Written by: Kris Keppeler, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Most authors assume it's expensive to make an audiobook. It's true; it's not cheap to make an audiobook.
Why it's expensive
That's because narrators read aloud at about 9300 words per hour, which means a 10,000-word audiobook takes over an hour to narrate. Editing, proofing, and mastering take at least another three hours! It's a massive amount of work.
You can reduce that expense by finding a narrator who will share revenue with you. You pay half or nothing upfront and share all royalties for several years with your narrator.
Another way is not to consider it an expense but an investment. It's a way to attract more fans and publicity. You can earn more revenue from your book.
If your book sells well, you're missing out on revenue. Books that sell well in print or on Kindle usually sell just as well in audio. And audiobooks never go out of stock.
Narrating your book
You prefer to narrate your stories yourself. Many authors are excellent at this, especially speakers or teachers. You think it will save money but don't know where to begin.
It will save you money if you have the time to cobble together a home studio and learn to record yourself. You will need to invest in a decent mic. You cannot use the mic on your laptop.
It's easy to find an audio engineer to help edit, proof, and master your files, but you must pay for that service. It's less than hiring a narrator/producer. However, you need to provide the engineer with decent-sounding files.
Audible submission requirements are stringent. They won't publish your audiobook if your files don't meet the criteria. It's challenging to fix poor sound quality, and it will cost you more.
Hiring a narrator
It's easy to find a narrator for your book. Both Audible, through ACX.com, and Findaway Voices allow you to list your book for auditions. You sign up, put your book out there, and receive auditions. You choose the narrator you like.
You may be overwhelmed with publishing your book, much less thinking about an audiobook. Handing your audiobook creation process to a studio or independent producer is possible. They will handle everything for you, so you don't have to deal with it. It may cost you more money, but you will keep your sanity.
The decision to make an audiobook is yours. Please don't assume it's too expensive as you may leave money and more on the table. More and more people like to listen rather than read, or like to do both!
Kris Keppeler, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kris Keppeler is a narrator, actor, voice actor, podcaster, and writer. After discovering her singing voice in Jr. High Choir, she’s never quit using her voice to amuse and instigate. She’s impersonated a cat, a prince, a princess, an anteater, a dragon, and a president with her voice and narrated/produced over 50 audiobooks. She narrates and produces an award winning weekly storytelling podcast about life and befuddlement. She’s crafted blogs and articles using humor and valuable information to delight readers. Visit her IMDB page for stage and screen credits.
.jpg)
