Nad: The Art of Selling Audio Books | Anuj Tikku | Book Review

Nad: The Art of Selling Audio Books

SUBJECT: 3/5
WRITING STYLE: 2.5/5
RESEARCH: 3/5
RELEVANCE: 3.5/5
ENTERTAINMENT: 3/5

“I’ve never listened to an audiobook before, and I have to say it’s a totally different experience. When you read a book, the story definitely takes place in your head. When you listen, it seems to happen in a little cloud all around it, like a fuzzy knit cap pulled down over your eyes”

~ Robin Sloan, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

My Musings

It was in the year 2018 that I first discovered the world of audiobooks and ever since then my reading life has undergone a complete transformation.

I have been listening to audiobooks increasingly and the journey has been a fulfilling one.

Librivox, Audible, and Storytel are one of my absolute favourites when it comes to audiobook apps. And they have become a must-have accessory on my phone.

I recently had the chance to read blogger and author Anuj Tikku’s latest read, “Nad: The Art of Selling Audio Books”; a book that talks about the ABCs of audiobooks.

Read on to know what I think of the book and how was my experience of reading it.

What to expect?

Expect a book that serves as a beginner’s guide into the world of creating and selling audiobooks. Expect a book that draws information from the author’s endeavors in the field.

Expect a short read that doesn’t provide detailed and exhaustive information on the subject.

And finally, expect a book that shares some useful tricks and tips for an audiobook creator and seller.

What is the book all about?

Nad: The Art of Selling Audio Books” is a book that tries to tell us a lot about the world of audiobooks. It is not meant for an audiobook consumer but an audiobook creator.

It educates a reader about the ABCs of audiobook creating, production, and marketing.

From investment and expenses to pricing and royalty earning – the book attempts to answer all money-related questions that a person may have about creating audiobooks.

In the process, the book also sheds some necessary light on related subjects like eBooks, blogging, direct marketing, barter marketing, etc. Thus, giving the reader some bonus tips and tricks.

Who can read?

Since the book is written in an easy language and an unpretentious manner, it can be read by anyone including a beginner level reader.

How good is the writing style?

The writing is a mix of personal experiences, anecdotes, technical know-how, and practical tips about the game.

It is candid and conversational which makes the content of the book much easier to grasp.

It also establishes a connection with the reader at the very beginning of the book.

What kind of research has gone into its making?

Tikku mainly makes use of research that has been collected first hand by him i.e. primary research.

The author relies heavily on his personal experiences to share the art of making and selling audiobooks. This is a book that is short and breezy and hence wouldn’t take much of a reader’s time.

There is other information too – technical and practical inputs that can be used by the reader. But even these talk about the platforms that the author has personally explored.

If you are looking for an exhaustive read that provides all-inclusive information on the subject then you should be looking elsewhere.

What did I like?

I have always appreciated the candid conversational style of the author. Even while writing a book on a nonfiction subject, his writing always inclines towards storytelling.

This is good because it enables a personal connection with the reader and makes the writing all the more interesting.

In addition to that, I love how the author has anticipated and answered many critical and practical questions that a reader might have. His writing is honest and his advice is always sincere.

Anuj talks about minimizing costs and maximizing revenue with the help of his tricks and tips. He narrates his personal experiences of finding a much cheaper but top-class recording studio in Allahabad.

He also doles out advice on how to be an efficient narrator to make the whole process more cost-effective.

What platforms work best to sell your audiobooks? What are their payout terms and uploading requirements? What strategies to use while pricing your book? And how to use unconventional marketing to create a buzz for your book?

These are some of the real-world things that the author enlightens his readers about.

What did I not like?

Nad: The Art of Selling Audio Books” is much better edited and carries far fewer grammatical errors than the rest of the books by the author.

But even then, there are issues in copy editing in addition to other errors. These bring down both the quality of the content and the reader’s experience.

I also did not appreciate the structure of the book. The content is poorly planned and there is no chronology to it.

There could have been separate sections that detailed the author’s personal experiences and separated them from the technical know-how. But the choice of chapter placement is purely random.

Also, many chapters in the latter half of the book carry content that has already been shared in earlier chapters. This makes the book quite monotonous and repetitive.

What could have been better?

The book could have been a little more detailed and could have provided more information on the subject.

While it does give an overall idea on the topic it fails to be a “power-packed” eBook as it proclaims in the conclusion section.

In the end

In the end, “Nad: The Art of Selling Audio Books” is a short introductory read on the subject of audiobooks and their creating, planning, and selling aspects.

It is like an informal ride with the author as he shares his personal experiences as a creator, narrator, producer, marketer, and seller of audiobooks.

The final verdict

Can be read.

Pick the book if

  • You are looking for a beginner’s guide on creating and selling audiobooks.
  • You want to learn from the personal experiences of an audiobook creator.
  • You are looking for a short (>50 pages) read which can be comfortably read in under 2 hours.
  • You like books that are candid and conversational and that share personal experiences of an author.

Skip the book if

  • You are looking for a detailed read on the subject.
  • You don’t like books with mediocre content and poor editing.
  • You are looking for an academic read on the topic.

Can’t wait to read it? Buy your copy of “Nad: The Art of Selling Audio Books” using the link below.

Amazon

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