Everyone who loves reading books has probably heard of the term audiobook and have basic knowledge of what they are. Even those in my family who are not avid readers have listened to at least one audio format book this year.
Audiobooks have risen in popularity and are the largest growing format as cited by the Association of American Publishers or AAP and are officially the publishing industry’s largest trend of 2018. So why are audiobooks so popular?
Each individual can give you a different reason as to why they prefer audio format books to other formats like e-books or paperback. The most common reason would be a convenience.
Everyone agrees that in today’s fast-paced world, sitting down and reading a good book can be a luxury that very few can afford. On a daily basis, we’re rushing to get a lot of things done, from driving the kids to school to getting to work and even lunch breaks could be hectic.
Let’s face it; we just don’t have enough time to relax even on the weekends. Enter audiobooks, just download your preferred title on your phone, stick your earphones on, and you’ll be “reading” while still be able to multitask. Be it at work, or during your commute, you can listen to an audiobook on the go.
Audiobooks have even begun to replace music or podcasts as the preferred choice to listen to while working or even at the gym. Reading with your ears is a different sensation altogether. I personally enjoy reading a paperback book a little more than an audio-book, but sometimes, the same book can be more captivating and engaging as an audio format if the voice over is at least of decent quality.
You can even listen to an audiobook while reading the same book on paper. My own brother, an avid reader claims that reading while listening is an experience that has changed reading for him personally.
As mentioned, an engaging voice over can stimulate our imagination and capture our attention better than simply reading at times. I know that not all readers will agree with this and paper or hard copy books still make up the majority of reading material available and the support for hard copies is still as strong as ever.
It just comes down to convenience and preference. Audio format books not only benefit readers but authors as well. Aspiring authors have a better chance of being recognized as the younger generation of readers are now turning to audio-books.
Aspiring authors or those that have just started with their books will definitely benefit from partnering with audiobook production companies. These companies typically have offer choices such as author read or professional voice-overs.
Many prefer listening to the author read audiobooks as it’s the most authentic way to feel how the author intends the book to be paced. Professional voice talents are also a good choice as they know how to captivate their audience better.
With all these points in mind, I just don’t see any downsides in using our ears to read, yes it’s a bit different, and you’re missing out on what most people would say is the unique experience of feeling and turning the pages of a book with your fingers or smelling that book smell but there’s still nothing stopping you from reading a good paper book whenever you have the time.
