Audiblegate?
I wanted to give you guys an update on the audiobook industry, Amazon, and how it impacts self-publishers. Audible’s predatory practices have come under some scrutiny and fire.
One example of this is author and friend Grace Draven who has posted that she is putting off producing book in audio format for now while she does research to figure out how best to move forward. https://www.facebook.com/grace.draven
Producing audiobooks is tremendously expensive. It can cost an author something like $6,500 just to get an audiobook produced, and Audible’s return policies and reporting system have been a gigantic blow to content creators. I would like to remind readers that very few authors can afford to live on the proceeds of what they make from their writing career.
*It isn’t difficult to reach a place where they feel they can’t continue in a profession when they can’t put food on the table or pay rent.* And when that happens, they often stop creating.
ACX, the self-publishing arm of Audible, sent out an email about how there have been many concerns voiced about Audible’s return policy, so they’re going to give authors an extra 5% royalty for December. I’d like to be clear about this: that 5% royalty for a month is absolute bullshit. What would NOT be bullshit is for ACX/Audible to implement policies that are not predatory and actually pay content creators a fair royalty.
Writers, like a lot of other people in other professions, are looking for ways to survive, and predatory practices like this one, along with the massive problem of ebook piracy – which is theft – can make it extremely challenging to create new content and pay bills.
Narrator Sophie Eastlake and I co-produce the self-published Thea Harrison audiobooks that have been released through ACX/Audible, and she and I have talked before about the logistics of trying to move away from their stranglehold on the market. We haven’t yet figured out a way to do it. But I think we need to have another conversation.
What does this mean for future Thea Harrison audiobooks? The short answer is, I don’t know yet. I don’t know if there will be delays or how we will address the current challenges in front of us.If you would like to read the long version of “Audiblegate” you can do so here:
Here’s a cute meme for making it through all the text.
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Hello Thea. I'm a big fan and have purchased most all of your books...via Audible. I have a career where I am on a computer most all day. I also do 99% of my shopping online and I communicate with my grown kids via text most of the time. While I do have my office set up that I can stand while I work, I am staring at a screen all day and I sit way too much!! Being able to listen to your books when I get the chance to go out of the house to walk, exercise, do chores or drive is very important to me. I support you 100% in looking for ways to get better terms for yourself and other authors, but please don't underestimate the value of having your books recorded. I would be willing to look at other audible providers if you find one, but I am a fan who wouldn't get to enjoy books without them being recorded. Best Regards, Karen
Hi, Thea! Hope you are well! Just wanted to say thank you for wading through this mess. I hope that you find a good solution. I think Faith Hunter had a post recently (maybe on Facebook) about something new that she and Khristine Hvam were trying as far as audiobooks go. Maybe it's something similar to what you're already doing but might be worth reaching out if you're friends.
My fibromyalgia makes reading so hard sometimes. I've been an avid reader my whole life and without an audio option, I don't know what I would do these days. I always purchase my kindle books with the whisper sync audio attached because my brain fog is so severe sometimes that I can't grasp the story unless I follow along a-la the days of "you can turn the page when you hear the chime ring like this: brrriiiiing". Other days, the weight of a book, phone, e-reader is too much to bear and audio is the only option. Sometimes, it's not the brain fog or the fatigue but just pure overstimulation. I can hardly tolerate the TV, lights, or any sensory input but audiobooks allow me to escape the world while weighted down in blankets, ice packs, and heating pads.
I know that it's not on you to provide what I need but I am so grateful that you do. I have access to seven e-libraries through Overdrive (thank you, US military) and when I can't afford to purchase through Amazon, I request both e-book and audio formats through all seven libraries so I have the best chance to get a copy ASAP but also as a way to support my favorite authors during lean times.
The thing I want to say about this is that while I would love to support a smaller business, Amazon makes it so damn convenient. It's so easy to track-read with whisper sync. It's nice to have all of my books in one location. The kindle app syncs up with my Goodreads account for easy tracking. (Curse you, Jeff Bezos, and your hands in all of the pies!) But, it's not really that much of a hassle to check out 2 versions of the same book from the library and manually log my progress at Goodreads. So, whatever you decide, whichever way you go, I will follow.
Take care of yourself and wishing you the best, Melissa 💕
