The Real Cost (and Payoff) of Making an Audiobook

They say audiobooks are booming. That you NEED an audiobook. But do you really?The market hit $2.2 billion last year, and everyone’s saying you must get in on the action. Award-winning authors LL Kirchner and Tara Lush reveal what actually happens when you take the audiobook plunge.In this episode, we decode the confusing world of audiobook production—from ACX’s seven-year handcuffs to support you can rely on, weird stuff—like the fact that narrators are called “producers” on ACX (f you don’t know what ACX is, you might want to have a listen to Episode 2, publishing terminology)—and the real cost of professional narration, Virtual Voice (AI), and the one genre that absolutely shouldn’t bother with audio. Plus, we share the stomach-dropping moment when you realize your narrator owns your series for the better part of a decade.Whether you’re trying to decide between royalty share and paying upfront, or wondering if you should just read the damn thing yourself, this episode cuts through the hype to help you make the smartest decision for YOUR author business.Plus, hear why LL refused to narrate her own fiction despite having broadcast experience, and Tara’s confession about which beloved audiobook she couldn’t actually finish—even though it was narrated by Meryl Freaking Streep.Listen now by clicking the photo above, and leave any comments here. Or, if you have any questions for us, we’re happy to take requests!Thanks for reading YOU SHOULD TOTALLY WRITE THAT! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.SHOW NOTES:Support our books!Find Tara’s books on AmazonFind LL’s books here (available everywhere) The providers listed are not affiliates; we only talked about the particular services we used. Most offer more services than we have tried.* ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) - Amazon’s platform for finding narrators* Findaway (now inAudio) - Wide distribution platform, now part of Spotify* Dreamscape Audio - Audiobook distributor (LL’s distributor)* Positron - AI quality checking for audiobook files* Reaping Audio - Professional audiobook production services* Voices.com - Narrator marketplace* Voice123 - Another narrator platform* Bunny Studio - Voice talent marketplace* Virtual Voice - Amazon’s AI narration (beta)* Eleven Labs - AI voice cloning* Hidden Gems - Beta reader servicesWhat we’re listening to:* Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera* Tom Lake by Ann PatchettResources:* LL’s Ill-Behaved Women Substack - includes DIY audiobook production guide* Libby - Library audiobook app This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit youshouldtotallywritethat.substack.com