The new audiobook of my latest title is published today, and it’s available almost everywhere – but not on the world’s biggest audiobook platform. Let me explain why…
I'm not sure how much this applies to other people, but for me Audible is hugely better because of their integration with Kindle (where you can seamlessly switch back and forth between reading and audio). Does anyone else offer the full "read wherever and however you want" package that Kindle devices + Kindle app offers? Without that, Audible will keep their monopoly since no one else is competing.
Thanks for considering my suggestion. It's also a lesson learnt from some ebook purchases where the platform (buecher.de) recently went out of business respectively where it was acquired by a competitor. I'd rather not depend on the availability of a specific online streaming service.
Again, I'd rather pay a little more if the mp3s were DRM-free. If you were to sell them diretly or sell them via a platform like gumroad or bandcamp, it could be a great option.
Markus: I already DO sell it via Gumroad! It's the first option that says "Directly purchase the audiobook as mp3 files" :) I now added to clarify that this is sold via Gumroad.
It's the only DRM-free distribution method I know of, for audiobooks, right now.
Unfortunately, Germany is a country they have yet to roll out audiobooks for. I updated the supported countries: in Europe, unfortunately it's only France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, UK and Ireland.
Is there any of the featured audiobook platforms that would sell a DRM-free version (doesn't matter if it would cost more)? Maybe similar to Bandcamp for music?
I'd like to be able to play back the audiobook on my portable audio player or my home stereo and not just on a phone.
I've purchased it.
I have your physical book, but admit, I just don't have time to read physical books that much.
I'm the technical co-founder of a 3 person startup and also have a wifey and 2 young boys.
My listening time is when I go running or happen to be doing household chores.
My book reading time is when I find myself with spare time.... Which is basically never.
So thank you for this 🙏
I'm also a supporter here on Substack and you were my first Substack subscription.
Cheers!
As for Audible - I do have a subscription to them and it's convenient to have some credits a month.
But you and Cory Doctorow both seem to shun them for similar reasons. Although his are more about not wanting DRM.
I'm not sure how much this applies to other people, but for me Audible is hugely better because of their integration with Kindle (where you can seamlessly switch back and forth between reading and audio). Does anyone else offer the full "read wherever and however you want" package that Kindle devices + Kindle app offers? Without that, Audible will keep their monopoly since no one else is competing.
Thanks for considering my suggestion. It's also a lesson learnt from some ebook purchases where the platform (buecher.de) recently went out of business respectively where it was acquired by a competitor. I'd rather not depend on the availability of a specific online streaming service.
Again, I'd rather pay a little more if the mp3s were DRM-free. If you were to sell them diretly or sell them via a platform like gumroad or bandcamp, it could be a great option.
Markus: I already DO sell it via Gumroad! It's the first option that says "Directly purchase the audiobook as mp3 files" :) I now added to clarify that this is sold via Gumroad.
It's the only DRM-free distribution method I know of, for audiobooks, right now.
Thank you. Purchased. Sorry, I should have read that section more carefully.
I can’t access the audio book on Spotify in Germany?
Unfortunately, Germany is a country they have yet to roll out audiobooks for. I updated the supported countries: in Europe, unfortunately it's only France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, UK and Ireland.
Is there any of the featured audiobook platforms that would sell a DRM-free version (doesn't matter if it would cost more)? Maybe similar to Bandcamp for music?
I'd like to be able to play back the audiobook on my portable audio player or my home stereo and not just on a phone.
I don't know of any platform that does this. The only DRM-free version I can offer is me selling the mp3 files.
It's an odd one! Perhaps not much of a market for this, and the majority of people - outside of tech - do not care about DRM-free?