Frequently Asked Questions about Audio Book Production
1) Why should I have my book recorded and made into an audio book?
1. Money: Last year, the audio book segment of the publishing industry generated nearly 1 billion dollars in sales. Once you get past the initial investment, your audio book can be out there making money and generating royalties indefinitely.
2. Demand: people listen to audio books while traveling, commuting, working out, in bed, at the office, doing chores, etc. Audio books have become the preferred entertainment for millions of people.
3. Technology: With the universal use of smart devices such as iPods, iPads, smartphones, etc, audio books are easier to purchase and listen to than ever before. Nearly everyone has some sort of audio book-friendly device, and many of those people enjoy getting the most out of those devices.
2) What does the cost of recording and producing an audio book include?
There is a fair degree of time spent with your book before the first word is even recorded. Next, for each hour of audio (about 9500 words), the director and voice talent will spend 3-4 hours each in recording. The editor will spend 5-8 hours removing all of the noises and adjusting spaces. Finally the book will be rendered and turned into an audio master. Add it up, and 1 hour of finished audio, done the right way, might require 15-20 hours to create. For a 10-hour book (95,000 words), that's 150-200 hours of time, total.
If you are ready to have your audio book recorded, simply visit the Choose a Narrator, pick a reader, and use the Contact Us page to submit your book. It just takes a few minutes before you'll be on your way.
It sounds like a lot of work, but that's what it takes to do it right. Your book is worth it, and we are stimulated by the unique challenges each book presents.
3) How will my book sell?
1. Physical CD. CDs will someday fade into obsolescence. But that day hasn't come and CDs are still a major force in audio book sales. Audio Books on CD come in sets of any number of disks.
2. Downloads. Most audio books have been made available on iTunes (and other retailers) and can be downloaded to a listener's computer instantly and for a low price. The audio book can then be listened to on the computer, or loaded onto any smart device (e.g. iPhone). This distribution channel is already a dominant factor in the market, and will continue to grow.
4) What if I have already recorded my book?
You may use the Contact Us page to send us a sample. If we can help make your book better, we'll be happy to do so. We have found that there are cases where the recording quality is too poor to work with. But either way, we will provide you with a detailed report and sample of what we can do to make your book as close to world class as possible.