Please note that Paul is no longer handling audiofic for the fandom. Any recording should be directed to LabRat, although the rest of the instructions should still apply.


As you may have noticed over in FoLC Productions and on the archive, some of us have been having fun with AudioFic - recording audio versions of archived stories. The archive is now going to be hosting audiofics, and I've kind of been put in charge of local coordination.

So, first off... Authors wanted!!

We're not going to record any stories without the author's permission. So if you are an author and would like (or, at least, wouldn't mind) having your story recorded, let me know! Post here, email me, PM me... whatever works.

When you do, please let me know what your archive name is.

Second... Readers wanted!! For more info on that, you can check here .

You can also check out my quickie Guide To Recording .

If you're interested in reading and need help, let me know.

Anyone willing and able to make a clear recording is welcome. You don't even have to sign up with the boards. Just email me, and we can work from there.

When you make a recording, please include everything that's in the archive file. Full header, author's note, etc. Just after reading the header, include a line to let us know who's reading.

For example:

"My First Story, by Some Author. Rated G. Submitted December 2003. Recorded by Jane Doe. Author's Note..."

If you feel it is appropriate/helpful, you may add phrases such as "Author's Note" and "The End." Up to your preferences and common sense.

When you finish reading the story, please add the following:

"This has been a Lois and Clark Fanfic Recording. Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and related characters are copyrighted by Time-Warner, Inc. Some situations and dialog may have been borrowed from the show. No copyright infringement is intended. Authors and readers receive no monetary benefit from their work. For more information and to see and hear other stories, please visit lcfanfic.com."

If you're reading a longer story, please look for natural breaks at about the 1 - hour mark. That'll keep file sizes from getting unmanagably huge. If you can't, don't worry about it. We'll break it up for you.

If you do break it up, you can add part numbers and the disclaimer to the end of each hour. For example:

"End of Part One. This has been a Lois and Clark fanfic recording..."

When you start the next part, begin with something along the lines of:

"[Story Title] by [Author]. As read by [Reader]. Part [#]."

When you save the recording, please use the following ID3 tag format:

Title: Story Title
Artist: Author's Name
Album: www.lcfanfic.com
Comments: Recorded by Your Name

If you want to, you can also select "Genre: Speech," but it's not important.

If you're recording in parts, add the part number after the title.

If you forget to do the ID3 tag, or if you don't know how, don't worry. Audacity automatically prompts you to fill out the form when you go to save the file.

Please save in MP3 format at a bit rate of 64kbps. To do this in Audacity, go to Edit -> Preferences -> File Formats. Then choose 64 from the pull-down menu at the bottom.

When you're done recording, send me the file. My email is in my boards profile. If you're not sure how to get the file to me, you can go to:

http://www.yousendit.com

If you have any questions about any of this or need help with anything, let me know. It may seem a little intimidating at first, but it's really not that hard once you get things set up.

Paul

EDIT: As has been pointed out to me, the list below is starting to get a little out of hand. Which is cool, but makes things a little cumbersome.

So, I'm going to move it to its own thread. I'll try to keep the list current, showing which stories are available, which ones are being worked on, which ones have been done, etc.

For here, I'll just keep a list of authors. If an author only grants permission for some of her work, I'll mention that here and leave the specifics for the other thread.

Full Project List

Remember to keep your eye out for multi-authored stories. Record them only if all authors involved have granted permission.

Authors whose works are available to record:

(Symbolic) Angel
Carr, Christine
CarolM
Chamorro, Jose Antonio
Cherry
Connell, Yvonne
Doc. Klein's LabRat
Dutch, Irene
Jernigan, Pam
Kaethel
Klingler, Erin
LaraMoon
Malo, Carol
MetroRhodes
Mr. D8A
MrsMosley
Owens, Janet (TicAndToc)
Potts, Mary AKA Queen of the Capes
Rhea
Richards, Wendy
RL
Saskia
Thompson, M.L.
Tracey
Wilson, Tank

Paul, should people who want to record a story "claim" it first so multiple people aren't working on the same one? Some of those are really long and could take a while to complete.

You can if you want. I'm not going to require it, but it wouldn't be a bad idea. I'll be happy to update the list.

Still, we can have multiple recordings of the same story. Bit inefficient, but nothing wrong with it. And hopefully, we'll soon have a longer list of stories available to work on. Including some shorter ones.

Paul

Well, not that I consider my stories "audiofic" worthy...

But you can add my stories to your list if you'd like, Paul. There are one or two shorter ones on there.

-- DJ

Cool. Thanks. And... you never know.

Paul

This sounds like an absolutely fascinating project, and very nice for anyone with visual impairment. If you'd like to include my stories, go right ahead, though I would feel very sorry for anyone who got stuck with the really long ones!


Wendy

Sounds like a fun project -- get some stories on CD and you're good for a long car ride!

If anyone wants to do any of my stories, feel free -- they're on the shorter side, mostly

PJ

*raises her hand up in the air à la Hermione Granger*
"Ooooh, pick me, pick me!" LOL!

Seriously...

You can add my stories to the list, Paul. All three that are in the archive are short and written from a man's POV (two are even in the first person) so I wouldn't record these myself. (when I get done with 'All Weathered Out', though I probably will record it myself.)

Also, I'd very much like to record DJ's Testing Grounds - if that's ok?

I just chanced on this thread, checking the boards for the first time in a long time. This sounds like a great project! I agree with Pam; CDs for car journeys could be great!

And, uh, if anyone wants them, feel free to use my stories, too.

Chris

Sure, should anyone feel like recording my fics...go right ahead! ^^

Great! Thanks, guys.

Authors, for future reference, when you post, can you give me your archive name? Some of you use different names on the boards than on the archives, and it's a little easier for me if I know exactly where to look from the start.

Paul

Oh, don't even start, DJ! You know you are fabulous.

I'd love to say that my stories can be recorded but since I have only written one teeny tiny vignette, it doesn't really matter!

Whoops! Sorry. Well, I use "Cherry" at the Archive as well, so it wouldn't have been too hard to find me, anyway.

Sounds kinda interesting. I'll add mine to the list, not that they're all that fascinating. It might be interesting to be a reader, too, assuming the story isn't too long.

My archive name is the same as my nick here.

I agree that in the interest of non-duplication, anyone who is doing a reading should indicate so here in this forum. Perhaps a sticky up top?

Oh, wow! I don't know about being a reader...maybe, someday, who knows....

But feel free to use any of my stories!

I should be listed under "Potts", and you probably won't have a hard time finding it.
Full billing, last time I checked, was
Mary Potts AKA Queen of the Capes.

What a neat idea!

I'll start this week-end, if everything goes well I might be done by Sunday night. You'll be the first to know.

I just hope I can do the story justice!

If there would be any interest, I'd have no objection to any of my stories being used for this project.

I've tried to 'dictate' a story before, and it's a lot harder than it seems at first thought. I've also been subjected to audio book tapes during long car trips and it's a real art to be able to convey the proper 'emotional' emphasis with a straight read (ie: not using 'actors' in a play like setting).

I wish you all the best of luck.

Tank (who has always been Tank on these, and all other boards)

Just caught up with this thread. A great idea! I'd be thrilled to have someone do any of my stories, if anyone was interested.

c.

Wow, lots of stories. Hope we get lots of readers to match them!

Just wanted to note one thing, which I'm sure you already know, but just in case - remember that the Archive only accepts material up to a ratings limit of PG13.

So if the story you want to read has both an nfic and gfic version, it'll have to be the gfic version you submit to the Archive.

LabRat

Mine are also available to read; I'm listed at the archives under both TicAndToc and Owens, Janet.



~Toc

Ditto everyone. I think that's a wonderful idea, and I can't wait to hear the result! I have the occasional long car (or plane!!) journey and it'd be awesome to listen to a Lois & Clark audio version of my favourite stories.

If there's any interest for them, feel free to do any of my stories.

Kaethel (peeking from behind her growing pile of marking - yes I'm still alive and around!)

Count me in! I'm happy for any of my stories to be included, although like Wendy, I fear for anyone having to read the long ones!

Yvonne

Thanks, guys!

The list is really growing.

To be clear, though, no one has to read the long ones. It would be nice to have them read, but I think it's best all around if readers choose for themselves which stories to read. They'll be more interested, and they'll do a better job. There are plenty of stories to choose from, and few enough readers so far...

Paul

Ooh, this sounds like a lot of fun! My stories are also available to be read. I'm on the archive as Saskia. And maybe I'll try to read a few stories myself, but then this cold I have must be fully away.

Saskia

Great! Thanks, Sas!

Hope you get better soon.

When you're ready, go over the list of available stories and see what strikes you. What you read and when is entirely up to you.

Paul

I'm not sure, in any case, if I'd have the nerve to read out loud some of the steamier nfic passages anyway. Not that I'm volunteering as a reader. I'm bad enough at recording my voicemail message at work - I have to write a script for myself and, even then, it usually takes me three or four goes to iron out all the fumbles.

Yvonne

Perhaps I'd better mention that one of my stories, How It All Started, was written as a joke.

It was in response to a boring fic challenge, although it may be better suited for a badfic challenge.

Anybody trying to read it would get their tang all tonguelled... er... tongue all tangled.


~Toc

This is a cool idea - if anyone wants to read one of my stories, I'll throw them out there.

Tracey

So, when we want to call dibs on a fic, are we supposed to tell you here or at the other thread?

Tracey: Great! Thanks! It'll be a pleasure to hear (and perhaps record) some of yours.

Cherry: Whatever you like. Tell me here, in the other thread, via email, via PM... whatever works for you.

Paul

Okay. Well, then! I call dibs on Erin Klinger's hilarious "Where, Oh Where, Do Supes' Clothes Go?" *rubs hands together*

Just a quickie little status -- I've got half of Testing Grounds recorded now, but it'll be a little while before I can finish (sowwwwwwy!).

I've somehow managed to catch a cold (it's starting to be close to freezing up here!) so I sound really, seriously awful right now... and I'm off on a trip to Paris next week so I won't be able to record anything before I get back on the 14th. I'm hoping on the 15th to have time to do this, though.

I just listened to the small sample from Paul's reading on the fanfic archive, and I have to say, Paul, that you make an absolutely fantastic reader. Very well done indeed!

Yvonne

Cherry - Go for it! (Sorry, I put you on the project list, but forgot to respond here.)

Lara - Thanks for the update. Hope you feel better soon. And don't worry, stuff happens. There's no deadline. Which is good, because with schedule changes and stuff, I'm kind of stalled out on my current project, too.

Yvonne - Thanks! Glad you enjoyed.

Paul

My stories are available, too, Paul.

Irene

Awesome! Thanks, Irene!

Bumping the thread up to let readers know that there have been some additions to the instructions in the first post.

There's now a standard disclaimer to be added at the end of the reading (just to keep things on the safe side, and to let people know where to look if they stumble onto the file from another source).

Also, for longer stories, we're going to try to break things up every hour or so. If you can look for natural breaks, great. If not, don't worry. We'll take care of it.

Thanks to everyone for your participation in the project so far. Looking forward to hearing more and to getting more stories for the list.

Paul

What about those stories (like mine) that have author notes at both the beginning AND end of the fic? Should the audiofic disclaimer go before or after the end author notes? Should the end author notes even be included?

Paul would have to confirm it, but I'd imagine that the disclaimer should be the very last thing on the recording. And end author notes, to me, would be part of the story, so I wouldn't see any reason not to include them. I always enjoy reading author notes and the little insights they provide.

LabRat

Hmm . . . I guess that makes sense then. But having a "The End" after authors notes seems silly to me for some reason, especially since I NEVER write it, even after the story itself. If it's the end of the story, the last few lines should TELL the reader that it's the end of the story and writing "The End" just seems redundant.

Although, I guess it would help in audiofics to tell the listener that the story's over and there isn't anymore--better than just stopping the recording, anyway.

I only have one short story on the archive, but you're more than welcome to record it. You can find it at the archive under the name Angel.

Sorry, I haven't been paying attention to the details latterly - is it mandatory for 'The End' to be at a certain point in the recording? Isn't it possible to for you to have

The story
'The End'
End author notes
Disclaimer

in that order, if that suits you best?

Again, Paul could tell you for sure, but I can't see why that should be a particular problem if that's the order you feel most comfortable with. Unless, it screws things up somehow and I've missed the reason along the way. (Entirely possible, it has to be said. )

LabRat

Disclaimer should indeed be the last thing.

The reading should include everything that's in the archive file. Everything the author wanted there. So, yeah, that includes end notes.

I'll leave "The End" up to reader discrtion. Some people seem to like it, others seem to prefer without. Not a big deal either way, IMO.

Similarly, you may add the words "Authors Note" if you think it makes things clearer. There are some things that are easier to discern in plain text than in speech, so if you feel it needs clarifying, go ahead.

Basically... use common sense. We don't have to be that strict about everything.

Paul

Cool. I guess I'll do what I've been doing (plus the disclaimer) for the rest of my stories--which I'm reading myself anyway.

And since I'm reading the stories I wrote myself, and I therefore give myself permission, I am going to change the author notes so that they sound better as a recording. The way I wrote them, sometimes they have phrases like, "as quoted above," and consdering it's audio and there is no "above," it's kinda funny.

Thanks for the clarification about the disclaimer!

Paul, I started with the story Epiphany by LabRat. I sent part 1 and hope it's okay. Please let me know. It was fun, but maybe not as smooth as yours. I hope to improve with further recordings. I plan on finishing this one today, as soon as you can give me the go ahead.

special thank you to Labrat for allowing her work to be read, and enjoyed again.

Wow. Thank you, Wanda! I've just been listening to a little bit of your recording of Epiphany - thank you for choosing this one to record.

It's so strange to hear someone reading the words you've written. But very cool, too. <g>

I love this project. I really hope that many more stories are recorded.

LabRat

Coming back to give Paul a ton of smoochies for the lovely surprise of that recording of SOMH. You are such a sweetheart, I swear. It made my day getting that part one.


LabRat

Ok, I call "Brief Encounter" by Wendy Richards/Yvonne Connell. I just hope I don't burst out laughing when I read about Superman's fetching red dress. I'm going to start this weekend.

Anyone can read any of my stories. Although, right now I only have the one story (Secret Agent) I would just prefer that my email address not be read on the audio (just in case it ever changes) Thanks.

I think this is a great idea. I love audio books. I love this fandom. Putting the two together is positively inspired!

Rhea

Ok, Brief Encounter is done. Had fun with that one. Next up: Midnight Gambit...M.L. Thompson

Just noticed the link to this from the archive - You're welcome to use any of my completed stories - I'd offer to read them, but I have a British accent and a slight stutter and it probably wouldn't work very well.

This is a great project, Paul. Thanks for organizing it. You're certainly more than welcome to use my stories, but I will not be responsible if some foolish soul tries to take on one of the obscenely long ones and loses their voice.

Rac

ETA: Everything I've written is archived under 'Raconteur.'

I'd like to try

The Confession
by Wendy Richards


Moo

Cheryl: I download A Brief Encounter last night and listen to it while I was doing my house work. How On earth did you mamage not to giggle through out the whole thing, I know I was.

Good work

Moo

Hey, Paul. Saw this project on the Archive. Great idea, it'll be good for the FOLC who are blind or find it difficult to read. All the best.

Lote

I just sent Paul a recording I made of Marry in Haste , a collaboration I did with Wendy and Tank. Someone mentioned it the other day in one of the threads in the fanfic related folder and it reminded me of how much fun I had writing my parts of this so I figured it might be fun to read it out loud.

Evil? What's so evil about it, I ask?

Anyway, enjoy! (I hope)

This is a really really cool idea and I can see how it would be very popular. I gladly say 'Use any of my fics' and then add the qualifier 'if you want'
I'm Marnie Rowe on the Archive.

I would gladly record several of my own, but I have to admit - I would want to add or subtract words or otherwise improvise where I just plain felt my work was lacking. :p

ta for now,

Thanks, Marnie.

Well, you could always record someone else's stories instead.

LabRat

Really neat idea. Somehow I hadn't paid enough attention to it before. Feel free to use my ficlets if you like. My name on the archive is... C_A :p .

Paul, any of my stories that you might like to record, feel free. Like Marcus, I'd offer to record them but my voice has a nasal quality due to a lifelong battle with allergies, and I figure it would get pretty irritating after while.

Nan

If anybody's crazy enough to take them on, I offer up my stories to be read!

...I'd offer to do some reading, but 1) I don't have a mic and B) I have this annoying tendency to slur when I speak. And I find my own voice annoying on the answering machine, soo...

I wouldn't mind if somebody volunteers to read out my stories or the ones I may post in future.

I have a suggestion, but I dunno how far it can be implemented as I don't know many people have volunteered to be *Readers*.

My suggestion : Why not let a male voice read out Clark's / other males' dialogs and a female voice read out Lois' / other females' ? Just to make it realistic...

I'd love to record any fanfic, but I'm still lacking a microphone and I'm not sure if anyone would understand my accent (english not being my mother language) and I know there are words I don't understand so I won't know how to pronounce them. When I'll get the courage to record at least a vignete I'll let you know Paul

Anyway I wanted to comment on Coogirl's suggestion. I think it be a lot of fun to hear both a female and male voice in a Clark/Lois conversation. But I think it could work only if the recorder people are together in front of the same computer in connection with two microphones, so the man and woman to do this should live near one to the other so it can work, right?

I'm *not* saying it's impossible, I imagine there are FoLCs who do live near, I just think it's a limited option.

Carolyn

Yippee!

Isn't it possible to *merge* the male & female voices using some software even if the recordings are done *separately*? Though I suppose the process would be really tedious! Maybe try for a shorter fic?

Besides, don't most of us have a spouse or a boy/girlfriend? What are they for?

I'd love to do it but I have two problems one is that I don't have a microphone which is an easy thing to solve really. My other problem is that I'm a speed reader like Clark is although I can't read at superspeed and can never slow myself down enough to read things out loud. I even re-read passages in books because I read so fast it often looks like I skim read the passage.

I love coolgirl's idea though. It'd be great if that was easily co-ordinated.

Anybody else for the idea? Want me to post a poll?

Just popping in to add in two stories for Anne D, which are now available for recording as audiofic:

Lois In Traffic Court
Why Lois Stays Out Of The Kitchen

LabRat

So, um...

Just for the sake of argument, let's say someone managed to "convince me" to send that-story-I-recorded-but-didn't-really-want-people-to-know-about up to the archive and that I somehow got courageous enough to do it -- which I'm totally NOT saying that I am -- is there something that needs to be added to the file? Like, wasn't there a disclaimer or something that had to be tagged along to the story?

All you need to know is right at the start of this very thread, Lara.

LabRat (looking forward to receiving this audiofic in the near future... )

I'd love to "hear" some stories as well. I agree with Coolgirl that ideally if there could be a man to read for Clark and a woman for Lois that migth make the tale seem more "real." Now, if only there was a way to "see" the stories.

Yes, anyone is welcome to read my fics as well.

Mona

Lara, here's the disclaimer from Paul's post:

Like LabRat, I'd really like to hear a new audiofic. It's been forever! So I hope you send it in. We'd prefer not to have to send an army of wildguys after you. (Unless, of course, that'd help convince you. <g>)

Okay, this is a million years old, and I'm so late for the party it's over! But please, add my name to the list of writers who would love to have their stories converted to audio versions.

Too, I'd be willing to record a story or two. I don't know if my voice is considered pleasing or not...

Anyway, sorry for the (extremely, excessively) late response!

Anyone can record my stories and I would be absolutely flattered!!!

ALSO: I am really interested in recording my two stories, "He Said, She Said" and "Mixed Signals" with a male reader. If there are any male readers out there who are interested, please get in touch!! (Basically, the stories alternate between Lois and Clark, so I would record the Lois parts and a male could record the Clark parts and maybe I could splice them together to make for a fun recording!)

PS: I think I am going to try to record it on "Garageband" (I have a mac.) I am pretty sure I could do the merge-thingy if somebody recorded the "Clark" parts on Garageband and emailed them to me.

Any (male) takers???