I spent much of this month narrating my new book BROKEN BOWELS, with the intention of releasing it as an Audio Book alongside the Paperback and the Kindle Version.
I’m nearly finished, and provided ACX, Audible, Amazon and iTunes are happy with the files, I’m expecting it to be released sometime in August.
Audio Books are are becoming very popular, and I can imagine that fellow patients could pass the time listening to my experiences while getting a lengthy infusion.
It does take forever to do, and I can’t narrate more than two hours every day or else my voice gets tired. Editing takes a while too, but at the same time it’s a very rewarding experience. I’ve described my setup and the intricate details in some of the links below.
Tech Articles
- How to share ebooks with WordPress (EPUB and MOBI files)
- How to transcode an AFIC File with Finder in macOS
- How to create a project for narration on ACX
- How to export multiple timelines at once in Premiere Pro
- iOS 12 – My First Impressions (on an iPhone 5s)
- My Audiobook Narration Setup for Audible, Amazon and iTunes
- How to find and share your own YouTube Playlist’s URL
Screencasts
While it was fresh in my mind, I decided to create a series of Storyist screencasts. That’s the writing software I’ve used to write BROKEN BOWELS.
I’ve been using Storyist on and off since 2012, and I’ve used it exclusively for writing the book, as well as for creating the ebook and print versions. I never had to leave a single piece of software. Storyist did everything, from outlining, writing and exporting.
It has a lot to offer, and has completely transformed the way I write and share my output. It’s a complex piece of software, and if I discover other tips and tricks, I’ll add them to the full playlist.
- Storyist 101: Introduction
- Storyist 102: Meet the Interface
- Storyist 103: Writing Tools
- Storyist 104: Formatting and Styles
- Storyist 105: Version Control Features
- Storyist 106: Dark Interface Mode
- Storyist 107: Tracking Writing Goals
- Storyist 108: Storyist on the iPhone
- Storyist 109: Using the Project Trash
- Storyist 110: Creating a Kindle ebook
- Storyist 111: Ebook Formatting Tips
- Storyist 112: Creating a PDF
- Storyist 113: Customising your PDF
- Storyist 114: Headers and Footers
- Storyist 115: Writing Shortcuts
I’m planning on adding videos on
- working with images
- working with Story Sheets
- Bookmarks and Comments
- Outlining Tools
- Screenwriting Tools
Hardware Issues
Something rather sad appears to be happening from time to time: my Mac Mini is having issues. He has developed a fault with both monitor output ports, intermittently.
I usually leave him on at all times and simply put him to sleep overnight. When I switch him off, I stand a good chance of him not turning on again in the morning. The system starts, but I can see no output on any of the monitors, neither via Thunderbolt nor via HDMI.
I’ll see how it goes, but it may get to a point at which I’ll have to have him repaired. Apple do this for a flat fee of $300, by simply replacing the entire logic board. I currently can’t afford that, not until all those medical bills are paid off (which may take several years).