How to make and narrate an audiobook…or become an audiobook narrator

How to make and narrate an audiobook…or become an audiobook narrator

May 10, 2022

Just the other day I heard from a listener in Bermuda who had been enjoying the audiobook of Honey Farm Dreaming through Amazon’s Audible service…someone who would probably never have discovered my memoir if it wasn’t in audiobook form (in addition to paperback and ebook).

Creating an audiobook of your book can really open up a whole new audience for your words. That’s why I dedicated a whole chapter to audiobooks in Look – It’s Your Book! . It covers topics including:

  • Why do people listen to audiobooks?
  • Why create an audiobook?
  • Why avoid creating an audiobook?
  • What are the paths I can take to produce an audiobook?
  • Should I narrate my own audiobook?
  • Where can I find audiobook narrators and producers?
  • How do I choose an audiobook narrator?
  • Are there any set standards for audiobook files?
  • Should I produce my own audiobook files?
  • The current scene for audiobooks
  • The four different models for audio book production and payment with approximate costs
  • How much you can expect to make from audiobooks
  • How to distribute audiobooks
  • And lots of tips to make recording and producing your audiobook simpler.

But in a recent online presentation I delivered for EnterprisePlus, some people in the audience wanted to know a bit more about how to find narrators for audiobooks, as well as how to become an audiobook narrator for other authors’ books too.

There’s a world of difference between narrating an audiobook and producing an audiobook…a little bit like the difference between being an actor or being the technical specialist who turns the film into the right format for viewing. Both require some technical proficiency, but the actual production of the audiobook files require a huge amount of attention to detail.

Where to find audiobook narrators and producers and/or become an audiobook narrator yourself

If you’re looking for help to turn your content into an audiobook, or have a really great voice that you would like to utilise to record audiobooks professionally for other authors, here are some of the audiobook services you can research to see if they might be the right fit for you and you for them. There’s a mix of Australian and international services and you will need to do your due diligence:

Hope this helps with your audiobook venture and remember, there’s plenty of extra useful information on audiobooks in Look – It’s Your Book! which is available through your favourite bookstore, direct from the author or for loan at your local library.

And remember, it’s not just about producing a great book or audiobook, it’s also about understanding how to market, distribute and leverage it, these are all key sections in Look – It’s Your Book!