So as a potential author I have decided that I will self publish my novels until I can gain some minor fame and fandom. I have chosen the route of releasing directly to the Kindle and selling as various e-book formats. YET I am also swaying toward releasing my novels for free as podiobooks. I for one love listening to podiobooks, and I know that authors do still make money one books that they release as free audio (podiobooks). I know its a lot of work, but I currently personally believe it pays off in gaining a fan base, and getting your name out there. For example look at Scott Sigler, a wonderful author, who started out by releasing his novels for free as podiobooks, and still does. Yet he sells them as true paper books and regular audiobooks. I am wondering what do you all think of this form of publishing? Do you think it is worth it in the long run? Would you consider doing it?
My guess is an audio book, but formatted in MP3 format so people can listen to them on just about any device, particularly ipods and the like through headphones (instead if needing a tape deck or CD player). Kind of like Podcasts, which are sort of amateur radio shows designed for MP3 players. To the OP: I think it's dangerous basing your business decisions on the examples of others that are mostly likely exception to the rule. The fact is, most people who self-publish, especially giving their work away for free, don't make any money at it. I'm not saying don't do it, just to be sure your expectations aren't raised higher than they should be based on one example (or even several) of success, as there are usually many more examples where it didn't work out. I wouldn't personally consider self-publishing in any form until I felt my work was ready for traditional publishing. Why? Because I'm smart enough to know self-publishing isn't a way to propel sub-par work into stardom, but just an alternate route to finding success as a writer. A lot of people think it's a short-cut to writing success, which just isn't true. That said, if your work is good enough and ready for the marketplace, I don't personally see any problem with self-publishing or recording your own audio version. Just be ready to put in the work, and self-publishing takes a ton of it, and make sure your expectations aren't really high just because there's some random dude somewhere who did have success.
@mammamia - Yes a podiobook is an audiobook that is put out by authors who release their book/s in podcast installments. I honestly think you should check it out. @Popsicledeath - I agree that self-publishing is not a fast track to stardom, I never expect to be famous myself, but if I can make a little money and make people happy with my work then I am happy. As for the the podiobook in my case they are what inspired me to write again. I just enjoy the media form. I don't expect to make money on my writings I write to enjoy it and have others enjoy it. If I do make money off it then so much the better.
hmm-mmm... thanks for the tip, coreen... it may make sense for my books, which have no plot, so can easily be 'read'/heard in installments... are there any podio publishers that are free [or close to it] that will allow my books to be given away at no charge?
It seems that the people who succeed at this either have a killer of a novel or they already have a fan base away from writing.
@ Mammamaia - From what I have seen most podiobooks are self produced by the authors, or at least at first. As for the free thing yeah that podiobooks.com site I linked to in my previous post is a place where hundreds of authors like you and me put up their stuff for free. I personally love browsing their selection and finding something to listen to on my hour long drive to and again from my college classes. Its how I discovered a lot of authors I now follow. @ Marina - Yeah I can see where you get that from. Though in my opinion it all depends on the readers taste what makes a killer novel. I have listened to a lot of the free podiobook in the last two years. Some of them are amazing and inspire me all the more. Others the audio quality is horrid, and the stories are generic. Yet they all seem to develop a fan base. Some people make it big for example Scott Sigler who started his career by putting out free podiobooks. This eventually allowed him to get a publishing deal with Crown Publishing. What I find amazing is even though every book he has out as a hard back or paper back novel for sale he still has out as a free podiobook, and Crown Publishing is fine with this. I don't expect to emulate this personally. I am not as strong of writer as the FDO(Future Dark Overlord) is. This is what his fan base or Junkies as we are called, call him. I will admit I love his work and am a Junkie. Scott Sigler is one of the people I will list as a big inspiration to me honestly. ANYWAY off of the rabbit trail back onto topic. As I said I don't expect to emulate his success like this. I just think even though I am going to attempt to sell directly to the Kindle and such, that it will help gain me a bit more of a fan base to release as a podiobook. Even if I don't sell well its not my over all goal, if people enjoy my work and become fans of mine and prefer to listen to my free work then great. One day if they like it enough maybe they will buy.
