Writing For Audio First With Jules Horne
The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers
Joanna Penn
4.8 • 745 Ratings
🗓️ 30 June 2025
⏱️ 57 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
How is the rise of AI changing the world of audiobooks for authors and narrators? Can a synthetic voice ever capture the nuance of human performance, and what does it mean to write for the ear, not just the eye? Jules Horne talks about the seismic shifts in the audiobook industry and how you can adapt your writing process for an audio-first world.
In the intro, using AI tools in the editing business [Words to Write By Podcast]; Fair use ruling for generative AI [BBC; Publishers Weekly; Alicia Wright interview]; I'm also on various podcasts talking about author branding, longevity, and creating over the long term [Writing With Purpose; The Authors Lounge; Bookfunnel Podcast].
Plus, Pèlerinage: Seule sur trois chemins anciens pour réinventer ma vie; Traveling by Cruise Ship on Books and Travel, my Kickstarter for short story collection, The Buried and the Drowned.
Today's show is sponsored by Draft2Digital, self-publishing with support, where you can get free formatting, free distribution to multiple stores, and a host of other benefits. Just go to www.draft2digital.com to get started.
This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn
Jules Horne is a Scottish playwright, radio dramatist, poet, and fiction writer. She also writes nonfiction for authors, including the very useful Writing for Audiobooks.
You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below.
Show Notes
* The biggest industry shifts in audio, including the move to subscription models like Spotify and the impact of AI narration.
* An honest assessment of the quality of AI voices...
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Creative Pen podcast. I'm Joanna Penn, thriller author and creative entrepreneur, |
| 0:08.0 | bringing you interviews, inspiration and information on writing craft and creative business. |
| 0:14.7 | You can find the episode show notes, your free author blueprint, and lots more at thecreativepen.com. |
| 0:22.5 | And that's Penn with a double N. |
| 0:25.0 | And here's the show. |
| 0:26.6 | Hello, creatives. |
| 0:27.7 | I'm Joanna Penn, and this is episode number 817 of the podcast, and it is Sunday the 29th of June, 2025 as I record this. |
| 0:37.4 | In today's show, I'm talking to Jules Horn about writing for audio. |
| 0:42.2 | We talk about the biggest industry shifts, including the move to subscription models and the impact of AI narration. |
| 0:49.6 | An honest assessment of the quality of AI voices, according to Jules, who has spent many years in this, |
| 0:55.8 | what are the tells and how quickly are they improving, as well as practical tips for adapting |
| 1:00.8 | your non-fiction book for audio from handling visuals and numbers to structuring for |
| 1:05.4 | listener retention, how to write with an audio-first mindset, tips for fiction fiction and more. So that's all coming up in |
| 1:13.0 | the interview section. In Writing, Publishing and AI Things. So my editor, Kristen Tate, is on |
| 1:23.8 | the Words to Write by podcast, talking about how she uses AI tools to help her in her |
| 1:29.7 | editing business and also help those clients who embrace AI become better writers and produce |
| 1:35.5 | better books. Kristen has been my editor for years now, pre-generative AI, and of course I use |
| 1:41.6 | the tools in different ways, and she has also embraced it but of course she says |
| 1:46.0 | it is crucial for authors to communicate their preferences and comfort levels regarding the use of |
| 1:52.1 | AI tools with their editor Kristen has a clear AI policy and adapts her approach based on individual |
| 1:58.1 | needs even turning off certain Microsoft Word features to ensure |
| 2:03.5 | an absolute firewall if requested. So I think this is really important because I obviously say |
... |
Transcript will be available on the free plan in 24 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Joanna Penn, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Joanna Penn and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.