Dear O'Abby: Do I need to create an audiobook?

Dear O'Abby,

My first novel has recently been published and various people I know have asked me if it's going to be available as an audiobook.  I self-published and it never crossed my mind to create an audiobook, but now I'm wondering if I need to do this.

Any tips?

Best wishes,

Inaudible

Dear Inaudible,

Whether or not to create an audiobook is really up to you.  As a self-publisher, you're in charge of your book and you can decide which formats you want to make it available in.

But, audiobooks are increasingly popular and if you can make one without it breaking the bank, it is probably worth it because it's another revenue stream for you.  Some people only consume books as audio, and if you don't have it available, you're missing out on those readers as well as their money.  And there are a large number of readers who prefer audio because they can consume books while doing other things like exercising or cleaning the house.

Like ebooks, audiobooks are delivered digitally so, unlike hard copies, they never go out of print.  So you never risk disappointing a reader who has discovered your work and wants to read it in their preferred format.

So, I really see no downside to doing an audiobook, other than the production cost.  This is not something you want to do on your own with your phone.  Audiobooks need to be high quality and read by someone whose voice is clear and expressive and it may take time to do the whole book.  It is worth investing in professionals to get it right - both a voice talent and an engineer with a studio.  There will be upfront costs, but if your audiobook is of high quality, you will reap the benefits in the end.

Hope that helps!

X O'Abby