Audiobook Program
Transform your inspirational book with the power of audio
So you’ve published your paperback and ebook, but now people are asking for your book in audio!
Well of course they are! You’ve created something that is really powerful and insightful for your audience, and so of course they want you every way they can get you.
This is where the Inspirational Book Writers AudioBook Program can help.
With just a day or two in the recording studio, you can have the audio version of your book live on Audible 6 weeks later.
Why would you create an audio version of your book/s?
The first and most obvious reason is the one we have already stated – that people are asking for it! Entrepreneurship is all about giving people what they want, so if they are asking for it, chances are they want it!
Second, what I believe audiobooks are ACTUALLY about is they provide a medium to CONNECT even deeper with your audience. A book and ebook is fantastic. But audio, especially when you narrate (that’s what we recommend), brings this whole new level of INTIMACY and connection and DEEP RAPPORT with your audience because they can literally HEAR and FEEL you through the words. Now think about this – the majority of audiobooks are listened to while people are in transit, either in their car or on public transport. So, potentially, their entire commute for a WEEK or more, to and from work, could be spent listening to your audiobook. That can only mean good things for your profile, your brand, and your business.
And finally – and you’ll be pleased to know this – audiobooks are the fastest growing segment of the book industry and have experienced double digit growth for the last 7 years. People want audio and audiobook sales are reflecting this.
What is the Inspirational Book Writers AudioBook Program?
The AudioBook program helps you get recording studio ready, get set up for success, all while project managing the technical aspects. The outcome is your book gets listed on Audible and about 30 other prominent audiobook retailers online.
How does it work?
STAGE 1:
Prepare your Voice
Entering a recording studio to record your first audiobook is often quite a new experience for authors, even ones that are seasoned speakers and facilitators. We want you to feel confident and prepared, so that’s why I sat down with Business Vocal Coach Maria Pellicano to record you a one hour session to Get Recording Studio Ready – including the 10 top tips for absolutely rocking your vocal performance during the audiobook. Maria is incredible and in fact wrote a book with us on the island in 2016.
STAGE 2:
Prepare your Manuscript
When you’re in the studio, usually you will be reading from a digital copy of your book, that is on a tablet on a stand (it’s not a good idea to take in the paperback as the audio picks up the pages turning.) We have created a short 18 minute training on how to prepare your manuscript so that your studio experience is seamless and you know exactly what you are going into the studio to do.
STAGE 3:
Record your Audiobook
You can choose to record your Audiobook either in our partner studio in Melbourne, or in your home town.
We have partnered with a studio in Melbourne that does epic work with audiobooks. If you’re in Melbourne, I highly recommend you use our partner studio. If you’re elsewhere in the world, it is totally fine for you to find your own recording studio locally. You will need “studio time” to record the audiobook, and “editing time” for your sound engineer to trim, tweak and master the audio tracks.
One word of importance – if you do go with your own recording studio in your home town – you need to be cognisant of Audible specifications. There is quite a long list of specs that Audible requires, and they are VERY particular about the submitted files being on point. So to help you, we have compiled these specifications in one document which you can give to your sound guy/gal and just say “the tracks need to be according to these specs”. If you do that and they follow them, it will be smooth sailing in the upload and approvals process.
STAGE 4:
File Review
Once you receive the mastered files from your studio, it’s a good idea to review them by listening over at least a selection of files. Remember not to be too hard on yourself when you hear your voice back! Your voice is uniquely yours, and your listeners will love that it is authentically you!
Then, you send the files to us and we check the files to ensure they meet Audible specifications, and are fit for upload.
If there are any little pieces that need to be re-recorded, you can either duck back into the studio, or we can guide you on how to record short pieces at home that will still meet specification.
STAGE 5:
Audible Upload
Including Album Cover Art.
Your audiobook needs artwork for the front cover. We recommend this cover to be similar to your book cover, just in audiobook album art sizing. We provide you with the album art as part of the package.
So by now, we have all your audio files in Audible acceptable specification, and we have your album art – this means we can commence the upload process for Audible. This usually takes 1-2 days to upload and get the submission right, and then up to 6 weeks for Audible to approve your listing and for it to go live.
STAGE 6:
Live on Audible
Within approximately 6 weeks, you will be live on Audible plus a host of approximately 30 other audiobook sites!
Have a question?
Let’s see if I can help…
Is it best to narrate the book myself?
We recommend that you do narrate the audiobook. It builds more authentic connection with your audience.
What if I make a mistake and need to redo something?
The aim of the studio time is to record the audiobook in 1 or 2 sessions. If you need to re-do something, pop back into the studio and re-record it, OR let us know and we can show you how to best re-record it at home.
What’s possible in a day in the studio?
To give you an idea from the 2 audiobooks linked about, I recorded my 25,000 word audiobook in 4.5hours of studio time, and Heather recorded her 35,000 word audiobook in 7 hours of studio time.
Can I record my audiobook in my home studio?
Yes you can, though you have to be very particular about ensuring the sound quality meets Audible standards. If you record at home, you will need a good quality podcast mic, a pop-filter, an audio recording program like Garage Band or Audacity. Upon completion of recording, you will need a sound engineer to edit out the files to make them Audible-ready. If you want to record at home, email us at writeabook@inspirationalbookwriters.com for further guidance.
How much is studio time and editing time?
This depends on the studio and sound engineer you use, their rate, and how fast you get through the reading. As an example, my 4.5 hours of studio time, plus editing time, came to $800 from our partner studio in Melbourne.
Do I get to set the pricing of my audiobook?
We can enter a suggested RRP for your audiobook, but it will rarely display on Audible or other platforms at the price. This is because many audiobook platforms operate on a subscription basis and accordingly have different pricing structures.
Who gets the royalties?
As with all Inspirational Book Writers programs, we do not take a cut. You get 100% of whatever the individual platform sends you, which can be anything from 25-60% of the purchase price.
What’s next?
The investment is $995 AUD incl GST
or
$375/m x 3 months
Studio & editing time additional – paid directly to the studio.
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Want to find out more? Let’s chat!
Click the button below to book in a 15 minute chat with Dave about your audiobook. Or email us to set up a time.