Audiobooks are Making Some Noise
I know, I know…you’ve heard all about it. The book is dead – literacy in peril. Our children’s brains at risk of shriveling up entirely. Thanks to the advent of digital publishing, civilization as we know it is doomed. All of this, the result of readers never again experiencing the exquisite satisfaction of turning the precious pages of a book with their bare hands. Because of eBooks, generations will miss out on the sense of accomplishment (mixed with sadness) when you finally reach the last page and close the back cover. The End.
Sure, the digital revolution has dealt a blow to the print book, the publishing industry, and the cult of reading in general. But, that’s only part of the story. Tablets and eReaders, like iPads and Kindles, offer up new platforms for the eBook and fiction to thrive. People who haven’t entered a bookstore since they were in school now eagerly scroll through the aisles of Amazon picking out titles to read on their smartphones during their daily commute. And more and more, consumers are choosing to listen to their eBooks rather than read them.
Audiobooks for Literary Omnivores
As far as I’m concerned, a good story is a good story—whether you read a print book, listen to the old books on tape in your car, or pull it up on your smartphone. Digital innovation is simply creating more outlets for good stories to be shared and that’s a good thing. But beyond changing the way books are now created, packaged and sold, new publishing technologies are starting to reshape the way readers consume literature.
A fresh breed of literary omnivores who view narrated books and text as interchangeable is on the rise. And they’re starting to get hungrier for audiobooks every day. “We’re moving toward a media-agnostic consumer who doesn’t think of the difference between textual and visual and auditory experience,” says Don Katz, Audible’s founder and CEO. “It’s the story, and it is there for you in the way you want it.” Essentially, it’s all about the story, stupid. Your choice of delivery systems is just that—your choice. Katz discussed the impact and future of audiobooks recently in the Wall Street Journal.
What Does Literacy Sound Like? Cue the Audiobook
While some perceive the democratic nature of self-publishing as a threat to print, I see it boosting literacy in other unexpected ways. Audiobooks represent one bright side of digital publishing. Last month, after attending Readercon, John Farrell posted an interview with Fantasy author Ellen Kushner in The Wall Street Journal Online. You can read it here.
Farrell attributes the explosive growth in sales and demand for audiobooks to advances in digital publishing. Once a static niche for “aficionados renting clunky cassettes or CDs for their commutes, audio books have gone mass-market. Sales have jumped by double digits in recent years. Shifts in digital technology have broadened the pool of potential listeners to include anyone with a smartphone.” Smart authors are taking note.
Ellen Kushner is taking audiobooks to the next level. “It’s kind of the Wild West in the world of audiobooks,” she told Kushner. “I had never heard an audiobook until we started this project– three years ago.” Since then, she and a team of producers have transformed her three Riverside novels into something well beyond the standard audiobook, with a single narrator and a little music. The result is an integrative interactive reading experience. I, for one, am on the edge of my seat.
Do I Have Any Audiobooks? Glad You Asked!
Of course, I do. Southern Bound, the first book in the Max Porter Paranormal Mystery series, is now available as an audiobook. I do the narration, so if you’ve ever listened to The Eclectic Review podcast, then you already know what I sound like. The audiobook runs a bit over 6 hours and is lots of fun.
You can get it here:
**Also available on iTunes**
Want more? The first three stories from The Bluesman series are all in audio format, and the others will be released steadily over the next year or so. The first story is The Bluesman #1: Killer of Monsters (Audible | Amazon)
Now It’s Your Turn To Talk. How Do You Take Your Stories? Do You Like To Listen?
Please share your thoughts. I’d really like to get talking…and listening. Take care.
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