What’s the easiest way to get your book made into an audiobook?
Thomas: The easiest way to get your book turned into an audiobook is to put it in your contract. If you can contractually obligate your publisher to produce an audiobook, you’ll get one, and there’s nothing more you have to do.
It’s the easiest route, but it’s hard to make that happen.
Book publishers are gamblers. They expect most books to fail and hope a few will be surprise hits. Statistically, they probably think there’s a four-out-of-five chance your book will fail. If they expect your book to flop, they’re not going to invest money in an audiobook because they don’t believe they’ll earn it back.
This can be a revealing way to find out if your publisher truly believes in your book. They’ll always act like they believe in it when they want you to sign the contract. But if you ask, “Can you guarantee an audiobook?” they’ll dance around the answer with lots of words, no commitment.
The most tragic part is that you’re giving them exclusive rights to produce the audiobook. If they don’t make one, you can’t make one either. I have a friend in this situation. Her publisher doesn’t want to pay for an audiobook, but they won’t let her make one either. They’re worried it won’t be high quality and might damage their brand. So she’s stuck with no audiobook and no way to make one. It’s really sad.
What can you do if you’re traditionally published?
Jim: If you’re traditionally published, talk this over with your agent. Make sure you know exactly what rights you’re giving up. I voice all my own audiobooks, so my situation is a bit different.
In my last contract, we agreed that if the publisher didn’t produce the audiobook within six months of publication, the rights would revert back to me. That way, I had the option to produce it myself.
We had an amiable discussion, and it worked out well. So if you’re traditionally published, just make sure you understand what you’re getting (or not getting) when it comes to audio rights. Try to work out a win-win agreement.
Thomas: If they’re going to make most of the money, the least they can do is make an audiobook.
What if you’re self-publishing?
Thomas: We don’t want to alienate either indie or traditionally published authors, but let’s assume for the rest of this episode that you either got the rights back or you’re your own publisher. That means you can make the audiobook yourself or hire someone to do it.
What are the pros and cons of recording it yourself?
Jim: When we say “do it yourself,” we mean you are the actual voice talent. You record the book, edit it, and produce the final product.
One big advantage is that it’s your book. You know exactly how it should sound. I have friends who were surprised by how their characters sounded in the audiobook. Someone else had taken their book and added their own nuance and pacing.
An audiobook is more than just the words; it’s a performance. One major benefit of narrating your own book is that you can deliver the performance the way you envisioned it.
Thomas: Yes, especially for nonfiction. With nonfiction, emphasis and tone really matter. Authors are more likely to read their own nonfiction books for that reason.
It can also be cheaper, depending on your setup. If you already have a podcast or recording equipment, it can be very cost-effective. You’ll also have full control over the final product.
Jim: Especially if you have a background in radio, theater, or voice work. But most people don’t have that experience. It took you a long time to learn to write a book. It takes time to become a good voice actor, too.
That said, the cost of entry isn’t what it used to be. For $500 to $600, you can buy a decent setup with a mic, a mixer, and some editing software. You can even DIY a sound booth. But again, performance is key, and most people just don’t have that skill.
Thomas: When publishing companies have authors read their books, there’s usually an engineer and producer involved. That’s why audiobooks often have credits at the end for the production team.
Some authors can be the whole team. Others hire a studio just for recording, while someone else handles the tech. It really depends on your proficiency and comfort level.
What if you want to hire a professional?
Thomas: Let’s talk about hiring a pro. Do you happen to know anyone who narrates audiobooks professionally?
Jim: Yes, I do audiobooks. I’ve done it for years for my own books, and I now narrate for others too. If you’re interested in having me voice your audiobook, I’d love to talk. Just email me at James@JamesRubart.com, and I can send you a price sheet and explain how the process works.
Where is the best place to find audiobook narrators?
Thomas: The number one place for finding audiobook narrators for less than $10,000 is ACX.com. It stands for Audiobook Creation Exchange, and it’s owned by Audible.
They offer two models for hiring narrators:
- One option is a royalty share. You don’t pay the narrator upfront. Instead, they receive 50% of the royalties from audiobook sales. If you’re independently published, you still keep 100% of the earnings from your print and ebook sales, while splitting the audiobook revenue 50/50 with the narrator.
- The other option is to pay the narrator a flat fee upfront. This is typically between $3,000 and $5,000.
Can you negotiate narrator fees?
Jim: Yes, it’s a negotiable figure. You’re negotiating directly with the talent. The more experienced narrators tend to be more expensive, and newcomers are generally less so. But as a ballpark, you’re looking at somewhere between $2,000 and $3,000.
Thomas: Whether you pay upfront or go with a royalty share, narrators will audition for your book. If you pay them upfront, you keep 100% of the audiobook royalties.
So, if you’re cash-poor, a royalty share might be your best bet. But if you have the funds and believe in your book’s potential, the upfront payment could earn you more long-term and open more doors. Some narrators only work with flat-rate pricing.
And you might be surprised how many narrators apply to read your book. It’s not just one or two. Often, you’ll get several. It can be really encouraging.
ACX also streamlines the entire process through their website. As an audiobook listener, I was excited when I first saw this because it finally made things easier for independent authors.
What are the benefits of using ACX?
Jim: Another advantage of ACX is that they handle all the details.
For example, I just finished narrating a romantic suspense novel and uploaded it to ACX. They took care of everything:
- Managing payments
- Distributing royalties
- Acting as a go-between if there are issues between the author and narrator
- Providing quality control
When I uploaded the audio, ACX responded with: “Thanks for uploading. We’ll get back to you in 14 days to let you know if your audio quality is good enough.” That protection is valuable.
Now, working directly with a narrator gives you more profit. If you bypass ACX, you can keep 100% of the revenue. But ACX takes 60% of the audiobook sale price, and if it’s a royalty split, you and the narrator divide the remaining 40%.
That sounds like a lot, but consider that you’re getting quality control and a powerful distribution network through Amazon and Audible.
I recently did a book for Ted Dekker. He has his own massive distribution through his email list and doesn’t need ACX, but most of us aren’t Ted Dekker. So the ACX network is a huge advantage for visibility.
Thomas: Exactly. So, you’re not getting 100%. You’re getting 40% of the retail price. For a $10 audiobook, that’s $4.
Jim: Right. ACX takes 60%, and you split the 40%, so each of you gets $2 if you’re doing a royalty share.
Thomas: But the good news is that audiobooks often sell for more than ebooks. So even though your royalty percentage is lower, it’s a percentage of a higher price. Someone who won’t spend more than $5 on an ebook might gladly pay $10 or $15 for an audiobook.
You’re getting 40% of a watermelon instead of 100% of an orange. It can balance out.
How do you choose the right narrator?
Jim: One of the reasons I like ACX is that you can have many different narrators audition. Some voices work well for one book but not for another, so you get a chance to choose.
Also, look for narrators who offer more than just a good voice. For example, I offer more than just narration. I also promote the book to my platform and help with the back cover copy. That’s what Thomas might call my “unfair advantage.”
Thomas: I’m a huge fan of Michael Kramer. When I see he’s narrated a book, I seriously consider it, even if I haven’t heard of the book itself. He often does intense science fiction, and I love his voice. He can make a boring book sound fantastic.
Jim: Some narrators have a strong following in their genre. That built-in fan base can give your book a big boost.
Thomas: Audible makes this easy. You can click on a narrator’s name and see all the other books they’ve done. Look for narrators with experience in your genre. You’ll get more crossover appeal.
I’ve noticed that narrators tend to concentrate on certain genres. They build fans in that space. For example, I’ve listened to every fantasy book Michael Kramer has narrated.
In the Dresden Files series, they changed narrators for one of the books, and fans revolted. Audible eventually re-recorded it with the original narrator and even included an apology letter. I now have two versions of that audiobook. I’ve listened to both because I’m that much of a fan.
Should you consider the narrator’s fan base?
Thomas: Narrators can have a huge influence. Sometimes, you’re not just paying for the voice; you’re also paying for their following. If they have a strong following, your book could get more exposure.
If you’re on a small budget, it might be better to hire a lesser-known narrator who sounds great. If they’re early in their career, you’re investing in them. As their fan base grows, they could end up promoting one of their earliest audiobooks, which is yours.
That’s especially true with a royalty share. The narrator becomes your ally. They want your book to succeed just as much as you do.
Jim: That’s a good point. Although they don’t share in the revenue from print or ebook sales, the audiobook still gives both of you an incentive to promote it.
What are your payment options?
Jim: There are two ways to pay:
- Flat Fee: You pay the narrator once and keep all audiobook royalties.
- Royalty Share: You pay nothing upfront and split the audiobook royalties forever.
It’s a gamble. If you think your book will do really well, you may not want to be paying 20% to a narrator for years to come. But if cash is tight, royalty share is a great way to get started in the audiobook world.
What is an ACX stipend, and how does it work?
Jim: ACX sometimes offers a stipend for audiobooks that perform well on Amazon. This stipend helps fund the production. For example, I worked on a book where I received $100 per finished hour, guaranteed, regardless of sales.
This gave me the confidence to take on the project. Even if the book didn’t sell well, I knew I’d earn around $900 to $1,000. Producing an audiobook takes a lot of time, so the stipend made it worth the risk.
I also get royalty sharing, so there’s potential for additional earnings. Your book might qualify for a stipend of around $700 to support production costs.
Thomas: That’s new to me and very exciting. I wish more books came with stipends!
Links:
Yes, please do an episode on how to create an audiobook yourself! I’m considering doing my own audiobook, but I want to make sure I have all the equipment necessary to create a professional product. 🙂
Thanks for another awesome episode!
I enjoyed the podcast and look forward to the next one on DIY audiobooks for my fiction novel (Stealing Baby Jesus) and my children’s books. Thanks!
As an experienced narrator myself, I must tell you there is a steep learning curve to satisfy ACX. That being said, it is doable and I would suggest all authors at least give it a try; readers love it when an author can voice their own books! I would also suggest all authors try out ACX and listen to some of the narrators. You are not forced to go through with it, and it gives you options and ideas.
Remember that, if your book is not selling well, it’s highly unlikely the audio will, either, as audio books are more expensive. Good narrators WILL look for evidence of your popularity as nobody wants to do what is often far in excess of 40 hours of work for, potentially, no return.