Audiobook FAQ
General
U.S. audiobook sales are over $2 billion alone—the 17th consecutive year where the industry saw significant growth. One in three Americans now regularly listens to audiobooks, so they present an opportunity for you to connect with and reach new audiences, taking your message right to the brains and hearts of your listeners.
The major factor in the rise of audiobook sales is accessibility. As a society, we are nearly always in motion. We have access to audio when we don’t have access to the written word or video.
And with few exceptions, we always, always have our cell phones around! People are listening BIG. The typical American reads four books a year. But audiobook listeners listen to an average of 17 books a year.
Audio also creates intimacy between the listener and the author. After all, your message is flowing directly into the listeners’ brain via their ears. You are literally becoming a voice in their head!
Our audio-based solutions are customized to your needs and strengths. We save you time and advocate for your interests and goals to help you unleash your voice and achieve the influence you desire, as well as generate additional leads and sales.
You can learn more about Twin Flames and our team here.
Twin Flames is a full-service audiobook producer and distributor. Our major “claim to fame” is that we were the first Audiobook producers to develop remote production services. That means that we can work with authors all over the world without our authors having to deal with the expense and time of going to a studio.
The majority of our clients are non-fiction authors, but we also produce fiction, duet narration, full cast production, music insertions, you name it!
Please visit our Audio Library to listen to a sampling of our audiobooks, and if you'd like to hear something particular, let us know!
Please check with your publisher about your audio rights, then put them in touch with us so we can discuss getting your audiobook published.
Producing Your Audiobook
About 10,000 words equals 1 hour of audio. So if you have a 40,000 word book, your audiobook will be about 4 hours long.
Audiobook production and distribution for an average 40,000 word book (about 4 audio hours) takes about 20-25 hours of direct production time (recording and editing)—for an experienced team.
Producing an audiobook is not as simple as just recording a book being read.
For the sake of calculation, keep in mind that about 10,000 words of your book equals an hour of “finished” audio.
First, there is prep. Special features that you may have in your book, like charts, captions, exercises, sidebars, calls to action, etc. need to be “translated” into audio.
Next is raw recording. People can’t just read a book from start to finish—they make mistakes, have pauses, need to take breaks, and so on. Audiobook recording sessions are no more than 2 hours at a time due to vocal and energy fatigue. You want your audiobook to be consistent and engaging, drawing in the listener – so your performance is paramount.
Production itself involves a detailed editing process that includes removing extraneous noises, reducing breaths and any “ah”s or “um”s, ensuring the pacing sounds right, and making sure the audio itself conforms to the stringent technical standards imposed by ACX (the Audiobook Creation eXchange, Amazon’s audiobook platform). It’s also vital to check the recording against the text of the book to look for mistakes—the spoken word version of typos.
Corrections must be made for anything missing, misspoken or otherwise incorrect, and then those corrections must be sound engineered too.
Great work that stands the test of time is worth spending time on.
The cost of an audiobook is based on length, and most of our audiobooks range between $3500-$5500 for full production, publishing, and distribution.
We also include best practices and resources for getting started marketing your audiobook, advice on repurposing your audiobook content, and strategic planning to maximize your royalties and distribution.
We're happy to give you an audiobook quote anytime if you provide us a word count and more information via our Contact Us Page
To start recording, we’ll need a finalized manuscript. That being said, it’s best to plan your audiobook production and publishing well in advance. If you’d like to narrate your audiobook yourself, you’ll also need a microphone. But no worries, we’ll make sure you sound “studio perfect.”
Absolutely, our pricing is inclusive of your entire Audiobook process.
We have compiled a list of top-rated professional narrators over the years. Whenever we post a new audition we also reach out to them directly to let them know we’ve got a new project. We treat our narrators like they are our clients, so they’re happy to work with us.
We can handle your audiobook distribution and publishing for you and get you onto up to 40 audiobook platforms, such as Audible, Audiobooks.com, Scribd, Downpour, and it will also be made available to libraries. Most authors can expect their book to be picked up by at least 20 platforms.
But do note that in these situations where we haven't done the production of the audiobooks, we will evaluate your audio files to make sure there are no surprises—as we often find that there are issues with the recordings that need to be addressed before they will be accepted by the audiobook distribution platforms.
Marketing Your Audiobook Successfully
Audiobooks extend the life of your new book launch. Releasing your audiobook at the right time during your initial book release allows you to keep the momentum and excitement going.
Your audiobook content—that is, pieces of the audiobook itself—also can be used to promote your audiobook. Pieces of your audiobook can be turned into ‘audiograms,’ and/or a killer video book trailer to share on social media, through email, and on your website.
If you’re podcasting (as a host or guest) to promote your book and message, you can also use your audio content in your podcast interviews or show notes.
Just like your book, your audiobook is an evergreen marketing asset that can help you share your message with the world for years to come.
Yes! Your previously launched books can absolutely be relaunched as audiobook. This strategy gives you the ability to have an entirely new product launch (with a new income stream) without having to create ANY new content.
Even better, if your previously published book wasn’t a bestseller and you want to give it another chance, releasing the audiobook version allows you to make that happen.
Audiobook Distribution and Royalties
We are not a traditional publisher. We are advocates for our authors, and everything is owned by you. All the accounts will be in your name, you will have full access – we’re basically working on your behalf. You keep all your rights – and your royalties.
We work with all our authors on the optimal distribution strategy for your Audiobook. Depending on your individual situation, we may recommend a wide distribution onto more than 40 audiobook platforms worldwide to increase visibility, or exclusive distribution onto one or two platforms to maximize your royalties. Strategy is always part of our process and priority with our authors.
All royalty payments are made directly to you through the platforms where your audiobooks are sold, such as Audible. Those platforms provide accounting / reporting of your audiobook sales and royalties.
Royalties paid to you vary from 25% to 40%, depending on the platform where the purchase is made. You can also sell your audiobook independently via your website and keep 100% of your sales.
No. Authors keep 100% of their royalties and everything is paid directly to you from the audiobook sales platform.