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

On the Merits of Audiobooks

Oh, audiobooks. I used to have such a contentious relationship with them. Does listening to an audiobook really count as having read the book? Is it really the same? Are you a true fan if you haven’t read the book?

I mean, the answer to all of those is yes, but I was a real book snob as a teenager.

I’ve recently begun listening to a lot of audiobooks. Like many people, I’ve found my job to be…uh…kind of tedious sometimes (nobody tell my boss). I’m a research scientist, so a good deal of my day consists of following protocols that have become second nature by now, or working with spreadsheets, or otherwise carrying out lab maintenance and cleaning. I bought a cheap pair of Bluetooth headphones and started listening to music at work. But the thing is, I get tired of music eventually, and when I want to change songs, I have to take my lab gloves off and that’s a waste.

So, I switched to audiobooks. I finally set up my Overdrive account and got their app, Libby, for my phone. (The Bluetooth connectivity distance of my desktop computer is…not great.) I’m fortunate enough that my local library has an extensive eAudio collection, so I checked out the entire SHATTERED REALMS series by Cinda Williams Chima and went at it.

At first, it was kind of a weird transition. While music is kind of mindless in the background, I had to at least sort of listen to the books. But slowly, I got used to it, and I’ve been ramping up the playback speed as I get more accustomed to the reader’s pace. Since I switched to audiobooks in the middle of December, I’ve listened to FLAMECASTER, SHADOWCASTER, STORMCASTER, DEATHCASTER, LIKE A LOVE STORY, WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH, and I’m less than an hour away from finishing THE DOWNSTAIRS GIRL. I get to listen to a bunch of books that I’ve been meaning to read as “research” for my NaNoWriMo revisions, my supervisor gets my hard work, and everybody’s happy. Win win!

Do you listen to audiobooks at work? (Don’t worry, I won’t tell!) If so, what have been some of your favorites? And what’s on your to-listen shelf?