Spoken

The self-publishing revolution gave writers the power to reach audiences like never before—but access to professional-quality audio has remained locked behind outdated barriers. Spoken is changing that. Built by storytellers, for storytellers, Spoken removes the high costs and complexity of audiobook creation, unlocking a new Spoken Economy for writers of all forms and for readers who love to listen. Creators have reshaped industries through platforms like TikTok and Instagram—it’s time for writers to do the same.

Major milestone! Spoken has officially surpassed 3,000+ registered users and is expanding its free Beta! Indie authors can now narrate, publish, and stream stories with AI-powered audio—at no cost. This is just the beginning of a revolution in audio storytelling. Plus, we’re proud to introduce our strategic advisory board, featuring leaders from publishing, AI, and digital media to help shape this new frontier. Read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/gk-47X5V

We’re thrilled to announce this major milestone on Spoken! Featuring 54 unique characters, all voiced by paid voice actors, "Broken Mirror," showcases the power of immersive storytelling on Spoken. In a fascinating discussion, Joshua and Cody dive into the novel, Cody’s experience using Spoken, and what’s next—for both him and the future of AI-driven narration. Cody shares, "I’m already brainstorming how to use this technology for future projects—it feels like the possibilities are endless." Check out their full interview today here: https://lnkd.in/gt9UQfeQ And explore more of Cody’s work at www.codysisco.com. Be part of the future of storytelling with Spoken.

Author Cody Sisco just made history. His sci-fi novel Broken Mirror is the first full-length book to be fully produced Spoken’s purpose-built studio workflow, and self-published to Spoken's purpose-built streaming network. In a publishing landscape where audiobooks are expensive and time-consuming to produce, Cody has proved that there’s another way—one that dramatically reduces cost, effort, and time, while expanding creative possibilities for indie authors. Check out the interview with Cody, and listen to Broken Mirror: https://lnkd.in/gt9UQfeQ

Spoken V0.8 is Here – Enhancing Discovery On Spoken, Lexicon, and More! We’re excited to introduce Spoken V0.8, an update designed to improve content discovery, personalization, and usability—driven by feedback from our incredible community of writers and listeners. Key Updates in V0.8 On Spoken Revamp – We’ve introduced curated playlists from our content team to make it easier to discover new stories. Soon, users will be able to create and share their own playlists, expanding engagement opportunities for both authors and listeners. Topics of Interest – To improve content personalization, all users now select at least three genres upon sign-up, ensuring tailored recommendations. This feature builds on our existing channel tag system, creating a more intuitive discovery experience. Drag to Reorder – Writers can now reorder projects on their profile pages with a simple drag-and-drop function, making organization and presentation more seamless. New Sign-Up Options – Registration is now even easier with email and password login, streamlining the onboarding process for new users. Terms of Use Update – A new "Key Points" section simplifies important details, along with expanded clarity on third-party services and narration technology integrations. Additional Enhancements – Design refinements, improved spacing, search bug fixes, optimized narration timing, and better project organization tools. This update is just the beginning—more personalization, playlist features, and discovery tools are on the way. For a more in-depth breakdown of this release, visit the Spoken Chronicle Blog—https://buff.ly/41jqm5R

Hot take: Listening is the new Reading. I've been hard at work for the past year and half with old friend Phil Marshall breathing life into Spoken. Figured I'd share a bit of my own back story and where we're headed next! As the youngest (and smallest) kid in my family, I was relegated to the third row seat of our family's old blue suburban on long road trips. I remember our entire family sitting silently for what seemed like hours on our journey as Jim Dale performed for us the first Harry Potter book. It was magical. Reach the end of a chapter? Time to flip the tape! Raise your hand if you've been there. For the most part, I am an audio reader. And I'm not alone! Nearly half of US adults listen to spoken-word content every single day, with it being nearly 40 percent of their daily audio consumption. On the other hand - the world of independent authors is staggeringly large, massively underserved, and struggling to meet this huge appetite for audio storytelling. The Era of Spoken Storytelling is here, and we want help our community understand what that means. Each week, we'll clue you in on our Spoken journey as we peel apart the state-of-the-art while we help storytellers tell their stories. Shout to Stacy, Patrick, and Joshua for helping us wrangle this series together!

Spoken is Attending Author Alchemy Summit! We’re excited to be part of Author Alchemy Summit this weekend, February 14-16, right here in Portland! This incredible event is dedicated to fostering community, education, and business growth for authors, helping them connect with readers and expand their creative careers. A special shoutout to Jessie Kwak, a Portland native, acclaimed sci-fi author, and one of Spoken’s earliest adopters, who plays a key role in making this event such a success. We’re honored to be attending this conference in our own backyard—and we’re even hosting karaoke to celebrate creativity in all its forms! ?? Interested in joining? Use the link below a special discount code with Spoken. We look forward to meeting fellow storytellers and industry professionals—see you there!

We’re thrilled to celebrate another incredible story from Cody Sisco, one of our first authors and a key contributor to what Spoken has become today. Cody’s creativity and commitment to storytelling have played a pivotal role in shaping our platform, and we’re beyond excited to announce that his work is now our first fully completed audiobook on Spoken! This marks a major step forward in our mission to help storytellers tell stories and make high-quality, immersive audio creation more accessible than ever. Experience Cody’s audiobook and discover the future of storytelling on Spoken.

??Exciting News on Spoken?? We’re thrilled to announce that New York Times bestselling author Joseph Nassise has just shared one of his short works on Spoken! His addition to the platform is a testament to the growing community of talented writers bringing their stories to life through immersive audio. With so many new and exciting stories being published every day, now is the perfect time to explore Spoken and experience storytelling in a whole new way. Discover incredible stories. Engage with dynamic narration. Give your writing its voice. Check it out today!

We’re #hiring a new Senior DRM & Audio Engineering Specialist (Contract-to-hire) in Portland, Oregon Metropolitan Area. Apply today or share this post with your network.