I am ready to go.. but how?

kirbycairo · Post by **kirbycairo** » January 21st, 2009, 6:20 pm

I am ready to try my hand at recording a book but I still can't understand where to start. Can I chose a book or do i need to do something that someone is requesting? PLease advise.

Starlite · Post by **Starlite** » January 21st, 2009, 6:37 pm

Check out this:

http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/HowToVolunteer

and then this:

http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/NewbieGuideToRecording

And most of all HAVE FUN!

Esther

PaulW · Post by **PaulW** » January 21st, 2009, 7:23 pm

We generally suggest that new readers start out with something short, either a piece of poetry (the weekly poetry project is usually quite short), or a short story for one of the many short story collections, all of which can be found in the Readers Wanted: Short Works forum. After that, it's probably best that you volunteer for a few chapters in one or two of the group projects that are looking for readers in the Readers Wanted: Books forum. Or you can take a part in one of the open dramatic projects in the Readers Wanted: Dramatic Works forum.

Taking on a whole book by yourself as a solo, even a short book, can be a lot more work than it seems like at first, so that's why we suggest you start out this way. We suggest that you not take on a solo project until after you have some experience with the recording and editing processes.

As far as what to read, anything that is in the public domain in the US is fair game for Librivox (with a few exceptions, notably the two PD Agatha Christie works). Copyright status can sometimes be tricky, but anything that was originally published anywhere in the world prior to 1923 is public domain in the US, and some works that were originally published in the US between 1923 and about 1963 or 64 that didn't have copyrights renewed are also PD. Our wiki (the Guides for Listeners and Volunteers) has a whole section on determining copyright status. You can pice something that someone else has suggested if it interests you, or you can pick a favorite of your own.

If you have more questions, please ask, and we'll do our best to answer them. And, as Esther said, have fun!

RuthieG · Post by **RuthieG** » January 22nd, 2009, 12:32 am

PaulW wrote:Copyright status can sometimes be tricky, but anything that was originally published anywhere in the world prior to 1923 is public domain in the US,

All Librivox recordings must be Public Domain in the USA because that is where our files are hosted, but do bear in mind also that what you record should also be in the Public Domain where you live. As you live in Canada, the author should have died before 1959, as Canadian copyright laws stipulate that copyright remains for 50 years after the author's death.

Ruth