Audible’s Editors are Superfans who Bring Listeners and Creators Together

Audible Editor Katie O’Connor was having an intimate conversation about family, grief and books with, of all people, John Stamos. The multi-hyphenate star had just released his memoir, If You Would Have Told Me, and started by gushing, “I’ve done about a hundred interviews for this book already and this was the one I was most excited about because I’m obsessed with Audible.” At some point the two delved into their recent personal losses, and by the time the interview was over, it seemed as though something much more than media publicity had taken place.

This level of connection between authors and Audible editors isn’t uncommon. “They tend to nerd out with us about listening, which creates even more of an intimate connection with fans,” O’Connor says. “And creators always say ‘yes’ to interviews with us because they know we are super familiar with their content and want to evangelize it.”

That evangelizing creates a deep connection between our editors and customers, as well. “In an increasingly algorithmic world, we know customers appreciate the opinions, expertise and context that a very human editorial voice provides,” says Audible’s Head of Editorial, North America, Emily Cox. Her team’s enviable job entails staying up to date on publishing, entertainment and cultural trends, while maintaining a deep knowledge of our catalog by listening constantly and diversely across multiple genres and formats. “Our mission is to make it easy and enjoyable for customers to find a listen they will love.”

The team’s enthusiasm has also been a boon for authors like Lily Chu, who made her debut in 2021 with the Audible Original The Stand-In. Her fourth Original title, Drop Dead, debuted at number two on the Audible best-sellers list for fiction. Chu has two very entertaining interviews on the blog, and her titles have appeared in several editorial collections.

“Listeners are very devoted,” Cox explains, “and when they love a story, they want more, every which way they can get it.” That’s why our editors create a robust post-listening experience, from conducting audio interviews with the authors and narrators, to blog posts, to getting the creators themselves to share their own favorite stories on Audible.

The increased visibility has helped creators find devoted audiences in a competitive publishing marketplace, including, in addition to Chu, romance author Leeanne Slade, mystery/thriller author Mark Greaney and self-development entrepreneurs Mel Robbins and Rachel Rodgers.

Given that Audible’s catalog comprises nearly one million titles, our editors have created several avenues for customers to discover their next great listen. Earlier this year, they worked with our product team to bring their content expertise to the development of Maven, Audible’s first AI-powered search tool, which enables customers to specify subgenres, moods, lengths and more. They also obsessively curate collections like Editors Select, seasonal guides like the Fall Preview, and annual wrap-ups Best of the Year and Best of the Year (so far). And listeners can sign up for the editors’ newsletters, which range from weekly round-ups to monthly deep dives into different genres.

Audible editors love to curate collections for just about any listening occasion imaginable, including kids' listens, which include Originals produced in collaboration with Sesame Street and Nickelodeon, plus Disney titles and more. O’Connor has four kids, “and the eldest is a huge audiophile already,” she says. “Listening helps him focus and go to sleep at night.” She loves that parents like her can easily add curated family-friendly content to their Kids Profile, a new feature launched in September.

Editors especially bring their vulnerable, authentic selves to our Hear My Story hub, which houses rigorously curated collections of titles by creators who identify as coming from historically underrepresented communities, or who tell stories inclusive of those experiences. Collections include Black Creators, Indigenous Creators, Disability Awareness and more. Senior Editor Michael Collina, who manages the hub, explains, “We have an editor who curates each page, and as much as possible, the editor belongs to that community—as a proud gay man, I curate the LGBTQIA+ page.” Collina also engages sensitivity readers to ensure a collection’s content is “inclusive, respectful and accurately representative.”

All throughout the Audible blog, editors share their candid experiences and perspectives on the power of storytelling, conveying that “we’re people and we’re big fans of audio storytelling just like our listeners.” Says Collina, “We have a book nerd’s dream job. We just want you to explore and experience all these great stories and voices, and to love them as much as we do.”