Last month, we journeyed from idea to the publication of our first audiobook in three weeks. At no cost. International distribution. Easy-peasy.
Here were the keys:
- We already had a decent microphone, a Blue Yeti, and a tiny bit of experience using the Audacity free version as our audio studio.
- The narrator has done some acting and is familiar with speaking lines. He was the co-author and worked for free.
- We used FindawayVoices.com as our production/distribution platform, and that was very helpful, and free.
The book, 50 Fun Facts About the New York Yankees, was launched in paperback and e-book on Amazon in July. We had the thought to produce an audiobook version once the Yankees were definitely going to the World Series. We didn’t allow quite enough time as it turned out, so we missed that opportunity. But not by much. We’re delighted that the book was available as quickly as it was, and on multiple distribution channels. We can now say that we have started up a brand new arm of Touchwood Press.
Takeaways:
- Don’t be intimidated at the prospect of producing an audiobook version of your book. Just as with publishing the print book, you can do this, even if you need a little help.
- However, remember to respect the medium. You’ll need a quiet place to record. You’ll need to be aware that your breathing and other mouth noises (and other noises) will absolutely end up in the recording. It may require multiple takes and some editing to get an acceptable audio files.
- The two co-authors of the Yankees book are on different coasts. This did not present any serious problem. One author sent production-ready audio files to the other, who merged and did final production on them before uploading to FindawayVoices. There were remarkably few re-tries needed to get an OK from Findaway, and we were off to the races. Within a few days, we were notified that six distribution channels (GooglePlay, Audiobooks.com, others) have included our audiobook in their catalogs. Listeners everywhere can buy our audiobook, and we get royalties (almost) instantly, at rates that vary by channel. Pretty slick.
What about Amazon?
Amazon’s ACX is the kingpin in the audiobook production world, especially for self-publishers. That’s great. However, through my research and what I’ve heard from others over time, ACX offers a more complicated path for self-publishers than say, FindawayVoices, which we use for our first adventure into audiobooks. The complications begin with the ACX Book Posting Agreement, a lengthy contract that is well worth your time if you want to get into the audiobook business. For our purposes, publishing our first audiobook, this was a bridge way too far. Having said that, I look forward to accessing the benefits that ACX can offer as we ramp up our audiobook enterprise.
The Opportunity
The audiobook market is expected to grow about 25% per year between now and 2032. The market was $4.2 billion in 2022 and could be as big as $40 billion in 10 years. It’s not hard to figure out why, in a world where we live tethered to our phones, more and more folks are listening rather than, or in addition to, reading. Decide for yourself if you can bite off the time and effort to produce your own audiobooks and gain another slice of the pie.