Audio Books - Worth it?

4311 Views 45 Replies 27 Participants Last post by sbaum4853, Mar 11, 2013

EdShull

Discussion Starter · Mar 2, 2013

How many authors have had their books made into audio books? Was it worth it? What did you end up paying for the reading?

1 - 20 of 46 Posts

56139

· #2 · Mar 2, 2013

My narrator is polishing up the master as we speak. She took the royalty deal and I never paid her a cent. In fact, she sent me the first 15 minutes, I approved it with glowing remarks, then I never heard from her again until the other day when she said she was done.

I am 99% sure she did a great job without any input from me (she's an actress and she was dead on perfect for that first 15 minutes), but we'll see. I'm rather excited to listen to it actually.

Now, will I make money off it? I have no idea. But as long as she's willing to do it, I'm good with her continuing on for all the other books in the series and I'm gonna market the hell out of it when my new release comes out next month.

rubyscribe

· #3 · Mar 2, 2013

JanneCO said:
My narrator is polishing up the master as we speak. She took the royalty deal and I never paid her a cent. In fact, she sent me the first 15 minutes, I approved it with glowing remarks, then I never heard from her again until the other day when she said she was done.

I am 99% sure she did a great job without any input from me (she's an actress and she was dead on perfect for that first 15 minutes), but we'll see. I'm rather excited to listen to it actually.

Now, will I make money off it? I have no idea. But as long as she's willing to do it, I'm good with her continuing on for all the other books in the series and I'm gonna market the hell out of it when my new release comes out next month.

I have been pondering and procrastinating on this count. Your post has given me impetus to act!

Michael_J_Sullivan

· #4 · Mar 2, 2013

First let me say that my audio book experience is from the traditional side - and in genre (fantasy) category. My sales on audible have been extremely good. While I still don't have exact numbers here is why I know they are going well.

On the "bestseller" lists - my audio books come first, then my ebooks, then my print
On the "authors rank" page for fantasy authors the pictures shown there are for the audio versions
All three books are in the Top 25 Epic Fantasy books (12 authors: Martin(5), Tolkein(4), Jordan(4), Sullivan(3), Brett(2), Rothfuss(2)
I've been on several of the "best of lists"
Am a finalist for the Audie Awards

Recorded books are the producers for them...but I'm about to go hybrid and self-publish a new title Hollow World - and I will most certainly be doing an audio of it (either through Recorded Books, or ACX).

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Kia Zi Shiru

· #5 · Mar 2, 2013

I have been thinking of this, because I hear that is works really well for a lot of people.

BJ Whittington

· #6 · Mar 2, 2013

Michael_J_Sullivan said:
Recorded books are the producers for them...but I'm about to go hybrid and self-publish a new title Hollow World - and I will most certainly be doing an audio of it (either through Recorded Books, or ACX).

Recorded Books? Where and who and how do I find info on them?

P.C. (Peter) Anders

· #7 · Mar 2, 2013

Hi,

I picked up a few links, yet to research them:

http://www.infinitypublishing.com/1-hour-audio/

http://www.acx.com/

http://www.valuecovers.com/how-to-create-audiobooks-with-kindle/

http://www.loc.gov/nls/other/audioart/allinone.html

http://blog.karenwoodward.org/2011/06/how-to-record-audiobook-at-home.html

http://lifehacker.com/129953/how-to-record-excellent-audio-books

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Joe_Nobody

· #8 · Mar 2, 2013

Yes, worth it.

I used ACX, but negotiated a hybrid deal with the actor.

Well worth it - if you don't do this with every book you're leaving money on the table.

Carradee

· #9 · Mar 2, 2013

I've not done it yet, but I'm planning to narrate two of my short stories myself. I did a demo recording and got some beta listeners, so it's time to try again. Thanks for reminding me to bump this up on my to-do list.

jasonzc

· #10 · Mar 2, 2013

I think there's a secondary value to audiobooks, aside from the direct sales aspect.

Once you have paperbacks, audiobooks, and ebooks, your prices become more attractive. Save ten dollars off of the audiobook by buying the ebook? Sure!

It also looks a lot more professional to the readers on Amazon, I'd say. Less fly-by-night. Of course, audiobooks are a big market, but there is 100x less competition than in ebooks.

As someone above said, you're losing revenue if you don't have all three formats.

Not to mention the thrill of hearing a story you slaved over turned into an audio event.

I've had a few up since Christmas. I think I've sold 34 copies so far, with two more audiobooks set to be released soon, and others in production.

For Perfect Me, a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy homage, I secured a British female narrator who puts it absolutely over the top in terms of quality and engagement. I really think this is how the book is meant to be consumed.

For Zombie Killa, I have a narrator who does radio (Dr. Demento show) AND is familiar with the characters in the novel. (I used real people for every character in the book.) He went over the top with soundeffects, a theme song, etc.

I think these are going to be big sellers eventually. Maybe even bigger than the ebooks and paperbacks. The medium suits them perfectly.

Not to mention the declining literacy rates in the U.S. ; ) Audiobooks, in part, are for people who don't necessarily read.

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RM Prioleau

· #11 · Mar 2, 2013

I would strongly advise AGAINST recording audiobooks yourself at home unless you are a pro at voice acting and narration.

JeffreyKafer

· #12 · Mar 3, 2013

RM Prioleau said:
I would strongly advise AGAINST recording audiobooks yourself at home unless you are a pro at voice acting and narration.

Amen. You will do your book a huge disservice.

PaulLev

· #13 · Mar 3, 2013

Michael_J_Sullivan said:
First let me say that my audio book experience is from the traditional side - and in genre (fantasy) category. My sales on audible have been extremely good ...

Am a finalist for the Audie Awards

My experience similar to Michael's - except my traditional works were science fiction rather than fantasy. But The Consciousness Plague's being a finalist for the Audies really helped the print sales (I haven't released it yet as an ebook, but will later this year).

Laura Lond

· #14 · Mar 3, 2013

One of my audiobooks produced through ACX has won the Earphones Award; it was done by a professional voice actor, so yes, I would second the advice of not doing it yourself unless you are trained + have all the necessary equipment.

ACX has been great to work with. Easy enough of a process, many voice artists available to choose from, exclusive/non-exclusive option.

George Berger

· #15 · Mar 3, 2013

I had an audiobook made of a certain novella, through ACX. Sales have been... mediocre, at best. There's a quite good chance I have the poorest-selling audiobook produced yet through ACX, actually. I think there are two reasons for this: one is the length (it's about 90min long), and the other is the price. I went with an ACX-exclusive deal so that the narrator could collect the $n00 "bounty" ACX offered - which worked out well for her, and I'm quite glad. But, that exclusivity means ACX gets to set the retail price of the finished product, which they've set at $6.99, I believe. I honestly think it'd sell 10x better at $2.99 or $2.49, but, eh. Not my call, unfortunately.

And the whole process was enough of a headache, honestly, that I have zero interest in producing future audiobooks of any length. More trouble than it's worth, for me. YMMV significantly, obviously.

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EdShull

Discussion Starter · #16 · Mar 3, 2013

Thank you to everyone for answering. So it sounds like the overall answer is a big yes to having an audio book made. Where are you finding the actors to narrate and what are you paying them?

Mathew Reuther

· #17 · Mar 3, 2013

If you're in America, check out ACX. They offer revenue share or per-project fees.

JeffreyKafer

· #18 · Mar 3, 2013

The average bottom rate for a professional narrator is $200-$300. You can find them for less, but as with anything, you get what you pay for.

H.M. Ward

· #19 · Mar 3, 2013

YES! ACX for everything. Audiobooks are good money.

Krista D. Ball

· #20 · Mar 3, 2013

RM Prioleau said:
I would strongly advise AGAINST recording audiobooks yourself at home unless you are a pro at voice acting and narration.

You can go the podiobook/podcast route, as well. All of those are recorded in a closet...

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