The other day I re-read Andrea Merchak’s post on audiobooks. You can read it here.
Andrea brings up a valid point regarding audiobooks: does the return on investment justify the cost? In most cases for most authors the answer is no. The ROI just isn’t there. Already there is too much competition, plus the too steep entry cost.
Now one way to increase the ROI is to record the book yourself. And not offer it for sale through Audible.
From what I’ve observed, most independent author-publishers (aka indies) are not trendsetters. They have more in common with lemmings. They just do what everyone else is doing. Which means they usually miss out because the bandwagon is already full when they discover it.
There is a vast undiscovered world of audio that most indie authors haven’t considered. Shoot, maybe not even heard of.
This undiscovered world is essentially virgin territory that could bring in new readers/listeners and therefore potentially new income streams. Let’s take a look at a few possibilities that are wide open to us writers.
DIY
The first step is to forego hiring someone to read your book and simply do it yourself.
Shoot, if Steven King in his monotone can record his own audiobooks, so can the rest of us. True, our names aren’t Steven King, but if the story is good enough, people will listen. Besides, there is something about the author reading his or her own work that no other reader can touch.
If you’re nervous about DIY audio, Derek Doepker has an outstanding course in which he teaches you everything you need to know to record your own audio on the cheap so that it will pass Audible’s standards. Here is the link: http://audiobooksmadeeasy.com/
Now, Derek charges $497 to learn the ins and outs of DIY audiobooks. And that is a bit steep. At least for me. However, if you sign up for his mailing list he does run sales on the course every now and then. I was able to get it for around $200.
Podiobooks
Bypass Audible by putting your audiobook out as a podcast. Podiobooks are out there, but not many indies, from what I can tell, are using the podcast format to get their books before potential listeners. It’s nearly virgin territory.
Yes, I hear that protest: you don’t get paid for podcasts. No, you don’t. At least not directly. But you can make money with podcasts. Start with a Kickstarter campaign to raise initial capital. Set up a Patreon account for ongoing income.
Instead of Spotify or Apple, go the YouTube route and monetize your channel. Plus when you get enough subscribers, you might be able to attract sponsors.
Or go the traditional podcast route and work to drive traffic to your podcast. When you begin getting significant numbers of downloads, you will become attractive to advertisers and sponsors.
It takes work to make money from podcasts. But let’s face facts: it takes work to make money period. Unless you’re lucky enough to be a trust fund baby.
Audio Drama
Turn your book into an audio drama. That’s right, a full cast reading your book.
There are quite a few old books being dramatized. Recently, I listened to Dracula fully dramatized. Good stuff. Far more interesting than a single voice audiobook.
Get your family and friends together, do a few rehearsals — and press record.
Then put your recording out as an audiobook or a podcast. Or both.
And you don’t have to record your entire book. Condense it to a movie length. I’ve listened to several 90-120 minute audio dramas of John Wyndham’s books. Good stuff.
Scripted Fiction Podcasts
A scripted fiction podcast is a brand new work you write specifically for podcasting. The Magnus Archives, Limetown, and The Lovecraft Investigations are excellent examples of scripted fiction podcasts in the horror genre.
The scripted fiction podcast is basically the old radio drama brought into the 21st century.
Why write books when you can reach new audiences who don’t have time to read? A number that is growing, by the way. It’s certainly something to think about.
So my indie author friends, want to get into audio? You can do it without robbing the bank. And if you bypass audiobooks, there are new worlds waiting to be explored.
Comments are always welcome. And until next time, happy listening!
CW
Threads that Bind 
3 responses to “Other than Print, or A Feast for the Ears”
I have some experience with audiobooks, both going through the DIY route and the traditional Audible route. It can be rewarding. People can and do hit the “donate” button on podcasts if they like what they hear. Also, at conventions, when I have my print books on display, people regularly ask if I have my books out as audiobooks. When I answer yes, those people often log in right there on their phones and buy.
My biggest tips for anyone investigating the DIY option are to invest in some good sound gear, particularly a good microphone, and bring your A-game to the reading or performance. Stephen King can get away with a monotone because he’s Stephen King. When you’re not a celebrity, people will let you know vocally and often if your reading or audio quality are sub-par. That said, neither of these tips are especially difficult or expensive if you shop around. Don’t be afraid to go into a good music store and ask for advice about the best and most affordable stuff to buy for voice recording. As for bringing your A-game, it can help to have a friend listen to you read. This gives you an audience so you feel inspired to deliver a good reading. They can also stop you and have you go back and do a passage over if your reading just didn’t work for them.
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Another thought-provoking post from the good Mr. Hawes. I, too, have some experience with audio books (no brand name intended) as a consumer. Back in the ’80s I bought a set of John Mortimer reading some of his own Rumpole of the Bailey stories, a series I was very much into at the time. I thought I’d enjoy them on my daily commute, or during a bout of housework. What actually happened was that a tricky traffic situation or a stubborn stain would demand my attention, and the next time I became aware of the story was when the cassette player ejected the tape. I’ve avoided them ever since, and when I see an audio book that looks interesting, my only question is, “Is there a print version?” Of course, that was 40 years ago; mayhaps people order their time differently now…
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Based on what I’ve read about sound quality requirements at Audible, it seems to me that the DIY approach could be challenging, time-consuming, and perhaps expensive; and I would be surprised if requirements at other outlets were not equally as demanding. As for podcasts, while you can probably do whatever you want with those, if it isn’t up to snuff (according to listeners) I doubt that would fly either. A cast of characters reading the book is an intriguing idea, however, whether for audiobooks or podcasts. Another option these days is to have an AI read it, which can be done on the cheap; but that opens up a can of ethical worms, in addition to the listener satisfaction issue.
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