IWSG: Audio Book Challenge – Hear All About It!

Our April Insecure Writers Support Group Question is “Have any of your books been made into audio books? If so, what is the main challenge in producing an audio book?”
I confess, I’m not a fan of audio books. Maybe it stems from childhood. Being read to . . . puts me to sleep. I find myself being lulled by the tone of the words instead building pictures from seeing them in print until I . . . nod off. That said, having had one of my titles out in audio format was a unique and profitable venture!
When my first published book, historical Regency, SWEET TEMPEST, written under the pen name Lauren Giddings, was reissued by new publisher, Tell Tale Publishing Group, they not only gave me a gorgeous new cover in trade paperback size, but also provided red carpet promotions to relaunch it. . . things that purely terrified and delighted me. Their taped interview had me quaking - I loathe hearing my recorded voice! But I was assured “extra content” was what hooked new readers. After that, came a wonderful book trailer, which I helped build, and then, the biggest surprise, an audio book. They were a new tool at that time, and, I was assured, a booming market. As long as I didn’t have to read it out loud, I was excited by the opportunity. First decision was whether to have a single narrator or to have male and female voices reading the dialogue. There were voice auditions (!) both with accents and without. I spent my lunch hours as a law office assistant listening to clips, some awful, some comical, and finally, some contenders. Once they were selected, I spent more lunch hours listening to the audio version making notes of mispronunciations and mistakes which was laborious – noting where on the tape by time point, finding the passage in the paperback for reference. Then another version to test. Problems staying awake and familiarity breeding skipped errors. Finally . . . a finished product – with a hefty price tag for readers not in Amazon’s audio program. Who would pay that?
A lot of listening readers!
Amazon
SWEET TEMPEST in audio was not only the publisher’s best seller, but brought me more royalties than any other form of the book – triple to be exact. Who knew?
Listening readers, that’s who!
Moral of story: Don’t be so intimated by new technology that you overlook its ability to get you out to a wider readership!
Looking forward to tuning in to your experiences!

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.The awesome co-hosts for the April 6th posting of the IWSG will be Joylene Nowell Butler, Jemima Pett, Patricia Josephine, Louise - Fundy Blue, and Kim Lajevardi!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
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