Brandon Sanderson, a famous fantasy author, shared on March 5 that he met with Audible to talk about author payments. He mentioned that audiobooks from his Kickstarter project might be on Audible soon.
Sanderson is a big-time author and entrepreneur. In 2022, he ran an epic Kickstarter campaign, raising a whopping $41.75 million from over 185,000 supporters. This cash was meant to publish four “secret novels,” including two in his famous Cosmere world. However, he didn’t put these books on Audible because of problems with how authors are paid there.
Sanderson hoped his action would inspire change, not out of spite but to highlight a system favouring audio platforms over authors. He believed in Audible’s appreciation for books and writers and aimed to inspire positive change. Now, he notes that such change seems achievable because of this effort.
While video game creators and musicians got 70-80% from digital sales, Audible paid authors as low as 25-40%. He could’ve negotiated better for himself but chose to take a stand for everyone. The plan worked! Sanderson shared that three important people from Audible came to his offices.
Sanderson felt authors weren’t getting a fair deal in the industry, so they came to talk about a new way for smaller writers and publishers to get paid royalties. With the new changes, Audible will pay authors monthly instead of quarterly.
They’ll also provide a spreadsheet showing how the money is divided. Authors can now track how Audible splits the money between books bought with credits, and those listened to on Audible Plus.
He mentioned, “Due to this, the Secret Projects will soon be available on Audible.” Sanderson views Audible positively and has chosen to collaborate with them again. Audible pledged to introduce its updated royalty system for all authors by 2024, with Sanderson planning to test it in the upcoming month.
Sanderson noted, “In the past, authors like himself have driven significant change in the industry.” He sees this development as a win for everyone, leading to happier authors who can earn a better living. It is beneficial, especially for those who are struggling in the midlist. He believes this contributes to a livelier and more diverse literary world.
This is a reminder of what Taylor Swift did in 2018. She requested that Universal Music Group share the profits from selling its $1B+ stake in Spotify with musicians signed to the label. It’s like when she stood up for fellow artists to get a fair deal.
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.
