals into unique songs. I am currently playing around with this program to create some theme music for the beginning of my audio books and eventually for when I desire to start podcasting. The program is free to download and free to use, but if you want to export what you’ve recorded into MP3 format, they offer you to do so at a price of 99¢ per song for non-commercial use and $19.99 per song for commercial use.
Dreamstime (www.dreamstime.com/free-section.php) is a great resource for finding the perfect image for a blog post, your website, or any other design project you may have in mind. They offer royalty-free images for a price, but they also have a section devoted to FREE images that can be used without (from what I’ve read) having to credit the person who posted the image.
Smashwords (www.smashwords.com) is becoming a pretty popular place to set up and sell ebooks. But more than that, what first drew me to Smashwords was the fact that their technology helps you format your manuscript for almost every major ereader out there – for FREE. They include a downloadable PDF that walks you through the whole process. I found when I followed all the steps – including ‘nuking’ (cutting and pasting your document into Notepad to strip it of it’s defunct formatting) the manuscript, which I do before I even start formatting now – that my novel came out looking pretty good on ereaders. You can list and sell your ebook on their website, sign up for the various distribution channels, and even create coupon codes for your work. Smashwords does take a minimal fee from your profits, but the great thing is they won’t take anything from you if you want to offer your book up for free.
Createspace (www.createspace.com) is one of many self-publishing sites out there that put the control of your book – and all of its content – in your hands. I have tried a couple other services such as iUniverse (which I did not have a good experience with) and Lulu (which is very similiar to Createspace), but I go with Createspace because my books are cheaper to purchase myself and that allows me to make more cashola. Createspace lets you upload your formatted manuscript to their site and put it in paperback and Kindle format. They charge nothing if you’re taking care of the cover design, formatting, editing, etc yourself, or they offer publishing packages for a charge. They also offer ISBN#’s, which is convenient. Createspace allows you to set up your own virtual storefront for each of your books, and also offers distribution packages to get more exposure for your novels.
The Creative Penn (www.thecreativepenn.com) is a personal favorite of mine when it comes to useful blogs for indie authors. Run by Joanna Penn, an indie author herself, I have found this blog to be EXTREMELY helpful when it comes to self-publishing, marketing, book design, etc. Joanna interviews many authors, marketing gurus, and other special guests and loads up her blog with useful posts and podcasts that help with many different aspects of author and book promotion, spanning from shortcuts in using FBML in your Facebook pages to the elements of cover design for your book. I highly recommend this blog and this link – http://www.thecreativepenn.com/resources – will take you straight to a page she created for newcomers to start at. She even offers a free download of her Author 2.0 Blueprint which covers many different aspects of book and author promotion.
Hope some of you find this short but comprehensive list useful. I’d love to hear of any other goodies authors have found across the web, so drop me a line or a comment and let me know about them!
Jeffrey Kafer said on February 3, 2011
Your suggestion of a radioshack headset mic to make your book into an audiobook “Because it’s just reading” is insulting to those of us in the audiobook profession. If someone wants to be a writer, do you suggest that a box of crayons and some paper is all they need?
Making a professional audiobook (with a real narrator) does not cost “Hundreds of thousands of dollars”.
David N. Alderman said on February 3, 2011
Jeffrey, I meant for that to read ‘hundreds to thousands of dollars’, so I apologize for the typo.
As far as my comment about the mic, my intention wasn’t to lead anyone on to believe audio isn’t something that needs to be practiced and/or invested in, but simply to show that anyone can give it a shot with equipment they may already have at home.
When I said ‘because it’s just reading’, that’s what I meant. More expensive microphones are great for recording voice acting/sound effects, but if one wants to record an audio book to get their material out there in the open, there’s nothing wrong with using a basic mic that does the job.
Ron Fritsch said on February 4, 2011
David, thank you for putting together all this valuable information. I knew your “of” was a typo, and you meant “to” between “hundreds” and “thousands.” Jeffrey, I intend to release an audio version of my book soon, but I won’t do the reading myself because I’m quite certain nobody wants to hear my voice. So I’ll pay, after shopping around, to have it done. I suspect many independent writers realize their limitations in this regard as well. On the other hand, for all I know, David might have a pleasing voice and sufficient dramatic talent to qualify as a “real narrator.” If so, why should he pay? As for Gimp, I’ve used it to perform some basic tasks, but only after tedious trial and error. Stupid me. I didn’t know there was an online instruction manual. Now I do. Thanks again, David.
Jeffrey Kafer said on February 4, 2011
Certainly there are authors who can narrate themselves. Malcolm Gladwell does well with his work and Neil Gaiman wins awards for his narration. And it’s possible David would handle his material with great success.
But I would argue that they are the exception to the rule. Most authors read their own work for a variety of reasons, the main one being cost. If cost is a factor, then don’t make an audiobook at all. Wait until you can afford to have it done right.
If I may plug my blog since it’s relevant, I’ve written a post detailing 8 reasons to hire a professional narrator: http://myvoicetalent.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/7-reasons-for-hiring-a-professional-audio-book-narrator/
Ron Fritsch said on February 4, 2011
Jeffrey, I think you’re quite right. I’ll be happy to visit your blog. Thank you for the invitation.
David N. Alderman said on February 5, 2011
First off, thank you Ron for the kind words. I’m glad you got something out of my post. It’s really just a reference of tools I’ve used and had success with and by no means an absolute list of what’s out there. And I’ve been learning how to use Gimp by trial and error too. I learn more from trying than by reading a manual, so even though Gimp has a manual online, I rarely reference it.
Jeffrey, by no means am I saying in any regard that there is no need for those who do audio professionally and for a charge. There is a definite need for those like you who offer it as a service to authors. However, with my limited budget – and I know other self-published authors are on a limited budget as well – I sometimes need to learn and do things myself.
Take for example my website. I don’t have the funds to pay someone to run a website or even build one for me, so I purchased a program that cost me about $50 and I’ve made good use of it through years of learning how the program and the web works. Is it ten times better than other authors’ websites? Maybe not. But it serves a function, does what it needs to, and I’ve gotten many comments on how professional and clean it looks.
I have a really good friend who does audio professionally, creating epic audio dramas by incorporating sound effects, voice actors and talented scripts. He has invested in his audio business with microphones and programs that help him succeed in that area. I speak with him on a regular basis and he’s actually the one who pointed me in the direction of Audacity as a free way to start learning audio myself and using it to do book readings and podcasting.
Am I an expert? No. I am a beginner in the realms of audio. But I firmly believe that practice makes perfect, and I’m going to use what I have at my disposal to do what I can right now. The main point I disagree with you on is when you say – “If cost is a factor, then don’t make an audiobook at all. Wait until you can afford to have it done right.” If I decided to wait on doing anything because cost was a factor nothing would get done of I’d have debt up to my eyeballs.
Just because I’m starting out with a low end mic and a free audio editing program doesn’t mean I’m not doing it ‘right’. If I have the ability to do it on my own with minimal cost involved, why wouldn’t I? Many self-published authors are venturing out with no start up funds to get the ball rolling, so they have to look in every nook and cranny for ways of doing things themselves or for a nominal fee.
That’s not to say that your place in the market doesn’t have value. There are many authors out there who don’t have the time to learn audio themselves and they have the money to pay for the convenience and the high quality of having a professional do it for them, and that’s great. If I had the funds, I would probably look into the services you offer, but I don’t. So I have to make do with what I have.
I self-publish full time. This is my career. I’m working 50+ hours a week on the different areas of my platform, and since I do this full time, I have the opportunity to invest the time to learn how to do some things myself.
andrea said on February 6, 2011
I am currently using lulu, and appreciate your effort and generosity with this info, I’m also goingto read my books and will be looking up your suggestions, and I found this thru twitter/creativepenn, THANKS
Jeffrey Kafer said on February 6, 2011
You mentioned podcasting your novel. Which compels me to note a distinction between distributing the book as a podcast vs selling it is a retail product. You and I are not entirely in disagreement.
If you’re podcasting your book on a site such as Podiobooks.com or to give away on your website, then yes, the DIY product is probably good enough. Listeners are not expecting professional level results (though getting it done professionally can only help your brand). Podcasting is almost by definition amateur. They are expecting a free book that is engaging and well written. Production value and narration quality is secondary. Listeners give a lot of leeway for things they get free.
But once you get to the retail market, it’s a whole ‘nuther ballgame. Search Audible.com for the publisher “Podiobooks.com” and read some of the comments. The overall criticism is that the books sound like they weren’t professionally done. And that’s because they aren’t. When people are shelling out good money, “good enough” usually isn’t. I’ve seen well written books get hammered in the comments strictly because of their production values. Why on earth would someone do that to their writing?? Shouldn’t your book be shown in the best light possible?
As for being able to learn how to do it: I’ll concede that it’s possible to learn the technicals of production. And your audio engineer friend can certainly show you how to do it. But (and this applies mostly to fiction), your friend is not going to be able to show you how to ACT. And the heart of any good audiobook is the ACTING. Having good technical production values without a quality performance is just putting lipstick on the pig.
David N. Alderman said on February 8, 2011
Andrea, glad to help and I look forward to seeing what you come up with. I think Lulu is a great self-publishing company to go through. The Creative Penn is definitely a great resource to follow as well.
Jeffrey, earlier I mentioned the word podcast, but I didn’t mean it in terms of my audio book. I plan to do an audio book with me as the reader AND I plan to start up podcasting – a recorded radio type blog – at a later date. My audio book will be available for purchase for a nominal price.
I firmly believe anybody can create an audio book. It just depends on how much time and energy those people want to put into learning the process. Yes, a bit of acting can go a long ways to add pizazz to your audio book, but it’s not necessary. I’ve listened to audio books before – professional ones – that just have a reader reading the story. There’s a bit of added punctuation when the story calls for it, maybe a slight change in the tone of the reader’s voice depending on the character, but other than that it’s not a Broadway play. I think there’s a HUGE difference between an audio drama and an audio book.
That friend of mine I spoke of who does audio professionally specializes in audio dramas and podcasting. He’s done stage plays before and his main audio drama actually started out as a stage play before it became his acclaimed product. He has voice actors, special effects, and other awesome stuff that really adds to the experience. But that is what the audio drama is. It’s a movie in audio format, meant to entertain the listener.
Audio books are meant to entertain, but on a different level. It’s the reading of a book. No special effects, not a ton of pizazz. I think it’s more for the reader’s convenience – those who commute, go on long trips, jog for miles in the early morning – and as such, the audio book serves its purpose when purchased by those who would read the book(s) themselves had they the time or the right environment.
Jeffrey Kafer said on February 8, 2011
“Yes, a bit of acting can go a long ways to add pizazz to your audio book, but it’s not necessary.”
You couldn’t be more wrong here, but we’re going to have to agree to disagree. Good luck.
David NIall Wilson said on February 8, 2011
I can tell you David, as a writer of over two decades, and an avid reader of audiobooks, the type of recording you are talking about is about as similar to a real audiobook as a mimeographed pamphlet is to a hardcover book. Most people are leery of audiobooks to begin with; they have to make an experience worth taking the time and attention required to listen, rather than just reading yourself. So, while it might be true that almost anyone could record a story and call it an audiobook, it’s important to call it what it is…it’s the DIY home-made version. You can tell the difference in seconds between a professionally recorded book and a home-made production – just like you can with a musical recording. Sure, you can buy the equipment to match the quality, but not without investing a good bit of money. And if you head on over to the Audiobook Community run by Audiofile magazine, you’ll find that one of the most hated and suspect products is an audiobook narrated by the author. Unless the author has a natural gift for voice acting (which is what an audiobook reuqires) then they are probably going to fall far short of trained narrator.
J, Leigh Bralick said on May 3, 2011
First of all, thank you for this great resource! I’ve decided to self-publish my YA fantasy novel, Down a Lost Road, through Smashwords and Amazon Kindle (coming out May 8th, eek!!!). I’ve been toying with the idea of paperbacks, too, so I’m definitely going to look into Createspace. I’ve also considered Wordclay, which is an affiliate of Smashwords…but we’ll see.
I’m also planning on recording a reading of the first chapter for my website, so the info about Audacity and everything has been very helpful!
I would just like to say how interesting it is that Jeffrey seems to associate “reading” with boring. When you said, “since all I’m doing is reading,” what I understood you to mean was, there aren’t going to be extensive music tracks, sound effects, singing, etc. etc. “Just reading” doesn’t mean droning on in a boring monotone. I read my works aloud all the time, and yes, “just reading” is a literary skill in its own right.
That said, of course some writers aren’t the best choice for reading their own works. I would hope they have the self-knowledge to realize that. Other writers are also good speakers. Just because someone is a writer doesn’t mean that they can’t have skills in other fields, like acting or public speaking…and comments suggesting the contrary seem rather snobbish.
Jeffrey Kafer said on May 3, 2011
Indeed, as I mentioned previously, there are some good writers who are also good narrators. The two are not mutually exclusive. My point is simply that if you think having a $50 mic and a copy of Audacity is going to produce the same professional level results as an experienced narrator, then you’re going to be disappointed. And so are your listeners.
I’ve read lots of books, so I think I can be a writer. I have a computer and a copy of word. How hard can writing be? It’s just pressing buttons on the keyboard, right?