Special thanks to Nicola Blythe for contributing this article.
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| image courtesy of audiopub.org |
June 2012 sees the start of Audiobook Awareness Month, something which is of vital importance not only to the industry itself, but to the many millions of audiobook consumers who use and rely on them for every single day of their lives.
This annual event which is orchestrated by the APA (Audio Publisher’s Association) aims to promote not only the medium as a viable alternative to printed books, but also the authors who use this means of publishing to reach as wide an audience as possible. This year more than ever they will be relying on the burgeoning popularity of the internet and social networking to promote this month’s campaign and hope that by getting the message out there more people will be encouraged to buy into audiobooks whether it be from online sources or just by utilising their public library to borrow them.
The importance of audiobooks
Last year, according to figures released by the APA it was estimated that as a result of this campaign up to seven and a half million people were contacted and reached out to with regard to audiobooks, which is almost four million up on the figures released in 2010!
They are hoping to get as many authors to promote their own work on this medium in whichever way possible. Authors are being encouraged to use something as simple as a tweet, a Facebook post or a longer blog entry to talk about the importance of having an audio version of their books, telling listeners about their inspirations and why they find writing for the audiobook market rewarding, or indeed why they chose to have their book recorded for the market. They are also going to be encouraged to promote their works in public libraries and book shops as well, anything that can help to raise awareness of this often neglected area of publishing and bring it to a wider audience.
It’s not just confined to authors!
It isn’t just for the authors to participate in. Listeners of all ages can make a difference too. By also using the same social network mediums you can similarly promote and talk about your own favourite audiobooks, authors and stories. Some ideas to talk about and discuss are your favourite genres, the authors that inspire you to listen, your favourite place to listen to your audiobooks, whether it be at home, at work or somewhere outdoors (the garden, the park, or on a workout at the gym for instance).
Audiobooks moving into the twenty first century
The importance of audiobooks can’t be ignored. For the partially sighted or blind they can provide a lifeline, not to mention entertainment. In a world in which printed books - hardback, softback and are still very much used despite the rise of online media for research and entertainment purposes, the audiobook still manages to hold its own unique position. Figures show that on average, the number of titles released onto this medium has more than doubled every year. Now with more and more authors set to commit their works to the audio format because of the rise in popularity of such sites as audible.com there is even more incentive for them to take the plunge and make their work available for listeners as well as readers.
The first audio books of their types were released in the mid 1930s and were made available on phonograph records which needed a record player to listen to them. There wouldn’t have been the advantaged of using headphones back then, so listening to this sort of thing would have been a shared experience with everyone in the room. Nowadays, into the twenty first century whilst the main customer base is made up of blind or partially sighted customers, a big part of the market is made up of consumers who are buying audiobooks to listen to while they commute to work, or to take on holiday instead of big bulky novels.
More and more audiobooks are now being made available in MP3 format and for automatic download to devices like iPods, iPhones and Smartphones. They work out relatively cheap to buy and access and can provide entertainment. There is also now a trend for making educational materials available in audiobook format, which surely would be a boon to many a student and provide welcome relief from having to carry about a college bag full of heavy text books and study aids. Now the information can be downloaded to their electronic devices for instant access.
If you love your audiobooks and want to tell everyone about them, this month is the perfect opportunity to do so! For more information about June’s Audiobook Awareness Month click this link: here.
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