Publishers make hundreds, if not thousands, of decisions regarding their company and what initiatives they’d like to capitalize on each year. Deciding how to enter the audiobook space is just one of them.
Audiobooks continue to gain traction with readers and revenue alike. According to the Audio Publishers Association, audiobook sales have experienced double-digit growth for over a decade. But for independent publishers, diving into the audio world can raise many questions: Where do you begin? What platform is best? How do you maintain control over your work?
Mary Catherine Jones, owner and executive producer of The Audiobook Experience, says she often works with clients in the early stages of decision-making.
“I have many conversations with people who are trying to figure out does it [creating an audiobook] make sense. And it’s very important to me to put myself in that author’s position. … I try to give that person my best advice. It comes down to what it is that the author is hoping to gain from having the audio. If the primary motivator is that they want to make a lot of money on it, then I would put an asterisk up and say … ‘How’s your print book doing?’”
Jones emphasizes that making “a well-crafted audiobook is an investment,” and that authors and publishers should ask themselves whether readers are requesting the title in audio, how many copies of the print book are being sold, and whether the content includes images that may not translate well to the format.
Choosing a Production Partner
While some of the Big Five publishers (and Amazon with ACX) have their own audiobook divisions in-house, independent authors and publishers can seek out companies that specialize in audiobook production and distribution.
One such company is Pro Audio Voices, founded by Becky Parker Geist, which works with clients across all stages of the audiobook journey.
“We generally prefer working with them from the very beginning, where we can provide pre-production. There’s so much opportunity in the pre-production phase … we’re all about helping find ways to build, whether it’s inviting their listeners to their website or whatever.”
Geist encourages clients to be clear about what they need and to seek out partners who are the right fit.
“Just because one person doesn’t provide what you need doesn’t mean somebody else won’t. So that’s finding the [right] fit. And then recognizing also that when you get your book into audio that the performance of the narrator is a part of enhancing what you have created. In other words, allow that collaboration to make it even greater instead of trying to hold it in. When you approach the process with that attitude of being open to what the narrator brings to it, you will be much happier as a result.”
She adds that the process should be collaborative, not controlling.
“This is one of the things that really bugs me about the industry. This idea that the creative driver, the author, has to keep relinquishing control over what they’re trying to do. And we see it as a very collaborative process. We’re becoming their audiobook team, and we bring our expertise to guide them in that process.”
Jones also touches on the tradeoffs of working with larger platforms. While being an Audible Exclusive offers “a greater royalty share and other excellent promotional aspects,” it also limits the publisher’s ability to set pricing or run sales.
Exploring Distribution Platforms
For many publishers, Audible—via its Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX)—is the most well-known distribution option. According to Lee Jarit, global head of publisher and partner relations at Audible, independent creators make up a significant portion of Audible’s offerings.
“From major publishing houses to independent authors, we’ve created a trusted marketplace that fosters great storytelling. And we reach listeners wherever they are, with seamless integration across devices and in-car applications, maximizing the accessibility of your content,” Jarit says.
Jarit notes that “31% of Audible’s catalog are Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) titles,” and praises the innovation indies bring. “Independent publishers often bring fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to storytelling that resonate strongly with our listeners.”
Through ACX, authors and publishers have multiple paths. “Since launching ACX, we’ve seen remarkable success stories from independent authors who have built substantial audiences and sustainable careers through audiobooks,” Jarit says. “Authors have options: They can narrate their own work or partner with professional voice talent through our platform. If they already have a completed audiobook produced independently, they can also use our DIY service to upload the finished audiobook. We offer flexible production models to accommodate different needs and budgets. Authors can choose a royalty share arrangement, where production costs and royalties are split with narrators, or a pay-for-production model that gives them full ownership of the rights. This flexibility has allowed many authors to enter the audio market who might otherwise have been unable to do so.”
Audible’s reach is another draw. “Our listeners are deeply committed to audio content. On days when they choose to listen, they average more than an hour of consumption, with our most dedicated customers listening to over 100 hours monthly,” Jarit says.
Those who choose to go exclusive with Audible receive additional support. “For Audible Exclusives, we offer favorable royalty rates and deal terms, as well as unique marketing and promotional opportunities that significantly enhance visibility. Many of our exclusive titles are featured in curated collections, email campaigns, targeted advertising, and social media features that reach millions of our engaged listeners.”
Balancing Access and Independence
For publishers more focused on wide distribution, companies like Libro.fm offer alternatives that better align with independent bookstores and libraries.
Nick Johnson, creative director at Libro.fm, cautions that exclusivity with Audible can have unintended consequences.
“It does hurt bookstores and the industry as a whole … Thousands of independent bookstores will not be able to promote their title. What we want independent publishers to be aware of is to get your books and your audiobooks everywhere. We’re not saying don’t put them on Audible. Put them on Audible, of course … but also make sure they’re available for everywhere else, so people who want to purchase from their local independent bookstore can. If you’re just getting it produced through Audible and their system and it’s only being sold on Audible, then no one could buy it through their local independent bookstore.”
Johnson says indie success often depends on word-of-mouth and bookseller support. “A lot of independent authors and independent books … get success because booksellers champion them. A bookseller discovered it, took a chance on it, read it, loved it, told their fellow booksellers, and told their customers. It is that word of mouth, that hand-selling that booksellers do. Publishers need to make sure they get their titles in front of that audience, because that’s the audience that can make it.”
Jones echoes this, particularly when it comes to libraries. “If the library market is important and it’s going to be from the start, then you can’t go Amazon Exclusive because Amazon does not distribute to the audiobook market, full stop.”
Reaching Audiences Through Marketing Tools
Both Geist and Johnson offer ways for independent publishers to expand their audiobook marketing. Geist created AMPlify, a platform designed to give authors more transparency and sales flexibility.
“We created AMPlify [marketing and sales platform] largely because I was getting deeper into the industry and realizing the problems that authors were having,” Geist says. “We work with Author’s Republic for wide distribution because I do think it’s good for authors to have their audiobooks in all the places where people might be looking for them.”
Geist says platforms like AMPlify give authors more control. “They can do any kind of discount codes, whatever is going to work for them in their marketing. And they’ll actually know who bought their audiobook. They don’t get any of those things on any of the other platforms.”
Libro.fm also has tools to help authors connect with key audiences. “We have an educator ALC list and a librarian ALC list,” Johnson says. “We also have a smaller version for social media influencers. Influencers apply to be a part of the program; they have to meet certain levels to apply, but that’s a smaller list of maybe 12 books a month they get access to, and there’s 2,000 influencers on that list. These are all ways for publishers to get their titles in front of a wider, influential audience.”
Johnson adds that Libro.fm makes advance audiobook copies available to more than 18,000 booksellers monthly—“a great way to put content in front of booksellers, so they are going to hopefully hand sell it.”
What’s Ahead for Audiobooks
Both Audible and Libro.fm are continuing to develop new tools to support audiobook publishers.
“Customers will be able to listen directly through the website on their laptop or home computer as opposed to listening to the app. That’s a short-term example of the constant improvements we’re trying to make,” Johnson says.
Jarit points to advances in voice tech and royalties. “For independent publishers, I’m excited about our voice replication beta on ACX, which empowers narrators to create and monetize replicas of their own voices while maintaining creative control over their work. Narrators can take on additional work beyond what they could physically record in a day, and independent publishers gain access to a cost-effective way to produce high-quality audiobooks using voices from some of their most beloved narrators. We are continuing to roll out a new royalty model that directly ties customer usage to the royalties paid. This creates a more equitable system where creator compensation is closely aligned with listener engagement.”
Johnson says no matter the format or platform, one message remains: “We believe books should have value … Books cost money. They should cost money. There’s a lot of time, a lot of effort, a lot of work that went into that, and so we don’t want to devalue the price of books.”
Audiobook Resources
Disclaimer: A customer representative from Spotify acknowledged receipt of interview requests and indicated that they were forwarded to the appropriate team. However, no further response or follow-up was received from the relevant contacts.
Kathryn Sparks is a senior editor at the American Academy of Pediatrics. She was a member of the IBPA Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and currently is chair of the Membership Committee.