The Indie Author Audiobook Dilemma: Dreams, Dollars, and the Robot Voice in the Middle
As an indie author, I don’t have a high-rise publishing house bankrolling a flashy PR blitz for my books. Worse yet? I am completely, utterly allergic to self-promotion. I’ve tried. I’m terrible at it, I hate it, and every marketing email I attempt makes me feel like a door-to-door vacuum salesperson. I just want to write. Which brings me to audiobooks... Option 1: Hire a Golden-Throated Pro ($3,000–$5,000) I would love nothing more than to hire a seasoned voice actor to breathe life into my characters. Only one minor obstacle. The cost to produce one novel with a human narrator can range from $3000-$5000. Unless my books go viral on TikTok tomorrow, my indie sales simply aren't footing that bill. Moving on. Option 2: The DIY Closet Studio (Cost: My Sanity) "Why not just narrate it yourself?" you ask. Well, unless my story takes place directly on the shoulder of a highway, that’s out. I live on a busy street where motorcycle enthusiasts and modified mufflers roar by at a...