Editing Openai/696d8ed5-9080-800d-b244-3df089f071b9 (section)

== gpt-5-2 ==
=== User: My friend on Facebook asked this ===
My friend on Facebook asked this 
Who knows how to record Audibles? I want to do my own but I need help.

=== Assistant: Here’s a clear, non-judgmental reply you can post that both answers the question and keeps them out of trouble: ===
Here’s a clear, non-judgmental reply you can post that both answers the question and keeps them out of trouble:

Recording Audible audiobooks directly is not allowed (they’re DRM-protected and recording them violates Audible/Amazon’s terms and copyright law).

That said, there are legal ways to do what people usually mean when they ask this. It depends on what they want to accomplish:

==== That’s 100% allowed and pretty straightforward: ====

!https://m\.media\-amazon\.com/images/I/716T4UcOgDL\.jpg<ref>{{cite web|title=https://m\.media\-amazon\.com/images/I/716T4UcOgDL\.jpg|url=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/716T4UcOgDL.jpg|publisher=m.media-amazon.com|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
!https://manual\.audacityteam\.org/m/images/5/5e/audio\_settings\_dialog\_with\_usb\_input\.png<ref>{{cite web|title=https://manual\.audacityteam\.org/m/images/5/5e/audio\_settings\_dialog\_with\_usb\_input\.png|url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/m/images/5/5e/audio_settings_dialog_with_usb_input.png|publisher=manual.audacityteam.org|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
!https://www\.reaper\.fm/v7img/ss\_persp\_v7\.jpg<ref>{{cite web|title=https://www\.reaper\.fm/v7img/ss\_persp\_v7\.jpg|url=https://www.reaper.fm/v7img/ss_persp_v7.jpg|publisher=reaper.fm|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
4
What they need:
* A USB mic (Blue Yeti, Samson Q2U, Audio-Technica AT2020)
* Free software like Audacity (Windows/Mac) or GarageBand (Mac) or Reaper (paid but cheap)
* A quiet room + soft furnishings (closet works great)

Workflow:
# Plug in mic
# Record WAV/MP3
# Light noise reduction
# Export chapters

==== They must: ====
* Own the rights or
* Use public-domain books (Project Gutenberg, LibriVox)

Totally legal and common.

==== That’s not legal, even for “personal use.” ====

Audible files are DRM-locked and bypassing that can:
* Violate copyright law
* Get their Audible account banned
* Be illegal in some regions

==== If they want audio without Audible: ====

!https://is1\-ssl\.mzstatic\.com/image/thumb/Purple221/v4/c6/08/30/c60830f9\-83a9\-6750\-df51\-98b5aca52697/Icon\-Free\-0\-1x\_U007emarketing\-0\-11\-0\-0\-85\-220\-0\.png/1200x630wa\.png<ref>{{cite web|title=https://is1\-ssl\.mzstatic\.com/image/thumb/Purple221/v4/c6/08/30/c60830f9\-83a9\-6750\-df51\-98b5aca52697/Icon\-Free\-0\-1x\_U007emarketing\-0\-11\-0\-0\-85\-220\-0\.png/1200x630wa\.png|url=https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Purple221/v4/c6/08/30/c60830f9-83a9-6750-df51-98b5aca52697/Icon-Free-0-1x_U007emarketing-0-11-0-0-85-220-0.png/1200x630wa.png|publisher=is1-ssl.mzstatic.com|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
!https://d1krbhyfejrtpz\.cloudfront\.net/blog/wp\-content/uploads/2023/07/11144704/AI\-Text\-to\-Speech\-App\-Development\-Features\-Tech\-Stack\-and\-Process\.jpg<ref>{{cite web|title=https://d1krbhyfejrtpz\.cloudfront\.net/blog/wp\-content/uploads/2023/07/11144704/AI\-Text\-to\-Speech\-App\-Development\-Features\-Tech\-Stack\-and\-Process\.jpg|url=https://d1krbhyfejrtpz.cloudfront.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/11144704/AI-Text-to-Speech-App-Development-Features-Tech-Stack-and-Process.jpg|publisher=d1krbhyfejrtpz.cloudfront.net|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
!https://i\.insider\.com/5f063d963f737008c91b6f43?auto=webp&format=jpeg&width=800<ref>{{cite web|title=https://i\.insider\.com/5f063d963f737008c91b6f43?auto=webp&format=jpeg&width=800|url=https://i.insider.com/5f063d963f737008c91b6f43?auto=webp&format=jpeg&width=800|publisher=i.insider.com|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
* LibriVox – free human-read audiobooks (public domain)
* Text-to-Speech apps for ebooks they own
* Kindle’s built-in Text-to-Speech (if enabled)

==== If you want something quick and polite: ====

: 

If you want, tell me:
* Are they trying to narrate something?
* Podcast style or full audiobook?
* Phone or computer?

I can give them a super simple starter setup.

=== User: She's an author ===
She's an author

=== Assistant: Perfect — then here’s a clean, supportive reply you can post that’s tailored exactly for an author and avoids any copyr… ===
Perfect — then here’s a clean, supportive reply you can post that’s tailored exactly for an author and avoids any copyright confusion:

If you’re an author, you don’t record through Audible itself 😊
You record your own audiobook and then upload it.

!https://www\.authorimprints\.com/wp\-content/uploads/2021/03/Home\-Recording\-Studio\-Featured\-Image\.jpg<ref>{{cite web|title=https://www\.authorimprints\.com/wp\-content/uploads/2021/03/Home\-Recording\-Studio\-Featured\-Image\.jpg|url=https://images.openai.com/thumbnails/url/Y2OGV3icu5mZUVJSUGylr5-al1xUWVCSmqJbkpRnoJdeXJJYkpmsl5yfq5-Zm5ieWmxfaAuUsXL0S7F0Tw4J9rXI9g1MsigL9PHydPGNzPcuSswuLfZ3ig9L80lMDzVP1M3NzLDwqHRMKTMLzg5UKwYAWiQmNg|publisher=images.openai.com|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
!https://images\.ctfassets\.net/f4cbid0mhigx/1Aq8RDW5EZbkbdVwwKmpQg/0ef91254515f8c390f6e759f41103782/adobestock\_2980931252\.jpeg<ref>{{cite web|title=https://images\.ctfassets\.net/f4cbid0mhigx/1Aq8RDW5EZbkbdVwwKmpQg/0ef91254515f8c390f6e759f41103782/adobestock\_2980931252\.jpeg|url=https://images.openai.com/thumbnails/url/8Qxzlnicu5mVUVJSUGylr5-al1xUWVCSmqJbkpRnoJdeXJJYkpmsl5yfq5-Zm5ieWmxfaAuUsXL0S7F0Tw50CywLj4zXzXF0T4soLjOrMvf2d_KON_XSjc-Orwwoy8pL9PIPd8128XEM8YwqCohMUSsGAH3eJl0|publisher=images.openai.com|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
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4
===== Simple author-friendly setup =====

Gear
* USB mic (Audio-Technica AT2020 USB, Samson Q2U, Blue Yeti)
* Headphones
* Quiet room / closet with clothes = great sound treatment

Software
* Audacity (free, Windows/Mac)
* GarageBand (Mac)
* Reaper (cheap, very good)

Recording
* Record chapter-by-chapter
* Save as WAV
* Light noise reduction + compression

===== How it gets on Audible =====

Authors publish audiobooks to Audible through ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange).

ACX handles:
* Audible
* Amazon
* Apple Books (audiobooks)

She can:
* Narrate it herself
* Or hire a narrator
* Or split royalties

ACX has very specific audio requirements (RMS levels, noise floor, spacing), but Audacity presets make this manageable.

===== Ultra-short FB reply (pasteable) =====

: If you’re an author, you record your own audiobook (mic + Audacity), then upload it to ACX, which distributes to Audible/Amazon. You don’t record Audible files directly.

If you want, I can:
* Recommend a mic based on her budget
* Share Audacity settings that pass ACX review
* Outline the exact ACX checklist so she avoids rejections

Just say the word 👍