What Is the Best Format For Your Book?
1. Print (paperback or hardback)
2. eBook
3. Audiobook
The correct answer is ALL of them.
Think about it, what does an author want most from their book once they release it to the public? Return on their investment. Self-published authors especially want to recoup some of the cost of editing, typesetting, and cover design that they invested in to produce their book. If you limit your formats you potentially limit your income.
Take this thought one step further, once the book is released the investment doesn’t stop there. Marketing costs replace production costs. Publishing a book is starting a business. The costs continue to accrue regardless of the income generated.
Audiobooks are expensive to create and not all books lend themselves to the audio format. For example reference books, cookbooks, quotation books, interior design books, and travel guides. On the other hand, there are several genres that are perfect for audiobooks such as self-help/spirituality, history/biography, science fiction/fantasy, romance, business, health, and wellness.
Considering the rise in podcasting, an audiobook could reap great rewards not only in notoriety for the author but income royalty as well. It’s worth it to look at all formats whether you create all formats on your release day or gradually add additional formats as you can afford.
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