By: Lizzie Furey,
on 9/16/2016
Throughout 2016 we’ve featured oral history #OriginStories – tales of how people from all walks of life found their way into the world of oral history and what keeps them going. Most recently, Steven Sielaff explained how oral history has enabled him to connect his love of technology and his desire to create history.
The post In the oral history toolbox appeared first on OUPblog.
By: KatherineS,
on 12/11/2015
Do mountains matter? Today, 11 December, is International Mountain Day, celebrated worldwide since 2003. The fact that the UN General Assembly has designated such a day would suggest a simple answer. Yes – and particularly for the 915 million people who live in the mountain areas that cover 22 percent of the land area of our planet.
The post Do mountains matter? appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 9/2/2015
This is the first in a planned series of articles about the “Image Effect.” Over the past 20+ years Image Comics has grown from a vanity publisher for the top talents of the 90s into a trendsetter and home to a diverse range of popular titles and creators. How did they accomplish that? Image’s well-known […]
By: Katherine Soroya,
on 2/11/2015
Cocoa and chocolate have a long history in Central America but a relatively short history in the rest of the world. For thousands of years tribes and empires in Central America produced cocoa and consumed drinks based on it. It was only when the Spanish arrived in those regions that the rest of the world learned about it. Initially, cocoa production stayed in the original production regions, but with the local population decimated by war and imported diseases, slave labor was imported from Africa.
The ‘First Great Chocolate Boom’ occurred at the end of the 19th and early 20th century. The industrial revolution turned chocolate from a drink to a solid food full of energy and raised incomes of the poor. As a result, chocolate consumption increased rapidly in Europe and North America.
As the popularity of chocolate grew, production spread across the world to satisfy increasing demand. Interestingly, cocoa only arrived in West Africa in the early 20th century. But by the 1960s West Africa dominated global cocoa production, and in particular Ghana and Ivory Coast have become the world’s leading cocoa producers and exporters.
Not surprisingly, given the growth in trade of cocoa and consumption of chocolate, governments have intervened in the markets through various types of regulations. The early regulations (in the 16th–19th centuries) focused mostly on extracting revenue from cocoa production and trade through, for example, taxes on cocoa trade and the sales of monopoly rights for chocolate production.
The world is currently experiencing a ‘Second Great Chocolate Boom.’
More recent regulations have focused mostly on quality and safety. With growing demand for chocolate in the 19th century, chocolate producers substituted cocoa with cheaper raw materials, going from various starchy products and fats to poisonous ingredients. Scientific inventions of the 18th and 19th centuries allowed better testing of the chocolate ingredients. Public outrage against the use of unhealthy ingredients (now scientifically proven), led to a series of safety regulations on which specific ingredients were not allowed in chocolate – and in countries such as France and Belgium also in a legal definition of ‘chocolate’.
Chocolate consumption has many fascinating aspects. It is bought both for the pleasure of consumption and as a gift. It has been considered a healthy food, a sinful indulgence, an aphrodisiac, and the cause of obesity.
For much of history, chocolate (or cocoa drinks more generally) was praised for its positive effects on health and nutrition (and other benefits for the human body). As people were poor, hungry, and short of energy, chocolate drinks and later chocolate bars became an important additional source of nutrition.
In recent years, chocolate consumption is often associated with negative health issues, such as obesity. Recent research has shown that its health potential is closely linked to the composition of the final product and, not surprisingly, to the quantity consumed: darker, lower-fat, and lower-sugar varieties, consumed in a balanced diet are more likely to be healthy than the opposite consumption pattern.
In today’s high income societies where hunger is an exception, food is cheap, and obesity is on the rise, systematic overconsumption of chocolate – often associated with impulsive consumption and lack of self-control – is more associated with health problems. New research in behavioral engineering is targeted to help consumers deal with situational influences, and change behavior in a sustainable way, i.e. by ‘nudging’ them to change their consumption behavior and resisting the lure of chocolate.
One of the intriguing aspects of chocolate is its ‘quality’. Different from many other foods (such as cheese or wine) perceived chocolate quality is not related to the location where the raw material is grown or produced, but to the chocolate manufacturing process and location.
Some countries, such as Switzerland and Belgium are associated with prestigious traditions of chocolate manufacturing. However, perceptions do not always fit reality. ‘Belgian chocolates’, such as pralines and truffles, are now world famous but until 1960, Belgium imported more chocolate than it exported. Since then its “Belgian chocolates” have conquered the world – while the world has taken over the Belgian chocolate (companies). Most “Belgian chocolates” are now owned by international holdings – and a sizeable amount is produced outside the country.
Moreover, consumer perceptions of ‘quality’ are strongly influenced by consumer experiences with their local chocolate – this includes the smoothness of Swiss chocolate from long conching, the milkiness of British chocolate, and the preference of American consumers for chocolate that Europeans consider inferior.
In fact, the integration of the UK, Ireland and Denmark into the (precursor of the) European Union, which included France and Belgium in 1973 resulted in a ‘Chocolate War’ which lasted for 30 years. Disputes between the old and the new member states of the definition of “Chocolate” (and its ingredients) made that British chocolate was banned from much of the EU continent for three decades.
Ethical concerns about chocolate have been triggered by the specific structure of the structure of the global cocoa-chocolate value chain. For most of the past century, the value chain was characterized by a South-to-North orientation, with most of the raw material (cocoa beans) produced in developing countries (‘the South’) and most chocolate manufacturing and consumption in the richer countries (‘the North’). Another characteristic is that cocoa production in the South is almost exclusively by smallholders, while cocoa grinding and (first stage) chocolate manufacturing processes are often dominated by very large companies.
The cocoa-chocolate value chain has undergone significant transformations in recent years. First, in the 1960s through the 1980s the cocoa production and marketing in developing countries was strongly state regulated, often dominated by (para-)statal companies and state regulated prices and trade, etc. In recent years there has been substantial liberalizations of these sectors and the market plays a much larger role in price setting and trading, often resulting in new hybrid forms of ‘public-private governance’ of the world’s cocoa farmers.
Second, these new regulatory systems are reinforced by consumer awareness around labour conditions and low incomes in African smallholder production related to structural imbalances in the value chain. Consumer concerns and civil society campaigns around poor socio-economic conditions of producers (such as child labor) have affected companies’ strategies and responses. These involved (a) sustainability initiatives with civil society and governments, (b) certification initiatives including Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and Utz, and (c) various forms of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.
The world is currently experiencing a ‘Second Great Chocolate Boom’. Rapidly growing demand is now not coming from ‘the North’, but from rapidly growing developing and emerging countries, including China, India and also Africa. The unprecedented growth of the past decades, the associated urbanization, and the huge size of their economies have turned China and India into major growth markets for chocolate. While consumption is highest in China, and the growth is strong, the country with – by far – the highest growth rates in chocolate consumption is India. In addition, significant African growth of the past 15 years is now also translating into growing chocolate consumption on the continent where most of the cocoa beans are produced.
Headline image: Fresh Cacao from São Tomé & Príncipe, by Everjean. CC-BY-2.0 via Flickr.
The post The economics of chocolate appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Paula,
on 5/27/2014
This is one of many hidden picture puzzles I did this past year for Highlights. What a challenge, to hide 30 objects in a spread! Some are hard to find, others… obvious (Can you find some…?). But this is a fun story to tell in one picture–a children’s choir/production underway with parents, siblings and teachers helping and enjoying the show! There are little stories within the story so I hope that makes it much more enjoyable for kids to linger over as they try to find the hidden objects!
By: Paula Becker,
on 5/27/2014
That’s a long title, but it says it all…kinda. This is one of many hidden picture puzzles I did this past year for Highlights. What a challenge, to hide 30 objects in a spread! Some are hard to find, others… obvious (Can you find some…?). But this is a fun story to tell in one picture–a children’s choir/production underway with parents, siblings and teachers helping and enjoying the show! There are little stories within the story so I hope that makes it much more enjoyable for kids to linger over as they try to find the hidden objects!
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By: Mary Burkey,
on 3/13/2014
New media = new methods for a growing industry. Audiobook publishing is booming, with Audio Publishers Association statistics noting
6 million more audiobooks were sold in 2012 than were sold in 2011, representing a 13.5% increase in revenue reported by the publishers who shared data for both 2011 and 2012. The sales growth can be attributed in part to the fact that the total number of titles published in 2012 in the audio format has nearly doubled year over year. The format is thriving with the widest selection of titles ever available—13,255 titles were published as audiobooks in 2012, up from 7,237 the previous year. Publishers continue to increase their output to ensure that the most popular trade titles are released simultaneously in print and audio formats.
Even the Wall Street Journal is sitting up and taking note, in The New Explosion in Audio Books: How They Re-emerged as a Rare Bright Spot in the Publishing Business.
As media combine into transmedia formats blending text, visuals, and audio there’s a growing need for trained voices and technical experts. There have long been audiobook narrator workshops, led by industry experts such as Pat Fraley, Johnny Heller, Robin Miles, Paul Ruben & Bettye Seitz. In response to this growing need for audiobook artists and technical gurus, Bob & Debra Deyan have announced the creation of the Deyan Institute of Vocal Artistry and Technology, a campus environment where, according to the Institute’s press release,
This believed to be the first of its kind worldwide… Institute’s initial lineup of courses includes introductory intensives and master classes for audiobook narrators, specialized courses for voiceover artists, as well as technical courses on production and post-production for both voice actors competing in the ever-increasing self-recording market and audio engineers alike. Deyan Institute instructors are each acclaimed experts in their respective areas of specialty.
I featured the Deyans in my “Voicing a Cause” blog post after the Audio Publishers Association honored the pair with this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. For over 20 years, Bob has been dedicated to creating great audios, in partnership with his wife Debra. But the couple has turned their focus to making a positive impact in the world of ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Now Debra Deyan says,
It’s hard to express how much it means to me to launch this school in honor of my husband, Bob Deyan. Bob is riveted by excellent acting, loves the human voice and particularly the ancient art of storytelling. He spent his life’s work directing actors and preserving the human voice experience for generations to come. It is my vision that Bob’s legacy will live on through Deyan Institute.
Best of luck in your new cause, Bob & Debra!
By: Mary Burkey,
on 3/6/2014
Mary Fahl shares how audio production can go beyond the narrator behind a mic, by enhancing the experience with an original musical setting, on Random House Audio’s The Wolves of Midwinter. On the American Songwriter blog, Fahl explains that it all started when the singer-songwriter, and long-time Rice fan, gave a copy of her album Love & Gravity to the novelist before it was released. Fahl was flattered to receive a galley copy of Rice’s newest work in return, via her publicist - it was the
The Wolves of Midwinter with an inscription that read “For Mary Fahl of the supernatural voice…” “Give this to Mary”, Anne said, “Tell her she’s in the book.” Some discussion followed and it was decided that it would be a great idea for me to write a song for the audiobook version of the novel.
In Fahl’s blog post, she shares exactly how she met this challenge:
Random House needed the recording in less than two weeks, and with my already packed schedule, I was left with a little more than 6 days to write, arrange, record, mix and master the song. I hadn’t even read the book yet. As you might imagine, nausea ensued, but I had already committed to the project, and not being one to back out of a promise, I plunged in.
Audiobooks can be magical when the publishers provide a soundscape that enhances and extends the author’s text. Whether it’s the inspired casting of the perfect narrator, or the care involved in crafting a soundscape that includes music or sound effects, listeners know that production preparation = audiobook awesomeness.
Give a listen to Fahl’s theme song below, and read the whole blog post here: http://www.americansongwriter.com/2014/02/songwriter-u-guest-blog-mary-fahl-approached-anne-rice-write-theme-song-exiles-wolves-midwinter-new-audiobook/
By: Debbie Ridpath Ohi,
on 2/27/2013
Thanks to Rachel Poloski for being the 24,000th person to follow my @inkyelbows Twitter account. When I went to check her profile, I was intrigued:
Rachel was kind enough to answer some questions for Inkygirl about her work.
Q. Your profile says that you work in production at Abrams on YA and children's books. Could you possibly tell us more?
Of course! I work specifically on Amulet Books, which is an imprint of Abrams focusing on fiction and non-fiction writing for middle grade and young adult readers. I also work on reprints across all the children's imprints; Abrams Books for Young Readers, Appleseed, and Amulet Books.
I like to think of Production as the behind-the-scenes of book making. You don’t always see our names in the book or know who we are, but we are involved from start to finish. As production manager of a title, you begin by providing estimates on a book that has not yet been acquired. This enables editors, publishers, and our CEO to discuss the possibilities for the title and if it will work for Abrams. Once a book is acquired, you start forming a schedule based on a publication date or when advances of books are needed.
I work closely with Managing Editorial, Editorial, and Design to keep the schedule on track as well as start working out the book’s specifications. By this I mean the cover stock, text stock, cover effects, inks, trim size, etcetera. We also work out effects on the jacket/cover, which include lamination, embossing, glitter uv (ultra-violet coating), glow in the dark uv, metallic inks, cloth cases, and much more!
For the books I work on, this is the exciting work! Production managers have to be creative and provide ideas to editorial and design in order to bring their ideas to fruition, while maintaining a budget and schedule. Sometime we need to think outside the box and research materials or effects that will accomplish the look and feel the editor and designer desire.
Q. What recent or upcoming Abrams books are you especially excited about?
I am really excited about working on all my upcoming titles, but specifically I am enthusiastic to work on a new Lauren Myracle title and the final book in the NERDS series written by Michael Buckley! I also just finished working on the paperback edition of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews, which is most definitely my favorite book published at Abrams. It is funny, endearing, unique, and moving. I also had the pleasure of running into Jesse Andrews in the Abrams elevator and he is equally as charming as his writing. He is a both kind and humble. Another hardcover to paperback title I am thrilled to work on is Roddy Doyle’s A Greyhound of a Girl. Such a fantastic book! In Spring 2014 I am also working on new books from Lisa Greenwald and Sarah Skilton, which I am also eagerly anticipating.
Q. What do you write? (aside: I notice that you're a columnist for the Abrams site, for example)
Phillip, by Rachel PoloskiAh, yes. I do write for the Abrams blog, mostly about cooking and then there is the one of me shooting a rifle in the Adirondacks. Don’t worry; this is not a regular sport for me. I do love to cook and bake, therefore writing about it is also pleasurable. Luckily, Abram’s imprint Stewart, Tabori & Chang publishes beautiful and yummy cookbooks for me to test out in the kitchen!
I also do some writing personally, either about silly characters I draw or about my coveted stuffed cat, Celeste. I like to make up names and personas for the little felted creatures I hand make, but nothing that I have published or shared with the world. Maybe there will be some short stories to come soon. I recently illustrated a nervous soul named Phillip. I think I might write a little piece on him.
Q. Where can people find you online?
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rachel_poloski
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rachelapoloski
Instagram: http://instagram.com/rachel_anne_poloski
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/people/rpoloski
I will hopefully have some felted creatures as well as some little felted naked people up on Etsy soon and I really would love to start my own blog. What’s stopping me you might ask? Me. Fortunately, I have slowly been putting myself out there on both Instagram and Twitter and its not so scary after all. I am proud of me and would love to share my zany thoughts.
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Also see other Inkygirl Interviews.
By: Mary Burkey,
on 8/15/2012
Pat Fraley, audio narrator guru guide, is today’s guest in an Audiobooker series that reveals just how those voices in your head learn the skills that lead to audiobook excellence. We’ve heard from audio producer/director Paul Ruben and narrator Johnny Heller. Next Wednesday, audio legend Bettye Zoller will add her perspective. Patrick Fraley has been teaching, producing and performing audiobooks for about 20 years, and is a multiple Audie Award nominee and winner. His instruction and demo direction have guided more performers into book deals than anyone in the history of the audiobook industry. Here are the details:
Who is the audience for your workshops?
Okay, before I attempt to answer your question, know that my business adviser, Kristine Oller, told me that I am not allowed to call them “workshops” any longer. I call them, “events.” The difference is that in my events, I teach with other teachers, like Scott Brick, and allow more interaction with the participants. That way, every event is different. They are rather like a fungus: they have a life of their own.
Now to your question: the events are for those who want to advance their audiobook storytelling and dialogue skills. The participants are made up of working narrators or performers in other areas, and those who should be working. I approve all who want in so I know they are comfortable with the rigors of the events.
Why do you have the expertise to conduct the sessions?
That’s the first time I’ve ever had that question asked. I just plain don’t now why I have the expertise. I have hunches on how I got the skills to teach. Mainly, a gift from God, and totally undeserved. Also, when I was a young man I trained to be an actor, and have taught and performed for 40 years. That helped.
What range of previous training do you find in participants?
All over the place. Some have not trained much, and like me, are just plain talented. Others have trained as actors, singers, in improv and the like. The other bunch who are trained are interesting: Doctors, Firemen, Lawyers, Plumbers, Ex-Military. They apply their knowledge and training from one discipline to another. You get really interesting metaphors from people who spent a career on submarines or changing out cistern bowl floats.
What skills do you focus on and why will this knowledge advance a participant’s career in audiobooks?
I don’t teach how to advance a “career.” A career is a whole bunch of the same kinds of jobs in a row. I teach techniques, which get the narrator more skillful at storytelling, and doing subtle changes to their voices and hearts to populate a book with the necessary characters as needful. Also, I guide some of my students into how getting their first job, and then, go about another job. For my students who are already working, I try to get them a wee bit better.
How does the changing world of audiobook creation – digital technology, home studios, economics – impact the focus of your workshops?
Digital technology and specifically the advent of Downloadable Audiobook Editions have opened the floodgates to books being recorded. This means that all kinds of books need all kinds of skilled narrators. Old, young, black, white, fuchsia. It is my job to focus my students on realizing their personal style, and assist them in finding where the welcome mat is out for their set of skills and style.
Digital sound, both in recording and how people listen to the sound, demands subtle performance in many of the book styles and genres (slap me if I say “genre” again. I could have said, “categories,” but it’s French, and makes me sound so…you know).
Economics play a primary role for narrators who may now purchase home recording equipment at a reasonable cost. I guide them into getting the right equipment or usually connect them with the many who are much more knowledgeable than I.
Are there any other fun and interesting facts about narrator training that you’d like to share?
Well, I don’t know how fun this is. More like a mini-rant. Narrating is reading aloud. Most all who seek training have done this all their lives. It’s not rocket surgery. Compared to most all other areas of performance, it’s simple. Those that make it complex are those who want to hold “the keys to the kingdom.” I believe in encouraging performers to get going, get work and get better as they narrate their first audiobook project. The hard part, that no one can teach, is what it’s like spending 20+ hours in a closet recording “90 Days to a Better Prostate.” It ain’t all Hemingway.
Do you have any upcoming sessions? How can an interested person register?
Upcoming sessions? I have more lined up than Justin Bieber appearances. I do have free audiobook narration lessons at my website, patfraley.com. Look for my “Free “ page. Also, at my “Learn” page, there is information on where and what I plan on teaching next. All scheduled around Justin’s appearances, by the way. I have my priorities.
Thanks so much, Pat – plus thank you for your great free resources. And for those of you who want to see and hear examples of the narrators Pat deems solid examples of stellar storytelling, watch and listen to the clips in this 9 minute video – a virtual primer on what to listen for in audio evaluation!
By: Mary Burkey,
on 7/18/2012
What’s happening in the audiobook world? Here’s a round-up of interesting links…
I am totally inspired by the Contra Costa County (CA) Public Library’s “Snap & Go” project to bring library services to mobile phones, winner of the 2012 John Cotton Dana Public Relations Award. When I saw this promotion on the library’s website…
Now on WestCAT buses: Snap & Go QR Technology
Powered by WestCAT and the Contra Costa County Library
Listen to over 600 audiobook titles on the bus with the Contra Costa County Library’s Snap & Go mobile library access. Wirelessly download audiobooks directly to your cell phone for FREE. It’s a great way to pass time on the bus.
Easy as 1-2-3
1) Download a free QR code reader to your phone fromsnapngo.ccclib.org (1x only)
2) Scan the code from a library poster on Tri Delta Transit buses or wherever you see it posted.
3) Select an audiobook to download and enjoy the ride!
I immediately thought about how to make this happen in my school library, stole shared the idea and brainstormed with my public library partner George Morrison. We’re dreaming up ways to pilot this idea on school buses this fall, with the tag line “Stuck on a Bus?” How about QR codes for links to audiobooks of required classroom reads? Bookmarks with QR codes to a genre list of top teen audiobooks or list of always-available classics in both eBook and audio format? What a great project to tweak and tailor to your population – find out more in this article.
The National Endowment for the Arts has released the newest batch of ” “The Big Read” classic titles for adults and teens. The 31 titles each include a “Learn More” tab for an introductory Preface, a Reader’s Guide, Teacher’s Guide and an awesome Audio Guide for each title. The approximately 30 minute Audio Guide is perfect to expand a listener’s appreciation of a book, to add to your library website or for teachers to add to a novel unit. The Big Read will highlight a different audio guide about a Big Read book and author every 2 weeks. You can subscribe the podcast using iTunes, or any other podcatching tool.
“To Prep Or Not to Prep? That Is The Question” is the title of Grammy Award-winning audiobook producer/director Paul Ruben’s newest blog post on the positives & pitfalls of narrators preparing a book for recording. If you’d like an insider’s view of the art & craft of audiobook production, you can’t get much better than the revealing posts in Ruben’s blog.
NPR’s Press-Play Poetry website is the perfect antidote for listeners with heat-induced short attention spans. The newest post of audible poetry is “Summer Song” by William Carlos Williams, along with the poem’s text and background information.
Another audio production insider, Allan Toving of Tantor Audio, has “Tantorious,” an audio blog where you can download and listen
By: Mary Burkey,
on 6/28/2012
See & hear the audiobook gala hosted by Michael Showalter on Tuesday, June 5, 2012, at the New-York Historical Society in New York City. You can get an idea of the glittering fun by clicking this link to 213 photos from the Audies Awards 2012. It would be great if there was some way to tag the names of the faces, so that you could match the real person to your favorite narrator. I’m lucky enough to be next to Dion Graham in #79 & Johnny Heller in #107. Want to hear the ceremonies? You have two chances to tune in…
Here are details from the Audio Publishers Association on how you can listen to the whole event:
Tune into SiriusXM’s Book Radio to Listen to a Recording of the Audies!
Are you still coming down off the great high of this year’s Audies Gala? Do you wish you could relive the night and share the excitement of the evening with family, friends and colleagues who couldn’t be there?
You can!
Tune into SiriusXM’s Book Radio (Channel 80) to listen to a complete broadcast of the awards ceremony.
Airtimes are as follows:
Thursday, June 28 (that’s today!) – 9:30-11:00pm ET/6:30-8:00pm PT
Sunday, July 1 – 4:00-5:30pm ET/1pm-2:30 PTSiriusXM subscribers can also access the broadcast online or via the Book Radio app.
Not a SiriusXM subscriber? You can try SiriusXM’s Internet Radio free for 30 days
By: Mary Burkey,
on 6/23/2012
Two reports on how many audiobooks are published. First, according to this report published in American Libraries, there’s been a hefty number of youth titles over the past year:
According to “Table 6 / Audiobook Average Per-Volume Prices, 2008-2011,” on pages 526-527, the 2011 number of children’s audiobook titles published is 968 and the 2011 number of young adult audiobook titles published is 960.
Compare that with the numbers for print title below, and you’ll see that nearly nearly twenty percent of YA books are sold in audiobook format! But the children’s numbers point out all too well that there’s a much smaller number of audiobook titles for younger listeners each year. Note to producers: there’s a HUGE need for short chapter book audios for intermediate readers!
According to “Table 1 / American Book Production, 2007-2011,” on page 515, the 2011 number of children’s titles published is 20,127 and the 2011 number of young adult titles published is 4,905.
For the complete picture, you can check out BookStats, featuring net unit and dollar sales for the full U.S. publishing industry from 2008 through 2011 here.
To get a handle on how Amazon (owner of the Audible download company and Brilliance Audio) has made inroads on capturing audiobook publishing through actor/producers royalty stipends and actual bounty payments to authors, read this enlightening interview with Jason Ojalvo, Amazon’s VP of Content Creation. Dave Courvoisier interviewed Ojalvo for his Voice Over Blog, focusing on the first year of Amazon’s Audiobook Creation Exchange initiative. Here’s just one interesting snippet:
What other statistics can you share that show the growth and success of ACX?
Ojalvo: About 50 audiobooks go into production every week on ACX. And that number is continuing to grow. Many hundreds of titles are currently in production, and that number continues to swell every month.
And I’ll soon have numbers from the Audio Publishers Association on the growth of the industry as a whole. But one things clear: #JIAM2012 June is Audiobook Month is a great time to celebrate that listeners are consuming more audiobooks than ever, and the increasing production has only heightened the desire more more great titles!
By: Mary Burkey,
on 6/18/2012
Narrators, autographs, FREE audios - #JIAM2012 June is Audiobook Month at the American Library Association’s Annual Convention in Anaheim. If you are attending, add these terrific FREE events to your calendar!
SUNDAY June 24, 1:00pm – 4:00pm PopTop Stage, located at the end of the 2700 aisle on the Exhibit Floor.
Audio Publishers Association hosts “Get Caught Listening!”
Featured will be the various aspects of audiobooks with a mix of authors, voice talent and actors. The APA consists of audio publishing companies and allied suppliers, distributors, and retailers of spoken word products and allied fields related to the production, distribution and sale of audiobooks. Drop by these FREE sessions:
1:00pm Ramon de Ocampo narrator of the Wimpy Kid series and award-winning Producer Bob Deyan, Recorded Books
1:20pm Maggie Stiefvater, Steve West & Fiona Hardingham, author and narrators of 2012 Odyssey Honor, Scorpio Races, Scholastic Audio
1:40pm Nancy Cartwight, voice of Bart Simpson, and Travis Oates, voice of Winnie-the-Pooh’s Piglet, performing radio theater “Stories from the Golden Age”, Galaxy Press
2:00pm Daniel Kraus and Kirby Heyborne, author and narrator of 2012 Odyssey Award winner, Rotters, Listening Library/BOT
2:20pm Trent Reedy and Ariana Delawari, author and narrator, Words in the Dust, Scholastic Audio
2:40pm Director of Audio Production, Dan Zitt and narrator Kathe Mazur to discuss the art of audiobook-making, Random House Audio/BOT
3:00pm Kelly Gildea and Lincoln Hoppe, producer and narrator 2012 Odyssey Honor, Okay for Now, Listening Library/BOT
3:20pm Jennifer Bradshaw and Antony Ferguson, reading from a collection of short stories and The Missing of the Somme, AudioGo
3:40pm David Cochran Heath will be selections from reading from the Bible, Christian Audio
MONDAY June 25, 4:00pm – 5:30pm, Anaheim Convention Center, Room 213D. Cocktail Reception to Follow. The Sweet Sounds of the Odyssey Ceremony – FREE to attend!
The Odyssey Award is given to the producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States. Stepping out from behind the recording booth, your favorite narrators perform a piece from their Odyssey Award-winning audiobooks at this engaging presentation. Celebrating the magic of audio and storytelling has never been so much fun.
PLUS, every attendee walks away with a FRE
By: Mary Burkey,
on 6/6/2012
Congratulations to the winners of the Oscars of the audiobook world! 2012′s top narrators & producers were recognized at the Audio Publishers Association’s Audies Award Gala June 5th at the New York Historical Society in New York City. Comedian, actor, writer and director Michael Showalter emceed the event, where I was thrilled to be in the company of the stars of the industry. The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the Audiobook of the Year recognized for unparalleled listening experiences; creative, innovative and effective marketing; and significant sales impact on the audiobook industry.
Congratulations to the three finalists for Audiobook of the Year:
• American Gods: The Tenth Anniversary Edition, by Neil Gaiman, Narrated by Neil Gaiman, Dennis Boutsikaris, Daniel Oreskes, Ron McLarty, Sarah Jones and a full cast (HarperAudio)
• Go the F**k to Sleep, by Adam Mansbach, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson (Audible)
• Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson, narrated by Dylan Baker with an introduction by the author (Simon & Schuster Audio)
AND THE AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR WINNER IS: Bossypants, written and narrated by Tina Fey (Hachette Audio)
The prestigious Distinguished Achievement in Production Award recognizes a production that represents the best the format has to offer in listening excellence. Congratulations to the three finalists:
• The Mark of Zorro, by Yuri Rasovsky, narrated by Val Kilmer and a full cast (Blackstone Audio, Inc.)
• She Walks in Beauty: A Woman’s Journey Through Poems, selected, introduced and narrated by Caroline Kennedy and a full cast (Hyperion Audio)
• The Witches of Lublin, by Ellen Kushner, Elizabeth Schwartz and Yale Strom, Narrated by Tovah Feldshuh, Neil Gaiman, Simon Jones, Barbara Rosenblat, Elizabeth Boskey, Joanne Borts, Yelena Shmulenson, Joyce Feurring, Tim Jerome, Miriam Margolyes and a full cast (SueMedia Productions)
AND THE DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION AWARD WINNER IS: The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic, by Allan Wolf, narrated by Michael Page, Phil Gigante, Christopher Lane, Laural Merlington and Angela Dawe (Candlewick on Brilliance Audio)
And the winners of the following Audies cataories…
SOLO NARRATION—FEMALE
Rosalyn Landor, narrator of The Winter Sea, by Susanna Kearsley, Audible, Inc.
SOLO NARRATION—MALE
Simon Vance, narrator of The King’s Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy, by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi, Tantor Audio
AUDIO DRAMA
I, Claudius, by Robert Graves, Narrated by Derek Jacobi, Tim McInnerny, Harriet Walter, AudioGO/BBC Audio
BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
Bossypants, by Tina Fey, Narrated by Tina Fey, Hachette Audio
BUSINESS/EDUCATIONAL
The Barefoot Executive, by Carrie Wilkerson, Narrated by Carrie Wilkerson, Oasis Audio
CHILDREN’S TITLES FOR AGES 8-12
Heart and Soul, by Kadir Nelson, Narrated by Debbie Allen, HarperAudio
CHILDREN’S TITLES FOR AGES UP TO 8
Django: World’s Greatest Jazz Guitarist, by Bonnie Christensen, Narrated by George Guidall, Live Oak Media
CLASSIC
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, by Charles Dickens, Narrated by Simon Vance,�
By: Mary Burkey,
on 4/17/2012
Watch & listen to VH1′s “Mob Wives” star in the recording booth as she narrates her autobiography Mob Daughter. I love seeing the director & engineer at work, and hearing a tough chapter and the emotional reactions that won’t make it into the final polished recording. Karen, daughter of Sammy ‘the Bull’ Gravano, was nineteen years old when her father turned his back on the mob and cooperated with the Feds. Listen here as she describes the day her father revealed his decision.
By: Mary Burkey,
on 4/14/2012
So says Nate Hoffelder’s post on The Digital Reader, with some serious food for thought. Here’s a quote:
Amazon made a move today which shows that they’re nit just trying to cut publishers out of the ebook market; they’re horning in on the audiobook market as well.
They’ve just announced a new $20 million fund for authors. They’re calling it Audible Author Services, and authors who sign up will get a buck for each copy of an audiobook sold via Audible. Clever, no?
The purchase of audiobook producer Brilliance Audio in mid-2007 gave Amazon a toe-hold in the recording, duplicating, and distribution of physical audiobooks. Amazon’s purchase of audiobook download innovator Audible in early 2008 certainly heralded an interest in the growning audio marketplace. And when Brilliance Audio suspended distribution to public libraries of all digital titles through OverDrive early this year, it wasn’t hard to see Amazon’s shadow. I asked some audio insiders about Amazon’s new Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) during a set of four interviews here on Audiobooker last December, and received mostly positive responses. In Hoffelder’s post, he has this to say:
And yes, I do think the long term goal is to bypass publishers. Amazon wants authors to sign in with their existing Amazon accounts, you know, the ones they use to submit their ebooks to KDP. This is going to let Amazon connect 2 possibly unrelated details about each author.
Also, this new program is being administered via Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX), Audible’s new self-pub platform for audiobooks. There are even a few subtle hints that authors might want to check the ACX help pages for tips on promoting their work. Clearly Amazon is looking to build a direct relationship.
My opinion? Amazon wants in on the explosive growth of audio and has a clear campaign. From testing the waters of the physical market with Brilliance, to developing a way for authors to contract narrators for, in essence, self-publishing titles for download via ACX & Audible – Amazon has shown their marketing savvy. In channeling audiobook creation away from traditional publishers, Amazon removes availability from the current model of library acquisition. Libraries now face the same dilemmas with audiobooks as eBooks – a limited number of download providers, publishers pulling out of library download agreements, a self-publishing market difficult to assess and provide to patrons. Where do we go from here? Down another trail in the Wild West of digital life for libraries. Hold on for a rough ride…
By: Mary Burkey,
on 2/20/2012
The Audio Publishers Association will award the “Oscars” of audiobooks, the Audies, on June 5, 2012. Today the APA announced the finalists for this year’s honors. Take a look at all the nominees below for a fantastic list to add to my compilation of 2011 audiobook “Bests.” This announcement is perfect timing for library A/V departments looking for a new audiobook display or website splash page – why not capitalize on Oscar fever with a feature on possible Audies winners? And for audiobook listeners, time to reserve & download selections from the nominee list to catch this year’s best listening!
AUDIO DRAMA
The Arthur Miller Collection, by Arthur Miller, Narrated by Stacy Keach, Richard Dreyfuss, Ed O’Neill, Brian Cox and a full cast, L.A. Theatre Works
The Graduate, adapted for the stage by Terry Johnson, based on the novel by Charles Webb and the screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry, Narrated by Bruce Davidson, John Getz, Jamison Jones, Devon Sorvari, Linda Purl, Matthew Rhys and Kathleen Turner, L.A. Theatre Works
I, Claudius, by Robert Graves, Narrated by Derek Jacobi, Tim McInnerny, Harriet Walter, AudioGO/BBC Audio
The Mark of Zorro, by Johnston McCulley and Yuri Rasovsky, Narrated by Val Kilmer and a full cast, Blackstone Audio
We’re Alive, by Kc Wayland, Narrated by a full cast, Blackstone Audio
BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
Bossypants, by Tina Fey, Narrated by Tina Fey, Hachette Audio
The Dirty Life, by Kristin Kimball, Narrated by Tavia Gilbert, Tantor Audio
Here Comes Trouble, by Michael Moore, Narrated by Michael Moore, Hachette Audio
My Dog Tulip, by J.R. Ackerley, Narrated by Ralph Cosham, Blackstone Audio
Until Tuesday, by Louis Carlos Montalvan, Narrated by Louis Carlos Montalvan, Audible, Inc.
BUSINESS/EDUCATIONAL
23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism, by Ha-Joon Chang, Narrated by Joe Barrett, Audible, Inc.
Aftershock: Protect Yourself and Profit in the Next Global Financial Meltdown, by David Wiedemer, Robert A. Wiedemer and Cindy S. Spitzer, Narrated by Christopher Kipiniak, Audible, Inc.
The Barefoot Executive, by Carrie Wilkerson, Narrated by Carrie Wilkerson, Oasis Audio
The Blue Sweater, by Jacqueline Novogratz, Narrated by Jacqueline Novogratz, Audible, Inc.
I’m Feeling Lucky, by Douglas Edwards, Narrated by Douglas Edwards, Audible, Inc.
The Thank You Economy, by Gary Vaynerchuk, Narrated by Gary Vaynerchuk, HarperAudio
CHILDREN’S TITLES FOR AGES 8-12
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles, Narrated by Emma Galvin, Random House Audio/Listening Library
The Flint Heart, by Katherine Paterson and John Paterson, Narrated by Ralph Lister, Brilliance Audio
Heart and Soul, by Kadir Nelson, Narrated by Debbie Allen, HarperAudio
The Hidden Valley: The Incorrigible Children of Aston Place: Book II, by Maryrose Wood, Narrated by Katherine Kellgren, HarperAudio
A Tale Dark and Grimm, by Adam Gidwitz, Narrated by Johnny Heller, Recorded Books, LLC
CHILDREN’S TITLES FOR AGES UP TO 8
Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson, by Charles R. Smith, Jr., Narrated by Dion Graham, Live Oak Media
Django: W
By: Mary Burkey,
on 1/24/2012
The year’s best listening named by the American Library Association’s youth divisions in a just-completed conference in Dallas. Yes, the total list of award-winners announce yesterday has plenty of great titles, too. But there are three committees that focus on the unique attributes of audiobook production and narration when selecting the best.
ALSC, the Association for Library Service to Children, evaluates titles for children from ages birth through fourteen, and includes music in the Notable Children’s Recording list. Check out the list of 28 titles available here: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists/ncr
YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association, selects audiobooks for listeners ages twelve through eighteen for their list. You can see this year’s list of 30 titles here: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/audiobooks/2012
And the Big Kahuna is the Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production. The Odyssey committee, comprised of both ALSC and YALSA members, collaborate to name one winner and honor titles as the most distinguished examples of sound literature, for listeners ages birth through eighteen. This year’s winner is Rotters, written by Daniel Kraus, narrated by Kirby Heyborne, and produced by Odyssey-winner Listening Library. Mesmerizing, horrifying, yet grounded in solid reality – Rotters is utterly amazing. You can read my starred review here, and my “Talking With” interview with Dan about his reactions to revisiting his work as an audio production here. Liz Hannegan & her stalwart committee members -who listened to over 500 submissions (yes, you read that right!!) – shared a happy moment with Booklist consultant Sue-Ellen Beauregard and author Kraus right after the award announcement in the photo above.
There were four Odyssey Honor titles:
Ghetto Cowboy, written by G. Neri, narrated by JD Jackson and produced by Brilliance Audio.
Okay for Now, written by Gary D. Schmidt, narrated by Lincoln Hoppe and produced by Listening Library.
The Scorpio Races, written by Maggie Stiefvater, narrated by Steve Westand Fiona Hardingham and produced by Scholastic Audiobooks.
Young Fredle, written by Cynthia Voigt, narrated by Wendy Carter and produced by Listening Library.
So get your headphones warmed up and start listening – if you manage one title a week, that’s more that a year’s worth of great audiobooks!
By: Mary Burkey,
on 12/16/2011
Reflections by Weston Woods/Scholastic Audio producer on changes in audiobook creation. I asked five industry pros about the shift from studio production teams to solo narrators recording in home studios for my January “Voices in My Head” column in Booklist. Their answers are so thoughtful that I want to share every word with you, before the column with their abridged remarks appears next month. You’ll hear from all five – Gagne, Tavia Gilbert, Johnny Heller, Barbara Rosenblat, and Paul Ruben - one each week in alphabetical order. Today I’m hosting a man whose work has been recognized in so many ways, including Odyssey Award Honors, in his 30+ years in the industry. It’s interesting to compare Paul Gagne’s remarks below with an interview here on Audiobooker from 2009 that also includes an adorable audio interview with Mo Willems & daughter Trixie.
PG: I think that publishers are continuing to feel the long-term effects of a weakened economy, combined with the market shift from physical audio CDs to digital formats. With the consumer price of a digital copy generally being less than that of a physical CD, a publisher needs to sell more copies to net the same profit. So there’s an ongoing concern with reducing production costs, and a good narrator who can offer one-stop shopping by doing their own recording and editing can give the publisher significant savings in the cost per finished hour.
PG: I’m very old-school in believing that an actor, a director and a sound engineer in a good studio all bring something vital to the table in any audiobook production, and that each of their contributions affects the performance and the overall sound quality of the finished recording. I think it’s critical to have an actor who can give a solid reading, a director to listen intently and offer coaching and suggestions to draw the best performance out of the actor, and an engineer monitoring the technical quality, flagging character voices to easily play a line back if a reference is needed for consistency, and carefully checking the actor’s spoken words against the script for accuracy. I’m very much aware of the trend toward working with narrators in their home studios, but I’ve been very reluctant to go there, and will probably only do so kicking and screaming. For one thing, I think that the recording quality is likely to fluctuate from narrator to narrator depending on the equipment they have and the effectiveness of whatever soundproofing they have installed in their home studios. More importantly, I don’t want my casting choices limited to only those actors who have home studios — I want to be able to cast the best reader for a given book from the full pool of available talent, period.
To answer the second part of your quest
By: Mary Burkey,
on 12/8/2011
It’s official. Downloads = 52% of sales in 2010, while CDs = 43%, as reported in the newest industry survey conducted by the Audio Publishers Association. That leaves 5% for other formats such as cassettes (yes there are still a few produced) or Playaways. Yet the statistics also show that the shift doesn’t necessarily mean more dollars for audio publishers – there’s more revenue from physical media. But the shift to digital has also triggered a huge jump in the industry’s growth – 2010 had twice as many audiobooks published than just three years before. You’ll see the survey highlights below, but only members of the Audio Publishers Association can see the full survey results – and librarians are welcome to join 
These statistics mirror the reactions from five industry insiders I recently interviewed for my upcoming January “Voices in My Head” column titled “Digital Shift Happens,” which will include the abridged version of fascinating insights into the changing world of audiobook creation. I’ll be featuring my complete interviews here on Audiobooker over the next few weeks, so stay tuned for more on the subject from Johnny Heller, Paul Gagne, Tavia Gilbert, Barbara Rosenblat, and Paul Ruben.
2011 Industry Sales Survey Report reflecting sales data from the 2010 calendar year
Survey Highlights:
By: Mary Burkey,
on 7/27/2011
AudioGo has merged with Audio Bookshelf, publisher of award-winning audiobooks for children since 1992. AudioGo (formerly BBC Audiobooks America) will expand their catalog to include a growing roster of new AudioGO Children’s imprint titles, incorporating Audio Bookshelf’s diverse catalog of children’s and young adult titles now recorded, packaged and distributed by AudioGO.
By: Mary Burkey,
on 7/27/2011
Report on The Name of the Star, the newest from Johnson, as recorded by Barber in the Brilliance Audio studios, featured in this post by Sarah Debraski on “The Hub,” YALSA’s literature blog. I especially liked Debraski’s observations on being inside the audiobook studio:
There were really so many interesting things I learned about audiobooks, including:
Unlike filming a movie, recorded books are typically read beginning to end, completely in order.
Brilliance Audio uses the traditional “three legged stool” approach to recording–using a narrator, an engineer, and a director to create the recording. The engineer and director both listen, but for different things. The engineer is listening for sound quality (and indeed, twice, the engineer stopped the recording to go adjust a buzzing light that only he could hear), while the director is listening to ensure “fidelity to the book.”
They recorded using a common style called “punch in.” In the punch in style the narrator, when she would make an error, would simply pause. The engineer would play back the beginning of the sentence and she would just jump right into it, without having to start all over again. It’s not like doing takes of a movie. I was pretty amazed that they were able to do this without discussion about starting from where or when, they just did it.
Apparently it is exceptionally difficult to find an actor or actress who can truly convincingly go back and forth between an American and British character (which this narrator could do.)
A good standard ratio for a reader is 2:1, which means 2 hours of reading to get 1 hour finished product. (They said that the narrator we saw was more like 1.25:1.)
Once the reading is done the production studio (which is where we were) does not have much more to do to the product. It gets sent to the publishing company studios for finishing, which includes things like adding any music and credits.
A special fascinating tidbit for librarians:An audio recording of a book gets seven unique ISBNs for all the different formats!
Thanks for the report, Sarah! Can’t wait to listen 
By: Mary Burkey,
on 7/9/2011
Chiming in to Fuse #8 Production blog today. Just had to add my two cent’s worth about audiobooks to the questions raised in Betsy Bird’s post below:
Say you’re a children’s librarian. Your office is directly connected to the picture book room and due to the layout of the space the walls of your space do not reach the ceiling. This means that anyone in the attached room can be heard with crystal clear clarity. Maybe that’s not so great when you’re eating your ham sandwich for lunch and can hear five five-year-olds running hell-for-leather around the space while their parents gab, but generally it’s charming. Particularly when you get to overhear parents reading to their children. One day you might hear a stirring rendition of The Lonely Doll. The next, you’re getting ideas for storytime due to how a British dad reads The Terrible Plop.
But what if the parental reader is an awful reader? This is often the case, after all. Sometimes, for whatever reason, a parent isn’t particularly good at reading a book aloud. This might be because they are unaccustomed to the activity, or it could be because English is not their first language. Maybe they’re embarrassed to be heard giving voice to a smarmy pigeon or a truculent pig. Or perhaps they always speak in a monotone anyway, and reading a book is never going to be any different.
Whatever the case, it got me to thinking. We all know that it is incredibly important for parents to read to their children from a very young age. With that in mind, what I’m about to ask is akin to near treason in the children’s librarian world. Still, it’s something that has been floating about in my brain. I had a chance to hash it out with another librarian recently, and I feel no closer to an answer. Maybe you have an idea about the following then:
When a poor reader reads aloud to a child, can that person do more harm than good in instilling a love of reading?
My instinct is to say no, of course not. A great book can survive even the worst reading. But if a bad reader has been reading poorly to a child from day one, does that mean that the kid is ruined for books from Day One onwards? I shouldn’t think so, but I wonder if any studies have been done on the subject. I suppose not since defining a “good” reader sounds like a fairly subjective supposition to start from. Still, have studies been done about reading with a single tone versus reading to children with a tone that jumps and jives? Should there be such studies? What could possibly be done if such a study took place anyway? Would parents suddenly be inclined to “train” to learn how to read aloud to their children? Does such a state of affairs already exist? And, if not, wouldn’t the person who taps into parental fears and insecurities make a tidy bundle if they advertised classes meant to teach parents how to read to their kids “the right way”?
The librarian I mentioned all this too argued that if a parent reads poorly and doesn’t give any context to the reading (saying something angrily when a character is angry, for example) then they aren’t teaching their children properly and the kid loses out. I dunno. Sort of sounds right.
Your thoughts on the matter?
and about this bit in a comment on the post:
I believe *adults* are more apt to be influenced by a person’s voice. We recently borrowed an audio book from the library that I absolutely refused to listen to because of the reader’s voice (it was a recent newbery too!) I had to blast other noise over top of it whenever the kids listened to it in the other room, it was so awful. But that’s the thing… the kids listened to it. Constantly. They love story, reg
1 Comments on Ponderable: Do Bad Readers Affect a Love of Books?, last added: 7/10/2011Display Comments Add a Comment
By: Mary Burkey,
on 6/21/2011
June 27th: Top narrators, a goody bag & reception, all for FREE. A great finish to the American Library Association’s Annual Conference in New Orleans, whether you are an audio aficionado or new to the genre.
Celebrate the spoken word at the 2011 Odyssey Award Presentation featuring clips from the 2011 winners of the award that highlights the most excellent audiobook productions for children and young adults. Bahni Turpin, the reader of Odyssey winner The True Meaning of Smekday (Listening Library), is slated to speak as are MacLeod Andrews (narrator of Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green, Brilliance Audio), Emma Bering and Emily Janice Card (narrators of Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, Listening Library), Booklist’s Voice of Choice Katherine Kellgren (narrator of Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman, Listening Library), and Nick Podehl (narrator of The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, Brilliance Audio).
This free program concludes with a reception sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association and a cash bar. The Odyssey Award is presented annually to the best audiobook production for youth. It is co-administered by YALSA and ALSC and is sponsored by Booklist magazine. The Odyssey Award Presentation and Program, will take place Monday, June 27, from 4:00-5:30pm in room 356-357, New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Hope to see you there!
This is a great peek behind the curtain, thank you for this.
To work totally editor free is an awesome experience, to do whatever you want feels nice….. and scary.
the truth is I like working with editors, I learned a LOT working with them, When I was in Image, even Jim Valentino and Erik Larsen gave us great advice. Then with Scott Allie I learned (and keep doing so) great things and made me a better storyteller.
Having that outside eye is really important, and making changes are not a bad thing at all, we creators sometimes are so in love with what we’re doing that we cannot separate ourselves from our work to find the flaws, and an editor definitely can.
I think Editors will stay for as long as there are comics.
Editors thriving?
Hahahaha! Oh good one.
Good editors are often like good bartenders, to be friends and confidants, sounding boards and in some cases uncredited co-writers. Every creative team and project is different. Approach on a corporate owned project is completely different to a creator owned one. So many variables and you have to be able to handle all of them.
Like the big publishing houses, the comics editors have been viewed as not integral to the end product by the bean counters like Ike Perlmutter. Many traffic managers have been allowed to assume the ‘Editor’ title in lieu of a pay rise.
DC’s best editors were Archie Goodwin and Andy Helfer. Marvel had people like Ann Nocenti and Louise Simonson. Image don’t have any editors but they do have some great production people who read most of what they handle and pass on any mistakes they just happen to catch.
That’s not to say good editors aren’t at these companies but they’re usually overworked, underpaid, and told not to upset the talent by interfering.
Rewrite someone’s script? Most creators used to get the opportunity to rewrite their own unless they were unwilling to do what the publisher wanted or went awol (it happens), but if you don’t get the approval or acknowledgment of the creator good luck surviving the next month on social media.
Then there were the Marvel years where artists would get plots and then drew whatever they felt like drawing. Writer gets three or four issue ahead before he sees pencils to dialogue and can’t find his story in there beyond page three. Realizes his other scripts are now useless.
Ah, editors. Last out the office, first to be shit on.
What Dave Elliott said. Exactly.
Editors definitely seem to be underappreciated, which I explained in the article. But they’re increasingly in-demand amongst creators at publishers like Image, so in creator-owned comics at least I think they’re being viewed as increasingly important.
This post is terrible.
Dustin, be prepared to support your answer!
Reading article it seams that that today’s editors are simply focusing on production and financial matters rather than on the actual editing.
“Over the past 20+ years Image Comics has grown from a vanity publisher for the top talents of the 90s into a trendsetter and home to a diverse range of popular titles and creators. ”
I don’t think Vanity Publisher is an apt description of Image at it’s outset, unless of course you’re John Byrne. They’ve also been trendsetters, for better and worse, for most of the time since their inception.
Heidi this post needed… an editor. Backing up the “editorial interference is often overstated” subhead with a scoffing Nick Lowe tweet is not exactly digging into a topic. Nor is the rest of the post, which seems more like a long commercial for whatever Andy Schmidt is selling. Whatever the role of or possible need for editors might be in today’s comics landscape, I know exactly 0% more than I did when I started reading this, but I do know a ton more about Andy Schmidt. Andy Schmidt. Andy Schmidt!