Notes From A First Time Audiobook Publisher

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Scott Jacobi

Leonard Johnson is a first time author who recently became a first time audiobook publisher through ACX. He joins us today to talk about getting reviews by leaving reviews and keeping audio in mind when writing his next books.

Tell us about your recent audiobook project.

My recent audiobook project is “BloodLoss – Ten Twisted Tales.” An awesome gentleman named Jonathan Waters narrated each and every twisted tale.

Why did you decide to produce an audio version of your title?

I was talking to a few folks at work about my book. One of my coworkers said he hasn’t checked it out because it’s not an audiobook.  After a few conversations, I found out there is a part of the population that will only listen to audiobooks. I started investigating if it would be feasible to create a BloodLoss audiobook. Ultimately, the main reason I choose to create an audiobook was that, through ACX, it would have access to multiple markets, like AudibleAmazon and iTunes.

What have your marketing efforts for this book been?

My marketing is usually limited to Facebook, blog, word of mouth, and well placed business cards at the donut shop. For Bloodloss, I decided to try a different strategy. I read books from other authors in similar genres and posted reviews on my blog for free. I ask for nothing in return. My thought is they will browse my site, maybe even link to it. If that happens, then I get potential customers. It’s a “pay-it-forward” type of situation.

Has having your audio version produced affected your writing? How?

It didn’t change the way I see BloodLoss, however it has shown me that some of my future material is perfect for the audiobook experience. When you’re putting words to paper, you know they’ll translate to just about any medium: paperback, eBook, etc. Yet content is not always easy to convey in audio. Now, when I write something I think might be a good candidate for an audiobook, I pay attention to how I write it. I do not want a narrator to have difficulties producing because I was generous with my tones.

What’s your next project, and when will we see it on ACX?

Since I embrace my ADD, I have about five projects I work on at the same time. I’m putting the finishing touches on a poker guide, I just finished a short story called Barghest, which will be out on Amazon next month. I am also working on a book dedicated to my dad called “Living with Leonard” which I plan on narrating myself and publishing on ACX.

Are you an ACX success story? Tell us why and you might be next on the blog!