Remember the days of listening to your favorite books on cassette tapes and maybe even CDs on long road trips? Remember how it made the time fly, and how easy it was to get lost in the experience of a good story?
The idea of being able to take a novel, biography, poetry, teaching concept, or other text related information and make it available for “reading” while on the go, is what has made the audiobook industry a booming business with a broad appeal to the vast market of humanity. Anyone who loves to read, or who has to read for school or other training purposes for that matter, is a viable part of this market.
Audiobooks are not a new thing.
Audiobooks have been around since the 1930s when government programs began making books accessible to the blind through audio on vinyl records. Referred to as “spoken word” recordings or “talking books”, these were then made available in public schools and libraries.
It wasn’t until the 1970s that the term “audiobook” came into being, marketed as “books on tape”, and sold and released on audio-cassette tapes. It was during this period that “instructional recordings” made their debut and people were able to learn by listening. By the 1980s book retailers got into the game and began displaying them on their shelves along with printed books rather than in separate displays.
The format however, and the way we create, access, purchase and listen to audiobooks has evolved significantly over the last several years.
Today, the Internet, along with broadband technology, advanced compressed audio formats, and the rise of portable media players has made audiobooks a ubiquitous commodity.
Mobile technologies such as smart phones, tablets and devices such as Apple CarPlay in automobiles have brought about a resurgence of audio storytelling and listening.
According to Forbes and the APA (American Publisher’s Association), as of 2018, in the U.S. alone, the audiobook business is nearly a $1 Billion industry, and growing rapidly.
All of this leads to one thing – why you, the indie author or publisher should get into the audiobook market today!
How Do I Create an Audiobook?
Thanks to current technology, making an audiobook is a fairly simple process.
First, of course, you need to have a book
…or have access to printed copy, either original or in the public domain, that you intend to turn into an audiobook.
Second, you must decide on a narrator
This is a very important decision, as a narrator can make or break an audiobook. Most of the time, buyers have the option of previewing an audiobook before they purchase. There must be a “connection” with the listener.
If the reader is flat and non-expressive, or if their voice is nasally and annoying like fingernails on a chalkboard, the potential customer is likely to move on and select another book to listen to; one they instantly connect with. No matter how good the content, no one wants to spend hours listening to an irritating or lifeless narration that leaves them provoked and/or uninspired.
If you’ve been told you have a pleasant voice, and you enjoy reading out loud, (and have the time), you may consider narrating your own book. Be aware though, if you have never done this before, reading and recording your own audiobook will definitely take longer than having it narrated by a professional voiceover artist, and edited by a professional sound engineer. The time saved, and the professionalism of the recording could very well be the difference in how much money you save, and how well your book does in the market. If reading out loud isn’t your thing, you may want to consider sticking with what you do best – writing.
So choose wisely grasshopper…this is probably your most important step in creating your audiobook.
Third, choose where and how you will record
As mentioned above, leaving the recording to a professional studio that does this on a daily basis can make the process a very pleasant and time-saving experience. Your options include having the studio hire a professional narrator, or coming into the studio to read the book yourself. Many authors who have done both, (reading their own material, and hiring a pro), say they definitely prefer the latter.
However, if you decide to take it on yourself, you can learn how to narrate and record your audiobook here.
Next, Create an ACX account
ACX, (Audiobook Creation Exchange), is a marketplace created to help authors and publishers (Rights Holders) connect with narrators and recording studios (Producers) for the purpose of recording and publishing audiobooks.
Launched by Audible in 2011 as a subsidiary of Amazon.com, ACX is the place to upload and earn money with your audio content.
As a producer or rights owner, who is a member of ACX you can upload and release your audiobook to the world. The good news is, when you produce your title through ACX it is made available not only on Audible, but also on Amazon.com as well as iTunes.
Go here to learn more > How to Create an ACX Account
Finally, upload your content
Once the recording and editing of your audiobook is complete, as member of ACX, you simply fill out a few forms regarding territories and terms of distribution. You then accept those terms and are ready to upload your files. Learn more here > Uploading files to ACX
So that’s it!
So simple anyone who can write, and knows how to follow a few directions online can do it!
Your next step will be launching and marketing your new title. Learn more here > How to Launch & Market Your Audiobook