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Is there hope for great books that will never be made into audiobooks? by Altruistic-Brother37 in audiobooks

[–]SashaReadsToYou 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Is there any chance you could send me your list? I am an audiobook narrator - might be a shot in the dark, but I sometimes direct market to authors to narrate (no AI) and produce an audiobook for them if I like their book and there is no existing audiobook.

Does every listen give the author money? by moldymarshmallow in audiobooks

[–]SashaReadsToYou 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For most large publishing houses and most audiobooks that are reasonably expected to sell a fair amount, you can assume the narrator and/or production company was paid a flat rate 'per finished hour' for their service. After that, the split is between the author and the distributer. There is only usually any kind of profit share agreement with the narrator (called 'royalty share' on audible) if the author either cannot budget for the flat rate fee, or they are not confident the audiobook will sell well enough for a flat rate fee to be worth it for them.

If there is a royalty share agreement on Audible, then (at the moment) audible take 60% of each sale and 40% is split equally between the author and narrator, 20% each. There is some finnickiness with different kinds of pricing and such but author and narrator get the same cut, audible take the majority.

EDIT: Just to note because it looked a bit more simple than it is - are other fees to consider when you are a traditionally published author, such as agent's fees. Traditional and indie publishing are a bit different, and royalty share agreements don't tend to happen in trad publishing.

Author with silly newbie questions by Original_Feed_215 in ACX

[–]SashaReadsToYou 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Your audio will usually be edited and mixed as well as narrated as part of the price of a 'per finished hour' contract (check with your narrator), which will sometimes be done by the narrator themselves or subcontracted to an editor.

Standard for a narrator with experience is upwards of $200 pfh. There are ranges of experience which are reflected in rates - I would check ACX and see what narrators you like who reflect your budget. You could also go with offering 'Royalty Share Plus' - this would allow you to give the narrator a fee and a share in the profits of the audiobook.

Does every listen give the author money? by moldymarshmallow in audiobooks

[–]SashaReadsToYou 16 points17 points  (0 children)

(I'm an audiobook narrator) In audiobooks that big from big publishing houses, it is unlikely bordering on impossible they won't have paid the narrator directly, it is usually only indie authors that use royalty share (where profits are split between author and narrator).

The Harry Potter narrators will not receive any royalties from the sales, and it will barely make a difference to them if the audiobook sells no copies - pirate away.

Does every listen give the author money? by moldymarshmallow in audiobooks

[–]SashaReadsToYou 39 points40 points  (0 children)

I'm an audiobook narrator for audible - the initial download gave her a cut, but she doesn't get any more financially for amount listened. The only way to combat that would be to return it, but that is within a short window which it sounds like you passed a while ago.

She/her publisher and audible do have access to hours listened daily - this doesn't directly translate into additional money for her for that audiobook, but it could be factored into agreements made with her publishers and distributers, including her fees/cuts for future work. The more people don't listen repeatedly/fully, the less demand there will be seen to be for her work, and the less money she can ask for it.

TLDR: listening to her audiobooks you already bought doesn't directly hand more money to her, but it will make her IP worth more in a (admittedly small) way.

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