Divide your word count by 9,300 (approximately how many words a narrator reads per hour) and that gives you the estimated time of your audiobook.

For example: A 75,000 word book would be an approximately 8 hours long audiobook

Then, multiply it by the per finished hour (PFH) rate. Every producer’s PFH rate is a little different depending on their costs. For us, an 8 hr audiobook would cost approximately $4,440 (at our base rate for dual narration). Working with more expensive narrators or a different style of production can add additional costs.

For instance, the same audiobook produced with us but in duet would be approximately $6,000.

When you work with us, you have access to well-established, talented narrators. We’re a SAG-AFTRA signatory and that opens up your options. Is using an established name the only priority though? Of course not! There are other considerations your producer will discuss with you while we’re in the casting phase:

Representative casting - looking for someone with a specific background or particular lived experiences? This is our specialty.

Timeline - need someone who suits your character but is also available asap? We prioritize your priorities to help make it happen.

Budget - there are many incredible performers who work at our base rate; we can find someone who fits with what you’re looking for and falls within your budget.

A producer will act like your personal shopper. You can tell us exactly who you want if you already have someone in mind, or we can have a conversation about your book and the characters and we’ll make suggestions until we find the perfect fit.

We sure do! We’re happy to produce solo, dual, duet, and full cast productions. Here’s a breakdown of each style:

Solo - Performed by a single narrator, written in single POV.

Dual - Performed by two or more people, switching off by chapter or section. Each narrator performs all dialogue and action within their own POV.

Duet - Performed by two people. Similar to dual narration, except that each performer reads the dialogue and action of their character (and often other characters of the same gender) across all chapters and sections.

Multi-Cast - Performed by a cast of people. Narrators each perform their own part, much like duet but with more people.

*Fees for duet and multi-cast productions increase due to increased editing costs.

Ideally, we need at least 6-8 weeks to produce your audiobook:

1-2 weeks for narrators to prep and record

1-2 weeks for editing, proofing, and mastering

1 week for you to beta listen

1-2 weeks for us to make any further corrections + remaster the audio.

+ a little leeway time just in case there’s an unexpected delay (like a narrator getting sick)

The biggest factor in our timeline though is narrator schedules. We’ll often need to reach out at least 6 months ahead of week 1 of this process to secure a spot with them; some narrators book out a year or more in advance.

So, if you’re aiming for a simultaneous release of your audiobook with your print/ebook, then sooner you start planning, the better! But don’t worry, you won’t need to have all the details of your book (if you’re still writing) in order for us to start planning, but an estimated word count and any info you can provide is always helpful.

Once your audiobook is market-ready, you have to determine your strategy for distribution, choosing for yourself which path that is right for you. And although we aren’t responsible for distribution, we stay current on all of your options, plus the costs/benefits of each and are always happy to discuss and consult when needed!

For instance, do you want your audiobook to be available across multiple retailers and in libraries? Or are you looking to get the highest possible royalty rate by being exclusive to Audible? And how do you decide which is the right fit for you? These are all things we can discuss.

First things first, we love telling the world about your audiobooks and we want to see even more people shouting about them. Sometimes, we can shout about things from the rooftops but that's simply not enough. We need other people shouting in a chorus to help grab attention - Must Love Audio is that chorus.

We've joined forces with some great people and other romance audiobook production companies in order to make this a community endeavor; born out of a desire for community over competition, where by working together we can help uplift each others' works and provide unparalleled support for all our authors. Together, we're providing you access to a pool of engaging, highly active romance listeners in an honest, fun, targeted way - with a specific focus on organic TikTok and Instagram content. 

MLA is an ALC (advanced listener copy) management group with, at its core, an engaged base of romance listeners who thrive on what we're offering - getting early access, behind-the-scenes info, and some fun little bonuses along the way.