by Sherrie Wilkolaski
Everyone is talking about eBooks, but what about the new improved Audio book? Modern technology has given readers and listeners so many different ways to enjoy audio books. Remember when buying an audio book meant a series of cassette tapes, bundled in a box. The soft humming or crackling noise that was just faintly off in the distance, reminding you were listening to a tape. There was always the anxiety that you may hear the crunch of the tape being eaten up in your portable boom box.
Audio books have come a long way.
Today, technology makes it so easy for an author to publish an audio book; I just wonder why authors pass by this distribution and marketing opportunity, during the publishing process. Having an audio book, or at least a few chapters in audio format, will introduce your book to an entirely new audience. Many authors shy away from this option and not giving it much consideration. Think again.
I’m a big fan of putting your book into as many formats as possible, so while you’re mapping out your publishing plan, at least consider what an audio book can do to better help promote your book. According to the World Health Organization, “285 million people are visually impaired worldwide: 39 million are blind and 246 have low vision. About 65 % of all people who are visually impaired are aged 50 and older, while this age group comprises about 20 % of the world's population.” This target demographic is audio book friendly.
You can put an audio excerpt up on your website and let potential buyers get drawn into the book while surfing the web. An audio file can be sold in an audio bookstore, or as a podcast on a variety of different sites. Once you have the file, you can sell it as a whole or by chapter. There is so much flexibility once it is produced.
Advice on publishing your audio book.
My biggest piece of advice to any author looking to publish an audio book…have a professional do the recording. This means hiring talent to read your book. If you are not a professional radio announcer, you are better suited to let an expert do this job for you. It will create a better quality audio book.
Have you decided to take a look at publishing an audio book? Check out publishing with Infinity Publishing…
