As lives get busier and readers look for more convenient ways to consume content, more authors are converting their stories into audiobooks to meet the demand. Below we’ll look at the audiobook companion PDF, why they are a valuable addition to an audiobook, and how to format one for your readers.  As audio versions continue to increase in popularity, the upward trend shows no signs of slowing down. The global audiobook market is worth over $5.3 billion and is projected to reach $35 billion in 2030. Audiobook revenue passed the ebook revenue for the first time in 2019, and the gap has ke ..read more

You’d think that audiobook covers were simple to make. Just crop the original cover down into a square and move around a few words, right? Not exactly.  First impressions always matter, especially when it comes to books. Treating your book’s cover design like an afterthought will only derail potential book sales. Before a potential buyer hears a single word from your audiobook, what they think about your cover looks can be the difference between them listening to a sample and making a purchase or bypassing your book for the next one in line. In this article about audiobook covers, we’ll ..read more

Free audiobooks are an incredible resource for book lovers of every type. More and more people are discovering the joy of listening to an audiobook during their workout or commute with each passing year. Nothing beats the convenience of being able to listen to your favorite titles for fun or education on your phone, laptop, or another device. But where should you go to find your next listen? Read on to discover fifteen of the best places to download and stream audiobooks for free in 2022. Where can I get audiobooks online for free? When you’re searching for free audiobooks, it’s essential to ..read more

Audiobooks have absolutely boomed in popularity in recent years, and it’s not hard to understand why.  Today’s lifestyle means that most people spend a lot of time on the go, whether that means they’re commuting to and from work, juggling a few different jobs, or managing household affairs. People are often looking for something to fill that time, especially ‘dead’ time like commuting which would otherwise be spent in silence or listening to the radio.  And this boom is a great thing! Audiobooks make books more accessible, and having an easier way to read means people are likely to r ..read more

By David Kudler Perhaps you have seen grumbling on social media and across the internet about #Audiblegate and Audible’s return policy. In case you haven’t been following the controversy, let me tell you what it’s about – and why all independent publishers should care. What’s happening is that Audible, the dominant retailer of audiobooks in the US, has been actively encouraging their customers to return their audiobooks in exchange for new audiobooks. The reader/listener gets a new book at no cost. No questions asked, regardless of how much of the first book they listened to (even if they fini ..read more

By CJ Critt Audio books are increasing in popularity. If you’ve ever considered creating an audio version of your book, most likely you’ve planned on hiring a narrator. But, have you ever considered narrating your book yourself? In today’s post, professional narrator CJ Critt shares her insight and offers some tips on how we can narrate our own books and maybe even venture into a new career path of narrating books for others.   So, you’re thinking of expanding your job title from author to author-narrator, and you intend to grow your audience in the exploding field of audio entertainment ..read more

Right now ACX, the audiobook marketplace that’s part of Amazon’s Audible division, is running their annual ACX University. This is a great opportunity for authors and publishers to learn the ins and outs of working with ACX and how to maximize your audiobook production as well as learning how to market audiobooks. This is the fastest-growing format in book publishing right now, far outstripping growth in ebook and print book markets. That’s a good reason to find out how to create audiobooks for yourself. In today’s interview I talk to Hannah Wall from ACX and Kate Tilton, who helps authors wit ..read more

by Becky Parker Geist I’ve been hearing recently about companies that specialize in automatic translation of printed text into audio, for use in audio books and other purposes. Many authors would like to do audiobook versions of their books, but have been put off by the cost of the process. I asked my colleague and fellow BAIPA board member Becky Parker Geist to look into this idea. Becky is a “book audiologist” who produces audio books and coaches actors, and who always impresses me with her short, memorable, and beautifully-sounding announcements at our meetings. Here’s her report. As author ..read more

I’m pleased today to have a guest post from Peter Markovic, the publisher of Audioforbooks.com Audiobooks represent a good way for publishers to extend the reach of their content and produce another version of their book for people who prefer listening to reading. Here’s Peter’s post: For hundreds of years, books have enthralled millions with their ability to provide knowledge, as well as entertainment. Books and poetry are the foundation of much of our modern forms of entertainment, including movies, plays, video games, etc. For this reason, it is not surprising that recorded books have jump ..read more

At the meeting of the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association (BAIPA) on Saturday, the featured speaker was Jessica Kaye, who came up from her base in Los Angeles to speak to the crowd of interested self-publishers and authors. Jessica has deep credentials in the audiobook field. A partner in the Beverly Hills law firm of Kaye & Mills, Jessica has worked on both television and feature film projects as well as publishing contracts. She founded The Publishing Mills, an audio and literary publishing company, and produced the Grammy Award-winning Best Comedy Recording, Crank Calls by Jona ..read more