Regular readers know that isn't the way the game is played, though. Authors who want to make a living doing this are constantly trying to find new ways to reach their target audience, new places to meet readers who haven't come across them before, and to figure out how to get eyes on their stories. The story will suck them in, but the reader needs to know your book exists in the first place if they're going to read it!
And one option that some of us have used is to make use of the audiences for YouTube stories, as well as for fiction podcasts. And while this indeed can work, there is an extra large asterisk at the end of that statement.
Because it will probably help you... but don't expect to become an overnight bestseller this way.
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| The "can" is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. |
Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Lastly, to be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree!
Lastly, don't forget to check out my Vocal archive for additional fiction, articles, explorations of weird history, and more! And, of course, check me out on Blue Sky, since that's what we're talking about today!
You Can Find An Audience (But There Isn't Always Overlap)
Before we begin, I want to add some clarity in case anyone skipped ahead. I'm not talking about being interviewed on a YouTube channel or a podcast. That is absolutely a step worth taking, and I highly recommend folks do it if they get an opportunity (also, shout out to the YouTube channel Joy on Paper Live! for folks who want to subscribe to a channel where authors big and small talk about their work with PatZi).
As the title suggests, we're talking about adaptations of your work, and whether that will lead to increased numbers of readers and sales on your end of things. And while I wish the answer was a simple yes, sadly, it isn't.
Consideration #1: Size of The Platform, Audience, and View Count
I listed this one first because it really is the biggest consideration. After all, if your work is being adapted by a place like Chilling Tales For Dark Nights or the Pseudopod podcast (wanted to give a shout out to both of them for the work they do) those command hundreds of thousands of listeners, reaching upwards of half a million people. And yes, in theory, that could put your story (and perhaps even more importantly your name) in front of a lot of potential readers!
However, I want to pump the brakes, because platform size alone doesn't guarantee more readers... even if a lot of people listened to your story, and even seem to like it.
For a personal example of what I'm talking about, consider this adaptation of my short story The Final Lamentation, which appeared over on the YouTube channel A Vox in The Void (which I also recommend folks subscribe to, as he does great work).
Some numbers. The channel has roughly 115k subscribers and change, making it a relatively sizable YouTube presence for the dark sci fi niche. The video adaptation has nearly 250,000 views at time of writing, over 8K upvotes, and almost 600 comments from viewers. So, by all metrics, those are some pretty sizable numbers to contend with, and it sounds great, right?
None of those numbers slid back my way, though. The short story in question didn't get a single view (not even from people who wanted to check the original text to see how something was spelled, or to follow along as they listened). During the time this came out I saw no increased traffic on any of my other work, no increases in book sales (even books like my novel Old Soldiers which fits right into the same niche), and no one came poking around my social media pages even though my name is clearly listed in the introduction and in the credits as the author.
With all of that said, though, I didn't get nothing out of this exchange. The popularity of this story did lead to increased name recognition for me, and there were several other creators who reached out to me because of this story. So keep in mind that even in situations where an adaptation doesn't lead to people reading more of your work or buying your books, it can still open doors and present opportunities.
Still, it should be stated that even when the numbers are good for an adaptation's audience, that probably won't sell you a lot of books.
Consideration #2: This is The Audience's Preferred Format
Generally speaking the purpose of an audio adaptation is to hook listeners in with a tale, and then try to lead them to the rest of your archive. However, if you're finding folks who like listening to audio stories on YouTube, or who take in their fiction on podcasts, those might not be people who are interested in buying physical (or even digital) books. Because while some people might enjoy mixing up their mediums, you are also likely to find folks who are audio-only readers.
Perhaps that's because they're a trucker or delivery driver who enjoys hearing stories on their routes, or they listen to their stories while they're in the gym or doing chores and their hands are full. Perhaps a member of your audience has a reading disability, or they have a sight impairment. They might just like audio stories more than holding a book and running their eyes over the page.
And in those cases, no matter how much they liked the adaptation, they aren't going to go and buy a physical book... which is why it's a good idea to make sure you have a back up plan.
As an example, consider the recent episode of The A.L.I.C.E. Files, which features my short story Dead Man's Bluff out of my collection The Rejects. On the one hand, yes, the audio adaptation is here in the hopes that folks will hear it, enjoy it, and that they'll buy a copy of the anthology. However, there isn't an audio book of those short stories that's currently available, nor do any of my existing novels have audio books attached to them. So it's entirely possible that folks who see the episode will just enjoy that one-off, and wander away.
Of course, if you're willing to dramatize your own work (as I did in this video), it has the potential to open up a secondary income stream for you beyond just acting as a hook to find readers for your physical books. Because if you can get viewers to like, subscribe, and keep tuning in then even if they don't buy your books (whatever format they're in), you can still get paid for their eyes and ears when they watch and listen. However, if you're planning on letting other folks adapt your work, consider making sure you have some audio books on-hand to be sure that folks who want to keep listening find something to listen to when they search your name.
Also, while we're here, consider listening and subscribing to The A.L.I.C.E. Files over on YouTube. The channel is fairly new, and every click helps!
It Might Help, But "Might" Is Doing Some Heavy Lifting
Nothing is certain when it comes to being a creative professional. However, you also miss 100% of the shots you don't take. At the end of the day, my recommendation to folks who are considering audio adaptations of their work is that if it isn't going to be a huge cost to you, then you should consider it. Before you invest any time, energy, or money into an adaptation, though, do so with the idea that it is not going to put money back in your pockets.
That way any sales, readers, or earnings are going to be a pleasant surprise!
However, as with any other promotional strategy for your work, it's important to remember that adaptations (and audio in general) follows the same rule as writing; it's a marathon, not a sprint. Just like how writing one novel isn't likely to catapult you to bestseller status, so making one audio book, or one adaptation, probably isn't going to make you a global phenomenon. But if you can keep putting out quality stories time after time, then people are going to start to notice you.
You need to be in it for the long haul. Keep that in mind before you get started.
Support The Literary Mercenary
If you want to see me produce more work, consider some of the following options!
- The Azukail Games YouTube Channel (where I contribute video content)
- The A.L.I.C.E. Files (where many dramatized versions of my stories can be heard for free)
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Also, if you're curious about how to write for tabletop RPGs, don't forget to check out my show Tabletop Mercenary, which you can find on both the Azukail Games channel above!
Like, Follow, and Come Back Again!
That's all for this week's Business of Writing! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, or at My Amazon Author Page where you can find books like my sci-fi dystopian thriller Old Soldiers, the Hardboiled Cat series about a mystery solving Maine Coon in Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, or my most recent short story collection The Rejects!
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