Thirty years ago, at a trade show, I stumbled upon a booth selling "lifetime" kitchen knives. The sales pitch was compelling - with this set of 12 knives, I would never need to buy another knife again. But the price was steep, and I had my doubts about the longevity of the company. In neighboring pavilions, I saw "lifetime" pans, thermos cups and even a "lifetime" vacuum cleaner. It was a fad in the mid-'90s.

Today, are any of these companies still in the market? As I discovered, yes, some still are. Zepter, for instance, which offered "eternal" pots and pans, continues to exist. However, the company no longer advertises a lifetime guarantee, and its cookware is just one product among a vast assortment. The company now positions itself as a "couch store," selling a diverse range of products unrelated to the kitchen.

Does this say about the product or the company? To me, it speaks more to the marketing tactics employed than the actual quality of the product. These companies excel at positioning their products, creating a sense of urgency and scarcity, and ultimately, selling them.

According to pricing guru Patrick Campbell, "lifetime" purchases are used when companies urgently need cash flow. This isn't a red flag if such sales are combined with other subscription plans. Why? A one-time purchase allows a company to gather cash for turnover, especially in the early stages of a company's journey. On the other hand, subscriptions allow a company to develop and grow its product steadily, indicating that the business is built for the long haul and plans to continue operating.

But what happens if a company that has collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from customers for lifetime purchases closes after 1-2 years? Can customers get anything back? With a high degree of certainty, the answer is no. The maximum period during which funds paid for a purchase can be claimed is six months (let's not talk about the exception to the rule - Costco, where you can return goods even after several years - I've tested it myself).

Can a company that has hundreds or thousands of regular subscribers also easily get rid of them? Hardly. For them, a subscription is a regular cash flow that allows them to keep their service afloat. Is it worth killing the goose that lays the golden eggs?

Now let's talk about the other side of the issue - product development.
Is a company that sells lifetime interested in product development? You have already bought the product. After six months, you are no longer interesting to them. The company will focus on attracting new customers and maintaining the product at a minimum level for sale. Because what is the main competency of such a company? The ability to present and advertise.

Will the attitude towards the customer and the product differ for a company that focuses on subscriptions? If a company wants customers to stay with them, the only way is to constantly improve the product. And constantly work with customers to keep them with them as long as possible. Such companies usually advertise less and their product is constantly evolving.

And now I'll go back to the story of knives and pots from the beginning of the article. I could have bought them for $1000 - that was their price. Or I could have bought a set from another brand for $100-150, without a lifetime warranty. I chose the latter option. The pots were not as shiny and the warranty was only a few days or months - I don't remember anymore.

They served us well. And after a couple of years, other pots appeared that were quite high-quality, used new technologies, and left their competitors with a lifetime warranty far behind in terms of quality.

Over these 30 years, it's hard for me to calculate how many kitchen sets my family and I have purchased. We moved homes many times, moved to new houses and new countries. And almost always we changed our kitchenware. It's cheaper and more convenient to buy new kitchenware in a new place of residence. And of course, if technology or style matters.

So when I ask myself the question - am I willing to pay more for a lifetime purchase, I always remember my experience with zepter pots and answer - only if it's not a product that I may want to update in a couple of years. If I want to buy a product that will fight for its place in the market, so far I haven't found anything better than a subscription.

P.S. By the way, this is one of the main reasons why we at Kukarella do not offer lifetime plans on our website. We want to continue growing and evolving alongside the changing demands of our users.



Audio transcription

Dialogues AI

Text to speech

Lifetime or Subscription: Weighing the Pros and Cons of One-Time Payment vs. Ongoing Commitment

*By Khadija Roane of The Professional Pen*

So, what’s the big deal about dialogue, and why is it so important?

I’m sure you’ve heard writers talk about dialogue that is too “on the nose” and the importance of having “sharp and tight” dialogue.  But what does all of that even mean? 
If you have been wanting to learn more about writing effective dialogue, then this article is for you. We’re going to break down the definition of dialogue, its importance, and some easy tips that will jumpstart you into writing powerful and dynamic dialogue. So, let’s start with the basics.


**WHAT IS DIALOGUE?**

Dialogue can be best described as any spoken word. It's the conversational exchange between two or more people. Dialogue can be specific to different regions or cultures like slang and dialects. It can even include jargon for specific groups and industries. Dialogue can be formal or informal, serious, or playful. Effective dialogue is used to advance the plot or provide information about the world and the characters which ultimately pushes the story forward.



Writers can use dialogue to reveal the overall tone of the piece. For example, dialogue in a comedic script might move at a quicker pace and have lots of set ups for jokes, while the dramatic script might use more foreshadowing in the dialogue to set up the suspense. 

No one wants to hear characters endlessly chatter on and on with no real point. That can get real boring, real quick, and you may lose your audience because the pace slows down when we hear a character relaying information that does not advance the plot. Though dialogue can be quite interesting, it can still lead nowhere. To avoid this common mistake, be sure that the driving force behind the dialogue always reveals new information. 

Now, let’s look at some examples.


**PULP FICTION**

Quentin Tarantino is known for having superb dialogue in his films. Because every word has a purpose, not a syllable of dialogue is wasted leaving room for his dialogue to be riddled with provocative subtext and foreshadowing. If you want to study the dialogue between characters who are slick and cool that slowly build tension through their vigorous bouts of verbal sparring, then study Pulp Fiction.  

In this scene, Jules and Vincent have come to confront a group of college-aged boys after they fail to pay their debts, but they keep things light as a way to toy with their victims before things become more sinister. Notice how the dialogue feels natural, and each character has their own distinct voice. Take note of how Tarantino keeps the dialogue light and fun even given the dire stakes of the situation, creating contrast and humor without piling on the jokes.

![Screen Shot 2022-09-13 at 15.03.08.png](/uploads/Screen_Shot_2022_09_13_at_15_03_08_7b817adaee.png)
![Screen Shot 2022-09-13 at 15.03.38.png](/uploads/Screen_Shot_2022_09_13_at_15_03_38_1cd269970a.png)


**THE SOCIAL NETWORK**

Aaron Sorkin is known for his rapid-fire dialogue. The character’s are not just speaking quickly; it is a blend of fast-paced lines that speedily provide exposition, forcing the viewer or reader to pay attention and take in information. If you want to learn how to master rapid-fire dialogue, Aaron Sorkin is your guy. [Click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvap4gEOC5I/?_blank) or the image below to study the dialogue from the opening scene of The Social Network. 

Notice the quick pace in not just the speed in which the actor is talking, but the flow of the dialogue and how it is the witty nature of the dialogue that provokes the speed and makes this scene so dynamic. In this scene, Mark Zuckerburg is on a date, but he quickly verbally overpowers his date, Erica, with his constant changing of topic and snarky remarks lead to the abrupt ending of the date.

[![social network.jpeg](/uploads/social_network_766da2eecc.jpeg)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvap4gEOC5I/?_blank)

Writing effective dialogue takes practice. Try the following tips and tricks to help you on your writing journey.

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**3 EASY TIPS TO WRITE EFFECTIVE DIALOGUE**

- **Write dialogue that is true to your character’s voice.**  Art imitates life. Your characters should sound like real people. Keep in mind that who they are (education, socioeconomic status) and who they are speaking to (friend, parent, spouse, child, colleague, boss) play a major role in how they speak. Also be mindful that many people do not speak in complete sentences and most people use contractions. Punctuation must also feel natural. All of these aspects help to make each character’s voice unique.

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- **The dialogue should advance the plot and serve a purpose.**  Every detail of a screenplay matters. Characters should be intentional with their words and the dialogue should always push the story forward. Remember to show, don't tell.  If we don’t see it in action or hear it in dialogue, we don’t receive the information. Also, because screenwriting is a visual medium, in most cases it is more entertaining to see a moment than to hear about it in hindsight, especially if it is a moment that helps/hurts the character from reaching their goal. Want to learn more about Show Don’t Tell? Then check out video [WTF Does Show Don't Tell Mean Workbook](https://www.awriterforyourwriter.com/store/p59/Workbook%3A_WTF_does_Show_Don%27t_Tell_Mean%3F.html/?_blank). 

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- **Write realistic dialogue that sounds natural through subtext.**  Study how people talk and how they form their sentences. This will aid in making sure that the dialogue comes off as natural and realistic. Avoid dialogue that is too on the nose. This means that character’s are saying exactly what they’re thinking leaving no room for tension. Think about how your characters can say one thing but mean another or not say anything at all and show their thoughts through action, similar to how we interact in the real world. 

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Want to learn more about dialogue? Be sure to check out [Story Elements series](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ooDmAK4QZg/?_blank) where The Professional Pen CEO and Head Consultant Shannan Johnson  teaches the foundations of screenwriting in less than 2 minutes.

No matter its purpose, dialogue should be concise. No one wants to hear John the baker go on and on for pages about his grocery list. So if you want to write effective dialogue, keep it sharp, focused, and to the point. If you want feedback on your character’s dialogue, then check out [Development Notes service](https://www.awriterforyourwriter.com/store/p21/Development_Notes.html/?_blank), where The Professional Pen provides detailed page and script notes about all aspects of your script, including dialogue, character, story, and more.


How to write effective dialogue

How to use playlists

Do you have a novel in which your characters do a lot of talking, and
you want to turn it into an audiobook? Then you absolutely have to
understand and use Table Reads. I wish I had understood the purpose of
Table Reads before creating my first audiobook. Table Reads streamlines
the process.

I enjoy using Table Reads so much that I am looking forward to finishing
the two novels I currently have in progress so that I can then use Table
Reads to bring those characters to life.

Are you planning on a single narrator because it is simpler? You are
competing with audiobooks with a voice actor doing a splendid job and
getting a splendid pay cheque. To compete with that, you need to use
multiple voices. Table Reads is the answer.

I was so thrilled with finding and using Kukarella and Table Reads that
I created a “How To” eBook to help you avoid the time-consuming errors I
made in producing my first audiobook. You can find my “Kukarella - How
To” ebook on my website.

[https://duncansoftware.com](https://duncansoftware.com/?_blank)

If you have questions, I have answers. eMail me at the contact address
on my website.

Have you already finished your audiobook? I would like to list it on my
website. This list is for computer voice audiobooks only. Details on my
website.


You - Becoming an Audiobook Author

At GRASPED Digital, part of our mission is to provide our members with video training courses enhanced with the ground-breaking technology of neural text to speech.

We knew that many of the neural voices sound more than 95% real, and that we could produce pleasant instructional videos for our membership.

At first this was a struggle, we started converting the entire text of each lesson to a single audio, then applying it to the presentation. We then had to use a video editor to align each slide to the beginning and end of each sentence. This proved extremely time consuming and difficult to automate, so we continued looking for a better solution.

Then we found Kukarella. Kukarella’s platform enables us to input an entire video script and download a zip file containing a separate sound clip for every sentence.

Working closely with Kukarella, we now use their product in conjunction with our software to insert a sound clip into each slide of our presentations. Now, when we convert the presentations to video, the timings automatically adjust to the length of the sound clip.

I would like to thank Nazim and his team for their assistance, we wouldn’t have got to where we are today without the use of their innovative platform.

Steven Brough

GRASPED Digital

[https://grasped.digital](https://grasped.digital/?_blank)



How we use Kukarella to create video training courses 

by **Agustin Cacique** 

As a freelancer living in Mexico, it's expensive for me to hire voice talents for the voiceovers I need. I have explored many programs, but few offered me the right accents for my projects, since they mainly have voices with accents from Spain. That is why now I only work with Kukarella, where I can find accents not only from Mexico, but from other Latin American countries... More than anywhere else!



Selection of languages and acents

by **Cheryl Orlassino**

I use Kukarella for text to audio for educational online games, informational videos, and advertising. The voices are natural, and creating files is very easy. I often create many files at a time, and Kukarella makes it easy since the UI is so simple to navigate. In addition, Kukarella is affordable. I used to use another company (for the exact same voices) which was much more expensive.

Here's an example of how I use Kukarella: <iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/516281261?h=2c6d557ccc&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

For Educational Games

by **Stu Duncan**

I had written 3 novels, and I wanted to convert them to audiobooks. I got some prices and realized the cost was well beyond my budget. My second name is do-it-yourself and so I began researching how to do the recording myself. There are some very good articles online. Investing in quality microphones, other required hardware, and converting a room in my house to an audio room were doable, but the cost was adding up.

The actual show stopper was audio editing. I have done some audio/video editing in the past and knew that saying the words was the simple part. If you have never done any audio editing, it is a big deal. People get university degrees on that subject.

While I was doing the research for my do-it-yourself audiobook, by luck, I happened onto a site that had computer voices. I didn’t expect much, but clicked the demo button out of boredom with my research. It was shocking. The voices were almost human. Not at all like the voices I remember from way back when.

Suddenly I wasn’t bored. This might be an acceptable compromise. Discovering how many producers of voices there were, and the different levels of quality took days and the results were unsatisfactory. If the voices were good, they were very expensive. If I wanted to use them commercially, they became even more expensive. And several of them were not do-it-yourself. This started to seem like another dead end.

Then, on an email list, someone mentioned Kukarella. I checked out their website. This was exactly what I was looking for. Lots of choice. Low price. Commercial use. My books had found a home.

I began production of my first book. To be sure that I wasn’t deluding myself about the quality of the voices, I told my wife that I was interviewing a narrator for my book. Would she have a listen and tell me what she thought? She listened and said he was very good and I should use him if the price was right. She didn’t realize that she had listened to a computer. In fact, she was so incredulous that she didn’t believe me until I translated some more text while she watched.

I created an account with Kukarella and produced my first audiobook. BUT when I was almost finished I heard about multi-voice audiobooks. What a dummy I am. I had not even considered it. I did a few samples and knew immediately that I was going to start over and turn my single narrator audiobook into a multi-voice version. It was worth the effort.

Now, I have completed 3 conversions, and the response is great. People can’t believe they are listening to computers talking.

The production cost of do-it-yourself audiobooks using Kukarella is shockingly cheap. You can do a 60,000 word novel for under a $100.

You can listen to samples from my books on my website.

[https://duncansoftware.com](https://duncansoftware.com)

If you have been considering converting your book to an audiobook, you really need to check out Kukarella.

![Stu2.png](/uploads/Stu2_1834b66a0b.png)



The Danger of Giving Up Too Soon  

Often, audio recognition may be inaccurate or fail to detect any speech. There are a number of reasons why this can occur, such as low volume, high background noise, or audio distortion. 

A good rule of thumb – If Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant on your phone can understand what is being said, then the transcription service should interpret it.

In order to get the best results, please try the following suggestions:

Use a high quality recording with less background noise and a clear voice.

Edit the recording to reduce background noise and increase the speaker's volume. Programs like Audacity (free) and Adobe Audition (paid) will suffice.

Select “1 Speaker” in the options. These programs will sometimes produce better results if they are only looking for one voice.



Why does audio transcription fail sometimes?

Let's say that you want to transcribe an audio or video file, or even a YouTube video. You would have to hire a person for at least two hours to transcribe one hour worth of audio. 

Now, you can upload the file to Kukarella or enter the YouTube URL and get a transcription within minutes! 

Kukarella uses Google's speech recognition technology to transcribe text from 130 different languages and accents.

After you have downloaded the file or YouTube video, it shows up in your player. If you have multiple files, you can rearrange them into a specific order.

Done uploading files? Now you can select the language you want the text to be spoken in. Be careful with the accents though; the wrong one can affect the transcription's accuracy.

Done with that? Now press the Convert button.

It takes about 30 minutes to transcribe one hour of audio.

Once complete, you can see the text, compare the results with your original audio, and make edits.

From this page, you can also download the text and audio.

If you close the project, you can find it in your account's personal storage page for future downloading and sharing.

If you have any questions, feel free to send a message to support@kukarella.com so we can help you.

If you have any tools or functionality requests, please let us know. Good advice is rewarded with a bonus.



Transcribing audio and video files

Are you looking to simply dictate text for transcription? Or even transcribe a conversation in real time? How about translating a full conversation into a different language for later consumption? All of this can be done on Kukarella's audio transcription tool!

Simply select the transcription option, choose a language or accent, and select the number of participants. Voila! You can now press the start button.

Before you start this process, we recommend that you keep the microphone as close to the sound source as possible and try to eliminate any ambient or surrounding noises. If you have several people talking and their voices overlap, this will negatively affect the transcription. All voices must be clear and loud for the transcription to be accurate.

Speech will be transcribed in real time. When you are done recording, the project will be saved in the database and you can access it in your personal account.

You can also make edits, upload audio and text, and share them.

If you have any questions, feel free to send a message to support@kukarella.com so we can help you.

If you have any tools or functionality requests, please let us know. Good advice is rewarded with a bonus.


Transcribing audio on Kukarella

Let's say that you need to create a voice-over with several people talking – how would you create this project?

You could use real actors and voice talents.

Or you could have one person read all of the text, then use an online converter to put everything together in an audio editing program.

Fortunately, there is a better way – the Dialogues AI tool on Kukarella.

How does this work?

First, you create several actors; giving them their own unique language and voice.

Then, assign lines to the actors you created.

And that's it!

Here are some step-by-step instructions:

First, you will create a narrator. He will read all of the extra lines that are not associated with an actor.

Second, you will create actors for all of your roles. They can speak different languages, accents... Whatever you feel is best for that role. 

Now, you will assign text to your actors. Just select the line and click on the actor's name. That's it – now your piece is ready for a Table Read.

Want a different actor to read a specific line? Select the link and select a new actor.

Want to change a character's voice? No problem! Select the actor and edit their settings.

With all of that done, you are now ready to create your voice-over.

So let's say that, before you convert the file, you want to hear how some of the lines sound. You can hover over the text and press the play button! Kukarella will convert that line so you can listen to it.

OR you can listen to the entire text! Press the convert button and you can listen to the entire text.

Once the text has been converted to audio, you can download it as an mp3 or wav file.

We hope that this tutorial has helped you understand how to convert text to speech in Kukarella. If you have any questions, please send a message to support@kukarella.com, and someone will get back to you.


How to create voiceover online with multiple voices

How to get rights for commercial use for text to speech voices

Overview of Kukarella text to speech converter

How to playback an audio after you converted text to speech 

How to use projects and versions in text to speech converter

How to apply effects to computer voices

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