Boutique self-publishing company Atavist has introduced the support for Amazon Whispersync for audiobooks and ebooks. This will allow customers to listen to an audiobook and then pick up right where they left off with the ebook edition. Each book title is around $1.99 and discounts are currently available if you want to buy both. Currently there are around twelve different books available.
Atavist adheres to the publishing model for short-form non-fiction works. The company specializes in limited word count pieces and with plans to expand that platform to accepting authors’ submissions later this year. Atavist is reviving interest in the previously much-lauded essay format, much like Kindle Singles has encouraged the publication of non-anthologized short stories.
Whispersync for Voice is one of the newest features Amazon unveiled when it first announced the new Kindle Fire HD line. Many people who listen to audiobooks often feel a disconnect when reading and listening. Whispersync for Voice makes things easier if you are the type that purchases both.
So how do indie authors and small publishing companies contribute their assets and get themselves setup for this program? Amazon outlines the KDP pipeline by saying, “Currently, not all books are enabled for these new features, but the Audible team is working to increase the number of books enabled. If your book is already available on Audible.com, you can contact Audible’s customer care team to discuss Whispersync for Voice and Immersion Reading … From the time you start the production process, we estimate that it will take about 3 to 8 weeks to complete the audiobook, depending on the length of the book and the producer’s schedule. Once the finished audiobook is approved by you, it typically takes up to 14 business days to get the audiobook into stores. The work done during this time ensures that the audiobook is packaged correctly and ready for retail distribution, and enables it for Whispersync for Voice and Immersion Reading.”
You can learn more about Whispersync for Voice and Immersion Reading by visiting the KDP page on it, HERE.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
