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How to Write an Audio eBook

The ebook is the definite king of the 21st century. It has taken over almost every market segment, and for good reason; books are easy to consume, easy to find, and they allow for any type of content to be presented in a variety of ways.

However, for some reason or another, audio books have not taken off in the same way. Sure, there are plenty of niche markets for audio books – like historical fiction and fantasy where the experience of listening to the story unfold is crucial – but for the most part, e-books and audiobooks remain totally separate.

That has to change. Why? Because if you’re reading this, you obviously love listening to stories, whether you read them out loud or listen to them on your earphones.

Here’s where you come in. We’re going to teach you how to write an audio ebook that will become the next big thing.

Step one: Set the Mood

If you’re going to present any content in audio format, you have to decide what kind of mood you want to project. Do you want to be funny and entertaining? Do you want to be inspiring and thought-provoking? Do you want to be a combination of both?

You can start by using music to set the tone for your narrative. For example, if you’re reading a story about pirates or zombies or aliens, you might want to play some heavy metal music in the background.

Choosing the right music is essential because it will affect the overall feel and tone of your story. In most cases, music is integral to the plot and the characters’ development. It can be funny, inspiring, or a combination of both.

Step two: Craft the perfect story

The next step is to craft the perfect story. You want to write a complete narrative that will keep your listener engaged from beginning to end. That means incorporating a plot, character development, setting, and a beginning, middle, and end.

The best stories are the ones that keep the listener completely absorbed in the tale. They make you forget about your troubles and troubleshoots, distracting you from whatever else is going on in your life. That’s why narrative storytelling was originally designed for radio; it was meant to be consumed by the listener while they were driving, taking a walk, or cooking dinner. Back then, people mostly listened to stories in order to pass the time – they weren’t really meant to be absorbed in depth like they are today.

This is why you need to put in the extra effort and make sure your story is as good as it can be. You want to end up with a work of art that will stick with the listener for the entirety of its duration.

Step three: Use the right equipment

You also need to use the right equipment for recording your story. If you’re just setting up a home recording studio, you might only need a computer and a pair of microphones. However, if you’re aiming for a professional outcome, you’re going to need at least a four-channel audio interface, a pair of studio monitors, and a high-quality microphone.

The four-channel audio interface does exactly what its name suggests – it connects your computer to a pair of instrument channels (for example, a guitar, bass, or piano), a percussion channel (for drums or other percussive instruments), a microphone channel (for recording ambient sound), and a speaker channel (for sending recorded audio to other devices).

It’s important to note that not all microphones are created equal. High-quality condenser mics are preferred because they offer a more dynamic range and more accurate recording.

Step four: Edit and mix

Once you have your initial recording, you need to go back and edit it. This is where most people stop and think that they can’t do without a professional editor. While you can certainly do some basic editing to make your recording sound better, you don’t need a professional to do the cutting for you. Even if you’re using paid editing services, they can only take your material from you and give it that extra polish that you couldn’t provide yourself.

Once you have your polished recording, you can mix it with other sound effects and music to create an entertaining or a thought-provoking experience.

From start to finish, this was quite the complex topic. Hopefully, this was a worthwhile tutorial for you. As you can see, there’s a lot that goes into successfully writing and recording an audio ebook. From selecting the right theme song and putting in the proper number of hours to crafting the perfect story, everything must be done with meticulous care.