For independent authors
Your audiobook can sound every bit as considered as your book reads.
Get the production experience of a major publisher with a process built around one author, one story, and one clear point of contact.
The author advantage
Creative control, backed by an experienced ear.
Publishing independently means you make the calls. It should not mean making every call alone. The Papaya Club helps you decide whether to hire a narrator, how to shape the voice and tone, and how to prepare for recording. We also help you choose a distribution path and can carry the project through publication.
Founder Lawrence Carroll IV brings experience across a broad catalog of publisher productions, including work for Macmillan Audio, Penguin Random House, and more, as well as titles recognized by the Audies, AudioFile, the National Book Foundation, and the New York Times.
The process
Calm, collaborative, clear.
A disciplined production path keeps the creative work expansive and the logistics simple.
- 01
Listen
Goals, manuscript, audience, and timeline.
- 02
Shape
Talent, scope, sound, and review plan.
- 03
Produce
Direction, recording, editing, fine tuning.
- 04
Deliver
Quality-controlled, platform-ready masters.
What you walk away with
Ready to publish. Ready to be heard.
- A human guideClear communication at every milestone
- Directed performanceA voice and pace that fit the text
- Clean, consistent audioCarefully edited from chapter to chapter
- Professional masteringBalanced, clear, and platform-ready
- Quality-controlled filesReviewed for technical and listening issues
What authors ask first
The decisions behind the decision.
What will it cost to turn my book into an audiobook?
The biggest variables are manuscript length, narrator choice, recording needs, editing complexity, and whether the production includes music, sound design, or multiple voices. Once we review your manuscript and goals, we can give you a clear, project-specific scope instead of a vague package price.
Should I narrate the book myself or hire a professional narrator?
That depends on the book, your audience, your performance comfort, and how closely your voice is tied to the work. Memoir, expertise-led nonfiction, and author-driven platforms can benefit from the author’s voice. Fiction and performance-heavy books may benefit from a professional narrator. We can help you compare the options honestly before you commit.
How early should I start if I have a publication date in mind?
Start the conversation once the manuscript is nearly final and you know your intended release window. Casting, recording, pickups, editing, proof-listening, mastering, and approvals all need room. We will work backward from your date and tell you what is realistic before production begins.
I recorded at home. Is the audio good enough to use?
Sometimes it is, and sometimes a clean re-record is more efficient than trying to rescue every chapter. Send us a representative sample. We will listen for room noise, reflections, mic technique, consistency, performance, and editability, then explain what can be repaired and what should be recorded again.
How much creative control will I have?
You remain close to the decisions that shape the book. We agree on the narration approach, casting direction, tone, review points, and any music or sound-design choices before those decisions become expensive to change. Our role is to guide the process and make the technical work clear, not take the story away from you.
What exactly will I receive at the end?
You receive organized, quality-controlled masters prepared to the specifications of your chosen distribution platform, along with the supporting files defined in your scope. Before we begin, we will confirm delivery format, naming, chapter structure, and who is responsible for uploading and publishing.
Planning an audiobook project?
