Audiobook FAQ
Table of Contents
Why Audiobooks?
U.S. audiobook sales in 2019 accounted for $1.2 billion alone—the eighth consecutive year where the industry saw double-digit growth. One in five Americans now regularly listens to audiobooks, so they present an opportunity for you to connect with and reach new audiences, taking your message right to the brains and hearts of your listeners.
Why are audiobooks so popular?
The audiobook market has risen to over $1.2 billion in sales in the U.S. per year, with double digit growth every year for the last 8 years.
The major factor in the rise of audiobook sales over the last 5-6 years is accessibility. As a society, we are nearly always in motion. We have access to audio when we don’t have access to the written word or video.
And with few exceptions, we always, always have our cell phones around! People are listening BIG. The typical American reads four books a year. But audiobook listeners listen to an average of 17 books a year.
Audio also creates intimacy between the listener and the author. After all, your message is flowing directly into the listeners’ brain via their ears. You are literally becoming a voice in their head!
My book is being published by a traditional publisher, or I otherwise don’t fully control the book’s rights. Can I still work with Twin Flames to publish my audiobook?
The audiobook market has risen to over $1.2 billion in sales in the U.S. per year, with double digit growth every year for the last 8 years.
The major factor in the rise of audiobook sales over the last 5-6 years is accessibility. As a society, we are nearly always in motion. We have access to audio when we don’t have access to the written word or video.
And with few exceptions, we always, always have our cell phones around! People are listening BIG. The typical American reads four books a year. But audiobook listeners listen to an average of 17 books a year.
Audio also creates intimacy between the listener and the author. After all, your message is flowing directly into the listeners’ brain via their ears. You are literally becoming a voice in their head!
Narrating Your Audiobook
Why is there a difference in price between working with a professional narrator and narrating the book myself?
With our professional narrators, we negotiate a fixed price per hour that we pass on to you directly (we do not mark this up). We don’t have to train or teach them anything, because narrating is their profession and the entire process runs easily and smoothly.
For author-narrated audiobooks, we do full, live direction and remote recording with our authors through the entire book. And we make it easy – we are able to remote access your microphone, check your audio setup, and guide you completely in the comfort of your own home or office. AND, we’re also teaching you an entirely new skill. Narrating an audiobook is not as simple as just sitting down and reading your book. There is much more to it than that!
All that being said, with the efficiency of the systems we’ve created, we’re able to keep the cost of an author narrated audiobook, which is more time and resource consuming, very close to the cost of a professionally narrated audiobook.
How long will it take me to record my audiobook if I narrate it myself?
You can expect to spend 2–3 hours recording with one of our directors for every 10,000 words of your book. So if you have a 40,000 word book, expect to have a recording time of 8–12 hours total, spread over 1-2 weeks. Compare this time commitment to going it alone, where you could expect to spend 50-60 hours of time that would result in a lower quality end product. We discuss this further below.
How much time will I need to commit if I have my audiobook professionally narrated?
A lot of this is up to you. Some authors take a “hands off” approach and trust us to do a professional job, so they only listen to the “first 15 minutes” required by ACX to confirm everything is in order. Others want to be sure everything sounds just right, so they review the chapters as they come through the pipeline. It all depends on your comfort level.
For professionally narrated audiobooks, how does the audition process work?
Finding the right narrator for your audiobook is crucial, and we take a ‘white glove’ approach to finding you the best narrator to represent you and your message.
Twin Flames Studios takes the lead for the entire audition process, including working with you to choose an audition script and submitting the title for auditions.
We usually receive between 60 and 120 auditions per book, which we then listen to and curate for vocal character, sound quality, professional background and their ability to meet budget and timeline. Once this vetting process is complete, we present you with our list of top favorites and you have the creative control to select the narrator you like best.
We make sure you get someone whose voice is a great fit, who is qualified, who is a good “energy match” for your voice and message, and who is able to deliver the project professionally and on-time.
My book contains different characters. Do I need a different narrator for each one?
No. There is one narrator for your book, who will do all of the voices. That is where voice acting comes into play. During your strategy session, we will work with you to create a list of characters and what their voices should sound like to present to the narrator you ultimately choose for your project. A typical list of characters includes the narrator’s voice, which is basically your voice and the most important, and then the other supporting characters. Then, when we do the audition, we will help you choose a short section with dialogue for the narrators auditioning to read so that they can voice the characters in their audition.
Can I just narrate a part of my book and not the whole thing?
Yes, absolutely! Some of our authors want to have their voice on their audiobook, but either do not want to or cannot narrate their entire book. We can work with you to have you narrate your introduction, or add a special ‘Interview With the Author” bonus chapter. Contact us and we’ll work with you to create the perfect scenario for you.
Producing Your Audiobook
How long will my audiobook be?
Yes, absolutely! Some of our authors want to have their voice on their audiobook, but either do not want to or cannot narrate their entire book. We can work with you to have you narrate your introduction, or add a special ‘Interview With the Author” bonus chapter. Contact us and we’ll work with you to create the perfect scenario for you.
How much time and work does producing an audiobook generally take?
Audiobook production and distribution for an average 40,000 word book (about 4 audio hours) takes about 20-25 hours of production time—for an experienced team.
Why does it take so many hours to produce one “finished” hour of audio?
Producing an audiobook is not as simple as just recording a book being read.
For the sake of calculation, keep in mind that about 10,000 words of your book equals an hour of “finished” audio.
First, there is prep. Special features that you may have in your book, like charts, captions, exercises, sidebars, calls to action, etc. need to be “translated” into audio.
Next is raw recording. People can’t just read a book from start to finish—they make mistakes, have pauses, need to take breaks, and so on. Audiobook recording sessions are no more than 2-3 hours at a time due to vocal and energy fatigue. You want your audiobook to be consistent and engaging, drawing in the listener – so your performance is paramount.
Production itself involves a detailed editing process that includes removing extraneous noises, reducing breaths and any “ah”s or “um”s, ensuring the pacing sounds right, and making sure the audio itself conforms to the stringent technical standards imposed by ACX (the Audiobook Creation eXchange, Amazon’s audiobook platform). It’s also vital to check the recording against the text of the book to look for mistakes—the spoken word version of typos.
Corrections must be made for anything missing, misspoken or otherwise incorrect, and then those corrections must be sound engineered too.
This is a deliberate process for professionals. It is a snail pace process for amateurs.
How much will producing my audiobook cost?
Obviously, the length of the audiobook plays a role in the final cost, as the narrator or director is paid on a “per finished hour” basis. But as an example, the cost for a typical 40,000 word book would be about $2,700 if you choose professional narration, and $3,000 if you choose author narration.
What do I need to have ready ahead of time?
To start recording, we’ll need a finalized manuscript. That being said, it’s best to plan your audiobook production and publishing well in advance. If you’d like to narrate your audiobook yourself, you’ll also need a microphone. But no worries, we’ll make sure you sound “studio perfect.”
Who pays for the professional narrator? Is it included in the price?
The author pays the professional narrator directly, which keeps your costs down. TFS provides an estimate of the final cost of professional narration based on the number of words in your book. Generally we are within 30 minutes (less than $100) of the final cost once the audiobook is complete.
You pay the narrator directly after the recordings are completed and we’re ready to send your audiobook to publishing.
The process is done this way because TFS does not mark up the cost of the narrator.
I heard you consistently get a large number of narrators who submit auditions. How?
We have compiled a list of top-rated professional narrators over the years. Whenever we post a new audition we also reach out to them directly to let them know we’ve got a new project. We treat our narrators like they are our clients, so they’re happy to work with us.
Can I self-publish my audiobook?
For a self-published audiobook, you can expect the same 60,000 word book to take three times as many hours—at minimum—to produce. It’s a big learning curve. It’s likely to result in a less professional, lower quality end product than an expertly produced one.
For U.S., U.K. and Canada based authors, Audible, Amazon, and iTunes do have a common back end called ACX for self-published authors to produce their audiobooks. Our Audiobook Production Checklist will help you get started. For international based authors, there are alternative platforms available.
Is there any advantage to self-publishing?
Your book and audiobook are assets that help spread your message, build your credibility and speaking or media platform, and generate income. An asset needs to have a solid return on your investment and be produced to a standard that is going to last and grow with you.
Self-publishing will take much more time and stress, and the results will often be lackluster. We have authors who come to us regularly who have recorded their own audiobook, even often with an editor or at a studio, that need our help because the recording of their audiobook isn’t up to the strict Audible standards.
As with anything, it always pays to work with a trusted source with a great track record of success.
If I record my audiobook myself, can I give it to TFS to produce and upload to ACX?
We can handle your audiobook publishing for you and get you onto up to 40 audiobook platforms, such as Audible, Audiobooks.com, Scribd, Downpour, and it will also be made available to libraries. Most authors can expect their book to be picked up by at least 20 platforms.
But do note that in these situations where we haven't done the production of the audiobooks, we will evaluate your audio files to make sure there are no surprises—as we often find that there are issues with the recordings that need to be addressed before they will be accepted by the audiobook distribution platforms.
Marketing Your Audiobook Successfully
How can I use my audiobook during my new book launch?
Audiobooks extend the life of your new book launch. Releasing your audiobook at the right time during your initial book release allows you to keep the momentum and excitement going.
Your audiobook content—that is, pieces of the audiobook itself—also can be used to promote your audiobook. Pieces of your audiobook can be turned into ‘audiograms,’ and/or a killer video book trailer to share on social media, through email, and on your website.
If you’re podcasting (as a host or guest) to promote your book and message, you can also use your audio content in your podcast interviews or show notes.
Just like your book, your audiobook is an evergreen marketing asset that can help you share your message with the world for years to come.
Could I launch a previously published title as an audiobook?
Yes! Your previously launched books can absolutely be relaunched as audiobook. This strategy gives you the ability to have an entirely new product launch (with a new income stream) without having to create ANY new content. Hallelujah!
Even better, if your previously published book wasn’t a bestseller and you want to give it another chance, releasing the audiobook version allows you to make that happen.
What is a book trailer?
Book trailers are dynamic video trailers. We create yours by using part of your audiobook, quotes from your book, moving images and music to market your audiobook. Authors use them for promotion on social media, on their websites, and they upload them to YouTube. This is left up to the author to decide where they’d like them to go.
Book trailers are a great replacement for putting your full audiobook on YouTube—after all, you don’t want to give that away for free!
Audiobook Distribution and Royalties
How do I get paid for sales of my audiobooks?
All royalty payments are made directly to you through the platforms where your audiobooks are sold, such as Audible. Those platforms provide accounting / reporting of your audiobook sales and royalties.
Royalties paid to you vary from 25% to 40% of your audiobook purchase price, depending on the platform where the purchase is made. You can also sell your audiobook independently via your website and keep 100% of your sales.
How do I get help and support with my on-sale audiobook? How do I track my sales?
You would contact the sales platform, such as Audible, where your audiobook is on sale, if you need support with your audiobook. We will make sure you have contact information, and you’ll also be provided with tutorials and information when your audiobook is published. You will have an account with each platform where you can find your sales numbers.
How does distribution of my audiobook work?
First, there is no charge for distribution of your audiobook or any additional fees you have to pay, ever, to Twin Flames Studios or to anyone else.
Depending on whether you have an exclusive or non-exclusive sales agreement with your primary platform, your audiobook may also be submitted either immediately or in the future to around 40 other platforms, such as Audiobooks.com, Scribd, Downpour, and it will also be made available to libraries.
Twin Flames Studios will submit your audiobook to these platforms which will then decide to accept your audiobook and make it available. Most authors can expect to have their book picked up by at least 20 platforms.
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