Monday, January 28, 2008
Audiobook 2007 Sales Survey
The Audiobook Publishers Association (APA) published their latest survey a couple of months ago. I just recently joined the association so have only just seen it now. It was taken last summer and covers the year 2006. It shows a 6% increase in sales over 2005 bringing the industry total at an estimated $923 million. You can read the entire press release here
Labels: Audio Books, Audio Publishers Association
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Why Should Publishers and Authors Create Audiobooks
The ubiquity of iPods and MP3 players has generated great interest in audio books. Today audio books don't even have to be pressed into CDs and distributed; but simply can be uploaded to sites like iTunes or audible.com. Use the audio format to fuel interest in the print version.
Audio Books:
- Are fast and inexpensive
- Are easy to record
- Build buzz for print version
- Bring new audience for popular works
- Are a cost effective way to take advantage of back lists
Audio Publishers Association (APA) 2006 sales survey shows: An increase of 4.7% in sales over the previous year Audbiobook sales reach an estimated $871 million in 2005. The APA 2006 consumer survey reveals these demographics: "younger listeners, split evenly between male and female, who live in slightly larger households (many with children) and command a higher income than has been reported in previous surveys. Audiobook listeners also have more education and buy and read more printed books than non-listeners"
- Audiobooks are more accessible with the proliferation of iPods and mp3 players.
- Audiobooks are used to teach children and ESL students how to read.
- Audiobooks increase reading comprehension.
- Audiobooks allow multitasking - listen while commuting, exercising, jogging, etc.
Labels: Audio Books, Audio Publishers Association
Monday, May 28, 2007
Audio Books and BookExpo Canada
Well, it has been a long time - but I haven't been idle.
One highlight certainly has to be my first ever voice for a game - I had to make up the name of the character myself - Monique Beaufort - she's a military officer. And I got an opportunity to use a French accent to boot!
I did an animation course here in Toronto led by Ellen-Ray Snow (Hennesy). Got a lot of great tips and ideas which I have been able to incorporate into my work. I've discovered a plethora of voice acting courses popping up all over Toronto these days. A couple of years ago you were lucky if you could find one or two.
I've also been very busy polishing up my game for audio books. I spent a wonderful weekend in New York City under the tutelage of the multi-talented Pat Fraley and the Audie-nominated narrator Hillary Huber. We also got to work with Paul Ruben, one of the top audio book producers in New York and enjoyed a chat with the award winning audio book narrator, Barbara Rosenblat. You can listen to the results of my hard work here.
The workshop was held at Edge Studios, and Tom, the audio engineer who worked with us over the weekend, commented that he liked the mic we were using, the AKG 451, for my voice. So when I got back to Toronto I started to search around and found a good deal on a used one and grabbed it while I could. And it's the original black version which Tom told me to look for. So now I have a new toy to play with.
But the highlight of the weekend was finally meeting - in person - my good friend Mary and her delightful twin sons! Mary and I have been chatting online on an almost daily basis for a year now, so this get together was well overdue. It was like two long lost friends meeting up again, carrying on conversation as if we saw each other every day. And if our friendship wasn't already well established, it was certainly solidified as I tucked into the scrumptious whitefish salad she brought me for breakfast from Zabars. The only drawback to the whole weekend was that I didn't really have time to enjoy New York. Guess I'll just have to go back again soon.
I am currently ramping up for BookExpo Canada taking place from June 8 - 11 this year. I'll be attending the trade show on the 10th and 11th. This year I'm getting some pamphlets printed and some new business cards as well as a T-Shirt and Tote Bag to make sure people get the message - Elaine Singer Sounds Great!
I am hoping that the pamphlet will help some of the publishers understand why the audio format is a great way to create buzz about their products as well as answer some of the questions I got asked last year.
Here's what I'll be getting printed on the T-Shirt and the Tote Bag:
Labels: animation, Audio Books, BookExpo Canada
