Hi there
I am using Windows 10 and Audacity 2.4.1.
I have been recording some “short stories” for an audible book. A recent one had me recording for a total of 2.5 hours (took my time, had a few do-overs, had to stop and attend to my needy meowing cat!).
Would you recommend I split this into perhaps 2 or 3 separate recordings before I start working on editing? And if I do, would I paste them back into 1 full recording before starting the mastering suite of effects?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Shelly
It may not be optional. You have to conform to their submission structure.

https://www.acx.com/help/acx-audio-submission-requirements/201456300
2 or 3 separate recordings
That’s dangerous because the ends have to match when you jam them back together, plus the total has to conform to their technical requirements. You get really good at zooming and selecting. One trick is to make a loud noise when you make a mistake so you can find the edit points later. Some performers like the Punch and Roll method where you patch errors in semi-real time.
https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/punch_and_roll_record.html
I have been recording some “short stories” for an audible book.
Can I buy these short stories on Amazon? What’s the link? The process is not free-form.
Koz
It’s not unusual for home readers to fail environment noise. You can submit a short test to the forum and we can look at it.
https://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/TestClip/Record_A_Clip.html
Don’t do anything to it. No volume corrections, filters or effects. Shorten it if you need to by cutting and post it. It needs to be in WAV format so we can analyze it.
Koz
Thanks. I had forgotten anout the 2 hour limit. I’ve already removed 15 mins of silence recorded when I took breaks and dealt with my cat. Once edited I feel sure it will be less than 2 hours for this section.
My previous recordings have all met ACX requirements using the mastering suite so all should be ok.
Thanks again
Shelly
Are you an already published reader? ACX quietly removed many of the on-ramps for new authors, readers, and author-readers.
There is the Amazon requirement and apparently, there is no more Cold Audition.
Koz
Not published yet. I’ve submitted a lot of auditions and been fortunate enough to be offered 2 of them to record and produce.
Not published yet.
Save your screens, messages, and interactions with ACX. It’s the only way we have, other than trying to publish an actual book, to build an experience or real-world interaction process so to warn others.
Koz
Will do. Thanks for the warning
Hi Koz
You and this forum have helped me out over the last few months with audacity and sound issues.
I just wanted to let you know that my first audiobook has just been published on Audible (Malice by Christina Engela).
I was very relieved to get through the ACX technical checks.
Thanks again for all your help.
Shelly