Should we do audio books as authors? What do you think?
First, last clichés:
Proof of the pudding is in the eating– Performance is the only valid test. This expression of quality control dates from almost 1600s. See William Camden’s Remains Concerning Britain (1605). This phrase has been repeated several times over the centuries, mainly by British writers such as George Bernard Shaw and W. Somerset Maugham) – pudding is more of a basic dish for British than it is to Americans.
First Blush–At first glance, without prior knowledge. Dates from 16th century, when blush meant not a reddening of the cheeks with embarrassment but “glimpse.” See Philip Stubbes The Anatomie of Abuses, 2:7 (1583).
Don’t Put the Cart Before the Horse– Don’t reverse the natural order of things. Dates from when horses first were used to draw wheeled carts and transferred to other affairs almost immediately. Cicero accused Homer of doing this when he complained that the Greek poet stated the moral of a story before telling the story. From the 1500s on, many writers used this phrase. In English, it was a cliché by 1700s.
Go With the Flow–Be amenable to what others are doing, go along with the crowd. The “flow” in this late-20th century phrase, refers to the ebb and flow of tides – describes a laid-back demeanor.
More than One Way to Skin a Cat–There are many ways to accomplish the same end. An American origin, and the term is similar to the British phrase-“There are more ways of killing a cat than choking it with cream.” This appeared in Charles Kingsley’s Westward Ho! (1855). Mark Twain used the American cliché. Several writers claim the expression has nothing to do with “skinning an animal”, but rather describes a child’s maneuver in getting into a sitting position on a tree branch. There is no evidence for this etymology.
So, how many did you find?
Well, I listened to a webinar that Sandra Beckwith put on by Derek Doepker about creating your own audio books on a shoestring budget. After listening to his information, I decided he was on the level.
I purchased his training video and listened to it. I’m pinning my hopes on his tutorial.
Audio Books are on the rise, and they are a way to increase readers and we’ve already done the hardest work–creating the book.
Of course, you could hire a narrator, you could do a split with a narrator, or create an audio book yourself.
So, I’m going great guns with the idea of creating my own audio books.
I’m following the step by step training video, and my first step:
I downloaded the free audacity software for recording. Then I purchased his recommended microphone, pop filter, and headphones. Then I let them sit and stared at them–terrified to begin.
I’ve finally gathered my courage to try them out. More about audio books in the next blog.
Keep Writing,
Julie
