Do you have a backlist of novels? Don’t let it languish when it could be making you money, expanding your audience and building your profile.
Of course, you can publish your titles again as printed books. But you then need to be prepared to figure out printing and distribution. That is, working out a way to send the book to your customer. And when you do that, you are also at the mercy of the postal service!
However, the world of audiobooks can provide a frictionless way to share your work with, potentially, a whole new audience of readers. And, once the audiobook is created, it can continue providing you with an income for the years to come.
If you’re anti-audiobook for some reason, that’s fine. Show over. No need to read on! But if you’re curious, creating an audiobook is not as technical or costly as you might think.
Here are key reasons why you should consider this path.
1. A growing market with increasing demand
Audiobooks have exploded in popularity. This year, the Audio Publishers Association’s annual sales survey indicated an 11th straight year of double-digit growth in audiobook sales. Gone are the days when readers had to curl up on the sofa with your story. These days, people are appreciating books on their commute, when they’re out walking the dog or working out at the gym.
The growth in popularity is a wonderful opportunity for authors who are keen to embrace this audience that is hungry for content. If you’re more recently published with a traditional publisher, chances are that they currently hold the rights to your audiobook and will help you get it out there. But if any titles in your backlist have reverted to you, don’t let those titles languish when they could be making you money.
2. A passive income stream
If you’re considering indie publishing your backlist as printed books, that’s great. But just remember that you need to be prepared to deal with the challenges that that brings: boxes of books in your garage or storage unit, trips to the post office, and the ongoing cost per printed book. However, once an audiobook is created and uploaded to platforms like Audible or Google Play Books, you can set and forget. Well, you probably want to market it. But you don’t have the same level of logistics as a printed book. So your audiobook becomes a true source of passive income. Every time someone purchases or streams your audiobook, you earn money without any additional effort on your part.
Will that income make you rich? Well, we’re going to be realistic here. Probably not immediately unless you’re a superstar author. But it’s about the long tail – it compounds over time, especially if you have multiple books.
3. Revive your backlist
Some authors have a title from their backlist that may not have received the attention it deserved at the time. And maybe you know, in your heart, that this book is a cracker. The planets just didn’t align at the time. Well, this could be your chance to revive and let people discover it properly.
One of the biggest obstacles authors cite when considering the world of audiobooks is they say: “But it’s too hard”. No, it’s not. You already have the words. That means you’ve already done the hard part – you’ve poured your blood, sweat and tears into writing the novel.
There are audiobook producers that can help with every step of turning it into an audiobook. You don’t need any technical knowledge.
Then the next protest we hear is: “But it costs so much.” No, it doesn’t.
Well, it CAN if you are not dealing with a scrupulous audiobook producer. The key is to choose carefully. You’d be surprised at how low the cost can be, including finding professional narrators who, in some cases, are happy to do it for a low or no upfront fee but instead opt for a share of future royalties. We outline everything in the course Your Audiobook Advantage.
4. Your choice of narrator
Speaking of narrators, one of the benefits of controlling this process yourself is that you get to choose the perfect narrator. You might even want to narrate it yourself!
You can also choose a single narrator for the whole story. Or you might love the idea of choosing a “cast” of multiple voices for different characters. This way, you are truly creating an audio version of your story told exactly as how you envision it.
5. Go global
You are no longer limited by geography or high shipping costs. With audiobooks, there are no boundaries. And if your foray into audiobooks goes well in the English language, you might even consider translated versions in the future. But, hey, let’s take one step at a time!
Ultimately, audiobooks should be an essential part of your author career strategy if you want to future-proof your work and make the most of your stories. And, once you see how easy they are to create, you can focus on your creative genius – your writing!
