I am sure, as an author, you want your book to reach as wide an audience as possible. Did you know there is a huge group of people out there that do not even know your book exists because they only listen to audiobooks? Hopefully, after reading this article, you will be confident and inspired enough to set the wheels in motion, and turn your book into an audiobook and increase your audience effortlessly. 

So, the first question you may ask, is why make an audiobook? The most obvious answer is more book sales and therefore more revenue. However, audiobooks are also a great way to build your reader fanbase. Many authors have found that by giving away a free audio copy of their novel in exchange for the customer's email address, they can build an audience of readers who enjoy your content and eagerly anticipate the launch of your next novel.  As you are aware, being an author is not about being an overnight success but building relationships with your readers. 

The market for audiobooks is growing constantly but it is still an area that many authors have not yet tapped into. Almost half of all audiobook listeners are 35 years old and under and research shows they listen to around 15 books annually. Many people prefer to listen to a book while on the move, and some publishers have reported that they are now inclined to skip the e-book format and go straight to audiobook because the sales are far greater.

So, how do you make an audiobook? I usually use my laptop and tablet. The laptop I use for the recording and editing side of the process and the tablet to read from. Like writing a novel, there is always something you will want to alter, and recording an audiobook is no different. Keep plenty of water at hand. It makes a huge difference to drink water throughout the recording. Another tip is to take a deep breath before each take; this is common sense, but I felt I had to mention it. When you first start recording, you may become tongue-tied and trip up over words, this is natural, so do not beat yourself up over it. Just take a short break and go back to the recording when you are ready. It is also advisable to listen to other audiobooks in your genre. Like novel writing where you need to be an avid reader, you also need to be an avid listener. 

What makes a great audiobook? The most important thing to remember is to use high-quality recording equipment to eliminate any background noises. This includes your breathing and swallowing; you would be amazed at how the recording equipment picks up even the slightest sounds. The next step is to decide if you are going to narrate the book yourself. Listeners to audiobooks care a great deal about accents and pronunciation. You have to be honest with yourself and consider if your voice conveys the right amount of emotion and believability in your characters and story. If you decide not to record the audio yourself, then make sure you cast the appropriate narrator whose voice suits your genre and comes across as convincing when relaying the emotion or message of your story. Your chosen narrator must have a flair for conveying humor, dramatic and emotional scenes as well as great timing. If you are unsure where to find a narrator there are many companies that specialize in this service and a simple internet search will solve that problem. The main sources I use are Fiverr, Voices and Upwork. Read the customer reviews before you hire anyone and make sure they are experienced in your chosen genre. 

Whatever option you decide upon, remember that you are beginning a new chapter in your writing career. You can always re-record and make any adjustments needed, so just enjoy the process and in time you will have a polished audiobook you are proud of.