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Audiobooks are the fastest growing segment in publishing. Most authors license their audio rights and work with professional narrators to produce their books, so why might you consider narrating your own audiobook?
I have now narrated my own non-fiction, Business for Authors: How to be an Author Entrepreneur, and also fiction, A Thousand Fiendish Angels, three short stories inspired by Dante's Inferno.
Here's why I am doubling down on narration in 2019 and why you might consider narration for your own books.
(1) You love audio
I presume you're reading (or listening to) this because you love listening to audio. Yes, it's a growth segment in terms of income, but if you don't love a medium, you will not master it.
When people ask about writing a book but say they do not read, I tune them out, because they will likely never be successful as an author. Why would they be? They don't spend time devouring books. The same applies to audio. Don't even think about narrating audio unless you love it.
I listen to podcasts and audiobooks every day — when I am walking to spin or yoga or the shops, when I'm cleaning or cooking, or just relaxing and need to close my eyes. When I want to learn something new, or challenge myself, or sink into another world.
Thinking back, I listened to tapes when I was young. I remember Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf and The Prisoner of Zenda in particular. I listened to those over and over again and found more at the library in those plastic cases that used to get so grubby (remember those!). Years later, I listened to self-help tapes and later still, downloadable audio MP3s before they become podcasts and digital audiobooks.
Humans have always escaped into stories told around the fire and lives have been changed, for both good and bad, through the power of the spoken word.
Audio is a powerful medium. You have to love it if you want to master it.
(2) The power of voice to build connection in a crowded market
There are a lot of books in the world, and more are published every day. With the advent of AI tools that will generate more text or mass translate existing works, there will only be more content for people to consume.
So, how do you stand out and build a sustainable author business for the long-term?
I've been podcasting for 10 years now, and although I've written 28 books, more people tell me that I have helped them through the podcast than through my writing. I listen to lots of podcasts too, and you feel as if you know the speaker. If people have your voice in their head, it's an intimate experience.
There is so much more than words in a voice.
The interesting thing with audiobooks, in particular, is that a ‘reader' must connect with the voice of the author in the story, but also the voice of the narrator who brings the book alive. Finding a voice to speak your words can be a challenge, especially one that fits your budget! But when you narrate your own work, your voice is consistent. It cannot be a bad match because it's the same voice.
An author who also narrates is memorable.
I became a fan of thriller author, Scott Sigler, over 10 years ago when I listened to him narrate Infected and the subsequent books in his sci-fi/horror series. I've bought a number of his books since and still have his voice in my head on some of the climactic scenes. I'm not a rabid fan of all his work but I have spread the word about his books for 10+ years because he stood out with his audio readings.
[Listen to my podcast episode here with Scott Sigler on moving from self-publishing to traditional deals as well as podcasting and audiobooks.]
Voice builds connection and in an increasingly crowded market, we all need connection with readers to sustain a creative career.
(3) Improve your writing skill and characterization
Reading your work aloud can dramatically improve your writing craft.
With non-fiction, you are forced to read aloud sentences that might be full of jargon, or difficult to read or make sense of. You will end up editing for content, structure and flow.
With fiction, every character needs a ‘voice,' so you have to think hard about who they are, taking them off the written page and into spoken dialogue. I've ended up rewriting dialogue as I read it aloud because the character developed in such a way that I now know they wouldn't speak like that.
[Independent authors have control of later editions, and updating a previously published book is not difficult with print-on-demand and ebooks. More on publishing here.]
You will become a better storyteller because you are performing your story, thinking about your listener far more than you do when you're writing the book.
Regardless of genre, it's another line edit and you often pick up things you missed while ‘reading' in your mind, or even that a proofreader missed.
You will also notice repeated sounds rather than repeated words, which I have also been editing out. For example, consider the words: peak, Monique, speak. They have different meanings and different spellings but the same sounds. If repeated in a sentence or two, they produce the same feeling as a repeated word which is much more common in our writing, but most of us edit out in the drafting process.
(4) Create another intellectual property asset (and another stream of income) that you control
Your book is not one book. Your manuscript is an intellectual property asset that you can turn into multiple products and multiple streams of income.
Independent authors have mastered ebooks and print-on-demand over the last 10 years. We can publish on almost every global platform these days and produce editions as diverse as mass market paperback, hardback, and large print.
As independent authors, we like to control our assets, publishing them to new platforms when they become available, expanding our streams of income into the global market. At least, this is what I love to do!
Authors now have the option to create audiobooks across the global market through ACX, Findaway Voices, and Author's Republic. You can even sell direct from your website or through an app like Authors Direct (from Findaway).
You can choose your price and sell to libraries, and as more opportunities arise, you can jump in and explore them — if you control the rights.
Many authors accept audiobook deals because they don't want to, or can't afford to, produce the books themselves. Of course, there are stories of incredible audiobook opportunities and even six-figure+ deals and that would be something I'd jump on if it came along!
But for many, the deals are not so exciting and some authors sign contracts they regret later. Many also start with royalty split deals which can be a fantastic way to get into audio without outlaying too much cost. I certainly did royalty share deals at the beginning before I had the money to invest to pay upfront and keep all the rights.
But what if you could spend your time rather than your money and narrate your book yourself — and control the timing?
(5) Self-development and increased self-confidence in performing your creative work
At the time of writing this, I have still never read my fiction in public. I've spoken professionally all over the world, but I have never read so much of a line of my novels.
I have been afraid of it for so long because it means so much. My fiction is my heart and by putting it out there, I make myself vulnerable. So I have turned down many opportunities to read or speak as my fiction self, J.F.Penn.
But no more.
The process of learning to narrate my fiction has given me confidence because audiobook narration is essentially a performance.
It's an adaptation of the words on a flat page and my voice brings them alive.
(6) Development of another skill and extending your body of work
Through the process of voice coaching and learning about narration, I am discovering a whole world of sound that I didn't know about before. I'm learning more about my body and my voice as an instrument, about how to care for something I have always taken for granted.
As a learning junkie, this is so much fun!
I also appreciate extending my body of work into the audio sphere. I don't like relying on one way of making money, because change happens fast and if you rely on one company, or one product, or one form on income, you may find yourself running out of money someday.
I intend to be writing and creating for at least the next 50 years, and developing audio as part of my body of work is an exciting possibility.
I once visited the attic storeroom of a well-known voice talent who has narrated books for 40+ years. The shelves were full of tapes and CDs representing a huge body of work that was far more significant than the films and TV shows she is more well-known for. I'm just starting out but what will my attic shelves look like when I am in my later years?
(7) Marketing within a genre
I have only narrated my own books right now, but I can see a point where I would narrate other books that related to my brand. Audio listeners become a fan of the narrator, not just the author, and will follow them from book to book.
If I narrated other books in the same genre, then that may lead more readers to my work. It's certainly a way off yet, as it takes a lot of time and energy to narrate and edit, as well as a budget for mastering. But it's on my longer-term plan.
Audio is also a significant chunk of my non-fiction book sales these days, so why not fiction?
Part of the reason is marketing. Even though I have far more fiction audiobooks than I have non-fiction, I have a non-fiction form of audio marketing through The Creative Penn Podcast.
I'm currently working on a new site and new podcast that will relate to my fiction, so I am developing a marketing platform for that other side of my creative self.
In conclusion, I am thrilled to have my stories in the world in another format and I'll be doing more audio from now on. I'll still work with other narrators for some books, but I'll also be recording my own.
What do you think about authors narrating their own audiobooks? Please do leave any thoughts, questions, or your experience in the comments.
Ready for the next step?
I'll be doing another article about my tips on how to narrate and tech tips in the future, but here are some resources that will help right now if you want to get going:
- What I learned from narrating 25 of my own (fiction) audiobooks by M.L.Buchman on Findaway Voices blog
- Storyteller: How to be an Audiobook Narrator (audiobook only) – Lorelei King and Ali Muirden
- Audio for Authors: Audiobooks, Podcasts, and Dictation for Fun and Profit – Bradley Charbonneau
- Narrated by the Author: How to Produce an Audiobook on a Budget – Renee Conoulty
Want to try some books read by the author? Check these out:
- A Thousand Fiendish Angels – J.F.Penn
- Business for Authors: How to be an Author Entrepreneur – Joanna Penn
- Infected – Scott Sigler
- The Graveyard Book – Neil Gaiman
- Wildfire at Dawn – M.L.Buchman
- Shades of Milk and Honey – Mary Robinette Kowal
- On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft – Stephen King
Love the unexpected inbetweenisodes!
Haven’t listened to it yet….
I’ve been listening to audiobooks for about 16 months now (late arrival!), and find I find my comprehension of the same material varies between visual reading and audio reading. It’s odd, but I’ll listen to the audio version of, say, American Serengeti, and the ebook version, and they feel like different books! So I’m finding myself consuming the same book in two formats! True fans of a given book will buy in various formats.
Incidentally, will there come a time when a phone app uses AI to read a book to you, so if you have an ebook, it can be read by an (AI) voice of your choice, in a language of your choice, without one buying an audiobook as such? How might that affect the audio market?
One other observation: I have a printed book next to me, Statistics for Ecologists (yuck!), and I flick through it to quickly find the statistics test I ‘want’ to learn. But then I open the Kindle version on my Mac at the right page, open ‘R’ (the statistics software) – so, when working through exercises in a cafe I use the ebook version AND the print version (that’s c.£80 worth of text books!). On the train, I get out the printed version of the book to revise. So, with text books, having both formats is useful. A lot of my fellow students do the same. Multiple-formats rock, but I wish more authors would self-publish text books at a slightly more affordable price!
Thanks for your comment, Steve, and you can already have an AI read a book to you within the native Kindle app. It’s for helping those with sight issues, and will no doubt become more prevalent as voice tech improves.
I also buy different editions – hardback versions of audiobooks I like for example so I remember to check them out again 🙂
Good for you on narrating your own fiction!! 🙂 Thanks as always for sharing your journey pearls!! 🙂
Yay! I’ve been waiting for you to share more about your audiobooks! I also loved your chat with Will Dages (of Findaway Voices). He and Findaway are the simple answer to “going wide” with audio. They keep upping their game, too!
To give another perspective, here’s this: 5 Reasons Nonfiction Authors Should Hire a Professional Narrator for their Audiobooks. 🙂
But I agree with what you say above (that you have to LOVE IT–which I do), so then I also wrote this for the Findaway Voices blog: 5 Reasons Nonfiction Authors Should Narrate Their Own Audiobooks
But what I’m really geeking out about is not just my next project (to help adults co-write with kids), but then to have them…record the audiobook versions, too.
LOVED this episode, Joanna!
How do you find the costs compare between narrating yourself and paying a narrator (presumably you have to pay for studio recording time and editing when it’s you narrating?)
Right now, it’s about 10x more expensive to do it myself in terms of time invested 🙂 But that will change and also doesn’t account for the ‘voice’ aspect which will only kick in over time when I have a good backlist. I am growing for the next 10 years!
Good thinking 🙂
Hello Janna – Love your voice and accent. I am a writer-wanna-be and am currently whittling down through me list of 738 reasons why I can’t.
You may just be the navigator I’ve been waiting for.
Will Follow You – Mike
There are always reasons why we can’t do things 🙂 You just have to find the overarching reason why!
Thanks for this, Joanna. It’s a subject I’ve been thinking a lot about recently and whether to find a narrator or try it myself. I’ve always liked the idea of creating my own audio book, because as a former primary school teacher I used to read fiction out loud to children for a good many years but I know it’s a lot more involved than a daily story-time session!
Did you start by doing small samples of your books and then decided you wanted to do more? How much voice coaching did you do before embarking on your first audiobook?
As a podcast producer you must have the necessary equipment already but what sort of initial outlay would be needed when starting from scratch for the basics? Perhaps that’s going to be in your next podcast! 😉
I’ve only done some short stories so far with minimal characters so just beginning in fiction, really.
I will do future posts on the other things, but check out the links on the article for info right now 🙂
“You will also notice repeated sounds rather than repeated words, which I have also been editing out. For example, consider the words: peak, Monique, speak.”
Holy monopoly, this has NEVER occurred to me. I just learned something important. Thank you for the entire article (I intend to narrate my audiobook), but this is the most valuable lesson for me!
Glad that helped – it was definitely a new realization for me as well 🙂
Excellent podcast! I’m publishing my first book, a memoir, and trying to decide whether I have the skills to do my own narration. It seems daunting, but you make it sound doable and even exciting. Thank you!
You may not have the skills right now, Heidi, but you can learn 🙂
I recently narrated my own audiobook and am really glad I did (for many of the reasons you outlined here) but also wanted to point out that it was surprisingly hard! It was enormously vulnerable and I struggled with pace (too slow, too fast, staying consistent) throughout. Also I could only record for 2-3 hours tops before my mouth would get tired and my sound would get mushy. I had no idea that you could get too tired to talk clearly, but neither have I ever talked incessantly for so long 😉
I’m also grateful that I had an awesome studio and sound engineer to work with. I know many will create a DIY studio in their homes but producing a professional-quality audiobook is no joke and I definitely needed ALL THE HELP.
It is very hard indeed, it requires a lot of energy and stamina 🙂 and yes, that is surprising. But like writing words stamina and other forms of ‘fitness,’ you can get better with practice. I think it has a lot to do with breathing as well.
I think this is great advice for the most part, but I’m confused about needing to love audio. I don’t love audio, I greatly prefer visual. However, I am a storyteller and actress and I am excited about recording my novel and then my narrative non-fiction. I would imagine that if you are a talented narrator, recording audio would work very well even if you don’t consume audio information yourself.
Thank you again for the information, I love your work.
You already have a lot of skill, Christine, as an actress, so you will understand breath work and other sounds. But I think you need to listen to at least a couple of audiobooks in your chosen genres as there are things you will learn that you like or don’t like from that experience that will help you.
I’m fixing to narrate all of the new books in my fiction name J.A. Bouma this summer for launch in Sept. Totally agree about differentiation in a crowded market, and voice (both written and aural) is about the only thing we have control of in that regard.
Question: Do you have equipment recommendations for in-home studio? Read the Buckman article, which offered a decent setup, but wondered what you used. (Do you do your narration in-home, or in a studio?)
Thanks for the in-betweeney episode!
Great! YOu’re catching me up with those thrillers, Jeremy 🙂
I am just using my Blue Yeti mic in my walk-in wardrobe, but I use a professional, Dan Van Werkhoven, for mastering. Here’s his post on tips and equipment for podcasting which is still relevant.
https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2018/01/12/improve-audio-podcast-radio/
I love your narration of “A Thousand Fiendish Angels.” I’m guessing it was a studio production because there are no breath sounds and no hesitations? I find I’m good for about a page in practice narrations before voice issues might arise. I do have one of those filters that blocks the popping of p’s and b’s, but it doesn’t block the breath intake, and pauses can be difficult. (I listened to your sample of Neill Gaiman in the links and can hear him breathing, which is interesting.)
Anyway, I want to do this and I’m using audio versions of excerpts from my books a bit in my newsletter to see if folks like it. And since I have followed your work for three years now, and agree totally we need to offer what we create in many forms, I feel this year I must do audio. Thanks, Joanna, for this encouraging podcast!
I recorded it in my walk-in wardobe, Regina 🙂 I do a lots of retakes to remove sounds and also had coaching to control breathing etc. I do the initial editing myself but I also use a professional for the mastering and he removes other sounds.
But the level of breathing and other noises varies greatly – and it can be preference over and above technical requirements.
Hi, Joanna! Thanks for sharing your experiences as a narrator and encouraging authors to create audiobooks.
As a professional audiobook narrator, I always advise authors to read every word out loud BEFORE PUBLICATION for the reasons that you stated in item 3 above.
Narration is a demanding performance medium, and listeners expect high quality sound production. I’m so glad that you commented in item 1 that people who don’t love a medium won’t master it!
I tried to include a link to an article that outlines some additional points authors should consider when deciding whether to narrate their books. This comment was not accepted until I removed the link.
For those who are interested, the article title is “Should An Author Narrate Her Audiobook?” on my blog for authors. It’s also linked on a page I’ve curated of resources for authors who are interested in learning about audiobook production: AudioForAuthors dot com.
Thanks again for being a advocate for audiobooks!
Cordially,
Karen Commins
Try again with the link, Karen and I can approve it 🙂
Thanks so much for the fast and kind reply, Joanna! The article “Should An Author Narrate Her Audiobook?” has other factors an author should consider when making this decision:
http://www.karencommins.com/2017/12/should-an-author-narrate-her-audiobook.html
I’ve also organized and linked a number of aids on this page for authors who are interested in getting their works into audio:
http://www.AudioForAuthors.com
I’m known as a resource for the audiobook industry, so I appreciate your indulgence for me to include one more link.
I noticed in the comments above that some authors are interested in getting coaching in narration. Just as with writing, everyone who calls themselves a coach or creates an on-line class about audiobook production may not necessarily have the level of experience and achievement needed to guide others.
I would steer those authors to the vetted coaches spreadsheet in the Connections area of my site http://www.NarratorsRoadmap.com.
Joanna, I’d love to do a segment with you sometime to help answer questions about audiobook production for your audience. Audiobooks are my life! 🙂
Congratulations again on narrating your first titles!
Cordially,
Karen Commins
Thanks Karen 🙂 You’d be welcome to submit something for a guest article – details here: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/guestposting/
Great episode, Joanna. Thanks.
How did you find a voice coach? I’ve been looking for one, but all searches seem to find either singing or acting coaches, neither of which is exactly what I’m after.
Any tips appreciated. Meantime, all the best with you audio productions – and the new site.
Just google ‘voice coach for audiobooks’ – there are so few that you will find them easily! There are courses too.
I am going to narrate my own novels now
As authors we have so much time, love and energy invested in these tales we write that it feels right to me for the authors to narrate their own stories. Who better?
And the bonuses as you mention above? The world of sound. Giving a voice to your work. Using different voices for different characters, putting nuances where they are needed. Getting under the character’s skin and inside their heads. Becoming that character. Understanding that character better.Which will help me to invent better characters in other books. Write much better, and fluently.
Time to step up to the plate and get to it.
Thanks for that Joanne.
Glad it resonated, Yvonne 🙂
I’ve several of my books I’ve voiced (both nonfiction and my thrillers). In another life, I’m an actor/VO professional so I have my own home studio. It’s labor-intensive with all the audio editing and mastering, especially if using different voices for fiction characters, but I agree it’s a growing market. I have several books I need to finish this summer, between other projects. *s* thanks for the nudge.
You have a secret weapon in that background, Amy! I have a home recording setup, and I do the editing but I use a pro for the mastering so don’t need the whole studio setup.
LOVED this and your interview with Will Dages–he’s been great and I think Findaway Voices is the secret sauce to Going Wide with audio (and why we should).
I especially liked how you talked about cassettes and even the yucky plastic casing! You’ve been at this a long time as both a listener and speaker/narrator and although you’re a pro and have all of these years experience, I would just encourage anyone to give it a try: just read a single page of your writing and See What Happens. See How It Feels.
There is such a connection via audio that we don’t get through the written word on the page and I appreciate that you appreciate that.
Let’s keep on Findaway Voices and discover new ways to help promote and broaden the reach of audio and quietly whisper into the ears of listeners the joys and benefits of audio.
So excited you’ve done your own audio, Joanna!
Thanks Bradley, and I know you’re such a great example of this yourself 🙂
Thanks for this post, Joanna, it’s words and advice like these that keep me motivated and looking forward, especially when the ‘dream’ of authorship gets trampled-on by everyday life!
I read to my middle school students frequently. We are currently in the middle of The Giver. In one of my class periods, I will actually read the entire selection to them. This is because 1) they love listening to me read because, in their words, I create different voices with the characters and, 2) they find themselves more engaged with the book. I don’t read as much to my other class periods because too many of them refuse to open the book while I read, or they are completely off task.
I also listen to audiobooks regularly. In my 63 mile commute to work one way, I tend to get through one YA book every four days. If I choose a classic, it takes about a week and a half to two weeks. Sometimes, I listen to the book in the car and pick up the e-book or print book at home and continue to read.
Thanks for the advice in this article. It sounds like I might be a good candidate for doing an audiobook for my first novel.
Sounds like you’d be perfect 🙂
Really enjoyed this mini podcast. Barry Eisler reads his own audiobooks, and he was extremely proud of it. I went to a signing where he did a reading of new release at the signing. Then he shared that he had won an Audie award and he must be insufferable at home boasting about it.
ooh, I’d love to win an Audie!