NRJ Audiobook & Living Audiobook Terms
These terms apply where a Guide uploads, creates, adapts or publishes an audiobook or Living Audiobook on New Reality Journeys ("NRJ").
They supplement the general NRJ Guide Terms.
1. You Must Control the Necessary Rights
By submitting a book for creation or publication as an audiobook or Living Audiobook on NRJ, you confirm that you own or control all rights necessary to create and make the audio work available through NRJ.
This includes the right to:
- reproduce the written work in audio form;
- record, narrate or otherwise convert the work into audio;
- publish and distribute that audio;
- make the audio available by streaming or other means used by NRJ; and
- where applicable, adapt or augment the original work with additional audio, commentary, exercises, meditations, music, interviews, video, downloadable material or other elements forming part of a Living Audiobook.
You remain responsible for ensuring that these rights are available to you.
2. Books Already Published in Print or Ebook
Publication of a book in print or ebook form does not necessarily mean that the author continues to control the audiobook rights.
If your book has previously been published by a third-party publisher, you must check your publishing agreement before creating or publishing an audiobook through NRJ.
In particular, you should establish whether audio, audiobook, dramatic, digital audio or related subsidiary rights were:
- retained by you;
- granted exclusively to your publisher;
- granted for a limited period or territory; or
- subsequently reverted to you.
If you are uncertain, you should obtain confirmation from your publisher or appropriate professional advice before proceeding.
NRJ may ask you to provide reasonable evidence that you control the necessary rights.
3. Existing Audiobooks
If an audiobook version of the work already exists, you must also confirm that you have the right to make that audiobook, or an audio adaptation of the same work, available through NRJ.
The fact that you own the copyright in the underlying book does not necessarily mean that you control all rights in an existing audiobook recording.
For example, rights may also arise from agreements with:
- an audiobook publisher;
- a narrator or producer;
- a production company;
- a distributor;
- a voice actor;
- a composer or musician; or
- another rights holder involved in the recording.
You must ensure that publication on NRJ does not breach any such agreement.
4. Exclusive and Wide Distribution
If your audiobook is already available through Audible, ACX or another audiobook distributor, you must establish whether you selected an exclusive or non-exclusive ("wide") distribution arrangement.
Exclusive Distribution
If you have granted another platform or distributor exclusive audiobook distribution rights which prevent publication or streaming elsewhere, you must not upload that audiobook to NRJ while those restrictions remain in force.
This applies even where you continue to own the copyright in the underlying book.
Wide or Non-Exclusive Distribution
If your audiobook is distributed on a non-exclusive or wide basis, you may publish it through NRJ provided that your existing agreements permit you to do so and you otherwise control all necessary rights.
It remains your responsibility to check the current terms of each distributor you use.
5. New Audiobooks Created for NRJ
Where no audiobook currently exists, NRJ provides authors with the opportunity to create an audio edition specifically for the platform.
Before production begins, you must confirm that you control the necessary audiobook and audio adaptation rights.
Creating an audiobook through NRJ does not, by itself, transfer ownership of the underlying book or audiobook copyright to NRJ.
Unless separately agreed in writing, you retain ownership of your intellectual property and grant NRJ the rights necessary to host, stream, promote and make the work available through the NRJ service in accordance with the Guide Terms.
6. Living Audiobooks
A Living Audiobook may go beyond a conventional linear narration of a printed book.
It may include additional material such as:
- author introductions;
- commentary or reflections;
- exercises and journalling prompts;
- meditation or contemplative tracks;
- music or soundscapes;
- supplementary chapters;
- interviews;
- downloadable resources;
- video introductions;
- links to external resources; and
- new or updated material added after initial publication.
You must have the necessary rights for all additional material incorporated into the Living Audiobook.
Where your original publishing agreement grants adaptation, derivative-work or other related rights to a third party, you should establish whether those provisions affect your ability to create a Living Audiobook.
7. Narration and AI-Assisted Production
Audiobooks on NRJ may be narrated by the author, a human narrator, or produced using appropriately licensed synthetic or AI-assisted narration, subject to NRJ's current content and AI policies.
If you use another person's voice, a voice clone, music, sound effects or other third-party material, you must have all permissions and licences required for its use.
You must not imitate, clone or reproduce another identifiable person's voice without the rights or permissions necessary to do so.
8. Your Rights Declaration
When submitting an audiobook or Living Audiobook, you may be asked to confirm:
I confirm that I own or control the audio and audiobook rights necessary to publish this work on NRJ and that doing so does not breach any publishing, production, narration or distribution agreement, including any exclusive audiobook distribution agreement.
NRJ is entitled to rely upon this declaration.
9. Rights Disputes
If NRJ receives a credible complaint that an audiobook or Living Audiobook infringes another person's rights or breaches an existing exclusive distribution arrangement, NRJ may temporarily suspend or remove the work while the matter is investigated.
The Guide will be responsible for resolving the underlying rights issue and providing any evidence reasonably requested by NRJ.
NRJ's acceptance or publication of a work does not constitute confirmation that the Guide owns or controls the necessary rights.
10. NRJ Does Not Require Audiobook Exclusivity
Unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing, NRJ does not require an audiobook or Living Audiobook to be exclusive to NRJ.
Authors who control their rights are therefore free to distribute their work elsewhere, subject to the terms of any agreements they enter into with other platforms or distributors.
NRJ particularly welcomes independent authors and rights-owning authors who wish to explore audio beyond the limitations of a conventional audiobook and create works that can continue to evolve after publication.
11. If You Are Unsure
Audiobook rights can be separate from print and ebook rights, and distribution agreements can impose restrictions even where an author owns the underlying copyright.
If you are unsure whether you have the necessary rights, do not upload the audiobook until you have checked your existing agreements or obtained appropriate professional advice.
NRJ cannot determine ownership of your rights or provide legal advice on the interpretation of your publishing or distribution contracts.