Hello! And fatigue question

[Chloeruth]

Hello everyone! I've just joined because I've had so much enjoyment listening to the librivox recordings.

I have severe chronic fatigue, and so am unable to hit deadlines- I read that to do solo you had to do a group one first but I'm not going to be able to do that, and so I wondered if there was a way for me to choose a book read it solo and submit it in my own time to manage my illness?

Thanks for creating such brilliant audios

Chloe

[TriciaG]

You have 2 months to complete a section in a group project. Is that not enough time?

EDIT TO ADD: The reasoning behind doing a section in a group project is threefold: (1) it gets your feet wet in recording and submitting files; (2) it helps you know what you're getting yourself into. A whole book is a LOT of work, more than just recording. The editing, depending on how you do it and how many mistakes you made during recording, can take up to 5 times as long as the actual recording. (3) it introduces you to the Magic Window and other systems here. As a soloist, you're your own Book Coordinator and are in charge of managing your own Magic Window.

That said, if you do the 1-minute test and have all your settings (volume, bit rate, noise level, etc.) correct, there's nothing stopping you from recording a book on your own at your own pace using the correct LibriVox intro and outro, then coming here, setting up the project, and uploading it at your convenience. Just be aware that you'll have to stick around to make any corrections to the files.

[Chloeruth]

Great, thank you for the reply- I'll have a think about it:)
Best
Chloe

[MaryAnnSpiegel]

Chloe,

I'm sorry to hear you struggle with chronic fatigue. I do hope you can still find a way to contribute here despite your illness.

It would be good to start with a section or two from a group project for all the reasons Tricia mentioned. Once you've had that experience, you'll know better the work involved and can judge if you want to take on a solo project.

And don't be put off by the deadlines on a group project. They are there to make sure that the projects keep moving and that we are being fair to all the readers on a project, including those who have already submitted recordings and want to see those get into the catalog sooner rather than later.

I suggest that you start by picking something short and easy to get your feet wet with. Maybe wait until you are feeling a bit of energy and are ready to give recording a go, then claim one section. That way you can get a start on it on a good day and you won't have a big block of things hanging over your head on those low days. You might try a children's book or a poetry project; those often have shorter sections that take less time to complete. The deadlines are spelled out in the first post of each project thread: 2 months for most projects, 1 month for some poetry projects. Keep that deadline in mind. If you're not going to make it, that's fine. There's nothing embarrassing about that. If you can post or send a PM to your BC, that would be appreciated. If not, just know that they will release your claim once the deadline passes and allow someone else to claim the section. When you have the energy, swing back and see if there is another section that you'd like to read - either in that project or something different. The open projects are constantly changing, so there is always something interesting and new to pick from.

I think that once you get a sense of how long it takes to record and edit a section, you'll be able to judge how much you can commit to at one time and you'll be able to plug in here at a level that suits your situation.

Wishing you the best,
MaryAnn

[kayray]

You could start with the Weekly Poem! You don't need to make a claim -- you just record and submit the poem (after your 1-minute test is OK'd). If you miss the deadline one week, there will be another Weekly Poem posted soon. No big deal.

Here is the Short Works forum, where the Weekly Poem is posted: viewforum.php?f=19

You could do this every week for a while to get a feel for what it takes, and then claim a short chapter in a collaborative book. We can help you find something short and easy to start with. Kids' books often have short, easy-to-read chapters. :)

It's very important to us that our volunteers are having FUN! :)

[MaryAnnSpiegel]

Great suggestion Kara!

I had not thought about the weekly poem. The weekly poems are generally quite short, so it's possible to finish them up in a single recording session.

And Chloeruth, Kara is right - this is about having FUN! Don't ever loose sight of that or let the process or deadlines drag you down. You'll find this to be a very supportive community and we are here to help if you run into any bumps along the way!

MaryAnn

[Elizabby]

Hi Chloe! I'm in a similar situation with a chronic illness which causes fatigue and varying energy levels.

The community here is pretty understanding, and the deadlines can be flexible, especially if you choose a project that isn't too close to completion. I suggest looking in the "Short Works" forum for a short story or poem to start with, something like this: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=65574 (scroll down to the bottom for the shortest stories)

I really do think it is easiest to start by participating in a group project, where you have a Book Coordinator to guide you through the process. If you do a solo first up, you are your own BC, which means you have less support. If you think the Weekly Poem is too quick for you, have a look at another poetry project, like this one: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=66036

Good luck!

[JenniferFour]

Another idea: there are short story collections you could contribute to. On your own time, you pick and record a short story (sci-fi, ghost, etc- there are lots of collections). Then you just add it to whichever collection (50, 51, etc) that is open at the time. All on your own schedule, no deadlines, and much shorter than a full book so you can test the waters.

Short story collection:

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=66090