When your audiobook is made, you still have to decide what to hand to the store: one big file or one per chapter, MP3 or WAV, with or without a sample. Get this wrong and the upload is rejected, or the files are inconvenient for listeners. This guide explains the two audio formats, when to choose a single file or separate chapters, how to name and order files, why a sample matters, and how to check files before you upload. The final section shows the choices in Quillen's audiobook export.
The short answer
Use MP3 unless a store tells you otherwise: it is small, universal and what audiobook stores typically ask for. Export one file per chapter if the store expects chapters, and one file for the whole book if you are making a personal copy or the store accepts it. Include a short sample if the store wants one for the listing. Check the store's current file specification before you export, since requirements differ and change. In Quillen, these options are in the Files section of Export, then Audiobook.
MP3 versus WAV
| MP3 | WAV | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Compressed audio | Uncompressed audio |
| File size | Small | Much larger |
| Quality | Very good at audiobook settings | No compression loss |
| Compatibility | Accepted almost everywhere | Accepted by some services; large to upload |
| Best for | Delivering to stores and listeners | Editing the audio further in other software |
For spoken word, a mono MP3 at a moderate bit rate sounds clean and keeps files small. Quillen's MP3 setting is 192 kbps, 44.1 kHz, mono, which it describes as what audiobook stores ask for. WAV is worth choosing only if you plan to edit the audio further.
How big will the files be?
These are rough figures, assuming 192 kbps MP3 and 16-bit mono 44.1 kHz WAV:
| Audiobook length | MP3 (192 kbps) | WAV (16-bit mono) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | about 86 MB | about 318 MB |
| 5 hours | about 432 MB | about 1588 MB |
| 9 hours | about 778 MB | about 2858 MB |
| 12 hours | about 1037 MB | about 3810 MB |
That is why WAV is rarely sensible for a whole novel: a nine-hour book runs to gigabytes.
One file or one per chapter?
- One file for the whole book is convenient for a personal copy, a quick check, or a store that accepts a single file. It is awkward for listeners to navigate and awkward to fix: one mistake means regenerating the whole thing.
- One file per chapter is what most audiobook stores expect. It makes navigation easy, lets you fix one chapter without redoing the rest, and keeps individual files at a manageable size.
Naming and order
Files should sort in reading order. Number them with enough digits for the chapter count: 01, 02 ... 12 for a book with a dozen chapters, and 001 ... 120 for more than 99. Include the book title so files are recognizable outside their folder. Avoid special characters.
Opening and closing
Many audiobooks open with an announcement of the title and author. Some stores also ask for an opening credit and a closing credit, so check the specification for the store. Decide whether your first file includes that announcement.
The sample
Many stores want a short sample, often a couple of minutes, for the listing page. It should come from the start of the book, which is what most listeners choose to hear first. A separate sample file saves you from cutting one by hand.
Check the files before you upload
- Play the first minute and the last minute of every file. Look for a missing opening, a cut-off ending, or a long silence.
- Skip through a middle section of each file to confirm the audio is continuous.
- Check file names and order in your file browser.
- Compare the total length against the length you expected.
- Check the store's current requirements for sample rate, bit rate, channels and file size. Do not assume the settings above match a store's current requirements: confirm them.
- Check the store's policy on synthesized voices, and follow its disclosure rules.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Result | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing WAV for a whole novel | Enormous files, slow upload | Use MP3 unless you need to edit |
| One file when the store wants chapters | Rejected upload | Export one file per chapter |
| Files that sort in the wrong order | Chapters play out of sequence | Number them with leading zeros |
| No listing sample | A gap in the store listing | Export a sample with the book |
| Not listening before upload | Errors reach listeners | Check the start and end of every file |
| Assuming specifications never change | Rejected files | Read the store's current file requirements |
Do it in Quillen
The file choices are on the left of the audiobook window, under Files.
- Open your book, click Export, and choose Audiobook. Choose your reading style and voices first (see how to turn your book into an audiobook).
- Under Files, tick Begin with the title and author if you want an opening announcement.
- Choose the layout: One file for the whole book, or One file per chapter (into a new folder). For chapter files Quillen creates a new folder and numbers the files for you, with enough digits for the number of chapters.
- Choose the format: MP3 (192 kbps, 44.1 kHz, mono), which it labels as what audiobook stores ask for, or WAV (uncompressed; much larger files).
- Tick Also save a 2-minute sample if you want a listing sample. It is saved next to the book, or inside the chapter folder as Sample.
- Choose the chapters. On the right, the Chapters list has a tick for each chapter and an All chapters box. Untick any you do not want, which is a quick way to re-export just one chapter after a fix.
- Check the estimate at the bottom left: it shows the audio length and reminds you that making it takes about as long as it lasts, and longer on slower computers. In our test book, 1,461 words came to roughly nine minutes.
- Read the notice about store rules, then click Make audiobook and choose where to save.
Checklist
- Store's current file specification read.
- MP3 (or the format the store asks for) chosen.
- One file per chapter if the store expects chapters.
- Opening announcement decided.
- Sample exported if the store wants one.
- Start and end of every file listened to.
- File names sort in reading order.
- Store policy on synthesized voices read and followed.
Common questions
Should I export my audiobook as MP3 or WAV?
MP3 for delivery: it is small and widely accepted. WAV is uncompressed and much larger, so it only makes sense if you plan to edit the audio further. Check the store's specification first. Quillen's MP3 setting is 192 kbps, 44.1 kHz, mono.
Should I make one file or one per chapter?
Most audiobook stores expect one file per chapter, which also makes navigation and fixes easier. One file suits a personal copy or a store that accepts a single file. Quillen offers both.
How big is an audiobook file?
Roughly 86 MB per hour at 192 kbps MP3, so a nine-hour book is around 780 MB across all its files. WAV is several times larger.
Does Quillen make a sample file?
Yes. Tick Also save a 2-minute sample and Quillen saves a sample next to your audiobook, or inside the chapter folder.
Can I re-export just one chapter?
Yes. In the Chapters list on the right of the audiobook window you can untick the chapters you do not want, so you can export only the one you fixed.