What is an audiobook? Your comprehensive guide to finding out what you want about audiobooks

Nashir.App is the first platform in the world to produce audiobooks through crowdfunding, because we believe in the value and importance of audiobooks and we have a great effort to develop knowledge in the Arab world. In this article, we talk about 5 important reasons that will encourage you to use a publisher platform, and fund books that you want to publish audio.

1. There are no boundaries between you and books

Imagine that you are an Arab person living in North America or Western Europe, for example, how can you easily access the content of books that suit you in these countries? We notice that there is a disconnect between knowledge and the customers who live in these areas, and we know that they face many challenges.

Therefore, one of our biggest goals in Nashir.App is eliminating the boundaries between you and the books you prefer, and we help you listen to all kinds of Arabic books that you want. You will get these books in an eloquent Arabic voice, which makes you feel as if you are in your original homeland.

2. Audiobook is the future

In 2020, the value of the global audiobook market reached $5.36 billion. The audiobook market is expected to continue to grow in the coming years, reaching more than $35 billion by 2030. Forecasts indicate that the annual growth rate will be more than 26.3%.

These numbers underscore the growth in the audiobook market, which is now close in value to both print and e-books. The reason for this is due to the ease of use of the audiobook, and the preference of the younger rising generations for it at the expense of the rest of the genres.

Also read: What is an audiobook? Your comprehensive guide to finding out what you want about audiobooks

Therefore, with the expected growth in the audiobook market, we believe that in the future the audiobook will not be a second stage after publishing the book in paper or electronic format. Rather, the goal from the outset may be to produce an audiobook and publish it in this format, due to its ease of acquisition and the unique experience that users get through it.

3. No restrictions on knowledge

The publishing process is always subject to geographical restrictions, as it is affected by the governing policies and regulations followed in each country. The noticeable thing is that the more realistic the books become and the more their author talks about serious topics that have an impact on the society in which they are published, the more likely they will be subject to censorship, and the book may be banned after its publication, or even the production process will stop completely.

In Nashir, we believe that we can overcome these restrictions, and deal with the various challenges facing book publishing in the Arab world. In a publisher, we decide what we want to listen to, and we take it upon ourselves to publish the books we see fit. You can choose the book you want and upload it to the platform, and we will share with you the task of publishing it in audio.

4. An opportunity for a writer for a real extra income

Over the past years, publishing has become a difficult way for writers to make a profit, which may affect their continuity in publishing.

What are the difficulties faced by the writers?

Writers face various challenges and difficulties. Examples of these difficulties are:

publishing costs

Publishing costs have risen over the years, so have the prices of materials used in production such as paper, ink, and printing. Of course besides the costs of importing these materials if they are obtained from abroad.

Profit division mechanism between the publisher and the writer

The mechanism for dividing profits differs between the publisher and the writer, and in most cases, these divisions do not bring good income to the writer, as the writer may find himself, in the end, getting only a small percentage of the sale of the book, which may not exceed a quarter in some cases.

Book price

A publishing house often needs to price a book appropriately in order to make a profit. This counteracts the purchasing power of readers, who often cannot afford these prices, and results in lower book sales.

How do these difficulties affect writers?

All these difficulties affect the writers and make them not make enough profits, and the writer has one of two options as follows:

abundance of production

To achieve more profits, the writer will work to intensify his production. Instead of writing a book because he has an idea that he wants to discuss and present to the public, he is forced to write continuously just to keep publishing. This often comes at the expense of the quality of the production, because the writer here does not present works of value, but turns more to the business that makes sales.

Reducing literary production

After all, a writer is a person who needs to have a source of income, so if books are not a real source of income or a way to enhance it, he will definitely have to look for other sources. In this case, his production of books will decrease, and he may quit writing completely as a result of his preoccupation.

How can we help a publisher deal with these difficulties?

We believe that we need to encourage writers to continue publishing while ensuring that we provide high-quality books, not just publishing. So we share the income with the authors of the books, and this creates an opportunity for them to have an additional source of income.

In this way, the writer can focus on his production and writing books, increasing his production in the required manner, and is keen to present high-quality works, not just to achieve sales and this results in a growth in the entire Arabic content.

5. A revolution in the production of knowledge

Finally, it can be said that these reasons lead us to a greater vision. Creating a powerful revolution in the production of knowledge and enriching Arabic content. Through a publisher, we have a unique platform for audiobooks, which is not subject to restrictions or limits, which helps us achieve our vision.

These five reasons can encourage you to use the Nashir platform, and you can access the practical steps to use the platform from here: How does the Nashir platform work?

Together, we can start a rich journey towards enriching the Arab audio library. The growth of the book industry is always a means for the growth of societies, and we hope, with your help, to be a strong part of this means.