Why is distributing an audiobook so much more complicated than POD or eBooks?
Asked by: Roel Ortiz
Do audiobooks sell better than ebooks?
Based on the average ebook price and average paperback price, the monthly sales will be $720 for ebook and $2160 for paperback book. Based on information from CreativIndie, the average audiobook sales are $100 to $200 per month.
How are audiobooks distributed?
Audiobook Distribution Channels. ACX distributes to Amazon, Audible, and Apple, collectively the world’s largest audiobook venues. Despite the size of these venues, a majority of the world’s audiobook sales takes place outside these Big Three.
Do audio books sell well?
Audiobooks are a profitable industry. According to a recent study conducted by Pew Research, almost 20 percent of Americans listen to audiobooks. Because the cost to convert a book into an audiobook is low, the profit margin for audiobooks is on the higher side.
Why is audiobook more expensive than book?
The Cost of an Audiobook Is Related to the Cost of Production. Just as hardcover books can range in length, audiobooks can range in length as well as production scale. The average cost per finished hour of production is around $300 to $400.
Do authors make money from audiobooks?
Unfortunately, it’s wrong! Audible never pays authors the stated “royalty” rate. Instead, they base the “royalty” on “Net Sales,” a number so heavily manipulated by Audible, that these “Net Sales” adjustments amount to a 50% deduction from the retail selling price.
How do audiobook publishers make money?
Large publishers that have their own audiobook divisions give publishers a profit for each audiobook that is sold. This is because it costs money to produce, market and sell audiobooks, and the publishers cover these expenses.
How do you release an audiobook?
Do it Yourself: A 10-Step Guide to Self-Publishing an Audiobook
- Determine if the audiobook industry is right for you.
- Find your perfect narrator.
- Correct your audio.
- Decide when enough is enough.
- Pick which mistakes enhance your narrative.
- Choose which platform you want to use.
- Choose a payment model.
Where can I distribute my audiobook?
Audiobook Distribution
- 1) ACX.
- 2) Findaway Voices.
- 3) ListenUp.
- 4) Author’s Republic.
- 5) Kobo Writing Life.
- 5) Publish Drive.
How much does it cost to produce an audiobook?
What is the Real Cost of Audiobooks? The average audiobook is about 12 hours in length, and costs about $300-$400 per finished hour. That means a finished product can run between $5000-$6000 to produce an audio book. Of course, the longer the book, the greater the cost to produce.
How are audiobooks so expensive?
Well, the basic reason why audiobooks are so expensive is attributed to their production cost, which is often very high. On an average, the ‘cost per finished hour’ of an audiobook is about $300 to $400. So, even if an audiobook is just 10 hours long, on an average, it would cost about $3000 to $4000 to produce it.
Is Audible cheaper than buying books?
Cost effectiveness
It depends on how many audiobooks you listen to each month, the regular purchase price of the books, and whether or not the books are on sale. In general, however, Audible is the cheaper of the two options.
How much should I charge for audiobook narration?
For a less-known narrator, expect to pay around $50 per hour; for a skilled narrator, this fee can easily increase to $400. If you are using ACX, you should budget somewhere between $150 and $20 per finished hour of work. So, for a 6-hour long audiobook, the flat rate fee could cost up to $1500.
Do audiobook narrators get royalties?
A. Most Audiobook Narrators Opt for Full-Buyout Over Royalties. Most audiobooks are structured as a ‘full-buyout,’ which means that you wholly own the rights to the recording and as such, are not required to pay the narrator royalties derived from future sales.
How many words are in a 3 hour audiobook?
30,000 word
Basic Audiobook Recording Info
Aka a 30,000 word book will be ~ a 3 hour audiobook, taking ~6 hours to record, and ~6-12 hours of additional work (~12-20 hours of work total).
Who has narrated the most audiobooks?
1. George Guidall. George Guidall has narrated over 1,300 audiobooks, including many of the longest-running mystery and thriller series. Throughout his more than 20-year career, Guidall has received numerous accolades and industry awards.
What is the average salary of an audiobook narrator?
Veteran or experienced narrators can expect to earn $168.25 per hour or $1,346 for a finished audio book of eight hours. Conversely, non-union narrators with experience may earn between $90 and $250 per finished hour. However, it is more typical for the ceiling to be $150 per hour for a non-union narrator.
Who is the highest paid audiobook narrator?
Renee Raudman You probably don’t know Renee Raudman by name — but there’s a good chance you’ve heard her voice. Raudman is one of the most requested narrators in the multibillion dollar audiobook industry, having recorded well over 300 books since 2006.
How much money does an audiobook narrator make?
The average PFH rate for audiobook narrators (once they have some experience) is between $100 and $250 PFH.
What makes a good audiobook narrator?
Energy, articulation, breath control, pitch control, and characterization are all areas where solid consistency will get a narrator hired repeatedly because audiobook publishers can count on them to deliver.
Can you actually make money on ACX?
ACX production costs are low, so there’s more profit to go around. A unique and robust royalty model. Depending on the distribution rights granted to Audible, authors, publishers, and other Rights Holders, as well as narrators, studio professionals, and other Producers can earn royalties of up to 40%.
How long does it take to narrate an audiobook?
Using this average, you can extrapolate the following figures: To narrate 10,000 words: ~63 minutes. To narrate 20,000 words: ~2 hour and 6 minutes. To narrate 30,000 words: ~3 hours and 9 minutes.
How long is a 60000 word audiobook?
The average is 60,000 words which results in an audiobook that’s about 6.5 hours long or 6.5 finished hours.
How many words is a 1 hour audiobook?
9300
The average audiobook is 100,000 words, or about 11 hours long (55 words a minute, 9300 per finished hour). It takes four to six hours to produce one hour of completed audio, or 44-66 hours per book. Average sale prices vary by length.
How long should an audiobook sample be?
between one and five minutes
ACX say “Your audiobook must include a retail audio sample that is between one and five minutes long. Explicit material is not permitted in the sample.
What is the best format for audio books?
Audiobooks have come a long way, but the best formats to use for them are still the most basic: the MP3 format or the FLAC format. While you might want to work with WAV files when working with your audiobook narrator, those files will eventually need to be converted so they will play on an MP3 player.
Can you self publish an audiobook?
If you would prefer to do everything, it is possible to record your own audiobooks. You will need to create an audio file for your book by narrating your audiobook yourself. Once you have your book audio recorded, you can then self-publish it.