I’m Doing an Audiobook, and You Should Too
By Vaughn Roycroft | January 27, 2025 |
Back in May of 2022, I wrote an essay about my aspiration to have an audiobook version of my debut. I elaborated on what I thought made having an audiobook desirable, none of which has changed since. In looking back at the piece, I clearly recall what a distant aspiration it felt like. I didn’t know much about them then, and had only consumed a few of them. Producing and distributing one felt complicated and difficult. Not to mention expensive.
Against all odds, my seemingly distant goal shall soon be met. For the past few days I’ve been listening to a proof version of the soon-to-be-released audiobook of my debut. I couldn’t be more happier with it. Indeed, I’m even more determined to engage my fabulous narrator, Alex Wingfield, for books two and three.
I’m here to report that what seemed complicated, difficult, and expensive has turned out to be fairly straightforward, easier by far than I’d imagined, and… er—well, as the late great Meatloaf once asserted: two outta three ain’t bad.
Actually, I’ve discovered there are even ways to navigate the upfront investment. Although it’s not a route I chose to pursue, some narrators are even willing to work for a share of future profits. And, looking at sales figures, I’ve feel like calling it an investment is not merely a rosy euphemism for an expense.
Allow me to share my experience in the hopes that you, too, will be inspired to seek an audiobook. That is if you haven’t already.
The Meta Reasons
In my last audiobook article, I reported on the phenomenal growth of the category. If you were looking for a bunch of statistics, you found yourself reading the wrong guy. I mean, every regular reader knows I’m the SFF/Heartfelt/Occasionally Woo-Woo guy here at WU. Suffice to say—yup, the category is hot as ever, touting $9.8 billion in sales last year (that’s billion with a B). The projections only grow stronger, with an estimated compound annual growth rate of 26% over the next five years. If you’re at all interested in selling books, it’s a category that can’t be ignored.
Numbers aside, let’s face facts: A lot of Americans don’t read in print. Sadly, it’s a percentage that continues to grow. At the same time as audiobooks surge in popularity. I think we can safely presume a correlation. For many, the time and attention required of sitting and reading only grows scarcer. Heck, since I let it be known there will soon be an audiobook version of it, I’ve had more than a handful of friends and family members—each of whom presumably had a pretty strong interest in reading my work—express that they will finally be diving into the story I first published in October of 2022. Anecdotal, I know. But it tells me much.
My (Fairly) Straightforward Start
I mentioned my apprehension prior to pursuing an audio book. That’s partly due to the fact that I’ve accumulated more life experience outside of the internet than within it. More plainly said, I’m an old duffer who’s not all that tech-savvy. I have to admit, I struggled mightily in publishing the written version of my debut. I’ve made mistakes and I’m still learning. It almost feels like starting over with each book. I also have to admit that I’d be utterly lost without the aid and support of my lovely wife, whose savvy—in all categories–is exponentially greater than mine.
Approaching the audiobook hurdle, I started by talking to a writer friend whom I’d read in part via her audiobook. I asked about her experience with her narrator, whom I’d enjoyed. It was through exploring a connection with the narrator that I stumbled across ACX, for which she shared a link.
What’s ACX, you might ask? I sure didn’t know. ACX is the creators’ portal, and an arm of Audible, the largest (by far) distributor of audiobooks (alas, a subsidiary of Evil Empire #3… I mean, Amazon). In their own words: “ACX is an online marketplace that allows authors, publishers, and others to create and distribute audiobooks.”
I’ve yet to get to the distribution part of the equation, but so far so good. The site led me to my narrator, which ultimately led to the proof copy I’m currently listening to. On the ACX site, loading my excerpt and putting it out there for auditions was super easy. But then came the astonishing part. We opened for auditions on a Friday just before my wife and I were heading out of town for the weekend. I started getting pings on my phone—from just those who’d messaged me on the site—during the three-hour drive to our destination. When we arrived, about four hours after loading, we’d gotten over 20 auditions. By Sunday morning, the number was 52.
Enter the Narrator
As a whole, the quality was very high, with very few entries easily rejected. I think my chosen narrator (the aforementioned and fabulous Alex Wingfield) was the fifth or sixth I heard. His was the first name I jotted on my notepad. And every audition after hearing his was held to a newly raised bar. Ultimately, none of the other fifty + were able to clear it. It didn’t hurt that Alex had an excerpt from a reading he’d done of The Hobbit on his website. I’m happy to have learned since that he’s an unabashed Tolkien nerd. Talk about a good match!
His talent was evident to me in his audition, but I’ve also since learned that besides being an experienced narrator, Alex is an acclaimed stage actor and musician—an artist in his own right.
Collaborating with another artist has been nothing but a delight, throughout the experience. From Alex’s command over the excerpt, with just a few audition notes, I was all but sure he would find his way to a serviceable product. But, oh, how he’s exceeded serviceable. His grasp of the story is superb and his acting capabilities shine. He does voices and accents for various characters which are distinct and consistent, and yet subtle enough that they don’t distract or become at all cloying. It’s evident to me that he gets the characters, but more than that, he gets what they’re going through in each moment.
Having raved about my selection, I can also say that I’m sure there were a half-dozen others from the auditions that would’ve produced a serviceable or better product for me. The voice talent utilizing the ACX portal is astonishing.
Peripheral and Unexpected Benefits
In my last piece, I confessed to not being the biggest audiobook fan. I haven’t listened to many more since that 2022 article, either. This experience with Alex is truly illuminating. Only now am I gleaning the full range and scope of the benefits that might be reaped.
For example, one benefit I hadn’t considered is that the audiobook will create a sort of canon when it comes to pronunciation. I used to say that I didn’t care how readers pronounce my invented names and terms—that however it sounds in one’s head is correct. Simply because the story belongs to the reader. I still feel that way, but going through the pronunciations with Alex, and hearing his inflections and the character accents we planned for each, sort of cements these names and terms in a new way. I will still adopt any reader’s pronunciations in any one-on-one conversation. But in a broader context, I will soon have a published edition that lays down a definitive set of pronunciations.
That’s a pretty specific one. Most others are less tangible. In a weird way, listening to the story provides a newly realized distance from it. Especially having a skilled pro emoting properly for each scene, every twist and turn. My brain is receiving this story, which I’d considered engrained within me, in new way. I’m able to gain a distinct form of immersion, separate from the immersion I’ve had in writing and revising it. Or even from reading it aloud myself (when I’m able to force myself to do it).
During this unique revisitation, I lose track of my rote memorization of the detail. I’m experiencing it as freshly as I have in over a decade. Which is illuminating. It’s informative to my grasp of pacing, and creating Don’s concept of micro-tension. Not that I often feel the pace is lagging, or that the narrative often lacks tension. But I can definitely hear, and feel, the sections that excel. Which can only help me moving forward as a writer.
Along those same intangible lines, the experience feels like a special gift. Obviously, the chances of ever seeing any sort of film adaptation of my work are next to none. This interpretation, by another skilled artist, bringing my characters and my world to life, is as close to that as I’ll experience. I feel blessed.
In case you were worried that WU’s fantasy geek isn’t going to get woo-woo in this one, I have a final confession. I feel like finding Alex was meant to be. I ended up tackling the audiobook issue because of a delay with the cover art for book 3. Now, as the book 3 release looms, my apprehension grows. A phenomenon which usually causes my belief to falter. And just as the familiar routine of pre-release jitters begins, along comes this fellow Tolkienite, bringing my story alive, presenting it back to me to see—and feel—anew. I mean, come on. Isn’t that spooky-cool?
Whether you consider it meant to be or merely a nice coincidence, it’s very special. My belief is rekindled and gratitude is immense.
Future markets and category growth aside, if you’re hesitating to explore doing an audiobook, I’m here to offer you a nudge. Who knows? Maybe you’re reading this because it’s meant to be.
What say you, WU? Are you an audiobook fan? Is there an audio version of your work? Did it feel like experiencing your story anew? Are you “meant to be” here today? I’m here to listen.
Vaughn Roycroft’s (he/him) teacher gave him a copy of The Hobbit in the 6th grade, sparking a lifelong passion for reading and history. After college, life intervened, and Vaughn spent twenty years building a successful business. During those years, he and his wife built a getaway cottage near their favorite shoreline, in a fashion that would make the elves of Rivendell proud. After many milestone achievements, and with the mantra ‘life’s too short,’ they left their hectic lives in the business world, moved to their little cottage, and Vaughn finally returned to writing. Now he spends his days striving to finish his epic fantasy series.
Hi Vaughn, great post today. I have not done any audios for my supernatural mystery books. Although some years ago Google automatically put out an audiobook of one of my novels, much to my surprise. It was dreadfully mechanical and monotone. I don’t listen to audiobooks, but I do listen to audio short stories and prefer the more dramatic versions (like the old radio dramas) rather than just a straight reading. I notice when I listen to a short story, I tend to move around, make tea or open the mail, fold laundry; my concentration is off the mark. For me, the act of eyes on the page, sitting down and reading words, carries a deeper imaginary element, especially for fiction. Listening vs. reading are different mental skills. I prefer the intimacy of just me and the book and the voice inside my own head.
Your point ‘listening to the story provides a newly realized distance from it’ is certainly accurate. When I read my manuscript aloud for editing purposes, I get a refreshed perspective. But the goal there is to sharpen the communication of the writing.
Hi Paula — I didn’t really get into the advantages of audiobooks as a reader, but I fully appreciate them. Being able to read while accomplishing other things is foremost for me, too. Particularly while driving. You can really power through a book quickly with the “whisper sync” function Audible and Amazon Kindle provide (jumping from your spot in one format to the other). I hear some readers like to do what they call “immersion reading,” listening as they view the text. Some say it really heightens the experience.
Alex definitely would’ve shone as an actor in the old radio dramas. Thanks for weighing in. Here’s to continuing to sharpen the communication in our storytelling!
What a great roundup of your breaking the ice on a novel that’s read into audio format. Or performed, I should say. I brought years of stage acting to bear on narrating my memoir Stealing Home. Even did pseudo-voices (changing tone and register) for some characters. Then I spent $1,800 on mastering and editing the 6.5 finished hours. It was glorious and joyful, a fresh way of sharing the story of a father (me) on a summer custody vacation with his Little Leaguer, visiting 8 ballparks in 11 days in an era without cell phones. What did your narrator charge for the finished hours? It’s so competitive out there for voice performers, and that service usually includes engineering for a good-sounding story. After all, listeners have a voice in their earbuds for hours and hours. All your insights will help all of us. I have a 2011 pandemic novel (Viral Times) that deserves an audiobook reading. I learned that direction is the next-level skill you want to cast for. Self-directed narrators are more affordable.
Wow, Ron, that’s so cool that you tackled your own. Especially since it’s a memoir. There’s just no way I have the talent, let alone the production capabilities. Which makes me very grateful for Alex and for ACX.
Thanks much for sharing your experience. Wishing you the best with the next project!
Vaughn, thanks for the encouragement. I think with my novels, I’ll be looking at Alex for my creative resource. We’re in touch. Very reasonable rate, considering all that an audiobook production entrails. I’d love to do one of the voices myself, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work that way. I’m thinking tour de force, in his performance department, after reading your rave. How many hours and words did you book finish out at?
Vaughn, well done on those covers. Sorry for asking in such a public forum about what an audiobook has cost you. Love your take on whether this is an investment, or just an expense! I’m writing a Real Self Publishing book, and any sources on producing a book will improve the reporting. Trade emails? Mine’s ron@workshopwriter.com
Ron — Maybe it would help to tell you that the price is greatly dependent on the number of pages in the book. In ACX, one enters a bid with the excerpt in the opening for auditions. Mine was neither the lowest allowed ($99/finished recorded hour), nor the highest. At our midrange offer, we gained the auditions I mention above.
Hope that helps. I encourage you to take a look at the ACX site I’ve linked in the article.
I love the way you describe the experience of taking in your story in this new way, Vaughn. And that your books will be available in this popular format–and also how well you show the accessibility of doing this with your own books.
I had never thought to do an audiobook of my nonfiction craft books for writers because I personally couldn’t imagine taking in complex and somewhat technical information that way. Two things changed my mind: one, I met an author whose disability meant the only way she could experience books was through audiobooks. She said she very much wanted to read my book Intuitive Editing but couldn’t. That kind of blew my mind wide open, that I had never considered the reading experience from that angle. And then I met another woman who said that between her job, raising her kids, and her endless to-do list around the house, the only way she could read was by listening. Again, as a person who prefers reading to listening to books, I hadn’t considered that perspective.
Two years after its publication, I recorded the audiobook for Intuitive Editing as a result, and yesterday I just wrapped the audio recordings for my new book, The Intuitive Author. You can bet I will be issuing audiobook versions for all my craft books going forward.
Thanks for sharing your take on this. So many times I think certain aspects of our publishing and writing careers can feel overwhelming until someone helps us break it down into manageable bites.
Hi Tiffany — I completely get why you felt as you did about your nonfiction. And, wow, I hadn’t considered the benefits to those who are unable to consume print, for whatever reason. That one’s powerful enough by itself to invest in audio. I can perfectly hear you doing your own narration–how perfect you are for the format! Helps to be an experienced actor, I suppose. But you’re a natural at stuff like this.
Thanks for sharing your enlightening experience, my friend. You’ve definitely enhanced the conversation.
If I listened to a really absorbing tale while driving, I’d crash my car. In my limited experience with audiobooks — which I believe are a wonderful invention,but not for me, I love reading print and I’m retired — I discovered that rather bland but informative non-fiction of on a moderately interesting subject, not completely yawnsome but far from thrilling, is the right choice for keeping me both calm and alert. I have a friend who frequently drove the hair-raising freeway between Portland and Seattle while listening to all the Harry Potter books. Yikes! I wouldn’t have gotten as far as Kelso, WA without a wreck. Best of luck to you, Vaughn!
You made me chuckle. I used to travel the Chicagoland freeway system often in my younger days, and I’m not sure I’d want to do that while listening to an absorbing book, either. Now that I live in the sticks, I get upset when I have to wait 30 seconds to pull onto our main road from our residential off-turn.
Here’s to having the time to actually read actual books. My life would be the poorer without it. Thanks much for weighing in and for your well-wishes!
Congratulations on your audio book. So helpful to see how the process worked for you. I also prefer to read physical books, but many in my book club prefer other formats. It can be a challenge to find books that are available at the library in print, e book, and audio at the same time. And the waiting list for audio books is always longer than the other formats. So many people just love them.
I was also struck by your description “being an experienced narrator, Alex is an acclaimed stage actor and musician—an artist in his own right professional actor and artist.” When I hear stories of AI replacing people like this, I just shake my head. I’ll take the professional artist who does the work with passion, experience and love any day.
So good to see all the ways of putting good stories out onto the world. But I still want to read my books in print…
Amen, Cat — My wife just attended a conference (she’s a realtor), and she said half of the sessions were focused on utilizing AI, which she knows I abhor. She came away feeling even more uneasy about the capabilities and the consumerism and greed that motivates its use. I simply can’t imagine the soullessness that will result if folks begin to show any preference for using AI. I understand the costs and time saved that tempt it, but it’s a very sad trend. All we can do is resist and try to educate others.
Thanks much for weighing in! I’m so glad you found the piece helpful.
Woo-hoo for the woo-woo! (I couldn’t resist.) But seriously, thanks for sharing your experience. I know a number of folks who mostly read via audiobook–for one friend, it’s a good solution for reading as someone with attention deficit disorder. I’m definitely Team Print, myself, but I love that there are more and more reading options for people in general. I can remember my great grandfather listening to books on record when I was a kid (yep, vinyl) because he couldn’t see to read anymore. Times have really changed.
Back when I worked for a small multimedia company, we had people doing voiceover for videos and training programs. So I do have some sense of the production end–not that I would tackle the editing myself, mind you–but I hadn’t thought of trying to produce an audio book right away when I get to the publishing stage. I’ll keep that in mind! I love that doing voiceover and audio narration is a viable side gig for actors, a way for all us creative folk to support each other.
Hey Alisha! I love that, too. The fact that this job helps to support Alex’s stage acting feels like a huge plus. He’s confided that he has even invested in the equipment to do some editing on the road, as his troupe moves from stage to stage.
Yeah, I sort of wish I’d known how easy it is from the get-go. I can’t tell you how many times I was asked about an audiobook by potential readers. Seems like some younger readers consider having one to be the norm, and they’re a little shocked when I tell them there will be a wait.
Great hearing from you, my friend. Hope you’re getting this sunshine on your side of the lake. Thanks so much for weighing in!
Woo-woo Roycroft, I loved your overview of the professional and personal in the audio process, and their overlap. And that the book was a thing new in the hearing. I recently listened to Elizabeth Strout’s “Tell Me Everything” and was delighted with the narrator’s skills and range.
Though I must declare print, by far, my true love. I so often read authors’ sentences and paragraphs multiple times in reading to try and figure out their tricks, or wag my head in admiration (or envy). And if I throw my iPad across the room, it might break.
I’ve been trying to opt to be Mr. Woo rather than Mr. Woe, and this audible tangent seems to be doing the trick. Makes me feel like the answer to Steely Dan’s question is yes, I can hear you, Dr. WU.
It sure helps when the narrator has skill and range. My wife has been doing more audiobooks, as it suits her hectic lifestyle and fills the time she spends on the road. She says she’s only growing more willing to DNF, and that the top reason for it is an annoying narrator. So I guess I’m lucky that I had Mrs. Woe-To-Bad-Narrators to help me make my choice.
Great point about the rereading! That’s so true. Thanks for the addition. I’m glad you’re still primarily a print guy, Tom. I hate the thought of broken iPads being replaced. Apple already snatches enough of our daily bread. Speaking of snatching, take it from old Woo-Woo Roycroft: you’d make a great narrator for Sticky Fingers.
Vaughn, thanks for your sharing your experience with the making of the audiobook. And congratulations on finding such a good fit in Alex. I’m not a fan of audiobooks–the only time I listen to them is on long road trips and I have enjoyed many that are beautifully narrated, with all the voices. But even so, with my favorite stories, I’ve gone back to the printed version. There’s just something about being able to savor the words without pulling me out of the story that I cannot do in audiobooks. Since this is an expensive venture, I’ve not pursued it.
Thanks, Vijaya. If you ever feel like revisiting the decision, as I alluded to in the piece, there are options that avoid the initial expense. Might be worth exploring at some point. Thanks for weighing in.
Hello Vaughn. Of course I wish you well with the audiobook for The Severing Son. You must be very excited, and you should be.
But as was true of you in the not-so-long-ago, I am skeptical of audiobooks. People in my family, however, love them. My son-in-law, a tech wizard, is currently listening to Moby Dick. As a non-lit person, he tells me he’s amazed at how much he’s getting from the experience.
But skeptical though I am, several years ago I decided to try self-narrating the fourth of my mystery/suspense stories, Godsend. I downloaded the software and read a little about the process. How hard could it be for an old ham who’d acted in college? So, I connected with a retired electrical engineer who now records people’s music in his home studio.
I sat on a stool in a makeshift recording booth, with a headset on, and recorded each chapter. The few audio books I’d listened to, mostly while Barbara and I were making our snowbird way to Florida, had seemed over-the-top theatrical, so I tried to avoid that. Except as I came to see, theatrics is half the point of audiobooks.
The thing exists in Audible, a kind of sonic black hole, and is somewhere between mediocre and a substitute for white noise machines in the bedroom.
In other words, unless you are a highly talented actor, self-narration is almost certainly a mistake. Congratulations, and good luck!
Hey Barry — Well, you’ve confirmed something that my gut told me before I started the process: That I would be a poor choice for the narrator role. I was maybe more easily convinced than others, as I can barely stand to hear myself read my own work aloud, in spite of Therese’s long years of convincing me of the value of doing so (she’s been proven correct, but I still dislike doing it).
I think one of the things that drew me to my narrator was that he was clearly capable of theatrics, but I sensed his restraint in using what I’ve come to see is his superpower. Thanks much for sharing your experience and for your well-wishes. Much appreciated!
Thanks so much for sharing this experience! I’m an avid audiobook listener (also fantasy reader), and am working towards publishing my debut fantasy novel. I would dearly love to have an audiobook done, because I know they’re so popular, and your experience of listening back and hearing someone else’s interpretation makes me even more keen. ☺️
I would love to try ACX (when I get to that stage) but it’s unfortunately not available to Australian authors. It sounds like an amazing resource, even if for simply finding a narrator. I hope your book goes well!
Hi Ellen — That sucks that ACX isn’t available there. Hopefully there is, or will soon be, a similar service in Tomorrowland. In the meantime, read yours aloud to yourself–it really does help.
Thanks much for reading and weighing in! Wishing you the very best with the debut!
So excited for you Vaughn, and so happy your audio journey has been a good experience. Thank you for sharing the information you’ve learned along the way. I personally love audio books – we used to take lots of long car journeys as a family and it was a wonderful way to introduce my kids to some of my favorite authors, and we also listened on the daily school run until the were in high school. Those days are over, sadly, but I still really enjoy audio books on my own and go through a couple a month. Lots of times I wind up purchasing the audio in physical form as well, or vice versa if I read a book and discover it is read by the author. And I absolutely love my audio book and narrator – getting to push ‘play’ while driving in the car somehow made the whole publishing experience more real. I hope your audio book brings you the same joy mine brought me!
Hi Liz! That’s so cool! I hadn’t considered audiobooks as a shared experience with loved ones. What a great way to imbue then with literary love. You’re an amazing mom. :)
I LOVED your audiobook. I mentioned it in my last piece. It’s one of the ones that convinced me that the right narrator can really bring a story-world to life. I hadn’t landed on having a British accented narrator prior to hearing yours (Alex is from Leeds, but he does dozens of UK dialects). I mean, my characters are Goths. But, somehow, it works.
I hadn’t considered the ongoing joy this might bring, either. Thanks for all of the audible input and inspiration you’ve provided, my friend!
Congratulations on this new venture, Vaughn! I wanted an audiobook of my memoir, mostly so it would be available to those who are, as you say, unable to consume print or who just prefer audio. After a few years of my (small, indie) publisher promising to add audio capabilities, they finally admitted it wasn’t going to happen, so I asked for the audio rights back (which they gladly gave me), found a wonderful professional studio, and laid down the tracks. I would never attempt to perform a novel, but memoirs are different; readers want to hear the author.
I knew I wouldn’t make my investment back. Maybe if I’d been able to release the audio version the same time as the print version, I could have. But I don’t care. The royalties trickle in and the audio version has brought in a bunch of new reviews, so I’m happy. Contact me if you want to talk about distribution.
Hi Barbara! That’s so true–with a memoir we really do need to hear the author. Wow, such an accomplishment! I’m seriously impressed. I feel the same–I’d have done this regardless of whether or not it pays for itself. I suppose the jury is still out, but I’m not holding my breath.
Thanks much for the well-wishes and the offer to help. I may take you up on that!
I’m a big audiobook fan, both as a reader and author. I’ve produced my own audiobooks for all of my published novels and felt very lucky I had/have the capabilities to do so. Congrats on finding your way to a new “version” of your work!