Should You Use AI for Audiobook Narration?

Not long ago, I would have said absolutely not; now, I think it’s worth considering

Image created by Jacquelyn Lynn using MockupShots

A lot of people love listening to audiobooks and a lot of authors would love to have audio versions of their books.

But a big issue for authors is the cost of audiobook production. Traditional audiobook production with a professional narrator can run $300-$500 or more per finished hour. Audiobooks are typically narrated at a rate of 9,000–10,000 words per hour. That means a 50,000-word manuscript could cost anywhere from $1,800 to $3,000 or more to turn into an audiobook. You have to sell a lot of copies to recoup that investment.

Some authors can save money by doing their own narration, but if they don’t have the required speaking skills and an appropriate recording environment, their audiobook won’t sound good and/or it will take extra work for the audio engineer doing the editing to get it to the point where it’s acceptable for distribution.

Enter AI voice technology

When AI voice technology was first introduced, it sounded like the robots from old sci-fi films. Today, it’s hard for a casual listener to detect an AI voice. And if you want…