How to Find Author & Rightsholder Contact Information
February 2024 | Narrator Guides
You’ve found a promising indie title on Sleuthy. Now you need to reach the person who controls the audio rights. In most cases that’s the author. This guide walks through every reliable method for tracking down their contact information, in order from easiest to most creative.
First: Confirm It’s an Indie Title
Before you invest time hunting for contact details, make sure you’re looking at an independently published book. Major publishers have their own narration pipelines, and the approach is different (we cover that at the end).
Go to the book’s Amazon listing and scroll down to Product details. Look at the “Publisher” line.
If you see only a date (often in brackets) with no publisher name, it’s indie. The following entries also indicate self-publishing:
- Independently published
- CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
- Lulu Press, Inc
- IngramSpark
You may see an unfamiliar publisher name. Many authors publish under their own imprint, often a variation of their name or something playful. A quick web search for the publisher name will tell you whether it’s a real publishing house (with its own website, catalogue, and submissions page) or simply a personal imprint. If it has no web presence, treat it as indie.
1 The Amazon Author Page
Start here. On the book’s Amazon listing, the author’s name appears directly below the title as a clickable link.
Click it to reach their author page. If they have one, look for the “About” tab or the “Read full bio” link. Many authors include a link to their website here.
Not every author has set up their Amazon author page, especially newer or less established writers. If it’s not there, move on.
2 The Author’s Website
If the Amazon author page links to a website, go straight there. If not, open your preferred search engine and type:
[First Name] [Last Name] author
Skip past the Amazon and Goodreads results. Look for a personal domain (usually some variation of the author’s name). Once you find it, check for a Contact page, an About page, or contact details in the footer.
3 The Facebook Author Page
If there’s no dedicated website, try Facebook. Search for the author’s name plus “author” and filter your results by Pages (not people or posts).
A good way to confirm you’ve found the right page is to compare the profile photo with the one on their Amazon author page. Once you’re on the page, look at the “Intro” section on the left side. Facebook encourages page owners to list their email and website here.
4 The Goodreads Profile
If the website and Facebook routes come up empty, try Goodreads. Search for:
[First Name] [Last Name] author Goodreads
Some authors include a website link or social media handles on their Goodreads profile. It’s not the most reliable source, but it’s worth a quick check before moving on to the more creative methods below.
5 Inside the Book Sample
This one is surprisingly effective. Go to the Amazon listing and click “Read sample.”
The sample usually opens at the start of the text. Scroll backwards to the copyright page and front matter. Many indie authors include a link to their website or mailing list signup in these opening pages. Sometimes this information also appears at the back of the ebook, though the sample may not reach that far.
6 The Mailing List Workaround
If the only thing you can find is a mailing list signup form (in the book sample, on a website, or anywhere else) sign up for it.
You’ll receive a confirmation or welcome email. Most mailing list providers require that these emails come from a verified sender address, and that address is often visible in the email footer. Many authors also have their spam filters configured to allow replies to mailing list emails, so replying directly can work.
7 The Whois Record
Found a website but no contact information on it? As a long shot, you can check who registered the domain. Go to whois.com and enter the domain name. The registration record sometimes includes the owner’s email address, though privacy protection services have made this less reliable over the years. Still worth a try when you’ve exhausted the easier options.
When Nothing Works
If you’ve tried every method above and found no contact information at all (no website, no social media, no contact form, no mailing list) the author may simply prefer not to be contacted. It’s worth respecting that.
It’s also worth noting that an indie author with zero online presence is a signal in itself. An author who hasn’t invested in a website, social accounts, or a mailing list is less likely to be marketing-minded, and marketing matters for audiobook sales. This doesn’t mean they’re not worth approaching, but it should factor into your assessment of the opportunity.
What If It’s Not an Indie Book?
If the title is published by an established publishing house, the approach is different. Search for:
[Publisher Name] subsidiary rights
Larger publishers will have a dedicated subsidiary rights page with contact details and submission guidelines. For smaller publishers, look for a general contact page and reach out to whoever handles rights and licensing.
Happy prospecting!