Listening habits are shifting. Tools for production are becoming more affordable through human and AI narration. One major platform is seeking to help authors create audiobooks of their shorter works. All in all, short audiobooks are becoming a viable and useful format for authors
Why Short-Form Audio, and Why Now?
“Ten to twenty thousand words is roughly one to two hours in length—which coincidentally is about the same amount of time most people spend sitting in traffic, running on a treadmill, or washing their dishes in a day.” — Leah Kleynhans, Spotify.
Listeners are increasingly looking for content that fits into tight timeframes—commutes, workouts or short breaks—and shorter audiobooks are ideal to fill that gap.
Leah Kleynhans, audiobooks producer at Spotify, says: “Spotify listeners are hungry for short, dynamic content—something many indie authors excel at creating.”
She notes that short-form content can bring a new audience to audiobooks, as they can try a book without the time commitment of eight or 10 hours.
In the broader audio landscape, shorter formats are helping bridge the gap between podcasts and full-length audiobooks. Spotify has long seen success with bite-sized listening—especially for commuters and multitaskers who are seeking books that fit their busy schedules.
“One to two hours of listening is about the same amount of time most people spend sitting in traffic, running on a treadmill or washing their dishes in a day,” says Leah.
A number of newer platforms are also experimenting with short-form audio. Spoken, a startup launched in 2023, offers AI and voice actor narration and direct streaming. “We’re seeing increased interest from indie authors who want to monetize shorter works in audio,” says Phil Marshall, co-founder of Spoken.
And for authors, shorter audiobooks have the advantage of lighter production costs.
What ALLi Authors Are Saying
“AI narration makes a huge amount of sense for short books. Though I do worry a lot of casual authors won’t check the audio generated at all.” — Tim Lewis
Delaney Diamond, who publishes romance, has produced a 32-minute audiobook and has also published audio novellas under 25,000 words. She says short audio serves a clear purpose for both creative expression and reader engagement.
“Short-form audio is another way to share a sample of my work—just like the excerpts and free short stories I post on my website,” Delaney says. “It’s a quick way for readers to experience my storytelling style, especially if they’re short on time.”
Delaney used a human narrator for her audiobook but is excited about the new AI narration tools. “Eventually, I’d like to put all my short stories into audio so readers will have the option of reading or listening. ElevenLabs text-to-speech technology will allow me to do that at a fraction of the cost of hiring a narrator.”
Tim Lewis, who publishes sci-fi, speculative fiction and YA fiction, has been experimenting with Amazon’s new AI audiobook beta for his novellas. He recently used the tool to produce an audiobook version of his time travel novella Timeshock: I Want My Life Back, and documented the process on LinkedIn.
Tim is in favor of using AI for shorter works but urges authors not to skip quality control. “AI narration makes a huge amount of sense for short books,” he says. “Though I worry a lot of authors won’t check the audio generated at all.”
Tim also warns that while the creation process with Amazon was smooth, the tool currently limits distribution to the US market.
Where you can sell short-form audio
You can distribute your short audiobooks on all the major platforms. But bear in mind that some listeners on Audible prefer longer books to get better value for their credits. On Spotify, though, the subscription system counts listening time, not credits. If a listener finishes a two-hour book, they still have plenty of hours left for other content.
And of course you can sell your short audiobooks on your own website store.
The new Spotify program for short fiction
Spotify recently launched a new program to help indie authors make audio works between 10,000 and 20,000 words, one to two hours of audio, which it will release as a curated library of short audiobooks. Leah Kleynhans says the idea grew out of data on listening trends and also feedback from authors. “Authors want a publishing partner who can make audiobook production a financially viable and enjoyable experience.”
Spotify will pay an advance and royalties, manage all aspects of production (narration, editing, mastering) and distribute the finished audiobook to major audiobook retailers (including, of course, Spotify itself). The author retains the rights to publish their work in other formats (print, e-book) on any platform they choose.
Submissions are invited in specific genres – romance, mystery/thriller, and sci-fi/fantasy fiction. Cross-genre books like romantasy or mystery sci-fi are also eligible, but erotica and children's content are not.
Authors can submit through a dedicated form on Spotify’s website and submissions are chosen on a rolling basis. All submissions are evaluated by Spotify’s team, and narration is done by human voice talent.
A Note on Author Rights and Ownership
As AI narration tools become more accessible, indie authors are navigating new questions about rights, cost and control. While Spotify’s short-form program uses only human narrators, many authors are exploring AI narration, using platforms like ElevenLabs or Amazon’s AI audio beta to reduce the cost and complexity of production.
If you’re using AI tools, always read the licensing terms carefully, especially if uploading content to third-party platforms. Ensure you retain control over your rights and understand where and how your work is being used.
Always evaluate new services carefully and consult the ALLi Watchdog Desk for guidance.
Final Thoughts
Short-form audio is gaining ground. Listener demand is growing, and audio tools are evolving quickly, which makes audio more cost effective for authors. And Spotify’s new short-audio program will pay authors and take care of production costs if their work is suitable. It’s worth considering how you might use short-form audio to reach new audiences and release your existing works in new formats.
Thoughts or further questions on this post or any self-publishing issue?
If you’re an ALLi member, head over to the SelfPubConnect forum for support from our experienced community of indie authors, advisors, and our own ALLi team. Simply create an account (if you haven’t already) to request to join the forum and get going.
Non-members looking for more information can search our extensive archive of blog posts and podcast episodes packed with tips and advice at ALLi's Self-Publishing Advice Center.
