With their surging growth and popularity with listeners, audiobooks have emerged as a viable and powerful format for authors, opening up an accessible and intimate new avenue for creativity and storytelling reach — not to mention an additional revenue stream.

If you’ve ever dreamed about producing an audiobook version of your own book(s) but didn’t know how to start, this comprehensive resource will guide you through the steps you need to prepare, record, and produce a competitive product that will wow your audience. Whether you’re a fiction or nonfiction writer, you’ll learn how to navigate the process of creating and sharing your story in this captivating and influential format in just 5 simple steps.

Ready to get started? Let’s learn how to publish an audiobook together!

Chances are that if you’re looking to produce an audiobook, you’re doing so to take your book (and book marketing) to the next level — and that starts with a competitive product that looks and sounds like it belongs on Amazon’s list of bestselling audiobooks. Producing a competitive audiobook requires two interrelated budgets: finances and time. These two variables will dictate the direction you take your project: doing it all yourself (DIY) or looking for help.

There are certainly ways to save money during the audiobook production process, but they either [A] take ages to achieve a professional standard (if ever), or [B] are fraught with potential risk if done at low quality. So unless you have direct experience with producing, editing, and mastering audio (or hundreds of hours to dedicate to learning this craft over the next several months), there is only one good option for producing an audiobook that can compete in today’s marketplace: hiring a small team of specialists to assist you.

The reason for this is simple: recording engineers, producers, and audio editors are specialized professions. Learning the skills it takes to produce a competitive audiobook on your own simply isn’t realistic for 99% of authors. That’s not to say it’s impossible, but it is exceedingly difficult and a huge time investment — so not a path we recommend. Just as a print book is the product of the author, editor, designer, and other team members, the same view should be applied to the audio version of your book.

To illustrate the unseen costs of doing it yourself, let’s look through the lens of your book’s word count, which is the number one factor affecting audiobook production costs. The higher your word count, the more time it’ll take to be read, edited, and mastered. The rough running time of your finished audiobook can be estimated with a simple formula: your word count divided by 9,000. For example, a 45,000 word novel would be about 5 hours long in audiobook format.

It takes roughly one 90-minute session of focused recording, along with an average of 4 hours of editing and mastering, for our expert team to produce 60 minutes of professionally polished audio. For a 45,000 word book, it would take a group of trained professionals over 27 total hours to produce a quality audiobook. How long do you think it would take a novice to achieve a comparable result?

The good news is that there are individual contractors and audiobook production companies out there to connect with (including FriesenPress)! The producing agent(s) you partner with should have a track record of experience publishing quality audiobooks. They should also keep you involved throughout the process (it is your book they’re responsible for, after all).

Next, you’ll need to decide on your narrator: will it be you, or professional voice talent? Both options are powerful ways of telling your story.

Self-narration can both save you money (since you don’t have to hire an actor) and allow you to leverage the intimate nature of the audiobook format. By speaking directly to your audience, a deep bond is formed… if done well. We typically recommend that memoirists and authors of books with similarly personal subject matter narrate their own audiobooks; an actor often can’t deliver your heartfelt words the way you can. (If you’re nervous, we’ll coach you through the techniques that will make you sound like a pro – more on that in Step 4!) Part of that professional sound comes from using good equipment. If you’re narrating your audiobook, be sure to set aside a budget for quality recording gear.

If your book requires a performance, we highly recommend pursuing the skills of a trained professional. The right fit will bring a richness and depth of emotion to your words, translating your creative vision into a dynamic and tonally distinct package. When we work with authors, we often ask if they have examples of audiobooks or other media in their genre that they hope to replicate in tone and feel. This — along with learning more about what’s important to you (the author) about this story — is the foundation of a great audiobook performance.

You may be tempted to save money by getting a family friend with a nice voice, or someone from your community theater troupe, to narrate your book instead of a professional. A qualified voice actor will take notes about their performance in stride and work them into subsequent sessions, so be wary of “settling” when enlisting voice talent. Finding the perfect voice of someone you trust to translate your story into the spoken word can make all the difference in the final product.

But how do you find the right person for the job? If going the DIY route, you can visit websites like Fiverr and contract an actor to read your text for you. The challenges with this route are many and include [A] rummaging through the many, many actors offering these services and discovering the right voice for your project, [B] articulating your creative vision to that actor, [C] conveying the technical recording feedback that actor will need in order to produce usable audio for your producer to work with, and [D] staying on budget, as these freelancers can cost as much as five-figures to narrate a 45,000 word book. If taking the assisted path, a partner like FriesenPress Audio has a stable of talent for you to choose from (often at much more affordable rates), as well as production liaisons who know how to speak an actor’s language and translate your words to the audio medium.

Before the red “Recording” light goes on, you have a bit of work to do to ensure you (or your narrator) have a smooth experience.

You’ll want to read your manuscript aloud in its entirety prior to the first recording session. Though certain lines may read well on the page, you may be surprised at how difficult they are to enunciate when verbalized. There may be difficult or unique pronunciations in your text; consider breaking these down phonetically so your narrator isn’t guessing on how to say certain things. Reading your book aloud prior to recording can also help you get comfortable with pacing and tone in certain points. Trust us: the time it takes to read your manuscript aloud before you record will pay off.

During this preparation phase, it’s also helpful to consider removing anything that could interrupt the flow of your story. Footnotes and citations are examples of material that’s typically omitted in an audiobook. If your book heavily features visuals (like graphs, charts, or diagrams) that are integral to understanding your work, we recommend including a PDF file containing the images with the download of your audiobook. This allows your listeners to enjoy your audiobook without the fear of missing out on something important. Another way of achieving this would be to make a unique page on your website that features the relevant images for each chapter.

When narrating your own book, the process of recording can take a toll on you both mentally and physically. Prioritize your well-being by ensuring you are well-rested, well-hydrated, and dressed comfortably for each recording session. To maintain the freshness and strength of your vocal cords, consider indulging in some ginger and/or lemon-infused tea before and during your sessions.

Schedule your recording sessions at times that play to your strengths. Take into account whether you are a morning person or an evening person; when do you tend to be the most energetic and productive? Since audiobook narration is a performance, it’s ideal to plan your sessions during a time when you know you’ll be at your best. And don’t forget to schedule around your life. Does your dog cry incessantly for a walk at 5 pm? Do the kids return from school with gusto at 3:30? Whenever possible, weave around those anticipated interruptions.

Finally, let’s discuss the recording environment itself. If you’re someone who doesn’t have access to a recording booth, find the quietest and least reverberant space in your home. In general, smaller rooms tend to yield better results. As strange as it may sound, a walk-in closet can serve as an excellent sound booth for recording purposes. In addition to your surroundings, it’s also crucial to have the right gear for the job. This entails investing in a quality microphone and headphones. Thankfully, good quality equipment can be acquired for a very reasonable price; we recommend the Samson Q2U mic and Audio-Technica ATH-M20X headphones. And if you plan on doing media or podcast appearances for your book, you’ll be thankful to have invested in your home audio setup in the long run!

Your producer will help you set up and test your recording hardware and software to confirm you’re getting the cleanest, most professional sounding recording you can.

Note: if you’ve decided to hire a narrator, feel free to skip this section and jump ahead to Step 5.

Entering a legitimate recording session can be intimidating and nerve-wracking for the inexperienced, which is completely normal. Be careful not to speak too quickly; go at a steady pace so you can clearly enunciate. If you misspeak, you can just pick up at the top of the line knowing any errors will be corrected during the editing process. If you have chosen to publish your audiobook with FriesenPress, you can trust in the expertise and support of our professional production team. We are dedicated to your success, no matter your experience level.

One effective exercise that helps our authors get in a good recording headspace is to consider your audience when beginning recording sessions. Reflect on the reason why you wrote your book and identify the person (or people) you want to share your message with. Whether it’s communicating passion, gravitas, or excitement, picture that person in your mind and imagine that you’re delivering your story directly to them. Remember that your story has the potential to transform the lives of your listeners, so it’s worth investing time and effort in finding the right tone that has the maximum desired impact.

An often overlooked aspect of the recording process is the influence of non-verbal cues. Despite their absence in audio recordings, they play a significant role in your delivery. Listeners can hear a smile in your voice, just as they can feel the weight in your bent shoulders and the energy of your gestures. Be mindful of your body and how it can enhance the conveyance of your message.

Finally, let your authenticity shine through. You don’t need to imitate famous actors like Morgan Freeman or Helen Mirren to connect with your listeners. The most captivating author-delivered audiobook performances are those that reflect your true self. Be passionate, present, and prepared. When you relax and embody your story, you’ll find yourself narrating like a professional before you know it.

By this step, you (or your narrator) will have worked with your producer to record your book in full. Time to pass those raw files to an audio editor so they can work their magic!

Similar to your print editions, editing is when an audiobook truly comes to life. Editing an audiobook is a very detailed process; someone is going through your book line by line, checking that both spoken and written word are in alignment and ensuring that each section and passage is well-balanced and well-paced.

Here’s a checklist of the tasks you’ll need to complete in this final leg of the production journey before you can hit “publish”:

You’re at the end of the guide, which means you now know the crucial steps involved in producing a competitive audiobook — one that captivates your audience and expands your book’s reach. Identify your budgets, consider your creative vision, prepare diligently for the recording process, deliver your material with passion and authenticity, and ensure a polished final product through professional editing and mastering. Whether you choose to narrate your own book or work with a professional voice actor, the key is to connect with your audience and convey your story in a way that resonates deeply. With dedication, careful execution, and the right support behind you, your audiobook has the potential to make a lasting impact on listeners.

Embrace the audiobook journey, unleash your creativity, and let your words come alive through the power of audio storytelling!