Will Dages from Findaway Voices shares insights and information about the growing market of audiobooks.
The audiobook market has seen remarkable double-digit growth every year for the past decade. We don't see it slowing down any time soon.
High-profile players continue to enter and invest in the
audiobook space. Google Play, Kobo, and Walmart are all raising awareness and
new options for listeners, and all started selling audiobooks in the past year.
If you've been thinking about creating an audiobook, or selling your audiobook wider, there's never been a better time.
High-profile players continue to enter and invest in the
audiobook space. Google Play, Kobo, and Walmart are all raising awareness and
new options for listeners, and all started selling audiobooks in the past year.
If you've been thinking about creating an audiobook, or
selling your audiobook wider, there's never been a better time.
How much does it cost to make an audiobook?
The cost of an audiobook production depends on two key
factors: the length of the finished audiobook, and the cost of the narrator.
As a rule of thumb, nine thousand words will record to about
1 hour of audio. This means that a 65,000 word novel will end up being around a
7 hour audiobook. If a narrator charges $200 per finished hour, that production
will cost you $1,400.
It's important to note that audiobook productions are billed
based on the length of the finished audio, not the amount of work that
goes in to creating that audio. It can often take a professional 3–5 hours of
work to produce one finished hour of audio for an audiobook. When you see PFH
next to a rate, that's what it means: $200 Per Finished Hour.
Narration is more than standing in front of a microphone and
talking for 9 hours. It's a performance job—the narrator has to keep voices,
accents, and intonations consistent across the entire recording, even when
sessions may be split between days or weeks. Recording has to happen in
sonically-clean environments, usually small studios that can be quite cramped
and hot (microphones can hear the hum of an air conditioner). There are strict
technical standards for audiobooks that can be intimidating. Some narrators
handle their own editing and mastering, and others sub-contract it out, baking
that cost into their rate.
Narrating a book sounds like a fun job at first glance, but
it can be grueling. Hiring an experienced professional is well worth it.
How To Make An Audiobook
So how much time, effort, and energy is it going to take to
make your audiobook? At Findaway Voices, we've worked hard to make it as simple
as possible. Most productions are complete in about 6 weeks, with minimal
effort from an author.
The first step is filling out a questionnaire about your
book. We have a casting team that uses your answers to pair you with the
perfect narrator for your book. We'll recommend 5–10 narrators in a
personalized casting list where you're able to see rates, bios, and listen to
samples. When you have a few top choices, we'll coordinate auditions so you can
hear them read a small section of your book.
Once you find the perfect narrator, we help guide you
through the rest of the process. The narrator hits the studio with your
finalized manuscript, and you enter your audiobook's metadata and choose where
you want your audiobook to sell. As the narrator uploads audio files to the
website, you're notified that they're ready for review. Once you've approved
the audio, you pay for the production and we get to work sending the audiobook
to every retailer you've chosen.
Selling Your Audiobook
There's no point in making an audiobook if it doesn't sell.
It used to be that Audible was the only player in town. Times have changed.
Audible is still a major player, but there are a lot of companies innovating
with different target customers, different business models, and different
listening experiences.
Findaway Voices is the wide option for audiobook
distribution. We help your audiobook reach about 30 storefronts all over the
world. Some are big names like Apple, Google, and Audible. Others aren't
household names, but have strong presences in libraries or international
markets. They span different business models and target different types of
audiobook listeners. Some are taking big bets in monster markets, others are
taking lots of small bets in multiple niche markets.
The diversity is healthy, and is exposing audiobooks to more
listeners than ever before. Consumers continue to have more options for
listening experiences, more ways to discover and buy audiobooks, and they are
increasingly expecting books to have an audio version. Will your audiobook be
there when someone searches for it?
