Tag: independent authors

Spotify Audiobooks Launches a New Publishing Program for Independent Authors

March 13, 2025

At Spotify, we work every day to lift up new voices, giving creators the opportunity to live off their art. Through Spotify Audiobooks, our in-house publishing imprint, we’ve partnered with various publishers and authors to license and produce hundreds of titles. 

Starting today, Spotify Audiobooks is launching a new website encouraging independent authors to submit short-form stories for audiobook creation and publishing consideration by Spotify. 

“Spotify Audiobooks is thrilled to be opening submissions for short-form content written by independent authors who are as passionate about audiobooks as we are,” said Leah Kleynhans, Spotify Audiobooks Producer. “We know Spotify users will love exploring these intense, bite-sized listens, and expanding our audiobooks catalog in this way gives fans even more choice in the content they love to consume on our platform.”

This is a global program, and any author with an English-language short-form story who controls their own audio rights for that story can submit.

If Spotify chooses to move forward with an author’s submission, Spotify will publish the audiobook, which includes paying an advance and royalties, managing all aspects of production, and distribution to major audiobook retailers.

Looking to submit your own short-form story? Just follow these simple guidelines.

How to submit your story to Spotify Audiobooks

    • Visit our short-form audiobooks site, which contains frequently asked questions and a link to the submission page. 
    • Make sure your story is a novelette of approximately 10,000-20,000 words.
    • Focus on three genres: romance, mystery/thriller, or sci-fi/fantasy. 
      • Cross-genre works like romantasy, dark romance thriller, mystery sci-fi, or psychological thriller are encouraged. 
      • Note: Please do not submit erotica or children’s content.
    • Submissions will be chosen on a rolling basis.

Spotify is committed to lowering the barrier to entry so more authors than ever can have their books heard. As part of this initiative, Spotify is also encouraging independent authors who prefer self-publication to upload existing short-form audiobooks via Findaway Voices. So with Spotify Audiobooks there’s an opportunity to have your book produced by and distributed through Spotify and with Findaway Voices, a way for existing content to reach new fans.

Learn more about the program at our Short-Form Audiobooks website.

Bringing More Audiobooks From Independent Authors to Spotify With Ingram Content Group

July 25, 2024

At Spotify, we aim to bring great audiobooks to as many listeners as possible, including those from independent authors. Today we’re announcing a partnership with Ingram Content Group, one of the largest distributors for independent publishers and authors across the globe.

This deal will bring audiobooks from over 100 Ingram-distributed publishers to Spotify, encompassing releases from Europa Editions, Milkweed Editions, G&D Media, Bard Press, New Society Publishers, and more. Titles include the likes of Poet Laureate Ada Limón’s self-narrated collection The Hurting Kind, Mo Bunnell’s forthcoming Give to Grow, and bestselling author Bob Proctor’s Born Rich. In the U.S., listeners can also dive into Damon Galgut’s Booker Prize-winning novel The Promise and Anne Berest’s international bestseller The Postcard, to name a few.

“Our partnership with Ingram Content Group is part of our goal to bring more independent authors to Spotify to get their books heard through our Audiobooks in Premium offering,” said Duncan Bruce, Director, Audiobook Partnerships & Licensing at Spotify. “As one of the biggest distributors for independent publishers around the world, we are excited to have Ingram to help grow the industry and create additional ways for their authors and publishers to reach new audiences.”

“Ingram Content Group is dedicated to bringing more books, in all formats, to more readers,” said Agustina Casal, Ingram Content Group’s Director of Digital Sales and Marketing. “We’re proud to continue to work with Spotify to bring audiobooks of so many independent publishers to the world.”

Since launching our Audiobooks in Premium offering last year, we’re seeing more listeners try new and different books, with hundreds of thousands of unique titles streamed. We’re not only seeing success with bestsellers, but back catalog titles are also gaining popularity. Of the top 10 audiobooks on Spotify, nine are backlist titles, and six of those were released over five years ago.

Head to Spotify to find your next great listen.

Spotify to Acquire Leading Audiobook Platform Findaway

November 11, 2021

In 2019, Spotify announced its ambition to become the world’s leading audio platform with an expansion into podcasting through the acquisitions of Anchor and Gimlet. Since then, Spotify has not only become a leading platform for podcast creators and listeners, but also expanded on the very format of podcasting itself: taking a fixed format and making it a new audio experience. And today we are taking another step in furthering this mission to build the future of audio by announcing that Spotify has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Findaway, a global leader in digital audiobook distribution.

“It’s Spotify’s ambition to be the destination for all things audio both for listeners and creators. The acquisition of Findaway will accelerate Spotify’s presence in the audiobook space and will help us more quickly meet that ambition,” said Gustav Söderström, Spotify’s Chief Research & Development Officer. “We’re excited to combine Findaway’s team, best-in-class technology platform, and robust audiobook catalog with Spotify’s expertise to revolutionize the audiobook space as we did with music and podcasts.”

Findaway works across the entire audiobook ecosystem with a platform and offerings that serve authors, publishers, and consumers of this rapidly growing industry, which is expected to grow from $3.3 billion to $15 billion by 2027. In addition to offering the largest catalog of distributed titles, Findaway has actively worked to democratize audiobooks through leading technology tools available for independent authors to create and bring their stories to life. We plan to build on Findaway’s significant innovation in the space, and we’re going to supercharge its growth, bringing everything Spotify knows around personalization and discovery while also innovating on format, delivery, creator tools, and more.

Together, Spotify and Findaway will accelerate Spotify’s entry into the audiobook space and continue to innovate the industry, working to remove current limitations and unlock better economic tools for creators. Findaway’s technology infrastructure will enable Spotify to quickly scale its audiobook catalog and innovate on the experience for consumers, simultaneously providing new avenues for publishers and authors to reach audiences around the globe.

*Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. It is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021 and is subject to regulatory review and approval. 

 

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