This won’t be a huge update, but there are a few things about the giveaway download codes and the release date itself that I wanted to add.
But first:
New here? You can start following my audiobook experience from the beginning.
Want to catch up or remind yourself what happened last? Here’s the previous entry.
Your Audiobook’s Release Date
Way back in Week 1, I set the street date (aka the release date) for my audiobook. I had no idea what to put because I had no idea how long this process would take, so I guessed.
Before I continue, I want to stress that you shouldn’t change your release date once you’ve announced it. It’s okay to move it back if you need a little longer (don’t make a habit out of it though – it’s much more professional to set your date later and avoid this situation), but you should never move it forwards, because you’ve probably worked hard on building hype around a certain date, and you lose that by moving it forwards.
Now that’s out of the way:
I decided to move my date forwards.
I didn’t build hype around this release except for saying that I was working on an audiobook, linking to this diary here and there, and talking about the future release in general terms. I didn’t announce a date, so I had no public announcement to make because all anyone knew was that it was coming.
One of the reasons for this is that when you submit your audiobook with Findaway Voices, they will upload it to 43 online stores (at present – this number may change in the future). You can’t expect it to hit all 43 stores at the same time. Some simply take longer than others *glances at Audible*
So, announcing a date when only a fraction of the market (very likely not including Audible, since they can take the longest) was likely to be ready on that date seemed like madness to me.
Also, the audiobook is new, but the book itself has been out for four years. This is just a new format of an already published book, not a new release altogether!
You can, of course, approach this with as much hype and as many fanfares as you want, but do tread carefully.
SO, why in the seven hells did I decide to move my date forwards?
Giveaway Download Codes
Like with any book you publish, you’ll have the option to give away free copies in exchange for an honest review.
Excited that the big day was finally here, I invited my mailing list, my review team (for which I’d been recruiting again for this moment), and my Facebook reader group to sign up for a download code.
I didn’t realise at the time that I could only access the download codes once we’d reached the street date – in other words, you can only download and hand out giveaway codes once your book is out, not before.
Unlike with paperbacks and ebooks, where you can send copies to reviewers as early as you fancy, you will have to wait to do the same with your audiobook.
I could already request the codes (read: the button was clickable), but I kept getting an error message, so I emailed Findaway Voices, they investigated, and explained the reason to me.
Fortunately, you can change your street date at any time leading up to the release, so I did that.
You should also offer your narrator some of these codes. Chances are, they’ll want to promote it, too, and this is an easy way to do it!
Wait, so Is Your Audiobook out Now?
Yes and no.
My new street date was Monday August 31st, and I received an email late on Wednesday telling me that Findaway Voices had detected four new links for my book – it’s available on GooglePlay, Apple, Scribd, Chirp, Kobo, and hibooks.
It’s not yet available on the other 37 stores.
So, no, your street date isn’t really when your book will be available.
At present, there’s no easy way to tell where your book is out and where it isn’t. You’ll receive an email when new stores are added, but there’s no page where they’re all listed with ticks and Upload Pendings.
I know they’re working on adding one, but right now, I’m checking Audible myself every day to see if it’s there. Because I’m impatient and can’t wait for the email.
Summary:
- You can change your release date/street date any time until your audiobook is out.
- Your street date arriving doesn’t mean that your audiobook is available everywhere, so don’t go announcing it like you would the release date of an ebook.
- If you’re enrolled in VoicesPlus, you can generate and hand out 100 download codes – but only once the street date has arrived!
What’s Next?
There’s only one thing left:
Global publication *rubs hands together* *muhahaha*
As I said, publication varies and takes longer on some stores than others, so I’m currently waiting to hear that it’s on Audible. I’ll make an announcement once it is (since it’s already on Google and Apple)!
If you have any questions about the audiobook production process, leave a comment and ask away!
For all entries in The Audiobook Diaries, look here.
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