These days people lead busy and chaotic lives, so it's no wonder the way we consume books has changed. With the birth of technology, came a huge shift in the way we digest a book. More and more people are turning to audio books for this simple reason, because it's an easier medium to absorb a book.
Combine this with mobile technology and you have one of the fastest growing markets for selling books.
Oh and I forgot to mention the ai technology more people have in their homes, such as Google Home and Amazon Echo that contains Whispersync technology which allows readers to go "back and forth between a Kindle book and Audible professional narration - without ever losing your place." (From insidehighered.com).
There is obviously an opportunity for authors to stand-out from the crowd if they include audio books in their selling arsenal.
Not All Books Make Great Audio Books
You'll find that not every book makes the cut when it comes to audio recording, but Audible will advise you which types of books make the best kind of audio books.
These include:
- Travel Guides
- Quotation books
- Heavily image laden books such as home, garden and interior books
- Any type of picture book
- Cookbooks
Let's start looking into how you put your book manuscript into audio format.
Audi Book Formats
Audio books are similar to normal eBooks and print books in that they're are different formats, such as:
- MP3
- M4B
- WAV files
How to Create an Audi Book
Audio books have really taken off in recent years, not surprising when you think about how much we rely on technology these days. So why aren't writer's taking this golden opportunity to make audio books?
Most writers may be frightened off by the cost of creating a book in audio format.
Audiobooks can be made even if you're a mere novice.
So let's take a look at the companies most used for producing audio books.
ACX couples the rights holder of a book to authors, narrators and agents for audio book production. Owned by Amazon, all audio books created through the website will go on to be sold on iTunes, and Audible at Amazon.
The only caveat that really matters is that you own the rights, which enables any indie author or traditionally published author who may not have licensed their audio rights.
Currently ACX is open to residents of the United States, UK, Canada and Ireland.
Creating Your Audio Book With ACX
Login
Use your Amazon ASIN number to claim your book through your ACX account.
Setting Up
ACX will automatically take the details of your book from Amazon.
Finding the Right Voice
You have two options:
1. You can narrate and create the audio book by yourself, but this will involve professional and high quality audio equipment for sound editing, otherwise it won't pass the quality check.
2. You can find a professional narrator
Contract and Exclusivity
You have two choices:
1. You can pay up front. Novels of around 90,000 words, at 10 hours of narration cost around $200.
2. Or you can pay a royalty share.
Self-Narration
If you choose to narrate your own book you only have to decide on whether to go exclusive or non-exclusive.
Exclusive
Exclusive means you receive a higher royalty rate, but your audio book will only be available through iTunes, Audible and Amazon, and you'll have a seven year contract, but if you have the rights to your book you can email ACX and ask them to move you to a non-exclusive contract.
Non-Exclusive
You'll receive a lower royalty rate, but it gives you the freedom to publish your audio book on other platforms and sell directly from your own website.
The Best Audio Book Distributors
It stands to reason that the King of ecommerce is Amazon, which makes Amazon the elephant in the room. Which puts ACX at the top of the pile when it comes to marketing your audio books.
Not unlike Kindle Direct Publishing, ACX hosts the audio files, metadata and book cover for the audio book.
Options for Audio Book Distribution
ListenUp
Author's Republic
Findaway Voices
Overdrive
What Are the Royalties for Selling Audio Books
Money is the main reason people write, so how much can you make by selling audio books?
Recent Trends and Statistics of Audio Books
The Markinblog reported that, "according to a report published in June of 2019 by the Audio Publishers Association, audio book sales increased by nearly 25% between 2017 and 2018 and total sales approached nearly $1 billion!"
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