How to Write Non-Fiction: Editing for audio
Many non-fiction readers will listen to your book rather than read your words on the page or screen, so it’s a good idea to consider editing with audio in mind at this stage. Audiobooks also make your book more accessible, so it’s a great idea to plan for it.
I narrate many of my non-fiction books as well as fiction short stories, so here are some things I keep in mind during the editing process.
Don’t confuse the reader
In a physical book or ebook, the reader can flip back easily to a previous page or a different chapter, but with an audiobook, people are often doing something else while they listen. If someone is driving or working out at the gym or doing chores, they may not stop and rewind if something is unclear.
Your book structure and the flow of the material therefore become even more important for audio.
Make sure your chapters have clear titles
While most readers or listeners experience the book in order from beginning to end, others may jump around and listen to chapters they specifically want.
I listen to a lot of non-fiction audiobooks on Spotify and I love that I can choose chapters to listen to within a book, rather than having to listen to the whole thing. I use the search function on Spotify to find audiobooks on specific topics, and then I listen to chapters across multiple books on the same theme. For example, when I was researching hormone replacement therapy options for menopause, I listened to chapters across ten books on the topic to get a wider perspective.
It doesn’t matter what you think a reader ‘should’ do, it’s how they want to consume the book that matters. Don’t make it difficult for the listener to find the chapter they’re interested in. Give them useful chapter titles and help them find what they’re looking for.
Describe any visual elements
Many non-fiction books have tables and figures, photos and lists, and all kinds of visual elements that make sense if you’re reading with your eyes, but make no sense in audio.
Include at least a sentence or two explaining visual elements, so the flow in the audiobook remains seamless. You can include a downloadable PDF with these images as part of your audiobook on most platforms, but again, if someone is busy doing something else while listening, they won’t be looking at it. I’ve certainly never downloaded extra material for any audiobook over many years of listening.
Use a URL shortener for links
If you have a reference to a website in an ebook, you can include a clickable link so the format of the link doesn’t matter. In a print book, the reader can copy it out from the page if they want to. But with an audiobook, it is unwieldy for a narrator to say a long URL out loud, and the listener won’t remember it, anyway.
There are lots of services that replace long links with shortened URLs, like Bitly.com or Short.io. Check to see what will suit you best; most have a free plan.
I use PrettyLinks plugin on my WordPress sites. For example, my ProWritingAid affiliate link is TheCreativePenn.com/prowritingaid which is a short, easy-to-say link that redirects to another page.
Watch out for repeated sounds
The editorial process will usually catch repeated written words, but similar sounding words can hit the same audio note in narration. You might not notice them in the text, as they are spelled differently.
The words ‘you,’ ‘blue,’ ‘tattoo,’ and ‘interview’ all start and end with different letters. They look different on the page, but they strike the same audio note when read aloud.
Repetition can work if it is deliberate, but sometimes it jars the listener if it is overused.
For more on narrating, producing, and selling audiobooks, check out my book Audio for Authors: Audiobooks, Podcasting and Voice Technologies.
Questions:
• How can you edit your manuscript for audio? What aspects do you need to check?
• Do you need to create additional resources, like shortened links or PDF downloads of visual elements, for audio listeners?
Resources:
• Audio for Authors: Audiobooks, Podcasting and Voice Technologies — Joanna Penn
