Now Hear This!
Audiobooks Are Not Just Spoken Books, Part 2
Navigating Distribution Channels
Come to think of it…
Navigating audiobook distribution
is not as simple as the “red, right, returning” rule of nautical navigation.
No sooner had I cried, “Done!” with recording Chick Stories than I faced getting it to market.
My contract with Drew Howard at Star Sound Studio to produce the audiobook included post-production and distribution preparation that met ACX standards.
ACX (Audiobook Creation eXchange) is the online marketplace for writers and voiceover talent. It is owned by Amazon and operated by Audible. It sets the industry standards for audiobook production, including normalization and mastering; metadata preparation; file structure and content; audio optimization, peak levels, noise floors, room tones, and bit rates; and delivery-ready formatting for audiobook distribution platforms.
I can assure you the process is as super technical as it sounds.
Drew assumed I would use ACX for distribution.
“Not so fast,” I said.
On the one hand, Audible/ACX allows access to Whispersync, an Amazon product that links a Kindle eBook and an Audible audiobook, allowing a reader to seamlessly switch between reading and listening. On the other hand, ACX has limited distribution.
According to Reedsyblog, ACX may lead digital audio sales in the U.S., but it only distributes to Amazon, Audible, and Apple Books (previously iTunes). Keep in mind that most audiobook customers don’t buy audiobooks; they use subscription services.
Much like Amazon’s KDP platform, ACX offers two options for distribution:
- Exclusive, which prevents the publisher from distributing or selling an audiobook through any other channel (including an author’s own website) in exchange for a royalty rate of 40%; and
- Not exclusive, which pays a royalty rate of 25%.
Moreover, according to Jane Friedman, the author has no power to determine the audiobook price on Audible, so it’s hard to calculate exact earnings until the audiobook starts selling.
My concerns went beyond the distribution and royalty rates. While Amazon and Audible are very consumer-friendly, they are not author-friendly. Until a few years ago, Audible had a “no-questions-asked” policy, which allowed customers to “return” a streamed audiobook for a credit or exchange. In those cases, the author/publisher lost the royalty on the returned product.
Furthermore, Audible customer service was actively encouraging listeners to use the return feature, leading to what has been dubbed #audiblegate. While the company has since made some changes, getting a clear, full picture of orders, returns, and final royalties remains complicated.
So, I dove into the alternatives, with Voice by INaudio leading the pack.
Voices by INaudio
Formerly known as Findaway Voices by Spotify (which is now a platform to upload and manage audiobooks), INaudio is a distribution platform.
It reaches:
- More than 170 countries (compared to Audible’s nine)
- Major Retailers: including Audible/Amazon (non-exclusive), Apple Books, Google Play Books, Kobo & Walmart, Nook, Chirp, and Downpour
- Subscription Services: Everand (Scribd), Storytel, Audiobooks.com, Bookmate, 24symbols, and Nextory
- Library & Education Networks: OverDrive, Hoopla, Bibliotheca, Follett, Baker & Taylor, and Libro.fm
- Promotional opportunities through Chirp (a service from BookBub that offers limited-time deals on select audiobooks)
…all with one uploading process.
The author/publisher also sets the suggested price and royalty rates—even separate ones for retailers and libraries. While end platforms may adjust pricing, most pay royalties based on the list price rather than their actual selling price.
INaudio takes 20% of net royalties from all retailers and libraries. For example, if you set your list price at $20, and a listener buys your audiobook from Barnes & Noble (which has a 50% royalty rate), INaudio receives $10 in revenue, keeps 20% ($2), and you take home $8.
Even though the arithmetic made my head spin, I chose Voices by INaudio.
So, while Drew formatted all the files to ACX standards and uploaded them to INaudio, I populated the platform with metadata for keywords, author’s information, ISBNs, etc.
After deciding to go with INaudio, however, I ignored the simplicity of the “red, right, returning” rule of nautical navigation and paddled down a different creek.
Hybrid Approach
Following the IngramSpark/KDP model that many indie authors use for print distribution, many indie audiobook publishers use ACX non-exclusive (to get Whispersync) and Voices by INaudio for all other channels. The INaudio uploading page specifically offers the option to check ACX (non-exclusive). Checking that box means INaudio takes an extra cut.
I chose not to check it and went with a hybrid distribution, as I’ve done with my print/digital books, where I use both IngramSpark and KDP.
But uploading my book to Audible involved including a sample. I tried to use the sample that Drew Howard had used for INaudio, but it meant I had to edit it from an original file. And guess what? I’m not a sound engineer with professional sound equipment that meets all those super-techie specifications. My file didn’t meet ACX standards. I called Drew.
“Stop!” he said. “You’re making this too complicated. All the files are formatted to ACX specifications even though we decided to use INAudio.”
When I tried to tell him about the royalties, he said, “You’re talking pennies.”
He was right, but I didn’t tell him it was too late—I had already unchecked the Audible/ACX boxes. I chose another file—the “Prologue,” which was properly formatted—and it worked perfectly.
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