Introduction to Spotify's Audiobook Publishing Program

Spotify has launched a new publishing program that enables independent authors to submit their short-form stories for consideration as audiobooks. The program is an expansion of Spotify's existing audiobooks efforts and aims to provide a platform for emerging writers to reach a wider audience.

The company is looking for stories across three genres: romance, mystery or thriller, and sci-fi or fantasy. Authors are encouraged to submit cross-genre works, such as romantasy, dark romance thriller, or mystery sci-fi. However, submissions of erotica or children's content will not be considered.

The selected stories will be produced and distributed by Spotify, with authors receiving an advance and royalties. The program will allow Spotify to compete more directly with Audible, which offers exclusive audiobooks to its subscribers.

Spotify's Expansion into Audiobooks

Spotify first entered the audiobooks market with the acquisition of digital audiobook distributor Findaway in 2021. The company has since rolled out free audiobook listening to Spotify Premium subscribers and has been working to expand its catalog, including the addition of audiobooks narrated by ElevenLabs' AI voice technology.

The new publishing program is a significant step forward for Spotify's audiobooks efforts, providing a platform for independent authors to reach a global audience. With its large user base and existing music and podcast infrastructure, Spotify is well-positioned to become a major player in the audiobooks market.