Create Audiobooks
How to Create an Audiobook with Author’s Republic
Create audiobooks with the perfect narrator
At Author’s Republic, we offer the resources and tools to help independent authors and publishers create audiobooks with our easy-to-use platform. Learn how to create audiobooks easily with our all-in-one production platform and sell across the world’s widest distribution network.
How to Create an Audiobook with the Narrator Marketplace
Create Audiobooks with The Author’s Republic Studio
Step 1
Prepare Your eBook Manuscript
Prepare Your eBook Manuscript
All great audiobooks start as great books. Read through your eBook manuscript, and ensure it’s clear, accurate, and matches the right tone. Once your manuscript is ready, make sure to save it as a single EPUB or PDF file.
Checklist for Finalizing Your Manuscript
- Have you edited it for spelling and grammar errors?
- Have you removed images or unconventional formatting that may obstruct readability?
- Is your eBook manuscript clear and easy to read? Does it make sense when read aloud?
- Have you saved your eBook manuscript as a single EPUB or PDF file?
Upload Your eBook Manuscript
Once your manuscript is ready for audiobook production, upload the EPUB or PDF file into the Author’s Republic Studio, as well as metadata and a sample script for narrator auditions.
How to Make Audiobook Recordings
Some authors and publishers opt to use online voice-over software or narrate their own audiobooks. For authors interested in learning how to make audiobooks at home, we recommend investing in microphones, headphones, and other high-quality recording software. To learn more, check out our step-by-step self-narration guide.
Step 2
Upload Your eBook Manuscript
Step 3
Audition a Narrator
Audition a Narrator
Once you set your audiobook project to visible, potential narrators can see your sample script and audition. You can also privately request auditions. In turn, audiobook narrators will submit auditions and bids for projects. Then the author or publisher can listen to auditions, and hire a narrator based on their performance and total bid.
How Much Does It Cost to Create Audiobooks?
Audiobook production costs can vary depending on the length of your audiobook manuscript and the per finished hour rate of the narrator you choose to hire. On average, an audiobook narrator can read an estimated 9,300 words per hour and charge anywhere from $50 - $400 Per Finished Hour (PFH). For a six-hour audiobook with a manuscript of just under 56,000 words, authors or publishers can anticipate costs anywhere from $300 - $2,500 or more.
Receive Your Retail-Ready Audiobook
Once a production agreement has been reached, the narrator will create audiobook files that are ready for distribution. When completed and approved, your MP3 files will be available in the Author’s Republic Studio, and you can move on to the last step to sell audiobooks! We safely and securely hold payments to the narrator until all sides of the agreement are met.
Are There Any Additional Fees?
No, not for narrator production. Author's Republic does not charge any administrative fees when you use the narrator marketplace and will only receive a small share of the revenue generated by the audiobook once it is in distribution. Learning how to create an audiobook shouldn’t come with hidden fees, and we make sure that our production tools are easy to understand for authors and publishers alike.
Step 4
Receive Your Retail-Ready Audiobook
Step 5
Sell Your Audiobook
Sell Your Audiobook
We offer the world’s widest distribution network, partnering with 50+ sales platforms, library channels, and more. Once your audiobook file is ready, upload your audiobook cover, set your MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) or audiobook pricing, and choose which distribution channels you’d like to sell through.
Looking for a turnkey service to produce your audiobook?
Let one of our production managers create audiobooks for you, from selecting a narrator to delivering the final audio files. To get started, log in to your Author’s Republic account and tell us a little bit about your title. This helps us pair you with the production manager best suited to bring your book to life via audio.
After meeting with your production manager, they will work on your behalf to find a narrator for your audiobook, edit the final files, and add any music or sound effects. Once your audiobook files are complete, you can submit your title for distribution and start selling to listeners globally using your Author’s Republic account.
LEARN MOREReady to sell your audiobook across 50+ retail, library, and streaming channels?
Frequently Asked Questions
Learning how to make audiobooks gives authors a broader audience for their work. A 2024 Audio Publishers Association report showed that more than half of American adults listened to audiobooks, and it continues to be one of the most popular ways to consume books. In 2021, nearly 74,000 audiobook titles were published in the United States alone.
Whether you’re publishing your first or tenth book, Author’s Republic can help you through the audiobook creation process.
The audiobook production costs depend on multiple factors, including overall audiobook length and the payment agreement between the author and narrator. In our experience, a six-hour audiobook produced by a narrator can range anywhere from $900 to $2,500 ($150 - $400 per finished hour). Author’s Republic does not take any administration fees and there are no hidden percentage cuts. Your production budget goes directly to producing your audiobook.
Before using The Author’s Republic Studio for production, you must submit an EPUB or PDF file of your work. Make sure that the submitted manuscript is free of spelling and grammatical errors. It also should not have images or non-traditional formatting to make it legible for your narrator. You will also need to use a portion of your manuscript as a sample script for narrator auditions. You can request a private audition, or our roster of available narrators can submit their own bids and auditions for your work.
We have many audiobook requirements that need to be met before we submit your work to our partners. This includes each audio file being no longer than 78 minutes long, a volume range between -23dB and -18dB, and in an MP3 format. Meeting our lengthy criteria ensures that your audiobook meets the standards of multiple platforms, which saves you time and money during the production process.