Spotify is taking a significant step into the world of audiobooks with the launch of a new publishing program for authors. The program, announced on Thursday, allows writers to submit their short-form stories for consideration to be turned into audiobooks. Spotify will handle the production and distribution of the selected works to major audiobook retailers, while paying authors an advance and royalties.

The company is specifically looking for stories across three genres: romance, mystery or thriller, and sci-fi or fantasy. Authors are encouraged to submit cross-genre works, such as "romantasy, dark romance thriller, mystery sci-fi, or psychological thriller." However, Spotify has made it clear that it will not accept submissions of erotica or children's content.

The stories themselves should be novelettes of approximately 10,000 to 20,000 words and in the English language. Authors must have their own audio rights for the stories they submit for consideration. The submissions chosen for production will be selected on a rolling basis, according to Spotify.

This expansion into audiobook publishing marks a significant move for Spotify, allowing it to more directly compete with audiobooks giant Audible, which offers its subscribers access to Audible Originals and exclusives, often shorter books and stories. Spotify first entered the audiobook market with the acquisition of digital audiobook distributor Findaway in 2021, and later rolled out free audiobook listening to Spotify Premium subscribers in 2023.

Since its move into the audiobook market, Spotify has been working to expand its catalog, including the addition of audiobooks narrated by ElevenLabs' AI voice technology. The company's latest move into publishing is a natural progression of its efforts to become a major player in the audiobook industry.

The implications of Spotify's publishing program are significant, offering authors a new avenue for getting their work published and distributed. The program also has the potential to attract new users to Spotify's platform, particularly those who are avid audiobook listeners. As the audiobook market continues to grow, Spotify's move into publishing positions the company for further expansion and competition with established players like Audible.

With its publishing program, Spotify is taking a bold step into new territory, one that could have a lasting impact on the audiobook industry. As the company continues to expand its presence in the market, it will be interesting to see how authors, publishers, and listeners respond to this new development.