Audiobook Distribution Specialist Needed for ACX, Retail and Library Platforms

Audiobook Distribution Expert Needed for ACX, Spotify, Apple Books & Library Platforms Project Type One-time fixed-price project with milestone payments. About Brucemont Communications Brucemont Communications is a boutique publishing, marketing, and communications firm supporting authors with publishing, distribution, and promotional services. We are seeking an experienced audiobook publishing and distribution specialist to manage the complete distribution of a client’s finished audiobook. Strong performance on this project may lead to additional publishing work with Brucemont Communications. Project Overview Our client, author Chuck Hutchison, has completed production of an audiobook. The following assets are ready: Professionally produced individual MP3 chapter files Existing portrait-oriented book cover Existing print-book metadata Book description Author information Narrator information The selected freelancer will take these existing assets and complete all remaining work necessary for the audiobook to be approved, distributed, and offered through the appropriate audiobook retail, streaming, and library platforms. This is not a narration or full audiobook production project. The audio recording is complete. However, the freelancer must review the supplied files for technical compliance and identify or correct any remaining submission issues. Critical Account-Ownership Requirement All distributor, retailer, and publishing accounts used for this project must be owned and controlled by either: Chuck Hutchison, or Brucemont Communications The freelancer must work within accounts established in Chuck’s or Brucemont Communications’ name. The freelancer may not: Upload the audiobook through the freelancer’s own publisher account Use an account owned by the freelancer’s company or agency Retain control of distributor accounts after the project Receive or collect royalties on behalf of the client enter into any distribution agreement in the freelancer’s own name create any arrangement that gives the freelancer an ownership interest or revenue share in the audiobook All platform credentials, recovery information, tax information, payment information, ISBN records, metadata, files, and administrative rights must remain under the control of Chuck Hutchison or Brucemont Communications from the beginning of the project. Where a platform allows multiple users or administrators, the freelancer may be granted temporary access. Passwords should not be transferred unnecessarily when secure delegated access is available. Scope of Work 1. Review Audiobook Rights and Distribution Readiness Review the materials and information supplied by Brucemont Communications and identify anything that must be resolved before distribution. The freelancer should confirm that the project appears ready for submission and flag any concerns involving: Audiobook distribution rights Narrator permissions Master recording ownership Publisher information Copyright information Territory rights Existing distribution arrangements Possible conflicts with the print-book publisher The freelancer is not expected to provide legal advice but must identify common rights or ownership issues that could affect submission. 2. Review and Quality-Control the Audio Files Review all individual MP3 files and determine whether they comply with the current requirements of the selected distributors and platforms. The review should include: File type and encoding Bit rate Sample rate Channel format Peak levels RMS or loudness levels Noise floor Chapter sequence Chapter naming Opening credits Closing credits Head and tail room Excessive silence Missing or duplicated sections Retail sample Consistency between files The freelancer must provide a clear report identifying: Files that are submission-ready Files requiring correction Corrections the freelancer can make Corrections requiring the original audio engineer or producer Minor file preparation and formatting should be included in the proposal. Any major editing, remastering, or rerecording requirement must be identified before additional charges are incurred. 3. Prepare the Audiobook Cover Adapt the existing portrait-oriented book cover into a square audiobook cover that complies with the requirements of all selected platforms. The final cover should: Use the existing brand and design Be properly sized and formatted Be readable at thumbnail size Clearly display the title and author Include the narrator where appropriate Avoid unnecessary borders or print-only elements Satisfy current retailer and distributor specifications The freelancer must provide the final editable source file, when applicable, and the final production-ready image files. 4. Prepare and Optimize Metadata Create a master audiobook metadata document containing all information required for distribution. This may include: Title Subtitle Series name and number Author name Narrator name Publisher or imprint Copyright holder Copyright year Production credits Long description Short description Author biography Narrator biography BISAC or equivalent categories Keywords Language Edition information Unabridged or abridged designation Running time Publication date Territory rights Suggested retail price ISBN Website and contact information The freelancer should also review the audiobook metadata for consistency with the existing print and ebook editions. All final metadata must be delivered to Brucemont Communications in an editable format. 5. Recommend a Distribution Strategy Provide a written recommendation identifying the best distribution path for this audiobook. The recommendation should address: Whether ACX should be used Whether ACX should be exclusive or non-exclusive Which wide-distribution service should be used Whether Audible and Amazon should be managed directly or through a wide distributor How to avoid duplicate distribution How to reach library platforms Whether direct sales should be added Expected retailer and distributor deductions Any current platform limitations Any account or tax requirements The default objective is broad distribution while allowing Chuck Hutchison to retain ownership, account control, and all net royalties after ordinary retailer and distributor deductions. No exclusive distribution agreement may be selected without written approval from Brucemont Communications or Chuck Hutchison. 6. Establish or Configure Client-Owned Accounts Assist Brucemont Communications or Chuck Hutchison with establishing the necessary distribution accounts. Possible accounts may include: ACX Spotify for Authors or another applicable Spotify audiobook service Author’s Republic INaudio or another appropriate wide distributor Direct retailer accounts where strategically justified BookFunnel or another direct-delivery service, if included Any other relevant audiobook distribution account All accounts must be established using: A Brucemont Communications or Chuck Hutchison-controlled email address Brucemont Communications or Chuck Hutchison payment information Brucemont Communications or Chuck Hutchison tax information Brucemont Communications or Chuck Hutchison recovery information Brucemont Communications or Chuck Hutchison two-factor authentication The freelancer will be provided only the level of access necessary to complete the project. 7. Complete Audiobook Submissions Complete all agreed submissions through the client-owned accounts. Distribution should include all pertinent and reasonably available platforms, which may include: Audible Amazon Apple Books Spotify Google Play Books Kobo Audiobooks.com Chirp Libro.fm Barnes & Noble or Nook Audiobooks Hoopla OverDrive or Libby Bibliotheca Everand Additional retail, streaming, subscription, and library channels available through the selected distributors The freelancer must clearly identify: Which platforms are reached directly Which are reached through a distributor Which platforms are unavailable Which platforms require separate approval or account setup Which platforms may take longer to go live The freelancer must take reasonable steps to prevent duplicate or conflicting submissions. 8. Monitor Reviews and Resolve Submission Issues Monitor all distributor and retailer submissions through the completion of the project. Responsibilities include: Tracking approval status Responding to technical rejections Correcting metadata problems Replacing rejected cover files Correcting chapter-order issues Resubmitting corrected files Communicating with platform support when needed Keeping Brucemont Communications informed of material delays or problems The freelancer is expected to remain engaged until all agreed submissions have either: Been approved and made available, or Received a documented final response explaining why the platform cannot accept the title 9. Deliver Final Documentation At the end of the project, provide Brucemont Communications with a complete distribution package containing: Master metadata document Final square audiobook cover Final submission-ready MP3 files Retail sample Final chapter order Account list Distributor list Platform submission list Submission dates Approval status Live retailer links Library platform status Pricing information ISBN information Login and access documentation Outstanding issues Recommendations for future updates Instructions for reviewing royalty reports The freelancer must not retain administrative control of any account after the project unless separately authorized in writing. Project Milestones Milestone 1 — Asset Review and Distribution Strategy 20% of total project fee Deliverables: Review of all MP3 chapter files Audio compliance report Review of existing cover art Review of available metadata Identification of missing assets or information Rights and account-readiness checklist Written distribution recommendation Recommended platform and distributor list Proposed submission plan Identification of any anticipated third-party expenses Milestone 1 must be completed and approved before platform submissions begin. Milestone 2 — Asset Preparation and Platform Submissions 40% of total project fee Deliverables: Final square audiobook cover Final master metadata document Completed retail sample Properly organized and named audio files Client-owned account setup or configuration ISBN assistance, if required Completion of all agreed distributor and platform submissions Submission confirmation report Documentation showing where and when the audiobook was submitted Milestone 2 is complete when all agreed submissions have been made through accounts owned by Chuck Hutchison or Brucemont Communications. Milestone 3 — Approval Management and Final Handoff 40% of total project fee Deliverables: Monitoring of platform reviews Resolution of reasonable technical and metadata issues Resubmission of corrected materials where necessary Collection of live retailer links Final platform-status report Final asset folder Account and access documentation Final handoff of all files and administrative information Confirmation that the freelancer does not retain account control Written instructions for future royalty reporting and metadata updates Milestone 3 is complete when the agreed platforms are live or their final disposition has been documented and all project materials have been delivered. Required Experience Applicants must have direct, demonstrable experience with audiobook distribution. Required qualifications include: ACX submission experience Wide audiobook distribution experience Audiobook audio-specification knowledge Audiobook metadata experience Audiobook-cover preparation ISBN familiarity Retail and library-platform knowledge Experience resolving platform rejections Experience working within client-owned accounts Strong organizational and documentation skills Preferred Experience Preference will be given to candidates with experience using: ACX Author’s Republic Spotify audiobook distribution tools INaudio Findaway-related systems Apple Books Google Play Books Kobo Chirp Audiobooks.com Hoopla OverDrive or Libby Bibliotheca BookFunnel Bowker ISBN services Required Application Information Please include all of the following in your proposal: A brief explanation of your audiobook publishing and distribution experience. The approximate number of audiobooks you have prepared or distributed. The distributor and retail platforms you regularly use. Your recommended distribution strategy for this specific project. Your fixed total project fee. A breakdown of what is included in your fee. Any expected third-party expenses. Your proposed schedule for completing each milestone. A description of how you review MP3 files for platform compliance. A description of how you handle platform rejections and resubmissions. Confirmation that you will work exclusively within accounts owned by Chuck Hutchison or Brucemont Communications. Confirmation that you will not upload the audiobook through your own publisher or distributor account. Confirmation that you will not retain any ownership, royalty, revenue-sharing, or administrative interest in the audiobook. Links to three to five audiobooks currently live on Audible that you personally helped prepare, submit, distribute, or launch. For each example, briefly explain: Your role Which platform or distributor you used Whether you handled the audio review Whether you prepared the metadata Whether you prepared the cover Whether you managed submission and approval Do not provide examples involving projects on which you only performed narration, audio editing, marketing, or unrelated administrative work. Screening Questions Applicants should answer the following questions directly: Which distribution route would you recommend for broad non-exclusive audiobook distribution, and why? How would you prevent duplicate Audible or Amazon listings when using more than one distributor? What are the most common reasons audiobook files are rejected? How do you determine whether an MP3 file meets current ACX technical standards? Have you worked inside client-owned ACX or distributor accounts? Are you willing to sign an agreement confirming that all files, metadata, account access, and work product belong to the client? Can you provide links to three to five currently available Audible titles that you personally managed? What parts of this project, if any, would require a separate audio engineer, graphic designer, or other subcontractor? Do you use subcontractors? If so, identify what work they would perform. What support is included if a distributor rejects the files after initial submission? Ownership and Confidentiality All work product created for this project will belong to Chuck Hutchison or Brucemont Communications upon payment. This includes: Metadata Cover files Edited or prepared audio files Retail samples Account records Submission records Platform correspondence Distribution reports Checklists and documentation created specifically for this project The freelancer must keep all unpublished files, credentials, financial information, tax information, contracts, and client information confidential. Proposal Pricing Please submit a fixed price covering all three milestones. Clearly separate: Professional fees Optional services Third-party expenses Costs for any work outside the stated scope Do not propose a royalty share or continuing percentage of audiobook revenue. Project Completion Standard The project will be considered complete when: All agreed audiobook assets have been prepared All agreed submissions have been completed Submission problems have been reasonably addressed Live links have been collected where available Remaining platform delays have been documented All accounts remain owned and controlled by Chuck Hutchison or Brucemont Communications All files and records have been delivered The freelancer has relinquished any temporary access no longer needed