Figure out how many words there are in the book, how long it will take to record and factor in how much it will cost to have the audiobook narrated, edited and produced. Here are some statistics that will help you to determine how much money you may need to budget for:

• The average audiobook is 100,000 words in length
• 100,000 words = 11 hours of audio
• 11 hours of audio = 22 hours of voice in the studio
• It usually takes 2 hours of recording for every finished hour of audio

Another fact to consider is that it takes twice as long, if not longer, to edit a voice over than it does to record it. The time spent editing will vary depending on the audio engineering skills a narrator possesses. If you have editing skills you may wish to do the editing on your end to save some money.

How much do narrators charge for recording audiobooks? Some narrators charge $200 per finished hour of recording while others charge as high as (or higher than) $500 per finished hour of audio. As mentioned earlier, some audio editing may be required and should be accounted for in your budget.

Next: Finding a Narrator