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  2. How It Works
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About ACX

How It Works

Audio Production Resources

Promote Yourself

Need Help?

Frequently Asked Questions

Contracts and Agreements

How long is the distribution term for my audiobook once it’s done?

Audible will have the right to distribute your audiobook for seven years. (Remember that you can choose an exclusive or non-exclusive distribution option.)

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As a Rights Holder, how much will I get paid?

Your income from audiobook sales will depend on how many audiobooks you sell. ACX pays higher royalties to Rights Holders that choose exclusive distribution over non-exclusive distribution of 40% versus 25%.

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How will my audiobook be sold if I choose the exclusive option?

A Rights Holder's books sold exclusively through ACX will be available for digital download to consumers on Audible, Amazon and iTunes. These three leading digital retailers in the market reach the vast majority of audiobook buyers.

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How will my audiobook be sold if I choose the non-exclusive option?

If you, a Rights Holder, choose the non-exclusive distribution option your audiobook can distributed through any retailer. By posting your book on ACX, that means that, if the book is made into an audiobook, the audiobook will, at minimum, be available for digital download to consumers on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. These three leading digital retailers in the market reach the vast majority of audiobook buyers. If Rights Holders want to distribute their audiobooks outside of Audible, Amazon, and iTunes, then those arrangements must be made independent of ACX.

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Who pays in a P4P deal?

Producers that enter into a Pay-for-Production deal with an ACX Rights Holder are paid directly by the Rights Holder at the completion of the project. Please contact the Rights Holders directly for payment. Once payment is received, go to the title profile on ACX.com for that project and indicate that you have been paid, which completes the process for your production of the audiobook and will release it for distribution to our retail channels. For more information, read the full Royalty Payment Terms and Procedures.

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Can I change my contract from Exclusive to Non-exclusive?

Changing the distribution rights to your audiobook depends on the payment option you have chosen. If the audiobook was completed as a pay-for-production deal, the distribution rights can be changed from exclusive to non-exclusive after it has been live in the store for one year. If this audiobook is in a royalty share deal, then the agreement can never be changed. For more information, please reference section 12.a. of the Book Posting Agreement

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Can I receive an extension on the deadline for my audiobook project?

Due dates do not have to be changed on the ACX site. As long as both the Rights Holder and Producer agree to a later date, you do not need to make changes to your contract.

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What if I am under a contract before March 12, 2014?

Books that went into contracts by March 12, 2014 will continue to accrue royalties under the structures that escalate for every 500 units sold (25%-70% for non-exclusively distributed titles and 50%-90% for exclusively distributed titles).

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Can I dissolve my audiobook production contract?

Contract cancellations will need to be reviewed by our Rights department. If you have contacted your Producer or Rights Holder and agreed to dissolve your contract, please send an e-mail to info@acx.com from your ACX email address with your name, the request, and the reason for your request. You must also CC the other party to notify us of your mutual dissolution request. We are unable to process your request without consent from both parties.

If you do not have the other party's email address, please use the ACX message system to agree on the terms of your dissolution. After you have come to an agreement, please email ACX at info@acx.com with your name, the request, and the reason for the request.

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What happens if I realize during the audiobook production process that I don’t hold the rights to the title?

If you approved the 15 Minute Checkpoint, the production can still be canceled by paying the Producer a “kill fee.”

  • If Rights Holder and Producer have agreed to a one-time production fee arrangement, Rights Holder must pay Producer a cancellation fee equal to 50% of the estimated production fee as set forth in the Deal Confirmation Page.
  • If Rights Holder and Producer have agreed to a royalty share arrangement, Rights Holder must pay Producer a cancellation fee equal to $100 base plus $100 per finished hour times the projected number of finished hours (in 10 minute increments) in the Deal Confirmation Page; up to a maximum of $2,500.

More details are available in the Production Standard Terms.

Remember that Producers are putting a lot of time and effort into producing the audiobook, so we’ve tried to build a system that is fair to both Rights Holders and Producers. Being considerate to the hardworking Producers is why it’s good to be 100% certain about your rights before beginning a project.

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What happens if I realize after my audiobook's already on sale that I don’t hold the rights to the title?

Per the rules outlined in the Account Holder Agreement and Book Posting Agreement, the following steps will be taken if you no longer hold the rights to a completed production:

  • Audible will remove the audiobook from distribution on Audible, Amazon.com, and iTunes.
  • You must return all royalties you've earned from the audiobook to Audible.
  • You agree to indemnify and protect Audible, its sub-distributors and any other ACX participant from any losses or liabilities incurred because you did not have, or it is claimed you did not have, all the rights required to grant the rights you granted through ACX. This means that, among other things, you may be required to pay for the cost of counsel to defend Audible, its sub-distributors, and other ACX participants, and to pay for damages awarded in a court of law.

Only post titles to ACX that you are completely confident that you control the audio rights to it.

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