Episode 172 - A Reviewer's Perspective on Audiobooks with Robin Whitten
February 7, 2023
I talk with Robin Whitten of AudioFile Magazine about AN EXPERT PERSPECTIVE ON AUDIO, including the growing acceptance of audiobooks, the fact that audio sales don’t cannibalize other book sales, looking for a narrator’s connection to the story, considerations for narrating your own book, a reviewer’s perspective on AI-narrated audio, and different audio for different listeners.
Robin Whitten is Editor and Founder of AudioFile Magazine. She is passionate about audiobooks and the magic of the listening experience. She started AudioFile over 30 years ago, starting out as an avid listener. Her all-time favorite audiobook: THE GOLDEN COMPASS by Philip Pullman, read by a full cast.
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"Is it a good idea? Absolutely, because it totally expands the audience. It never diminishes the audience. And actually I think publishers initially were reluctant that they thought that perhaps having more people listen to audiobooks would somehow diminish the number of people who would access in print a book, but it actually has proved many times over that it simply expands the accessibility of the audience." —Robin Whitten
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Links
Robin and AudioFile's Links:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/audiofilebehindthemicpodcast/
Twitter https://twitter.com/AudioFileMag
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/audiofilemagazine
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/audiofile-magazine/
Here's the link Robin provided to audiopub.org for getting started in audio:
https://www.audiopub.org/industry/getting-started
Matty's Links:
Affiliate links
Events
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/audiofilebehindthemicpodcast/
Twitter https://twitter.com/AudioFileMag
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/audiofilemagazine
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/audiofile-magazine/
Here's the link Robin provided to audiopub.org for getting started in audio:
https://www.audiopub.org/industry/getting-started
Matty's Links:
Affiliate links
Events
I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Robin! How did hearing the perspective of a professional audiobook reviewer like Robin change your perspective on audio for your own books? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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NOTE: After several years of trying to cover the costs of producing the podcast with earnings from patronage and sponsorships, I finally had to acknowledge that, for now at least, The Indy Author Podcast is more a labor of love than an income stream. As a result, I needed to find ways to reduce my expenses, and the expense I finally decided to eliminate was the editing of the transcript.
However, it's valuable for me to know that you were looking for it! If you miss the transcript, please click here to drop me a note!
If you'd like to become a patron of The Indy Author, please click here.
When AI transcription improves to the point that it doesn't require the time and expense of a human edit, or once my earnings from the podcast enable me to cover the costs of a human editing, I will resume that offering!
However, it's valuable for me to know that you were looking for it! If you miss the transcript, please click here to drop me a note!
If you'd like to become a patron of The Indy Author, please click here.
When AI transcription improves to the point that it doesn't require the time and expense of a human edit, or once my earnings from the podcast enable me to cover the costs of a human editing, I will resume that offering!