Publishing · Audiobooks

Carry the book’s voice into a new format.

We review the text, pronunciation requirements, narration approach and intended formats before production is scoped.

Specialist reviewConfidentialNo obligation
ScriptNarration-ready manuscript preparation
VoiceNarrator and production requirements
AudioRecording, editing and quality review
Complimentary assessment

Get a complimentary Audiobooks assessment.

Share your manuscript and production goals so we can assess the audiobook scope.

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Service delivery

Is the manuscript ready for recording?

We review the text, pronunciation requirements, narration approach and intended formats before production is scoped.

Review
Is the manuscript ready for recording?

Late manuscript changes can require rerecording. Resolve the text and specialist pronunciation questions before committing to the recording stage.

VoiceNarrator and production requirements
AudioRecording, editing and quality review
ReleaseFiles and distribution within the agreed scope
Stonebridge delivery path

Audiobook production

Is the book ready to become an audiobook?

AudiobooksScope stays evidence-led
01
Review the book

Book review and audio production plan

02
Choose the voice

Narrator direction, sample reads, and voice selection

03
Coordinate recording

Recording coordination and chapter-by-chapter production

04
Check and prepare files

Editing, mastering, and file-quality review

The sequence is illustrative of the review framework. The written engagement confirms the actual scope.

Where the work needs clarity

Is the manuscript ready for recording?

We review the text, pronunciation requirements, narration approach and intended formats before production is scoped.

01

Voice matched

narrator fit and direction approved

02

Production-ready

recording, editing and mastering coordinated

03

Client-reviewed

pronunciation and corrections controlled

Audiobooks review

Is the book ready to become an audiobook?

Audio production has decisions that do not arise in print: voice, pronunciation, chapter pacing and consistency across recorded files. Stonebridge connects narrator direction with production and platform preparation.

Request the assessment →
01

Which voice suits the material?

Use narrator samples to assess tone, pacing and the way the intended listener should experience the book.

02

Is the recording text stable?

Resolve text changes and pronunciation questions before they create repeat recording work.

03

What needs to be delivered?

Review chapter files, editing, mastering and the preparation required for the selected audio platforms.

Our Book Portfolio

From manuscript to market, built around the book.

Explore the book collection. Each title identifies the publishing, editorial or marketing work delivered.

New York Times & USA TODAY Bestseller
Rewind It Back cover

Development, Publishing & Marketing

Rewind It Back

Liz Tomforde

Romance

Then You Happened cover

Publishing & Marketing

Then You Happened

K. Bromberg

Romance

Text Prize Winner
It Sounded Better in My Head cover

Publishing & Marketing

It Sounded Better in My Head

Nina Kenwood

Young Adult / Contemporary

3× Bestseller
Seeds and Trees cover

Publishing & Marketing

Seeds and Trees

Brandon Walden

Children’s picture book

Sell Your Crafts Online cover

Publishing & Marketing

Sell Your Crafts Online

James Dillehay

Business

How To: $10M cover

Publishing & Marketing

How To: $10M

William Brown

Business

Global Book Awards Gold
The Business Case for AI cover

Publishing & Marketing

The Business Case for AI

Kavita Ganesan

Business

B.R.A.G. Medallion
Tōru: Wayfarer Returns cover

Development & Publishing

Tōru: Wayfarer Returns

Stephanie R. Sorensen

History

Available deliverables

Audiobooks: the work to scope.

The full engagement is scoped after the initial review; these items are not all included in the free audit. Read the full service scope.

Narrator selection support

Audio production coordination

Editing and mastering

Retail-ready audio files

ACX and platform preparation

Audiobook distribution planning

Audiobooks workflow

From narrator selection to prepared audio files.

Book review and audio production plan. The next stages follow the agreed service scope.

01

Review the book

Book review and audio production plan

02

Choose the voice

Narrator direction, sample reads, and voice selection

03

Coordinate recording

Recording coordination and chapter-by-chapter production

04

Check and prepare files

Editing, mastering, and file-quality review. Platform preparation and distribution coordination.

Scope assurance

Audiobooks: responsibilities and limits.

Narration, production, mastering and distribution support are confirmed in the engagement. A prepared audiobook still goes through each platform’s own review; acceptance and sales are not controlled by Stonebridge.

  • Narrator selection support
  • Audio production coordination
  • Editing and mastering
Project fit

Is this the right stage for audiobooks?

Is the book ready to become an audiobook?

Strong fit

  • ✓ A book with a stable text and clear audio-production objective
  • ✓ An author or publisher able to approve voice samples and production decisions

Not a fit

  • × Recording before substantial manuscript revisions are resolved
  • × A requirement for guaranteed platform acceptance or audiobook sales
Related client work

Publishing, editorial and book marketing work

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Dr. Raymond J. Steffen

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Dolev Erez

Dolev Erez

Taking The Art of Thinking in Graphs from editorial development through marketing

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Jonathan E. Sterling

Jonathan E. Sterling

Building a practical critical-thinking title from editing through global marketing

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How is the right narrator selected for my audiobook?

Stonebridge starts with the book itself: genre, audience, tone, character requirements, author preference, and the kind of listening experience the book should create. We then coordinate narrator selection and sample reads so the voice is evaluated before full production. The right narrator for a memoir may be completely different from the right narrator for children's fiction, business nonfiction, or a dramatic novel. The selection is based on fit rather than simply choosing the first available voice.

Can I choose or approve the narrator before full production begins?

Yes. Narrator approval is part of the production process. Stonebridge can arrange sample reads so the client can hear how the voice works with the actual material before the complete book is recorded. This gives the author a chance to approve the direction, pronunciation, tone, and general performance style. Once a narrator and production direction are approved, full recording can move forward with much less risk of major changes later.

How long does it take to record, edit, master, and publish an audiobook?

A typical Stonebridge audiobook project is approximately three weeks, although the exact timeline depends on the length of the book, narrator availability, revision requirements, and platform preparation. A short book can move faster than a long or performance-heavy title. Stonebridge confirms the schedule after reviewing the manuscript and the intended distribution plan. Recording is only one part of the process; editing, mastering, quality review, files, metadata, and platform preparation also need to be completed properly.

What happens if I want changes to the narration after hearing the recording?

The client reviews the work during the production process. Corrections involving mispronunciations, missed text, technical issues, or performance problems can be addressed within the agreed revision structure. The best way to avoid large re-recording requirements is to approve the narrator and direction through sample reads before full recording begins. If a client changes the creative direction after substantial approved recording has already been completed, the additional work may require a revised scope.

Who owns the completed audiobook and audio files?

Stonebridge's standard position is client ownership of the approved final work. The client receives the completed audiobook files included in the agreement and retains the rights to the underlying book. Any narrator, music, sound-effect, or third-party licensing terms are addressed as part of the production agreement so the client understands what can be used and where. Stonebridge does not take ownership of the client's audiobook simply because it coordinated production.

Where can the audiobook be distributed, and what is the difference between exclusive and non-exclusive distribution?

Stonebridge can prepare and plan distribution across suitable audiobook channels, including Audible, Apple, Spotify, Kobo, Storytel, Chirp, Audiobooks.com, OverDrive, and other appropriate platforms. An exclusive arrangement generally limits distribution to a defined platform or network in exchange for that platform's terms. A non-exclusive structure provides broader flexibility across multiple channels. Stonebridge reviews the client's objectives before recommending the distribution route rather than assuming one model is best for every author.

Complimentary assessment →
Complimentary assessment →