An audiobook with virtual voice is a KDP beta offering that uses computer-generated speech technology. As a KDP beta participant, you can create audiobooks from eligible eBooks on your KDP Bookshelf with virtual voice for free at this time.

Contents

• Eligibility
• Before you start
• Create an audiobook with virtual voice
• Listen to and choose a virtual voice
• Update your eBook and/or audiobook
• Promote your audiobook

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Eligibility

To be eligible for an audiobook with virtual voice, your eBook must meet the required criteria. Learn more about eligibility and troubleshooting.

Note: We reserve the right to determine the types of eBooks that we accept in the beta program. We may choose not to accept your eBook for creation of an audiobook or to remove your audiobook from sale at any time.

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Before you start

• Table of contents: a Kindle Interactive (or NCX) table of contents is required to build your audiobook. Please ensure your table of contents is complete, in the correct order, and doesn’t use images for text. Also make sure that all content in your book is contained within a chapter.
• Typos: check spelling and grammar, and complete a proofread of your manuscript.
• Chapter names/numbers: ensure chapter names/numbers are formatted as text (rather than images) or they will not be read to indicate where your listener is in the audiobook.
• Footnotes: ensure footnotes are formatted as superscripts/subscripts so that they’re not included as part of the audiobook’s content.

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Create an audiobook with virtual voice

To create your audiobook:

1. Go to your KDP Bookshelf, and select Add Audible audiobook with virtual voice next to the eligible eBook. It may take up to 15 seconds for your eBook info to process and the audiobook setup page to open.
   
2. On the audiobook setup page, you can choose a book voice from the available options. Audio samples are available to help you decide. You can filter the virtual voices by attributes (e.g., age range). If you don’t select a voice, we’ll assign a default voice. Note: you can change the selected virtual voice after publishing.
3. Enter your list price between $3.99 and $14.99. Learn more about audiobook pricing and royalties.
4. After your audio file is ready, you can preview and edit the narration by selecting Open Virtual Voice Studio, which will open in the same window.
5. When you’ve finished previewing/editing your audio file, select Return to audiobook setup from the top-right corner.
6. Back on the audiobook setup page, select Publish audiobook.

Note that it can take up to 72 hours for your audiobook to appear in the Amazon Store or on Audible, and both your eBook and audiobook will be locked for editing until the audiobook is live.

Important: Your audiobook will be held to the same content quality guidelines as your eBook.

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Listen to and choose a virtual voice

Visit the virtual voice audio samples page to listen to all virtual voice options. You can also listen to samples from the audiobook setup page.

After creating an audiobook from your eligible eBook, you can listen to your audiobook, and choose your book's virtual voice by following the steps below.

Select or change your audiobook's virtual voice

1. Go to your KDP Bookshelf, and select Continue setup next to the audiobook you want to edit.
2. On the audiobook setup page, select the virtual voice option. You can listen to the voices using the Play sample link.
3. After you’ve chosen a virtual voice, select Publish audiobook. Any edits you previously made in the Virtual Voice Studio will be transferred to the new virtual voice.

Listen to your audiobook or choose a different virtual voice by chapter

1. Go to your KDP Bookshelf, and select Continue setup next to the audiobook you want to edit.
2. On the audiobook setup page, click Open Virtual Voice Studio.
3. In Virtual Voice Studio, select Change voice from the menu at the top of the screen. A popup window will open where you can play samples and select a new book voice to Apply.
   1. To choose different voices for each chapter, select the chapter you want to update, and click Choose Chapter Voice.
   2. After selecting a voice, click Apply to this chapter.
4. When you’ve chosen a virtual voice, select Return to audiobook setup.
5. Back on the audiobook setup page, select Publish audiobook. Any edits you previously made in the Virtual Voice Studio will be transferred to the new virtual voice.

Note: The book voice will be used for any chapter where you don't apply a chapter voice. You can update the book voice on the audiobook setup page or in the Virtual Voice Studio. Your book voice updates won't change any of your chapter voice selections.

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Update your eBook and/or audiobook

Book detail updates
Your audiobook is created from your eBook using its existing book details, such as the title and author name. These book details (also called metadata) cannot be changed on the audiobook independently of the eBook.

To make book details/metadata updates, you will need to edit your eBook. You will then be prompted to automatically apply the same updates to the audiobook version.

Manuscript edits
If you publish updates to your eBook manuscript, you’ll be prompted to review the updates to your audio file and publish your updated audiobook. Note that we will merge previous audio updates to your narration with your updated eBook manuscript so you do not need to re-edit your audio.

Audiobook-specific changes

There are three types of changes you can make directly in your audiobook setup without updating your eBook: edit your list price, select a different virtual voice, or modify the audio. If required, you will be prompted to set your start reading location (SRL) before you publish your audiobook.

Note: All audiobook updates can take up to 72 hours to appear in the Amazon Store or on Audible, and both your eBook and audiobook will be locked for editing until the audiobook is live.

Edit your list price

1. Go to your KDP Bookshelf, and select Continue setup next to the audiobook you want to edit.
2. On the audiobook setup page, under Pricing and royalties, enter your audiobook list price.
3. Select Publish audiobook.

Learn more about audiobook pricing and royalties

Select a different virtual voice

1. Go to your KDP Bookshelf, and select Continue setup next to the audiobook you want to edit.
2. On the audiobook setup page, select the virtual voice option. You can listen to the voices using the Play sample link.
3. After you’ve chosen a virtual voice, select Publish audiobook.

Edit pauses, voice speed, and pronunciation

1. Go to your KDP Bookshelf, and select Continue setup next to the audiobook you want to edit.
2. On the audiobook setup page, select Open Virtual Voice Studio. Learn how to edit narration including pauses, pronunciation, and voice speed.
3. When you’re finished editing your audio, select Return to audiobook setup.
4. Back on the audiobook setup page, select Publish audiobook.

If you have feedback on the audiobook setup or Virtual Voice Studio, please complete our survey. The survey is hosted by Qualtrics, so you'll visit their site to fill it out.

For specific guidelines on pronunciation, see the Virtual Voice Studio pronunciation guide.

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Promote your audiobook

During the beta, you can promote your published audiobooks on social media and through author newsletters as you would other published titles. However, please note that the following promotion products/features are not available at this time:

• A+ Content
• Amazon Ads
• KDP Select promotions
• Pre-orders

Please keep in mind, the author experience for the audiobook beta is confidential under the KDP Terms and Conditions, so please don’t share or discuss any specifics or take screenshots of the KDP help pages or website.

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The survey is hosted by Qualtrics, so you'll visit their site to fill it out.