One of the most exciting trends in self-publishing has been the explosion of the audiobook industry. Consumers who are hard-pressed for time are increasingly opting to gobble up a new book in audio form versus reading. If you are in the process of self-publishing a book, allow this handy guide to help you navigate the process of adding an unabridged audiobook to your lineup.
Four Top Audiobook Publishers
For authors who immediately recoil in fear at the mere thought of attempting to record an audiobook with an audiobook distributor, fear not! Fortunately, you don’t need to know how to self-publish an audiobook, as there are independent audiobook publishers that can help you with some, or even all, of the steps involved. Consider working with any of these excellent audiobook publishers for your audio content:
Audible
Audible is the most popular audiobook retailer for audiobook listeners, but people may be surprised to learn it is also part of the publishing industry. Audible has an audiobook production platform called ACX, or Audiobook Creation Exchange, that connects authors to narrators and producers in the audiobook market. Authors simply post their book listing so the narrators can audition and then the author can select a narrator and producer they like and negotiate a deal. Authors can distribute their audiobooks exclusively through ACX, Audible, iTunes, and Amazon, or they may choose to sell the audio files through other channels.
Scribe
Scribe Media offers comprehensive publishing services for self-published authors who wish to produce an audiobook. This service begins with a decision, do you want to hire a narrator or do you want to narrate the book yourself? Scribe Media will then either pair you with the best narrator for your project, or coach you through your own performance if you opt to do the narrating. Once the audiobook has finished post-production, it will be distributed through Author’s Republic on about 50 platforms, including Spotify, Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. This is one of the best audiobook publishing companies because of the level of care for authors.
Podium Audio
Podium Audio also specializes in producing audiobooks for self-published authors. It specializes in science fiction, fantasy, and romance, but produces audiobooks in many other genres, too. Podium Audio offers a range of services for emerging authors, including financing, developing, producing, and distributing audiobooks globally with a wide distribution network.
Deyan Audio
Deyan Audio is a pioneer in the audiobook landscape, having been in business for over 30 years. Instead of purchasing the rights to your book, the company produces your audiobook by charging a per-finished-hour rate. The production package includes narrator casting, recording, audio editing, mixing and mastering, quality control, and reformatting. Then you get the full royalty share for your audiobook sales.
Why Self-Publish an Audiobook?
Savvy self-published authors realize that the more formats their book is available in, the beefier their revenues. Adding an audiobook to the print and eBook versions simply makes the book more discoverable, while also opening up an additional income stream from audiobook revenue. Consider these excellent reasons for self-publishing an audiobook:
- You retain the rights to your work
- You can expand your sales potential and earn more money
- You diversify revenue streams
- Your work will never be out of stock
- You reach a wider audience of daily audiobook listeners
How To Self-Publish an Audiobook
Self-publishing a book is a business enterprise. You are creating a product to distribute and sell. Once you recognize the additional revenue potential that an audiobook presents, you are ready to move forward and get your audiobook produced. Simply follow these steps:
Write Your Book. Writing your book is step number one. This is the springboard for the various formats in which you’ll distribute your book, including your audiobook.
Self-Publish in Print. After completing the manuscript and having it professionally edited, it is time to have your book published – preferably in print form first.
Choose an Audiobook Publisher. Research audiobook publishers, and carefully consider the services they offer and their rates and packages before making your final selection.
Get Your Book Recorded. After selecting a narrator, you will work closely with your audiobook publisher as they record, edit, and produce the audiobook.
Distribute It To Major Audiobook Platforms. Most audiobook publishers will take care of the distribution of your audiobook for you.
Work With Gatekeeper Press for Your Self-Publishing Needs
Since it’s true that before you can produce an audiobook you must first write the book, accessing the expertise of a professional editor is a must. Consider working with Gatekeeper Press who will spruce up your manuscript with a thorough edit, and then assist you in getting your book published. Call us today or schedule a free consultation!