How to Get an Audible Version
Of Your Book
Available now in ebook format.
Coming soon in paperback.
US: http://amzn.to/2azoKO4
UK: http://amzn.to/2aiNs0G
Au: http://amzn.to/2aLAcCV
Ca: http://amzn.to/2af0ZFM
Remember the thrill the first time you held your book in your hand? Well, get ready to experience that again when you hear it for the first time. And yet, there are a few things holding you back, i.e. questions such as how much will it cost, will my audible book sell, where can I get it done, can I do it myself, how long will it take and can I make a profit. In this book, teacher, coach, author and publisher Dorothy May Mercer will answer those questions and share her experience with Audible.com.
Royalties depend on a couple of factors. The price range of
audiobooks can vary greatly, from $12.00 to $35.00, according to the length and
popularity.
For instance, my novel, Cynthia and Dan, Cyber War, was seven hours and fifteen minutes
long. I gave Audible an exclusive contract at 40% of sales. Forty percent of Audible’s
retail price of $17.95 sounds good, doesn’t it?
It was necessary to wait for my first month’s royalty report
to learn the unpalatable truth. There were no sales at the retail price.
Instead I learned that there are several ways of determining the price, none of
which charge the full retail value. Regular Amazon customers who join their Audible
Listener program pay $14.95 a month for which they are allowed one free credit per
month which can be used for any item in the Audible catalog. This type of sale
garnered a price of $10.37 for which I received $4.15 in royalty. Not too bad.
After a customer has used his one monthly credit, he/she may
buy any Audible catalog item for 30% off. After ninety days he/she has the
option to buy bulk credit at another reduced price. This accounts for the great
difference in the retail sales prices for which you, as author receive a
royalty. Another one of my Audible books, The
Fairfax Fix, retail price $17.53, sold three books under that feature, the
first month, grossing $8.93 of which I received $3.57 royalty. Don’t ask me how
$8.93 divides by three. The royalty report I received did not explain that. Apparently
there is more than one price, you see.
The Amazon customer can access Audible books from Amazon
Whispersync for Voice and KU (Kindle Unlimited) at $9.99 a month, in addition
to the Audible membership at $14.95 a month
The lowest sales price category on my first month’s ACX
account report was in sales made to customers buying the book who were not
in the Audible monthly program—in other words, everyone else. These folks paid
a mere $1.99 for which I received a measly $.80 royalty.
The report did not designate whether these buys were made on
iTunes, Amazon or Audible. However, my best guess is that it might have been a
KU member who bought the ebook and the Audible versions together.
As the owner, once I signed the 40% contract with them, I
had no control over the price Audible placed on the recording. At the end of
one year, I may opt out of the contract, if I so desire. In that case I could
sign a 25% contract with them, giving them a non-exclusive contract. This would
allow me to sell the recording anywhere, if I chose to do so.
Let me be clear: I am not accusing Audible of cheating or
misrepresenting. They are marketing my product and they did, indeed, pay me 40%
of their sales, so far as I know. I simply would appreciate more details and
more transparency both before and after a person joins their program.
In researching for this book, I thought it prudent to read a
few reviews, from the customer’s point of view.
There are those folks who simply love Audible books. This
could be someone who drives a truck or delivery van or has a long commute to
work. These folks have discovered that listening to books relieves the boredom
and gives them something to look forward to each day.
It could be the houseworker who listens while folding
clothes and loading the dishwasher. It could be the patient in a hospital or
retirement home. Or just anyone who is tired of TV and computer games.
The avid fan has his or her favorite readers, just as you
have your favorite authors. Once discovered this fan will devour everything by
that reader.
Reviewers agreed that Audible is the gold standard for
quality of production. But, some commented that the pricing and distribution
system is antiquated. Most of the complaints fell into those two categories.
On the negative side were those disgruntled customers who
had a bad experience and swore off Audible for good. A couple of folks had
started with the free thirty day offer, and tried to cancel, only to be billed
for the second month’s service. The complaints were resolved to their
satisfaction. However, this illustrates the type of accounting errors one might
encounter with any new and growing company. The recommendation is, if you
decide to cancel, allow plenty of time for your cancelation to hit their billing
department.
Another complaint was from a customer who, after trying to
cancel, found that Audible offered to switch the customer to a better deal, at
less per month. (I do not know what the terms were.) While the customer
understood that any company will advertise its most profitable deal first, he
thought that those choices should be available up front.
It seems that Audible has got the important part
right—production. As authors, we can hope and expect that the other problems
with be fixed soon, if they have not been resolved already.
From our standpoint, as authors, the worst news was from those
customer/reviewers who praised the generous return policy. I was shocked to
learn that the customer thinks he has a full year to listen to the book, decide
he doesn’t like it and return it for credit. Again, not knowing the full
details, I shudder to think of receiving unlimited chargebacks anytime up to a
year. Good grief, I will have already spent the money and paid the taxes! It
seems there must be some limit.
Sorry, I cannot verify this bit of news. But this book is
about getting an Audible version of your book and not, necessarily, an
instruction book on how, we, as customers, can beat the system.
