Audiobook Production and Distribution

Written by Bo Bennett on . Posted in Client Services

Quick Jump >> Audiobook Production and/or Distribution Pricing Tool

Imagine your book enjoyed by listeners all over the world, distributed by Audible -- the world's leading retailer of digital audio books -- through outlets such as Audible.com, Amazon, and iTunes.  With the help of eBookIt.com, we can make this possible.

Production and/or Distribution

We can take care of your entire project for you (audiobook production and distribution), including working with the actor that you select from our eBookIt approved vocal talent (see below).  However, if you prefer to record your book yourself or find your own narrator, you can provide us with the completed audio files and we can take it from there (audiobook distribution only).

Audiobook Production

Choose one of our eBookIt approved narrators who will work with you to produce the sound most appropriate for your book.  These narrators will provide us with the finished audio files, completely edited and ready to submit to Audible.  Their rates are based on "finished hour"—which is the recording and necessary editing.  All prices are based on 9000 words per finished hour.

Getting a cost for this service is simple.  Start by choosing a voice artist:

Meet Christopher. Christopher is a very talented actor who can do many voices and dialects, perfect for just about any fiction book, as well as non-fiction.  Christopher's rate per finished hour of audio is $150. Download sample audio or play below.

Meet Laura. Laura is a professional actor who can narrate all kinds of books excluding books with strong language or sexual content. Laura's rate per finished hour is $180. Download sample audio or play below.

Meet Jessica. Jessica has a beautiful voice for just about any kind of book -- both non-fiction and fiction. Jessica's rate per finished hour of audio is $200. Download sample audio or play below.

Meet Joe.Joe can do all sorts of voice acting, whether it be for any type of book—comedy, sophisticated, novel, technical reads, you name it. Joe's rate per finished hour of audio is $200. Download sample audio or play below.

Meet Dean. Dean not only has a soothing yet energenic voice, but he is incredibly talented in the art of impressions and character voices. Dean IS the voice of the purple dinosaur, Barney! Dean's rate per finished hour of audio is $250. Download sample audio or play below.

Meet Dan. Dan has an amazing voice for educational and non-fiction narration. Dan's rate per finished hour of audio is $300. Download sample audio or play below.

Meet Derek. Derek is an extremely talented narrator offering dialects in Oxford English; West Country English; Cockney; north country; Scottish; Irish; Welsh’ German’ French; Russian; South African; Australian. Derek's rate per finished hour of audio is $350. Download sample audio or play below.

Next, choose non-exclusive or exclusive distribution.

Audiobook Distribution

Once we have a completed audiobook that meets the quality criteria of Audible.com (it certainly will if using one of our narrators, otherwise see below under Do-It-Yourself Production), we submit your audiobook to to Audible.  Within about 3-4 weeks after production, your audiobook will available through Audible.com, Amazon.com, and iTunes.

Depending on number of audiobooks sold and if you opt to allow Audible.com to have exclusive rights to selling your audiobook, audible pays anywhere from 25-90% of the sales price, and as with our ebook distribution, eBookIt.com's share is just 15% of the net sales (25% for audio products sold through the eBookIt.com bookstore).  See the graph below for a breakdown. 

For example, if you choose to sell your audiobook for $15 exclusively through Audible.com (including iTunes and Amazon), and you sell less than 500 units, you will get $7.50 per unit, less $1.12 (15%) for a total of $6.38 per unit.  If after any period of time you sell more than 500 units total, your share is increased.  Bottom line, the more you sell, the more you make per unit!

Ready to get costs?  Click here for our interactive audiobook pricing tool.

What we do for our share

eBookIt.com was founded to make the jobs of authors and publishers as easy as possible, assisting them through the often highly technical aspects of ebook (and now audiobook!) creation and distribution.  There is a one-time $99 fee (the $99 does not include the cost of the narration) and a 15% share of net sales, which includes the following:

  • A unique ISBN required for your audiobook.  We will provide this for you saving you the time and expense of buying your own ISBN.
  • The creation of an iTunes-ready audiobook to use for your own distribution (assuming you go with a the non-exclusive distribution option).  The audiobook files we create for you can be distributed through your own website(s), and will be sold on eBookIt.com. You name the price (should be more than your ebook).  In the eBookIt.com bookstore, we will sell your audiobook file for the full retail price, or offer a 10% discount to customers who purchase both your audiobook and ebook.  For an example of how your sales page would look, see this live book example. NOTE:  If you choose the exclusive distribution with Audible, we do not create this file.
  • Creating the audiobook image from your ebook image.  Audible.com and partners require a 2400px x 2400px image.  We will use your existing ebook image to create this image, by adding space to the left and right sides, making it look good in the process.
  • Registration / distribution & integrated reporting.  We register your audiobook under our account and integrate the sales in your existing sales reports for the ebooks.
  • Complete management of the project from start to finish.  We just need your book in a pdf or comparable format, and we take it from there, working with you in the process to make sure the product is turning out like you expect.

Ready to proceed?  Contact us to get started today!

The print or ebook version of your ebook must be for sale on Amazon.com to use this service.  If it isn't, we can help with that too!

Do-It-Yourself Production

If you prefer not to use one of our narrators and provide us with your own recoding, not a problem!  For the same $99 one-time fee and 15% of net sales, we will take care of the distribution, sales reporting, ISBN (if needed), creation of iTunes-ready audiobook (if not Audible exclusive), and audiobook image (if not provided).

We will need completed audio files that meet the following requirements.  If your files do not meet all the requirements, let us know and we can provide you with an estimate to make the needed changes and use what you do have.

Audio Requirements (if you are providing your own)

  • Opening and closing credits audio files.  Two separate files are required to begin and end your audiobook. 

    Opening Credits:
    [title of audiobook]
    Written by [name of author]
    Narrated by [name of narrator]

    Closing Credits:
    This has been [title of audiobook]
    Written by [name of author]
    Narrated by [name of narrator]
    Copyright [year and name of copyright holder]
    Production copyright [year it was recorded] by [company name]

  • All recordings must be human-voice -- no computer-read books accepted.
  • File types accepted: Microsoft WAV files (44.1 kHz and 16-bit), MP3 (192 kbps or higher), or FLAC
  • Each audiobook should be encapsulated in its own folder or directory. The directory should match
    the full title of the audio.
  • Each file must be comprised of a single chapter, episode, or story. Note that each file will typically
    become a “track” that a customer may use for navigation.
  • If the audio has no chapters, please split the audio into segments that are no longer than 30
    minutes each.
  • Each file should be preceded with a three digit number that denotes the order in which the files
    should appear. The file names should appear as: 001_title.wav, 002_title.wav, 003_title.wav.
  • Audible does support stereo audio. If your content would benefit from a stereo experience, please
    provide stereo files.
  • Many MP3 encoders and decoders add or remove a few milliseconds of silence to the beginning
    and end of audio files. Please do not split audio files mid-word. When providing mp3 files, it is best
    that files are split during silent portions of the audio in order to avoid hearing gaps in playback.
  • Provide a sample file that is named, “title_sample.wav.” The sample audio must not exceed
    5 minutes in duration.
  • “Ripping” audio CDs is strongly discouraged as errors can often produce skipping and other
    audible glitches in the audio.

Image Requirements

  • Images must be no smaller than 2400 X 2400 pixels in size.
  • The resolution of these images can be no smaller than 72 dpi.
  • Images must be squared. The squared cover must be a true squared cover and cannot be
    rectangular with colored borders on the side. (ex. CD case cover/jacket)
  • Images should be at least 24-bit.
  • Images can not refer to physical CDs or media other then the audio presented.
  • Pornographic and offensive materials are not allowed.
  • Image types allowed: JPEG, TIFF, PNG
  • Each image should be labeled as the full title (ex. Book_title.jpg) or ISBN (ex. 1234567890123.jpg)

Ready to proceed?  Contact us to get started today!

The print or ebook version of your ebook must be for sale on Amazon.com to use this service.  If it isn't, we can help with that too!