6 Comments on Should you read a book or listen to an audiobook?!
I have slowly come around to the idea of audio books. I find that I am encouraged to be active – walking and riding my bike – if I have a good audiobook on my device. Some have questioned the “absorption rate” of audio books over their physical counterparts, but I think if a given title is good, you’ll soak it up regardless.
If only the production cost of audio books weren’t so steep…
That is an interesting point coming from an author, Dean. The production side is not something most people are aware of! That is a shame that the costs are so high, because I am sure that means there are a lot of great books missing from this great platform (*cough*TheHambledownDream*cough*).
I agree about the absorption rate…if the story is a good one, you will get into it no matter what.
And yes, audiobooks are great for encouraging activity too!
Yeah, it’s something I have tentatively looked into… only until it became evident that the costs outweighed the benefit of investing in a production.
Audiobook production is a fairly involved process – from the choice of voice talent, the studio time, the decisions around abridging content (ie cutting down content).
I actually did a four chapter reading of The Hambledown Dream myself a few years ago. Four chapters took me about a week to nail and I still wasn’t overly happy with the result. It’s still up on my website though. I call it a sampler and use it as a promotional tool from time to time.
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I have gotten into audiobooks a little with Amazon offering the option to add audio to books I have purchased for my Kindle. I also use it more for exercising or in the car when I don’t want to listen to the radio. I agree that if the books is good you still absorb it but if it is a bit slow I have been known to tune out. In saying that I sometimes read a whole page in a book and then realise I have no idea what has just happened. All in all I do prefer to read as opposed to listen.
Yes I agree, there is a time and a place for each; they are both great, but some moments call for one more than the other!
That feature is good where you can read and then it knows where you are up to when you press play on the audiobook! Very clever.
I find listening to audiobook great when I am out walking,It seems to make the walk shorter,I suppose that’s because I am concentrating on the story. However if I lay down to listen to a story I am out like a light in no time.
I have slowly come around to the idea of audio books. I find that I am encouraged to be active – walking and riding my bike – if I have a good audiobook on my device. Some have questioned the “absorption rate” of audio books over their physical counterparts, but I think if a given title is good, you’ll soak it up regardless.
If only the production cost of audio books weren’t so steep…
That is an interesting point coming from an author, Dean. The production side is not something most people are aware of! That is a shame that the costs are so high, because I am sure that means there are a lot of great books missing from this great platform (*cough*TheHambledownDream*cough*).
I agree about the absorption rate…if the story is a good one, you will get into it no matter what.
And yes, audiobooks are great for encouraging activity too!
Yeah, it’s something I have tentatively looked into… only until it became evident that the costs outweighed the benefit of investing in a production.
Audiobook production is a fairly involved process – from the choice of voice talent, the studio time, the decisions around abridging content (ie cutting down content).
I actually did a four chapter reading of The Hambledown Dream myself a few years ago. Four chapters took me about a week to nail and I still wasn’t overly happy with the result. It’s still up on my website though. I call it a sampler and use it as a promotional tool from time to time.
I have gotten into audiobooks a little with Amazon offering the option to add audio to books I have purchased for my Kindle. I also use it more for exercising or in the car when I don’t want to listen to the radio. I agree that if the books is good you still absorb it but if it is a bit slow I have been known to tune out. In saying that I sometimes read a whole page in a book and then realise I have no idea what has just happened. All in all I do prefer to read as opposed to listen.
Yes I agree, there is a time and a place for each; they are both great, but some moments call for one more than the other!
That feature is good where you can read and then it knows where you are up to when you press play on the audiobook! Very clever.
I find listening to audiobook great when I am out walking,It seems to make the walk shorter,I suppose that’s because I am concentrating on the story. However if I lay down to listen to a story I am out like a light in no time.