June is Audiobook Appreciation Month. Hooray!
To know me is to know what an ardent fan I am of audiobooks. Despite being one of the staunchest advocates for audiobooks in this genre a decade or so ago, I found my interest waning as ACX/Audible went from being on the forefront of supporting indie authors to clawing back and removing numerous incentives to produce them at all.
With the inevitable advent of real competition, my enthusiasm has bounced back by what seems like a hundredfold. Cutting exclusive ties with ACX/Audible was the most liberating thing I could have done for myself. And then I finally dipped my toes into the YouTube waters—giving my audiobooks away for free to see what would happen.
I have to say it has been incredibly rewarding—not just financially but in expanding my reach in the most delightful ways. I can hardly explain how it feels to have a YouTube listener enjoy an audiobook on my channel and then comment saying they did not even know such stories existed. To have someone say they have started listening to not one or two but my entire catalog of audiobooks on YouTube and are finding new favorites. To have so many say they are listening to the same audiobook for a second or even third time.
My journey away from ACX/Audible exclusivity has also led me to selling my audiobooks directly to listeners. An experience that proved even more daunting, dare I say intimidating, than sharing them on YouTube.
I liken my thinking to the quote in Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come.” I asked myself, “If I build it, will they come?”
Yes, I have been very successful in selling audiobooks wide from platforms like Chirp, Google Play, even Kobo—those are well-established brands. But my own store? Well, it turns out listeners will come.
I have found listeners receptive to downloading free audiobooks from my store, though not all who claim them actually complete the process (but that’s another story). As for actual purchases, I have met with good success selling audiobook bundles (ten audiobooks for ten dollars) and most recently, audiobooks for one dollar each.
And here’s the kicker: selling direct, even at this low price point, generates comparable profits to selling the same audiobook on Audible. Go figure!
As we celebrate Audiobook Appreciation Month, it is good to know the audience continues to expand—thanks in part to the growing number of ways audiobooks can be enjoyed. And while the large platforms continue their quest for dominance—Audible with its all-you-can-listen schemes, Spotify with whatever it has going on—it is heartening to know that both listeners and producers recognize the way it has always been need not be the only way it ought to be. The audiobook landscape is ever-changing—reaching listeners in expanding ways—and that is a win-win for all, not just the dominant few.
Giveaway Time!
In celebration of Audiobook Appreciation Month, I’m giving away one free audiobook—winner’s choice—from my author store. To enter for a chance to win, simply leave a comment below. Feel free to visit my store and mention your top pick(s). One random winner will be selected. Hurry! The contest ends Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
Check out my huge list of professionally narrated audiobooks today!
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