If You Are Thinking of Doing an Audiobook

Mine is coming out next month. Here is the long saga of how it came to fruition and some advice.

So I have an audiobook for WRITING THAT GETS NOTICED coming out next month, and I’m really excited about it. Did I voice the entire audiobook? Hell, no. Did I audition to do it? Yes, I did. You know how you never know when your bad luck is your good luck? That is something I say a lot. Well, in this case, it was definitely my good luck that I didn’t have to be in the studio for some 11 or more hours taping my writing craft/advice book. But, you will still hear my voice — in the introduction.

I’ll tell you what happened, but first I am offering my paid subscribers a chance to have a micro memoir piece be edited by me next month. Sign up for a yearly subscription and get that opportunity, plus bonus clips, just for paid subscribers to episodes of the podcast.

Now, back to audiobooks. Here is how it all unfolded.

Step 1: I made sure that audiobook rights were a part of my publishing deal. I think they were always going to be a part of them, but with the advent of AI I really wanted to focus on maximizing those rights. More on my Estelle’s Edge on A1 in this bonus episode #90 of Freelance Writing Direct where I attended the 2024 U.S. Book Show sponsored by Publishers Weekly and the Association of American Literary Agents. Luckily, New World Library had audiobook rights included in my contract. I did ask if I could audition to read the book, and my agent included that in the contract. More on that in a moment.

Step 2: About five or six months after the book was published in June 2023, the publisher reached out to my agent and said that nobody was interested, and if I wanted, they would revert the rights back to me. My agent told me this, and I responded, sure, why not? My plan was to look into Audible or some other venue, and I was grateful that my publisher was kind enough to mention it to me. I don’t think all publishers do that; instead, some might hang on to the rights even if it doesn’t make sense, since nobody is biting.

Step 3: A year after publication, and after my book was named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers magazine, had been excerpted in Jane Friedman’s newsletter, and won a Zibby Award for “Best Book for the Writer”, and I had become a Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest magazine, my publisher reached back out to my agent. A production company was interested in taping an audiobook; would I be willing to revert the rights back to the publisher? Who is this media company I asked, and found out it was DreamScape Media, a fabulous audiobook producer. Absolutely I responded, but as mentioned in the contract, I definitely wanted to audition to read the book.

Step 4: A little backstory here. I studied voice and acting, and even once had a five-line-and-under role on Guiding Light for a day for a story I wrote about it (which I talk about in my book), so I thought I could easily read the book. My publisher asked me to do a short audition tape of part of a chapter from the book —I think it was four pages in total. Well, reader, it took me 20 takes to get a take I was happy with; which resulted in many hours of work. Then, my publisher asked me to redo it one more time, which took another 20 takes. Finally, we were both happy and they submitted it to Dreamscape Media.

Step 5: Then, I waited. Soon, I heard back. They were going to hire talent (aka a professional reader) to read my book, but, they liked my voice and my audition and wanted me to read the introduction to my book, and would set up a taping at a local studio. They anticipated the entire process would take a little over an hour.

Step 6: I was thrilled. I didn’t have to spend all the time in the studio, and my voice still gets to be heard. But, I had a few caveats. I said to my publisher and agent that I wanted to make sure the voice voicing my book, my baby, would be someone that people could believe is a mother, and just as important, isn’t an erudite sounding academic. Because if you’ve listened to or watched my podcast, you know that is the opposite of who I am, even though I teach at New York University. My publisher sent me the tape of the person they selected, and I was over the moon. I love Jenn Lee’s voice, and I think she nailed the delivery, enunciation and warmth I wanted to convey in my book. She isn’t erudite sounding and is believable as a mom and a friend.

Step 7: DreamScape Media booked me time with a local studio. I arrived with a printout of the introduction and with it on my iPad (the production company recommended I do that, so there was no paper rustling). I took an Uber to the studio, so I wouldn’t be stressed about driving, and made sure I was hydrated. That wasn’t an issue, as the owner of the studio made sure that I was supplied with lots of water bottles, too.

Step 8: I read the introduction, and then read it again. I stopped when I wanted to redo a line or two, until I had the delivery down the way I wanted. After about an hour, I asked the owner of the studio if he thought I had covered everything and if he thought anything needed to be redone. He said he thought I did a great job and that I covered everything and even caught myself and asked to retake anything that dropped or wasn’t the right enunciation or delivery. I appreciated that feedback from a pro.

Step 9: Dreamscape Media said they would be in contact before a certain date if I needed to retake anything in the studio. I was headed out on vacation around that time, so I was glad that nothing needed to be retaped.

Step 10: It will be out in the world soon, and I couldn’t be more excited. It was a great experience.

Here is where you can order the audiobook on Audible.

Spotlight on Writers That Get Noticed: Cheryl Maguire

Writer Cheryl Maguire

A couple of months ago, I decided that from time to time I would shine my lens on a writer who gets noticed, and of course, someone who has learned from me and my book. The previous Writer that Gets Noticed was Anna Rollins here.

For this “column” I am focusing my lens on Cheryl Maguire, a prolific writer, writing teacher and former student.

Cheryl listened to my editor-on-call webinar that I created for NYU, where I teach writing courses for teens and adults, with Allison Klein, the editor for the Inspired Life section who I wrote about here. After listening she pitched and published a piece about her relationship with her teen daughter with Allison.

Here is my post on the editor-on-call with Allison Klein.

Here is what Cheryl wrote about that experience as a testimonial.

“I attended the NYU editor interview with Allison Klein. It was helpful to learn about this column and what they are looking for in an essay. I didn't have an idea right away but kept this column in my mind. When I did submit Allison said she loved my essay and published it a week after accepting. The whole experience was really positive and I appreciate Estelle asking the editor questions that helped me to figure out a good fit.”

Here are the questions that Cheryl answered.

Estelle: Can you tell me your background?

Cheryl: I have a master's degree in counseling psychology. I was a counselor for teens in a residential program and then a guidance counselor in a public school. When my twins were born it was less expensive for me to stay home with them than pay for childcare. When they were napping I used to love to write. At first, I just wrote humorous essays for fun about my parenting experiences. I shared the essays with my mom who said the essays reminded her of Erma Bombeck's writing. I said, "Who's that?" I then checked out all of her books from the library and understood why my mom made the comparison. I then signed up for a writing class and the instructor said she thought I could sell my essays to local parenting magazines just like Erma Bombeck did. It turns out she was right--my humor essays are my highest-earning type of writing (I also sell reported articles) for over 200 local parenting magazines across the US. 

Estelle: What has been your publishing experience?

Cheryl: I always loved writing but never thought that I was good enough to earn money. I also thought that you could either write a book or be an investigative journalist for a newspaper (neither interested me)---I didn't realize that there are so many different options. So I didn't start selling my writing until 2016. At first, I sold humor essays to local parenting magazines. Then I taught myself how to write reported articles by paying attention to how others wrote and reading books from the library. I also took three of Estelle's classes. Two through Writers Digest and one through NYU. I now have been published in national publications like NYT, WaPo, NatGeo and many others.

Estelle: Is there a mindset that you adopted that works for you?

Cheryl: Absolutely! The first mindset that was important is to have the confidence that you can be published. I gained that from taking classes and receiving feedback from Estelle about how to improve my writing and pitches. Then I think the most important mindset is to be tenacious. You have to keep trying and realize that having a pitch not accepted is part of the process. I still get rejected ALL the time! I also think you have to be willing to learn and accept feedback. I'm also reading books and magazines.

Estelle: How have you gotten your writing noticed?

Cheryl: I never realized how important a pitch is until I took Estelle's pitching class. It is an art form that matters a lot when trying to place your idea with a publication. I think my pitches get noticed by being well-written and by having an original quote from a source. 

Estelle: How has working with me/my courses/book helped you to get your writing noticed?

Cheryl: You have been a wonderful mentor and teacher! You have offered invaluable feedback about how to improve my writing and pitches and also provided me with the confidence to believe that I could be published in places like The New York Times.

Estelle: What are your future goals?

Cheryl: I would love to continue to publish in national publications. Maybe one day write a humor essay book like Erma Bombeck.

Estelle: What is something you want to brag about for yourself?

Cheryl: I'm still in awe about the number of publications that my byline has been in! Especially The New York Times and National Geographic! 

Estelle: What is something you want to shout out to a friend? (can be another author, just not another writing teacher).

Cheryl: I'm really excited for my friend Lisa Kusel who has a new book coming out The Widow on Dwyer Court

Estelle: What would you tell 16 year old Cheryl?

Cheryl: That you can be a writer!

Estelle: What is the best life advice you ever received?

Cheryl: A challenge is an opportunity for growth.

Estelle: Where can people find you?

Cheryl: Twitter Linkedin. Website

Thank you, Cheryl