🎧 The Self-Published Author's Complete ACX Guide
Audiobooks are the fastest-growing segment of publishing — and ACX gives indie authors direct access to Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. This guide covers everything from setting up your rights holder account to getting your first reviews.
Setting Up as a Rights Holder on ACX
ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) is Amazon's marketplace connecting authors with narrators and audio producers. To use it, you must be the rights holder of your book — meaning you hold the audio rights, either because you self-published or retained audio rights in a traditional deal.
Create your ACX account
Go to acx.com and sign in with your Amazon account. Your ACX account is separate from your KDP account. Link the same email address for cleaner royalty tracking.
Claim your title
Search for your book by title, ASIN, or ISBN. Click "This is my book, and I want to make the audio rights available." ACX will verify you own the rights via your Amazon/KDP account.
Create your title profile
Fill in your book details, target audience, genre, and the voice characteristics you're looking for in a narrator. A detailed casting note attracts better auditions.
Choose your production path
Decide whether to narrate yourself, find a narrator via ACX marketplace, or hire an audio producer directly. Each path has very different cost structures and timelines.
Post an audition script
Upload a 1–2 page excerpt that represents your book's voice, tone, and any character voices. This is what narrators use to audition. Choose a passage with variety — don't use the first page if it's all description.
Royalty Share vs Pay-Per-Finished-Hour — The Real Trade-Off
This is the most important financial decision you'll make on ACX. Both models have legitimate uses — the right choice depends on your book, your budget, and your sales projections.
Royalty Share (RS)
- ✓No upfront cost — great for first audiobooks
- ✓Narrator shares financial risk
- ✓Narrator is incentivized by sales success
- ✗You give up 50% of royalties for 7 years
- ✗Harder to attract top narrators for unknown titles
- ✗Requires ACX exclusivity (Audible only)
- ✗Long-term cost exceeds PFPH if book sells well
Pay-Per-Finished-Hour (PFPH)
- ✓You keep 100% of royalties forever
- ✓Access to wider narrator pool
- ✓No exclusivity requirement (can distribute wide)
- ✓Better long-term economics for successful books
- ✗Upfront cost of $150–400+ per finished hour
- ✗80k word novel = ~8 FH = $1,200–$3,200 upfront
- ✗Financial risk entirely on you
ACX Production Quality Standards
ACX has strict technical requirements for audio files. Submitting files that don't meet these standards results in rejection, adding weeks to your timeline. Your narrator is responsible for meeting these specs, but you should understand them to hold them accountable.
| Requirement | ACX Specification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| File format | MP3 or WAV | MP3 recommended for final delivery |
| Bit rate (MP3) | 192 kbps or higher | Constant bit rate (CBR), not variable |
| Sample rate | 44.1 kHz | Standard for audio production |
| Channels | Mono | Stereo is rejected |
| RMS noise floor | -60 dBFS or lower | Background noise must be very quiet |
| Peak level | -3 dBFS maximum | No clipping allowed |
| RMS level | -23 to -18 dBFS | Consistent across all files |
| Room tone at start/end | 0.5 seconds minimum | Required on every file |
ACX Royalty Rates & Distribution
ACX distributes to Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books (iTunes). Your royalty rate depends on whether you choose exclusive or non-exclusive distribution.
ACX Exclusive
Audible + Amazon + Apple25% on bounty program earnings
- • Cannot distribute on Findaway, Libro.fm, etc.
- • Required for royalty share deals
- • Audible "bounty" paid when new Audible members use credits on your title
- • Best for first-time audiobooks without existing wide audience
ACX Non-Exclusive
Wide distributionNo bounty program access
- • Also distribute on Findaway Voices, Libro.fm, etc.
- • Only available with PFPH deals (no RS)
- • Better for authors with established wide readership
- • Findaway Voices adds Spotify, Hoopla, OverDrive
🎙️ Getting Reviews Before Your Audio Launch
Audible reviews work very differently from Amazon ebook reviews — but they matter just as much for conversion. Here's the timeline and strategy for building reviews before your audio goes live.
Build your audio ARC list
Identify existing readers from your email list and iWrity community who listen to audiobooks. Offer complimentary Audible codes in exchange for an honest review.
Distribute Audible promo codes
ACX gives you 25 complimentary Audible promo codes for US and UK. Use these to send to your audio ARC readers. The codes work once your audiobook is approved but before the street date.
Remind & follow up
Email your audio ARC readers on launch day with a direct link to your Audible page. Audible reviews can be posted from the product page by anyone who redeemed a promo code.
Launch Every Format With Reviews Already Live
Whether you're launching an ebook, paperback, or audiobook — reviews are what convert browsers into buyers. iWrity connects your books with matched readers across all formats who are pre-committed to leaving an honest Amazon review. Build your review base before launch day, not after.
Start Getting Reviews on iWrityFrequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to produce an audiobook on ACX?+
From posting your audition to a finished, approved audiobook, plan for 8–16 weeks. The timeline depends on your narrator's workload, the length of your book, and the number of revision rounds. A 80,000-word novel (about 8 finished hours) typically takes 4–6 weeks for narration and production once a narrator is contracted, then 2–4 weeks for ACX review and approval.
How much does it cost to produce an audiobook?+
Using royalty share: $0 upfront. Using pay-per-finished-hour: narrators on ACX typically charge $150–$400 per finished hour. A 10-hour audiobook (roughly 100,000 words) costs $1,500–$4,000 at the midrange. Professional audio producers on platforms like Voices.com may charge more. If you narrate yourself, the cost is home studio setup: a decent USB condenser microphone ($100–200), audio interface if using XLR ($100–150), and Audacity or Adobe Audition (free or $55/month).
Can I use ACX if I am not a US citizen?+
ACX is available to rights holders in the US, UK, Ireland, and Canada. If you live outside these territories, you cannot directly use ACX to create audiobooks — but you can use a distributor like Findaway Voices (now Spotify for Audiobooks) or Author's Republic, which distribute to Audible and beyond without geographic restrictions.
What happens if my narrator does a poor job?+
You have the right to request revisions on any files that don't meet ACX quality standards or deviate from the agreed-upon performance. Most contracts include 1–2 revision rounds. If the narrator consistently delivers substandard work, ACX has a dispute resolution process. To avoid this situation: request a longer sample chapter audition before contracting, check the narrator's existing productions on Audible, and set clear expectations in writing about pronunciation of names, character voices, and pacing.
Should I use ACX exclusive or non-exclusive?+
For most indie authors, ACX exclusive is the better starting point. The 40% royalty rate (vs 25% non-exclusive) plus the bounty program makes up for the loss of wide distribution — especially since Audible dominates with 65%+ of audiobook market share. If you already have a wide audio strategy and listeners on Spotify/Findaway, non-exclusive via Findaway Voices may earn more in total. Re-evaluate after 12 months of exclusive sales data.