Audiobooks & ACX: Turning Your Book Into Audio and Reaching New Audiences

Audiobooks are no longer optional for authors. Learn how audio expands reach, builds loyalty, and fits into a long-term publishing strategy.

Audiobooks are no longer a niche format. They are a powerful way for authors to reach new audiences, extend the life of their books, and meet readers where they already are. In this episode of the Cosmo Publishing Podcast, host Gürhan, co-founder of Cosmo Publishing and Cosmodio Books, breaks down audiobooks and ACX in a clear, beginner-friendly way, without technical overwhelm or hype.

This episode reframes audiobooks not as a complicated reinvention of your book, but as a natural format expansion. Gürhan explains why more readers are listening instead of reading, how audiobooks fit into daily routines like commuting, exercising, and multitasking, and why audio creates a deeper emotional connection through voice and performance.

You’ll learn how audiobook listeners behave differently from print and ebook readers, including why completion rates are often higher, why loyalty is stronger, and why many listeners consume books across multiple formats. The episode explains why audiobooks often grow more slowly but more steadily, making them a long-term asset rather than a quick launch tool.

The conversation then demystifies ACX in simple terms. Gürhan explains how ACX works, what rights and exclusivity really mean, how authors choose between paid narration and royalty share, and what timelines to expect during production. Realistic expectations are emphasized so authors can make confident decisions without pressure.

This episode also covers how to prepare a book for audio. You’ll learn why clarity, pacing, and structure matter more in audio than in print, how nonfiction and fiction require different considerations, and why reading your manuscript aloud can reveal issues before recording begins.

Marketing audiobooks without starting over is another key focus. Gürhan explains how audio integrates into your existing ecosystem, how series benefit especially well in audio, and why calm, consistent visibility works better than dramatic launches.

The episode closes with a realistic discussion of costs, return on investment, and long-term value, followed by common audiobook mistakes authors make, including rushing production, choosing the wrong narrator, and expecting instant results.

By the end of this episode, audiobooks and ACX will feel clearer and more approachable. You’ll understand when audio makes sense, how to approach it strategically, and how to build a sustainable audiobook mindset that supports long-term growth.

00.23 …. Why Audiobooks Are No Longer Optional
03.47 …. How Audiobook Readers Behave Differently
07.44 …. Understanding ACX in Simple Terms
13.25 …. Preparing Your Book for Audio
19.10 …. Marketing Audiobooks Without Starting Over
23.46 …. Costs, ROI, and Long-Term Value
28.03 …. Common Audiobook Mistakes Authors Make
32.10 …. A Sustainable Audiobook Mindset