Hey everyone, welcome back to the Audiobook Lovin’ Podcast!
It’s been a while since our last episode in July, and I’ll be honest: I needed the break. I was dealing with major burnout, burning the candle at both ends and the middle.
Okay - you can listen and/or read what's below.
What’s Been Going On?
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June was Audiobook Month, which means the Audiobook Lovin’ Series took over the entire month (as it always does).
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July was spent preparing for the Sultry Listeners Awards nomination period in August.
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Then September happened… and now it’s nearly gone! I feel like I didn’t get much done, but at the same time, I’ve been running non-stop.
In the middle of all that, I also launched a new business with one of my besties Enchantress Creations. It’s where the healing power of herbs meets the enchantment of magick. We focus on organic plants that nurture both body and spirit. Think of it as herbal + woo-woo + book lover goodies. (Because let’s be real, I’ll never stray far from books!)
Asking the Hard Question
With everything happening, I had to stop and ask myself:
Do I want to keep doing this podcast?
The show started as a passion project between two best friends who loved audiobooks. When Kelly stepped back to run her business, it became a one-woman production. What was supposed to be a hobby eventually turned into something that costs time, money, and energy, without actually generating income.
Fast forward: we’re in season 7 of the podcast, the Audiobook Lovin’ Series has celebrated 11 years, and the reality is that producing this show costs money, sound engineer, hosting, marketing, graphics, software, equipment, and more.
How the Podcast Stays Alive
We currently have a Patreon where supporters get early access to episodes, exclusive content, and fun extras like:
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Would You Rather
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Dinner Party Guest
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F/M/K with characters authors have written or narrators have voiced
It’s a small but mighty group, and I love them. But I’ve never wanted to put the main show behind a paywall—I want everyone to have access to discovering new books, authors, and narrators.
Affiliate marketing (Libro.fm, Amazon) hasn’t brought in more than $5 in six months. Which leaves me with big decisions: Do I scale back to just the June series? Do I produce one episode per month instead of two?
Moving Forward
Here’s the plan for the podcast:
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Sponsorships & Ads – Ad space for authors, narrators, and production companies. Patreon will offer ad-free episodes.
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Patreon Revamp – More interactive content and new perks alongside the existing ones.
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Donations – A one-time donation option for those who don’t want subscriptions.
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YouTube Expansion – Hosting episodes on YouTube with plans to monetize through the Partner Program.
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Merchandise – Relaunching simple items like logo-based merch, with room to expand.
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Better Marketing – Showcasing the podcast’s role as the first audiobook-focused podcast and highlighting our groundbreaking history.
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Future Goals – Hiring a manager, updating equipment, supporting our sound engineer, and taking the show to live events.
Thank You!!
The Audiobook Lovin’ Podcast has always been about celebrating the audiobook community and connecting listeners with the voices and stories they love. None of this would be possible without your support.
Thank you for listening, sharing, and cheering us on. Exciting things are coming soon—stay tuned, and as always, Happy Listenings!!
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`·-*Viviana*
