Creating an Audio Version of Your Book

I had a good question come in to the How to Publish Your Facebook Group on creating an audio version of your book. They were stumped on where to start. Do you start with the intro? The main paragraphs of the forward or chapter 1?

HI Great question. I would say just do each section individually, Intro, Sections, then chapters, do it all. They can then all be put back together as the project pulls together, but treat each section individually and record everything even if you don't think you are going to use it.

A movement that is gain great traction is creating an audio version of your book. Going along with the growth of podcasts, audio books are also exploding. Audio books can be sold on Amazon through their Audible service and they get matched up with the printed or e-book version. Very often on Amazon you will see the audio version being sold for quite a bit more than the printed or definitely the Kindle version. Once you have the recording you can do a lot with it; make an audio book, a podcast, sell mp3 files on your site, or use the files and create videos for a course. You have a lot of options.

Each chapter is an separate recording, including the intros, forwards, really the complete book. Depending on where what you are doing with it you can record the book yourself, record in a recording studio or hire a narrator.

Record your book and turn it into an audio or video version of your book. Create a podcast for iTunes, SoundCloud or Sketcher. Each chapter is an episode. Your book is a readymade series just waiting to be broadcast. Each chapter can be recorded using a video camera and you now have the material for an on-line course, with a PDF bonus book. It can all be the same content just in different formats. Turn each chapter into a blog post and include the audio or video. One advantage of blogging a book is that Google will bring you an audience and by looking at your stats you will see what part of the book is resonating. Once you know this you can start expanding that chapter into the next book.

• ACX.com is like CreateSpace but for audio. It is a division of Amazon and handles their audio books. The books themselves are sold through Audible.com. You can create your own or hire a professional reader for your book.

Resources:
• ACX.com, where you go to create an audio book for selling on Amazon, http://www.acx.com/

• Findaway Voices, an alternative to ACX and a way to create and distribute audio books to multiple retailers. Great for indie authors.
https://findawayvoices.com, they have an excellent Help page which describes the process, https://my.findawayvoices.com/help-and-resources

The key here is to deliver your book in as many formats as you can to as many readers as you can. How does your audience want their books delivered? Figure out how and do it. Primarily though it is usually an e-book with Kindle and a print paperback book with CreateSpace.

Resource Articles:
Yes You Can Record Your Own Audiobook Heres How by Robert Dricks
http://robdircks.com/yes-you-can-record-your-own-audiobook-heres-how/

Joanna Penn is fantastic and here is an article from her blog
https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2015/04/20/record-your-own-audiobooks/

https://www.backstage.com/advice-for-actors/speak-easy/6-tips-nail-your-audio-book-recording/

I Want to Publish My Book But I Don't Know How: Everything You Need to Know to Create an E-book or Print Book

Available on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/Want-Publish-Book-Dont-book/dp/1985322250/






Connection and Learning
Bruce Jones is the author and creator of over 40 self-published books.

If you want to learn how to create your own book visit Publishing Mastery 101 and see my courses: https://bruce-the-book-guy.usefedora.com/

Come over and join my Facebook Publishing Group, ask me questions, show your books. Great place to connect with authors and self-publishers

Join at https://www.facebook.com/groups/HowToPublishYourBook/