Phil Marshall is not your typical tech founder. He’s a former surgeon, a sci-fi author, and the founder/CEO of Spoken, an AI-powered audiobook platform built to break the two biggest gates in audio publishing: cost and complexity.
Today Phil joins us to discuss the economics of audiobook creation, why multi-voice and full-cast audio has been inaccessible for almost everyone, and how Spoken’s model (free to use, pay when perfect) changes the risk calculation for indie authors. He also explains Spoken’s ethical approach to voice options (including paid voice-actor libraries and custom character voices), why audio can’t be treated as an afterthought, and why distribution is expanding beyond the usual giants. If you’ve been avoiding your audiobook project for fear of spending tens of thousands of dollars, this conversation is for you!
In This Episode
A surgeon turned sci-fi author turned founder: Phil’s path into tech, and why he built Spoken in the first place.
The “audio gate”: why traditional audiobook production costs price most authors out.
Multi-voice without the $25,000 bill: what full-cast audio normally costs, and how that’s changing.
“Free to use, pay when perfect”: Spoken’s pricing model and why fixed cost per word matters.
Audible, Spotify, and the shifting landscape: where AI narration is being accepted, and where friction remains.
Voice ethics and the pitchfork problem: how voice actor libraries, cloning, and custom voices actually work.
Audio-first audiences: which readers demand audio now and why authors can’t ignore it.
Serial fiction and audio: how to publish chapter-by-chapter without re-rendering everything.
Audio-friendly writing: dialogue tags, tables, file lists, and what breaks in audio.
A sobering truth about publishing: “You can do everything right and it still might not sell,” and why your art still matters.
Guest Links
Phil Marshall
Sign up for Spoken: https://www.spoken.press/
Web: drphilmarshall.com
Youtube: @philmarshallmd
Kristin’s Links
Services & Content
Editing Services: nonsensefreeeditor.com
Newsletter: https://www.fictionalinfluence.com
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@nonsensefreekristin
Timestamps
00:00 - Meet Phil Marshall.
04:54 - 9/11 Physics Origin.
06:57 - Why Spoken Exists.
12:07 - Audible and Distribution.
14:37 - Spotify Listening Limits.
16:34 - Ethical Voices Explained.
20:33 - AI Backlash and Art.
24:37 - Audiobook Pricing Shift.
28:05 - Pay When Perfect Pricing.
29:37 - Genres Where Audio Wins.
35:09 - Learning From Indie Authors.
37:44 - Serial Fiction Workflow.
39:34 - Make Manuscripts Audio Friendly.
42:55 - Unspoken Network Sharing.
44:18 - Pricing Strategy by Channel.
46:27 - Author Entrepreneur Reality Check.
49:26 - Where to Find Spoken.
51:43 - Final Thanks and Wrap.
About This Podcast
Nonsense-Free Kristin is where independent authors and creators learn to build their platforms, master their craft, and create on their own terms—without begging for permission from gatekeepers who hate them.
New episodes weekly.
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