Michael Lewis is one of my favorite authors. Years ago, before I became an avid reader of non-fiction books, his books, and the Dirk Pitt novels written by Clive Cussler, were some of the only books I read. Moneyball and the Blind Side becoming some of my favorites, well before they became hit movies. My fandom shows no signs of waning either. His latest book, The Undoing Project, is at the top of my to do list, as is one of his older books about Silicon Valley, The New New Thing. I’m pretty much at the point now where I would read anything he writes. The topic almost doesn’t matter. He’s that good.
Unfortunately, it looks like I may never have the chance to read anything else he writes ever again. At least not in the traditional sense. For he’s no longer writing books. But all hope is not lost. He’ll still be creating stories. It’s just that if I want to enjoy them I’ll have to listen to them.
As the New York Times describes:
“When Michael Lewis had an idea for his next book, a contemporary political narrative, he decided he would test it out first as a 10,000-word magazine article, as he often does before committing to a years-long project.
But this time he made a surprising pivot. Instead of publishing the story in Vanity Fair, where he has been a contributing writer for nearly a decade, he sold it to Audible, the audiobook publisher and retailer.
‘You’re not going to be able to read it, you’re only going to be able to listen to it,’ Mr. Lewis said. ‘I’ve become Audible’s first magazine writer.’”
This is a very interesting turn of events IMO as authors seek to take more control of how their ideas get out into the world. Similar to how some comedians like Louis CK are selling content directly to fans, Audible exclusives could be how authors bypass the traditional publishing house model, giving them unprecedented control, over not only their stories, but their own narrative as well. Especially since Lewis will also be narrating his story as well, adding an additional layer to the experience that will allow him to connect with his fans on a more intimate level.
If our use of emoji have brought us back full circle to the days of hieroglyphics and markings on cave walls then could it be said that Audible is bringing us back full circle to the days of passing down stories through song and spoken word like we did for hundreds of years before the advent of papyrus and paper? Homer’s Iliad, one of the greatest stories ever told, is actually believed to have originated as an oratory tale. The reason why it’s written the way that it is, with its repetitive plot, and weird way of describing characters every time they appear, is to make it easier to remember for its various narrators. In fact, there’s no historical record of anyone named Homer having ever existed at all.
So, could it be that we’re about to return to that great oral tradition? Passing down stories from generation to generation with Audible and authors like Michael Lewis leading the way as we undergo a fundamental shift in the way that we consume media? Or is this just a passing fad? An ode to the current pop culture obsession with podcasts as busy Millennials try to multi-task their way to the top in today’s hyper-competitive, always-on society.
Only time will tell. But I get the sense that it’s more than a fad. As more and more authors sign up for this business model it paves the way for even more authors to get presented with the opportunity, creating a cycle that becomes impossible to stop once it reaches a certain scale. The publishing industry getting disrupted by Audible’s exclusives, the same way that Netflix originals disrupted Hollywood. And while traditional books will never truly go away, (too many people like the tactile experience of reading a physical book) it’s certainly possible that Audible cuts into how much people read on their Kindles, iPads, or phones or how many podcasts get listened to.
All in all, it’s clear that Michael Lewis isn’t going to be the last big name author to sign with Audible as the floodgates are now officially open. How many more will follow and how will the publishing landscape be altered by this fundamental shift? It’s a story that will be worth following in its own right. Maybe one day you’ll be listening to me on Audible as I tell it.
Are Audible Exclusives the Greatest Idea Ever?
Leave a comment