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Audiobooks vs Print Books
March 13, 2014Confessions of an Audiobook Listener
Audiobooks feel like cheating, like somehow listening is easier than reading. I am always careful not to laugh or pull faces when listening in public and when chatting about books, it feels like a lie to say, ‘At the moment I’m reading …’ but embarrassing to admit the truth. If I’m listening in the car and need to open the window, I turn down the volume.
There is a certain amount of stigma attached to audiobooks. They are terminally uncool. I know this because my mum has listened to them for years. That alone should be enough of a reason to banish me to hardcopy only or hide my audio habits behind a veil of secrecy. But here I am coming out and confessing …
I am pro audiobooks.
Now, don’t get me wrong – I love books too. And as someone who dabbles at writing I can’t deny fantasising about seeing my name and words in print, holding my book in my hands, or admiring it displayed on a shelf. Somehow, a disc or file name doesn’t hold the same awe factor.
But there is no reason why the two mediums can’t be used simultaneously. The lack of popularity is due to lack of education and people are simply not aware of their options. Personally, I find it rewarding to be reading and listening to different works at the same time. I will often have three or four on the go at once – one for the car, one for the Discman or iPod, one by the bed, and one for the train. So, I still read, but these days I find that I’m only choosing books that aren’t available on audio.
My mum averages about two audiobooks every three weeks. Since I jumped on the bandwagon, I’ve infected other members of my family. Despite the different ages, attitudes, and lifestyles, audio has a definite appeal.
It’s time for a brainstorm, time to look at the pros and cons and announce the Championship Fight: Audiobooks vs. Hardcopy books. Bring it on.
Spoken audio has been available since the 1930s but it wasn’t until the 1980s that the medium attracted book retailers. Audiobooks, once distributed on cassette tapes, are now available on CD, downloadable digital formats for portable devices and preloaded digital.
The ‘experience’ of reading a book or listening to one being read varies for everyone. Some find audiobooks too slow and that they can read faster themselves while others find audio relaxing and requires less effort, which allows them to be drawn into the story. The two methods stimulate and engage in entirely different ways.
Audio appeals to the multi-tasker. Unlike books, you can easily listen while remaining mobile and productive. It is a perfect distraction for the reluctant exerciser and stimulating on long car drives or on public transport when sardine carriages make holding a book awkward. It accompanies housework, craft, cooking, gardening or any other monotonous or passive task. You feel like you’re working your brain rather than just filling in time or silence as you might with music. For those who struggle to have time or motivation for reading, with an audiobook you can trick yourself into thinking you are not really reading at all. It is less a chore and more entertainment.
People relax by plonking themselves down in front of the television and switching off their brains, letting bad jokes and soppy drama wash over them. Audios can have a similar purpose and effect. And there is still the sense of satisfaction when finished – similar to reading – that is not often found at the end of a night of watching television.
There is a convenience and flexibility to audio and the right voice can bring the story and characters to life. Also, listening can often soften the blow of an otherwise daunting read. What might appear large or overwhelmingly literary in book form, can – in audio – push you through until you’re hooked, thus not allowing you to get lost or bogged down by slabs of text or complicated vocabulary.
But they have problems too. A few scratches can completely ruin a disc and the momentum of the story can be lost similarly to ripping out some pages a book. For those who are easily distracted you can find you lose concentration and miss important details and if you are a person who reads in bed, unfortunately an audio will not stop when you fall asleep.
The biggest factor for audiobooks is the voice, which can be the difference between loving it and not finishing it. If the person has an accent you can have trouble understanding or following. The voice could be annoying and grating. Their tone can influence your view of the characters, they can change the mood of the story and can influence whether you like the book.
Those who listen on CDs are restricted to the car or an often bulky Discman. As this technology is becoming outdated the selection for purchase is limited. Luckily now there are MP3 CD options and downloadable formats but there are many people who don’t have the knowledge or ability to search and download. It is unfortunate that the medium is not more widely marketed and accessible or promoted.
Downloadable audiobooks cost slightly less than hardcovers but more than their paperback equivalents. Market penetration of audiobooks is substantially lower than for their printed counterparts despite the high market penetration achieved by audio music products.
Aesthetically, an audiobook is lightweight, encased in plastic and has a cheap, tacky feel whereas books have a pleasurable physicality and give a tactile sense of place and pacing which can build expectation as the reader progresses. There is a certain satisfaction to holding a book. Solid and meaningful. The smell, the visual impression of a bookshelf full of tomes, all hold something beautiful that is irreplaceable.
Hardcopy format make it easier to revisit and locate particular parts or passages, do not rely on batteries or electricity and can provide a barrier and a safe place for your eyes in public awkwardness. On an educational level books normalise correct spelling as well as instil formatting and punctuation skills.
Both mediums are free through local libraries and available for purchase, although obviously books are more wildly sold in retail outlets. Audiobooks on cassette or CD are typically more expensive due to the added expense of recording and the lack of the economy of scale of high ‘print’ runs that are available in the publishing of printed books. However, there are certain economies of scale that favour downloadable audiobooks, which do not carry mass production costs, do not require storage of a large inventory, do not require physical packaging or transportation and even if ‘returned’ do not require a cost of physical return or destruction/disposal. If such economies were passed on to customers, unit profit margins would be reduced but sales volumes would increase. It is not known what affect this would have on book sales in other formats.
About forty percent of all audiobook consumption occurs through public libraries, with the remainder served primarily through retail bookstores. Library download programs are currently experiencing rapid growth (more than 5,000 public libraries offer free downloadable audiobooks).
So, audio is on the rise and may slowly but surely shake its daggy reputation but hardcopy has stood the test of time. Who has won today’s showdown?
Well, that’s up to you.
M.B.
The Return
March 10, 2014
So, the sleeper awakes. 2012 has become 2014 and a lot has happened in that time. Were the other options really that bad to make Tony Abbott the people’s choice for PM? Since when could a pope just resign? And what the hell is twerking?
You’d think in that time the compound interest in our bank accounts could have accumulated to make us the richest editors in the known universe. But no.
Therefore, in the absence of a fortune that would have been made redundant from inflation anyway, we’ve rubbed the gunk out of our eyes and ordered an oil drum full of coffee to help kick-start the brain cells. There’s a lot of work to do, and you can be a part of it if you have a story to tell. Or even if you’re intrigued by the idea of owning a collection of stories and poems, hand-picked from emerging talent from Australia and beyond.
page seventeen is back for Issue 11.
In 2013 we needed to take a hiatus. Partly because at the time I wasn’t able to devote myself to the level required, and that’s my failing. But also because we needed time to slow down and consider how we can keep this beautiful little collection going.
It’s probably worth noting here that I define ‘going’ as different from ‘surviving’. We’re surviving just fine. But now more than ever, freshness and adaptability is part of a process to ensure we’re not just surviving, we’re thriving. Page seventeen is about showcasing the writers that no one’s heard of yet, and celebrating new talent. Anything which bolsters page seventeen’s presence, and increases its reach across Australia and international markets, is added exposure for the featured writers.
All of this preamble leads to page seventeen’s first e-edition, currently intended to run alongside the print edition so that both the old-fashioned and the new-fangled can enjoy the latest collection. More on this further down the line.
Our submission window will open on April 15 as per previous issues. The traditional competitions will also be in effect from April 15 until June 30, so be prepared as we want to be wowed. Wake us up. We want your most unpredictable mysteries, your most captivating characters and your most dynamic tangents. You – yes, you, the one I’m aggressively pointing at – can make this issue the best yet.
There’ll be more activities on the horizon, which we’ll talk about as we go along. But for now, watch this space. Like us on Facebook and Twitter if you haven’t already. Drop us a line at pageseventeen.at.busybird.com.au. And get excited!
Beau Hillier | Editor, page seventeen
Research for Writers
March 6, 2014
This time last year, just about the only writing I was doing was shopping lists and putting my baby’s check-up appointment times into the calendar. As a new mother, writing projects were the last thing I was thinking about. As the year progressed, my attitude towards writing ranged from apathy to frustration at not being able to follow through on my good intentions to write.
I recently attended a workshop with Hazel Edwards. After six hours of discussing various elements of writing and publishing, I asked Hazel what tips she has, having been through this herself, for writers who are mothers of young children. It’s all nice to talk about synopses and pitches to publishers, but how the heck do I get to that stage when I’m at home with a 15 month old?
I was expecting her to say something like, Writers write. You need to make it a priority, even with young children, and write every day and I hoped she might have some magical practical tips on how to do this and still get the family fed and the house cleaned. Her response surprised me, and was refreshingly encouraging.
Firstly, she said to take the pressure off myself. (Really? You’re not going to chastise me for my lack of productivity?) Secondly, and this is what I want to elaborate on, she said to use this time for research. This period of my life – staying home with a baby – won’t last forever, and though I may not be writing much at the moment, there are ways I can use this season to grow as a writer and develop my writing for the future.
As I have thought about the concept of using my life as research, I have come up with the following suggestions. I’ve written them from the point of view as a mother, but these are certainly not aimed solely at new parents and can be adapted for any writer. We all face challenging circumstances at some stage, some of which will prevent us from having the time or energy to write, be it sickness (ourselves or close friends/relatives), changes in work pressures, study that does not lend itself to your writing projects – whatever it is, I hope you find these suggestions helpful in preparing you for the next season of your life when you are able to dedicate more time to writing.
Keep a journal
You don’t need to write in it every day. And you don’t need to show it to anyone else. Journals serve a number of purposes. Firstly, they get you writing. It might not be the same style as your creative writing, but at least it’s getting you thinking of words and stringing together sentences more comprehensive than ‘Ooh, look! Doggy! Woof woof!’ Secondly, it’s a great record of memories, which can be used later to shape your stories. You are able to write more authentically into particular situations, based on your personal experience. It will also be invaluable if you one day choose to write a memoir. Thirdly, journaling is a good habit to get into with therapeutic benefits as you process the joys and challenges of life. (Journals also make great pieces of memorabilia to put in a museum when you become famous.)
Keep a writing journal
Different to your personal journal, this is a notebook where you can scribble anecdotes and ideas (and stick in shopping dockets or used envelopes or whatever else you write sudden bursts of inspiration on) based on your observations of the world around you. Take it with you when you go shopping or on public transport and observe people – this could be the seed for some great characters later on. You might see something strange or humorous that could trigger a storyline, or hear some thought-provoking dialogue. Building up a store of these journals will be well worth the effort later when you’re searching for ideas.
If writing in a journal is too much effort (‘Is there a pen in this house that actually works?’), use a dictaphone (or the recording feature on your phone). Keep it in an easily accessible location such as beside your bed or in your handbag/nappy bag. (Hmm, then again, it could get lost in there.) When you get an idea, you can ramble it off and refer to it later. Plus, it’s easy to use while rocking a baby to sleep. Bub doesn’t care about what you’re saying – she just likes to hear your voice. So rather than get frustrated as you hold her for hours, have your dictaphone handy and talk through your ideas for the next chapter of your novel, or record some dialogue to transcribe later.
Read
As mentioned in previous Busybird blogs, writers need to be readers. So while bub has his nap, curl up with a good book. Or read while feeding. Hey, you’re spending hours a day sitting in your favourite comfy chair anyway, why not spend the time reading? Maybe not hardcovers, should it slip from your grip, but I discovered that I could hold a chunky paperback with one hand and got pretty good at page turns with a dexterous pinky. Reading can also provide a well-earned mental and physical break.
Take photos
A picture tells a thousand words, right? So take a few snaps, write about them later, and there’s a short story. (Sort of.) When you’re out and about, observe your surroundings and take some photos (and try to get some subjects other than your baby). If you want something a bit different to keep your creative juices flowing, use a ‘photo a day’ (or similar – Google it) list for themes/concepts to look out for. You don’t need to have a fancy camera, or be an expert photographer. Just use your phone to capture images that can trigger memories later. The photos you take today just might be the inspiration you need for a really powerful description of setting in the future.
If the circumstances of your life are preventing you from writing, don’t feel frustrated. You can still grow as a writer now. Capture the sights, sounds and emotions in your current experiences and file them away for future reference to inform your writing later.
J.G.
NaNoWriMo Lessons
February 27, 2014
Last October, when my daughter was almost a year old, I decided that after a year of minimal progress on my writing projects, it was time to get back into it. And what better way to throw myself right in than to take on the challenge of NaNoWriMo? (National Novel Writers’ Month = write 50,000 words of your novel during the month of November. Crazy, I know.)
I’ll say up front that I didn’t make it to the 50k, but I learned some useful things along the way. It has been helpful to reflect on these things, months after the event, in order to try and continue to develop as a writer.
An unrealistic goal is better than no goal
It is good to have achievable goals to motivate you and help you track your progress. But, as I found, it can be good to sometimes take on a really ambitious goal to help push you forward. I knew that trying to write 50,000 words in a month was going to be tough. Even if I was already consistently writing and didn’t have a baby to look after it would be a challenge. Add to that a family holiday interstate, my brother’s wedding and planning a first birthday party. I knew that November was a really inconvenient time to try this and felt that if I made it to 50,000 I could pretty much do anything as a writer.
As it turned out, I stopped after a couple of weeks so I could focus on my family commitments. I could have the attitude of, Wow, I didn’t even make it halfway and feel like a failure. Instead, I think to myself, Wow! I wrote over 20,000 words in two weeks! Had I not had such a lofty goal, I would not have achieved as much as I did.
The fact that I didn’t reach my target has not put me off wanting to try again. I’m excited to give it another shot, and am looking forward to Camp NaNo, held in July.
Get words down
I have often heard quotes along the lines of ‘You can’t edit nothing.’ It’s true. There’s no point having a great idea if it stays in your head. It’s not until you get it down on paper or onto your computer that you can start working with it, crafting the words into something amazing. NaNoWriMo taught me to keep writing and moving forward. There’s time to edit later, but just get that first draft done. This is not how I usually write. I’m an editor, and like to edit my work as I go. I go for quality over quantity and cringe over moving on from an imperfect sentence. In the first few days of NaNo, I felt uncomfortable about not revisiting my work straight away. But I soon felt a liberation in trying something new and just writing and letting the words flow (and seeing the word count ticking over).
Value the writing community
The third point I want to make about NaNo is the importance of being part of a writing community. Writing is a solitary activity, but writers need not feel isolated. One reason for my lack of productivity last year in writing is that I was not proactive in surrounding myself with other writers. I didn’t have deadlines to complete any of my writing projects, I didn’t have anyone encouraging me/kicking me up the butt to keep going and I didn’t have anyone giving feedback on my work. I didn’t realise how valuable these things are until I no longer had them. For the two years prior, I studied Professional Writing and Editing and this year have decided to study once again – not just in order to finish my Diploma, but also for the benefit of workshopping and being inspired by other writers.
Each day during November I was receiving emails with pep talks from authors and updates on how others were going with NaNoWriMo. I didn’t meet any of them face to face, but there was something motivational about knowing I was not in this alone – there were thousands of other writers taking on the same challenge.
Whether online or in person, get a group of writers around you. Do a writing course, or contact your local library or writers’ centre to find a suitable writers’ group for mutual encouragement.
J.G.
The Delicate Relationship
February 20, 2014
Writing is a solitary profession … right? You wake up each day, write, and at some indeterminate point in the future, you shape the story, shake out the dead leaves and stand back from your marvellous, topiary-like creation, with a growing feeling of confidence that it is complete. It’s ready for publishing.
But it isn’t. You are not the painter, whose work is finished when they deem it so. Nobody tapped on Picasso’s shoulder and said, ‘I think your proportions are a bit off.’ You are much more like the film-maker or musician, despite the obvious differences between these mediums. There is a need for further opinion, a need for collaboration, a need for … editing.
Say your story is selected to be published in a literary journal. You receive an email full of praise. You feel proud and think you might be pretty good at this writing caper. You entertain fantasies of quitting your day job.
Just as you’ve finished a mental list of things you’ll spend your royalties on when you inevitably become a best-selling author, some horrible, Grinch-like intern sends your story back to you. You click open the file with a shaky hand. The document has corrections in a confronting shade of red; little comment bubbles in the margin with suggestions for improvement; and a cover letter asking you to consider changes to the opus you’ve spent weeks, if not months, moulding into a masterpiece.
The buzz of being accepted for publication is killed. Part of you is confused: they said your story was wonderful, Vonnegut-esque, inspired! What could possibly have possessed them to edit your story!?
The truth is your work has been chosen for any number of reasons – but rarely is it chosen because it’s perfect. Your favourite author had/has an editor, and you will too. That’s how the business works. More importantly, your story is a representation of the journal it appears in, so great care is taken by the publisher to elevate it to the highest standard possible. Writers are not the only ones who want to look good in the eyes of the literary community.
When submitting your work, you are entering into an unspoken agreement that (unless otherwise stated) your work will be edited, whether it be a little or a lot. Take comfort in the fact that the people who selected your story saw great potential in it and only seek to enhance its existing great qualities. Adjust your attitude and this necessary process will be far less painful. Know that you are not powerless, either: you decide, ultimately, how the final draft reads. Changes aren’t arbitrary, either. You can discuss them with your editor, argue your point, or compromise.
The editor’s aim is not to stifle the writer’s voice, but to clarify language and make your work as strong as possible. And, unlike film editors and music producers, prose editors get no credit. As far as the reader is concerned, your writing is as brilliant as the published version, and not a draft sooner.
That’s kind of cool, isn’t it?
While I have some experience editing for (and being edited by) friends, my first proper opportunity to work with an author on [untitled] was a positive one. This writer was open to suggestions, justified their decision to retain certain word choices or phrasing, and was courteous in correspondence. Over several months we took an already promising story, sanded back the rough edges and polished it until it sparkled. I’m confident it is fantastic now. More importantly, so does the author.
No story, just like no human being, is beyond improvement. Approaching the delicate relationship with an editor with an open mind and willingness to bring the best out of your work will go a long way towards bettering your writing, and bettering yourself as a writer.
H.K.