While promoting my latest novel, Spell of the Wordsmith, my attention has been grabbed by the rise of the Audiobook market. Audiobooks aren’t particularly new but they have begun to increase in popularity. Significantly since the pandemic. Whether you like to listen during a long commute or while doing chores around the house or out walking the dog, audiobooks are an entertaining way to consume literature. But are they worth it? Speaking as an Indie Author that is.

To produce an Audiobook, it’s highly recommended a professional narrator or Voice Actor be hired with a reputable company. Makes sense. Audio files must be in special format that meets the standards of the platforms where you would be offering it for sale. However, Professional = $$$. Usually.

What do I mean by “usually”?

Well, if you’re good at negotiating, there are professional Voice Actors who are open to a profit sharing deal where no money is put upfront but sales are split 50/50. I know of one author that went that route. He produced an audiobook without paying a cent. But it did require him to be okay with sharing the profits. That’s 50% of the royalty, of course, not the retail price. Which brings up another issue.

When it came to try and understand what the actual cost and profit for producing an audiobook came down to, I found a lot a varying information. Articles that didn’t recommend it for indie authors were a few years old. Essentially before the notable growth during the pandemic. Those that fully endorsed it, usually were the audiobook producing services. A little bias perhaps? I think the best and most matter-of-fact presentation I found was by indie author Roger Zargari.

His article “What does Audible Really pay Indie Authors?” succinctly lays out the math and the potential for profits. If your an indie author and audiobooks are something you’re wondering about, I recommend the article. Or even if you’re a reader, you might find it interesting to discover some of the financial challenges faced by your favourite indie authors. Needless to say, these are not considerations faced by traditionally published authors.

Well, this turned out to be a longer and long-winded blog about something I’ve been considering, going forward. Let me know what you think. Have any of these things ever, even crossed your mind or are you a reader of traditional books and have never bothered with audiobooks? One aspect of the whole audio vs. traditional books has been audiobook consumers insisting they “read” their books and traditional readers vehemently disagreeing. I purposely avoided that debate as it would take up an entire blog all on its own. In either case, stories are being told and stories are being received. And in the end, isn’t that every authors dream?

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Of course, we can’t let you go without introducing you to the Queen of Hearts. She’s ready for Valentine’s Day and she “Plays for Keeps”! Join her in the game when you purchase her on any of the quality products found in our Redbubble shop. Spread the Love and show your support for Indie Artists! The stickers and t-shirts are particularly cool.

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