By Hufsa Tahir

A few months ago, we introduced a new tab to your KWL Dashboard: Author Services. This panel contains an array of services we intend to offer our authors (from cover design to audiobooks), and ever since, we have been launching them one service at a time. If you click on the “Request Details” button on each Service, you’ll receive an email with us containing more details about what stage that specific Service is in.

Most recently, we launched a new Author Service—Audiobooks

Why Audiobooks?

Audiobooks are a great avenue for sales, and this market is only growing. There’s never been a better time to jump in. Here’s one author’s excellent take on how audiobooks help increase your readership.

So we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve partnered with the audiobook-creation experts over at ListenUp Audiobooks in the States.

The Atlanta-based award-winning audiobook publisher has worked with some of the largest publishers in the industry, including Hachette, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Audible.com. Even better, ListenUp works with studios, agents, and talent in New York, Los Angeles, and more. This allows them access to a wide range of voice actors for the most customized audiobook experience.

We have tested their audiobooks service ourselves, and had a great experience. ListenUp is professional and extremely responsive to your needs. They cater to your budget and deadlines.  They will thoroughly test your audiobook file for you before distributing it to their network of retail partners, including Kobo’s own sister company, OverDrive, which distributes content to libraries in North America.

As a Kobo Writing Life author, you’re entitled to a special discount on the hourly rate of an audio book project. This means savings of $100 every hour! Where standard rates are USD $450, our authors only pay $350.

Authors distributing through ListenUp get to keep 75% of the amount received on every sale. What does this mean? It means, regardless of whether ListenUp produced your audiobook or not, if you’re selling through them to Audible and other retailers, you will receive 75% of the total revenue that the retailers send to ListenUp. Since each retailer has a different royalty rate, this amount will differ.

For example, Audible’s royalty rate is 25% of the sale price. Of that amount, you’ll receive 75%. However, if you sell direct to customers through ListenUp’s retail site, you receive the full 75% of list price.

We hope you enjoy this exciting new service. To begin, click this link and make sure to use promo code “Kobo“.