How to Create and Self-Publish Your Audiobook

If you’re an author looking to expand your market, publishing audiobooks might be right for you. You already have the written material, so converting it to an audio format is the easy part. 

If you’re unsure how to start creating and selling your audiobook, keep reading, I’ll be breaking it down below

Why You Should Sell Your Audiobooks

The global audiobook market is valued at around 3 billion dollars and is constantly expanding. Audiobooks are considered the fastest-growing segment in publishing and they generate more income than ebooks. They offer authors another way to make money from their books. 

Is self-publishing right for you?

Self-publishing is not for everyone so it’s important to know if it’s right for you and your audiobook. 

You can learn more about self-publishing vs. traditional publishing in this article from Jony Studios.

Here are some traits that will help you be successful with self-publishing

• Your audiobook delivers content the audience wants to hear

• You have an understanding of your audience, budget, and marketing

• You are willing to put in the work to get your book published. 

Different genres of audiobooks do better than others. For example, mystery, thriller, and suspense audiobooks have the biggest audience, while sci-fi and fantasy have more engagement than any other genre. There is a clear market for shorter audiobooks, and non-fiction authors tend to have more success with online marketing than fiction authors do. 

Many factors could make your audiobook successful, so it is easy for anyone to publish an audiobook in any genre.

Self-publishing can also be costly depending on how you decide to record your audiobook. Narrating, editing, and publishing your audiobook can cost anywhere between $150.00 - $700.00 to purchase the equipment and it will require a laptop/computer that can handle recording software.

Here is a list of the basic equipment you’ll need to record your audiobook from home:

• Microphone 

• Audio interface

• Microphone stand

• Headphones

• Audacity or Garageband, free recording software

If you decide to work with a narrator and audio production company, it can cost $3000.00-$6000.00 for an average length audiobook which is about 10 hours. Renting a studio can cost $50 - $200 an hour and narrators can cost $100.00-$400.00 per finished hour. 

The most expensive but easiest option is to hire a production agency as they handle recording, editing, and narration for you. 

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Another option which is becoming very popular is to record your own audiobook at home using your voice but hire a professional recording studio to handle the editing, mixing, mastering for Audible standards, and walk you through the entire upload process, which will save you a lot of time, money, and hassle.

Learn more about our remote audiobook production services here and request a free estimate!

Creating your Audiobook

The first step in creating an audiobook is to write a script. Scripts are important because they will ensure the content you are recording will be comprehensible in an audio format. 

If you are recording an online article, make sure you leave the following out of your script.

• Hyperlinks

• Captions and footnotes as they can be written into the spoken text

• Visuals

• Call to action or ‘click here’ buttons

If you are hiring a narrator, do research and hold auditions to make sure you are finding one that suits your audiobook. 

You can find narrators using freelance websites like Fiverr.

If you decide to narrate the audiobook yourself, there are some things to consider.

1. Do you have an engaging voice?

2. Do you have voiceover skills to effectively tell your story?

3. If you listen back to the audio you have narrated, are you distracted by the way your voice sounds?

Keep in mind that a bad narration is a turn-off for many listeners. 

When you are recording at home make sure you do the following

• Turn off all equipment that makes noise. A mic will pick up any small sounds that a person might not think of

• Record in a carpeted room to avoid reverb and reflections

• Don't move while you’re recording

• Keep your voice at a consistent volume and don't hold your breath

• Read from an electronic device so the sound of turning pages is not picked up.

• Schedule multiple recording sessions and re-record if necessary.

When you edit your audiobook, eliminate any mouth sounds, harsh ‘s’ sounds and make each chapter its own file, if you need help with this we have you covered with our remote audiobook editing services.

The final package should include a sample audio track, engaging book description, and cover art/image. 

Audiobook Platforms

There are multiple different platforms you can choose to put your audiobook on. You can stick to one or upload it to a couple of different ones. 

ACX

ACX is owned by Amazon and is a full-service audiobook/distribution arm. Through ACX you can distribute to Amazon, iTunes, and Audible. 

There are a couple of different options if you chose to work with ACX.

1. Exclusive with ACX. You receive 40% of the royalties. If you worked with a narrator and don’t pay them upfront, they receive half of the royalties. This is a seven-year contract

2. Non-exclusive with ACX. You receive 25% of the royalties. You are unable to split the royalties with a narrator in a non-exclusive deal so they need to be paid upfront. This option allows you to work with other distribution platforms. 

If you choose to publish with ACX you will not have control over the price of your audiobook. Click here to view the pricing guidelines from ACX.

Findaway Voices

Findaway Voices allows you to choose where you sell your audiobooks as well as how you price them. They have a distribution market that reaches over 170 countries and they work with library, retail, and school markets. 

To learn more about ACX and Findaway voices, click here.

Soundwise

Soundwise allows authors to easily build an audience, Pro and Platinum plans that offer 100% of profits, and a place for listeners to leave comments. It is very easy to use and Authors have full control over their pricing strategy. 

Click here to learn more about Soundwise.

Marketing Your Audiobook

As a self-published author, you will have full control over your marketing strategies. This can seem like a lot, especially if you have no idea how to go about marketing your audiobooks.

Here are some marketing tips to help you when you first get started

• Pitch your audiobooks to booktubers, blogs, and book-related podcasts

• Be active on social media and audiobook related Facebook groups

• Submit for awards

• Share your audiobooks with journalists

Check out this video for some more tips on how to market your audiobook. 

Written By: Leah Gerber

Conclusion: Making your audiobook successful

You are now equipped to self-publish your own successful audiobook! 

Before you get started, here are some important things the remember:

• Self-publish if it’s right for you

• Create content that listeners want

• Choose platforms that will work for your needs

• Engage with your listeners through social media

Have you ever self-published an audiobook before? What was your experience like? Which platform did you find most helpful? Let us know in the comments below.

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If you need help turning your book into an audiobook, we offer remote audiobook production and editing services that will help you reach a wider audience and increase your book sales. 

Listen to some of our audiobook samples here to get started.

How to Make Money with Music

Do you want to make music more than just a hobby? Do you want to learn how to make money off the music you create? Does this seem impossible to do? If you answered yes to any of these questions then keep reading! 

Making music is one thing. Making money from it is a whole other thing. Knowing what to do and what not to do can be difficult when there are so many people giving you their opinion. 

Below I’ll be breaking down some “do’s” and “don’ts” when it comes to making money off your music. 

Keep in mind that this is not the only way to make money off your music, these are just some things you can do, and others that you can avoid to help you. 

Do: Find your target audience

This should be the first thing you do before even thinking about releasing music. Your target audience is the listeners who will become fans, so make sure the music you’re making is meant for them.

Ask yourself this:

• Who do I want to hear my music?

• What genre does my music best fit into?

• What does the average listener of this genre look like?

Once you answer these questions, you will have a better grasp of what you want your fans to look like, and start catering your music to them.

Note: Authenticity in music is important, but if you want to make money, you have to be willing to make music for your target audience, and not just for yourself.

Do: Focus on the Fans

Your fans will become the most important part of your career, so make sure you treat them right. Social media and the internet in general have made it incredibly easy to create personal connections with fans, so utilize it! 

It’s also important to understand the difference between listeners and fans. Listeners will check out a song or two and leave it at that. Fans will check out a song or two and then become devout followers who never miss a release. 

Likely, you will have more listeners than fans. Don’t try to win over new fans, focus on the ones you have because they will be the ones buying your merch, streaming your albums, and showing up to your concerts. Make sure you are treating them right.  

Tip: Create an email list with your dedicated fans and send them updates and links to stream/purchase your music. 

Do: Save Money

Making music is not a cheap thing to do. There are costs of instruments, studio time, gear like amps, microphones, etc., and million other little things that add up. 

Here’re are some things you can do while starting out to save money

• By secondhand gear

• Focus on bettering yourself as a musician before trying to get studio time

• Seek sponsorships and endorsements

• Teach yourself as much as you can about the music industry

• Use social media to get your name out into the world and create a following, it’s free

Do: Create High-Quality Music

Google how many songs there are on Apple Music. 

Now on Spotify.

Now in the entire world. 

Those are some big numbers and they are constantly being added to. In order for your music to reach people, it needs to be high quality. 

The first thing you should focus on in making your sound high quality is you. If you’re singing or playing an instrument, you need to practice like crazy before recording to make sure you are singing/playing to the best of your ability.

Practicing can feel like a lot of work and sometimes seem like you’re taking two steps backward and one step forward. If this happens try these things:

• Take a break

• Listen to songs that have a similar sound to what you’re practicing

• Don’t stop practicing once you get it perfect, keep going until you can perform it that way every time

• Set aside time to practice every day and stick to it

After you have practiced, the next step is to start recording, mixing, and mastering. Whether you do it yourself at home or with a professional in a studio doesn’t matter too much. Just make sure you are achieving a high-quality sound and you are not wasting money. 

If you’re a singer unsure of how to record the best vocals, check out this article from Jony Studios.

The next thing to focus on is creating visually pleasing art to go with your music. Your single/album/EP art should reflect the piece of music as a whole as well as look good. Contrary to popular belief people do judge books by their covers and they will judge your music based on your album art. 

Do: Get Your Music on Apple Music and Spotify

Once you have created high-quality music that you are proud of, the next step is to get it onto streaming platforms.

Start with a pre-order/pre-save before the initial release. This will allow you to make a bigger impact with your music and get more people excited about it. 

Once your music is released onto Apple Music and Spotify, you have the opportunity for millions of people to be exposed to your songs through playlists.

Now you’re probably wondering “how do I actually make money from streaming services?”

This article will break it down for you.

Do: Get Started

The hardest thing to do when it comes to making money in music is actually getting started. So if you want to make music your career then go for it! Don’t get hung up on the fact that you’re not going to be making money right away. Everyone has to start somewhere.

Check out this video to learn more tips about monetizing your music

Don’t: Sign a Record Deal right away

Signing a record deal will not solve all your problems, in fact, it will probably create more. Record deals are typically in favour of the record company making all the money from your music. 

Here’re some cons to signing with a record label:

• Any advances you receive from them have to be paid back

• You lose ownership of your music

• You’ll receive very little royalties (like 2% while the label keeps the other 98%)

In the music industry, everyone’s main goal is to make money and usually, that means that smaller artists get the short end of the stick. 

Don’t Release Music without Marketing

Unless you're a huge, successful artist, surprise releases should be avoided. Give people time to get excited about your music. Post about it on social media, email your fans about it and tell everyone you meet. 

You’d be surprised how many indie artists upload their songs and just hope it will go viral. Most of the time, this doesn’t work. 

Don’t: Assume Social Media will make you famous

Many people have the goal that they are going to go viral on Tik Tok or become Instagram famous. While there are methods that have been known to achieve this, don’t approach social media with the attitude that it will make you famous. 

Use social media to share authentic content and connect with fans. If you end up going viral in the process, that’s awesome! Just don’t base your entire career off of it. 

Written By: Leah Gerber

Conclusion: Don’t give up

You might be feeling a little bit discouraged and overwhelmed right now. That’s ok! The important thing is that you don’t give up. Music takes time and effort and there will be a obstacles to get through but it will be worth it in the end.

I hope these tips were able to guide you in getting started with your music career.

If you need further help creating your own music, we offer audio production services that will help you elevate your sound and bring your song to life!

We look forward to being a part of your success.

12 Motivational Audiobooks to Inspire You Towards Success

Many successful people have one thing in common. They read. Not just any book that may interest them but books that inspire them to change for the better. 

Reading isn’t for everyone. If you are a busy person with barely enough time to make dinner, you definitely won’t have time to read a book. This is why audiobooks are a good choice for successful people, because you can listen to them while completing other task

If you don’t know what audiobook to start with, here’s a list with some good ones.

1 -  How to Win Friends & Influence People - Dale Carnegie

How to Win Friends and Influence People contains universal principles of interacting with other people. It explains ways to get others to like you and see your way of thinking. 

You can read a full summary here.

2 - Fanatical Prospecting - Jeb Blunt

Jeb Blunt is an international consultant and speaker, and comes from an extensive sales background. His book focuses on ways to take your prospecting the next level and tips to succeeding in sales.

You can learn more about it here.

3 -  Think and grow rich - Napoleon Hill

Hill did research on 40 millionaires on what made them successful and compiled it into a book. The main idea of Think and Grow is “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.”

If you want to read an in-depth summary, click here.

4 -  Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business - Barbara Corcoran

Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran recounts the story of how she took $1000.00 and turned it into a billion dollar real estate business. 

You can learn more about her book here.

5 - Zero to One - Peter Thiel

Peter Thiel is a successful venture capitalist. His book gives innovative advice to tech start-ups.

You can read a full summary here.

6 - Ego is the Enemy - Ryan Holiday

Ryan Holiday’s book discusses the idea that our belief that the world revolves around us, is really holding us back from living our lives. He gives tips on how to overcome this and achieve greatness.

You can read more here.

7 - Before Happiness - Shawn Anchor

Before Happiness takes the reader through a 5 step process to change the way you think to be more successful and happy.

You can read a full summary here.

8 - Extreme Ownership - Jocko Willink

Extreme ownership walks the reader through leadership advice from to Navy SEALs. 

You can learn more about Extreme Ownership here.

9 - The One Thing - Gary Keller

The One Thing offers tips on productiving, decluttering, and having more focus, succes and energy.

You can read more about it here.

10 - Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken follows the story of Louie Zamperini as an Olympic hopeful turned WWII bombardier. This story highlights the idea that a man is not defined by his past.

You can read a full summary here

11 - #GIRLBOSS - Sophia Amoruso 

#GIRLBOSS highlights the unconventional methods that can be used to achieve success. Written by Sophia Amoruso, founder of Nasty Gal vintage, one of the fastest growing retailers in the world. 

You can read a more in depth summary here.

12 -  Tribes - Seth Godin

Tribes helps you awaken your inner leader and build a supportive tribe.

You can read more about Tribes here.

Written By: Leah Gerber

Conclusion

If you want to be successful, try listening to one of these audiobooks. They might inspire you to invest, start a business, or think positively, all which will lead to a happy and successful life. 

If you need help turning your book into an audiobook, we offer audiobook production services that will help you reach a wider audience and increase your book sales. 

Listen to some of our audiobook samples here to get started.

Have you read one of these books before? What was something that has stuck with you from it? Let us know in the comments below.