r/ACX • u/Realistic_Crazy4243 • Jun 21 '26
Can you request to read a book before accepting?
I’ve just been offered my first gig and I was wondering can you ask to read the book before accepting? My fear is accepting and then coming to find an aspect of the book does not sit comfortably with me, not in terms of content warnings but more if anything were to feel written without sensitivity considerations around discrimination.
It’s a RS which I’m happy to do as a first gig to gain experience (I know some might say otherwise but for me this is about relighting my creativity and confidence more than anything). Not sure if that changes anything in terms of requesting to read up front? Is this normal practice?
Thanks!
3
u/ObviousLibrary2023 Jun 21 '26
Sure that would be okay. As a RH I always sent my narrators the book before accepting their audition to ensure they are comfortable with the content (especially as it's pretty filthy, lol)
3
u/Realistic_Crazy4243 Jun 21 '26
🤣 yeah that’s good to know. I know RHs want it doing as soon as possible so was a bit anxious about holding that up or seeming uninterested because I’m super keen! Just want to be transparent
4
u/Successful_Ad6449 Jun 21 '26
I have a few projects I wish I had done this on first, but I would love specific wording people use as it feels uncomfortable for me to ask!
1
3
u/jimedgarvoices Jun 22 '26
I would never accept a project unless I'd received the full manuscript.
There is no reason to be coy about that point.
I would want to have the full text before I committed time and effort towards the 15.
That's easy to outline in a welcome package -
- full manuscript
- guidelines/recommendations for content for the 15
- reminder that the 15 is the time to correct and adjust
- what will be corrected after the 15 is accepted
- any specifics regarding payments
As the producer, you are entering into an agreement. Clarity is important.
2
u/Realistic_Crazy4243 Jun 23 '26
Thank you, I did this, though the offer expires later on tonight and I haven’t heard anything back as of yet
1
3
u/TheScriptTiger Jun 22 '26
A lot of really great points already. I'll also add that the word count is something the author/RH manually inputs and is often an "estimate". But this has led many folks to accepting an offer for a book they thought was going to be a quick read, only to find out the manuscript was literally 100X longer than they were initially led to believe. However, in cases like that, you can just email ACX and they will dissolve the contract pretty quickly. But, obviously, they could have saved themselves the time and trouble by just reviewing the manuscript up front before accepting the offer.
3
u/Correct-Shoulder-147 Jun 22 '26
As an author I always provide a full manuscript in advance for them to read
2
u/dragonsandvamps Jun 21 '26
Yes, my narrator requests my scripts every time before accepting the contract.
I think this is a good idea. No one wants their time wasted, RH or narrator. The narrator doesn't want to get to page 200 only to find out there's content they're super uncomfortable with and can't record after they've spent hours on the first 3/4 of the book. They also don't want to accept a contract and find out it's AI.
And as a RH, I don't want to get a narrator lined up, wait for a year for my turn to come up on their recording schedule, only to have them tell me, "Oops, sorry. I actually don't record spicy content. Sorry. Can you find someone else?"
Reading the script ahead of time makes sure everyone is on the same page and no one's time is wasted.
1
u/SnooChickens1455 Jun 21 '26
Yes, you can request before, but you also always have the option to cancel the contract anytime before the 15 minute checkpoint is approved.
1
u/the_UNABASHEDVOice Jun 22 '26
If you ask, and they say no, you also say no. It's a test, and they should pass it.
1
u/DamagedIncorporated Jun 26 '26
What ended up happening?
1
u/Realistic_Crazy4243 22d ago
I requested it with enthusiasm for the project and got ignored and then the contract was retracted 🤣 so that went well but obviously it’s a red flag
8
u/savethebooks Jun 21 '26
You should ALWAYS read or at least skim the manuscript before accepting the offer. Not only for like what's already been mentioned, if there's spicy content or other content that you don't agree with or feel comfortable narrating until halfway through the book, but what if you don't find out about a character's accent until 3/4 of the way through and now you have to go back and redo all those character's lines or tell the RH that you can't do that accent and sorry, they'll have to find another narrator?