How to Get Started with Audiobooks?

My journey with audiobooks started in 2018 when I listened to Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X on Storytel India. There has been no looking back since, for audiobooks have become such an important part of my life that I cannot imagine not listening to audiobooks, in whatever capacity that might be. So I thought I’d share some tips on how to get started with audiobooks, so that you can also reap the benefits of consuming stories in a way that helps you in ways that you would never think it would.

I made a full video where I spoke about the benefits of audiobooks as well as recommended 5 audiobooks that are NY Times Bestsellers. Do go check it out. 🙂

So here are a few tips on how to get started with audiobooks. It can be a little confusing because the experience isn’t the same for everyone. But these tips can help you get a foothold into this amazing world of audiobooks, taking you back into your childhood and reminding you that verbal storytelling is a form of art and that audiobooks do just that!

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1. Listen to Books You’ve Already Read

The warmth that settles into you when you find something familiar is always unparalleled. Same is the case with reading books in different formats. When you start off audiobooks by listening to a much loved story, the familiarity will ensure that you find the narration endearing to a large extent. This makes diving into audiobooks that much easier and as you keep at this habit, you will fall further and further in love with the concept of audiobooks.

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2. Listen to the Audiobook While Reading the Physical Copy

I promise you with all my heart that this is a tried and tested method that works wonders! I’ve done this so many times since the time I discovered this trick that I’ve lost count. Following the text as the narrator takes you through it and takes you through the world that the author has constructed, without your mind having to do the heavy lifting, is something of a boon for a reader. Especially for one like me, whose attention wavers and whose memory is so much like a fish’s, it’s not even funny anymore. Okay, maybe it is. XD

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3. Switch up the Speed

Very often, the complaint that people have with audiobooks is that they can get dragged out a little, which can take the fun or intrigue of listening to them. But that’s the amazing part: almost every audiobook app (at least those that I know of) have a feature where you can switch up the speed of your audiobook. And when you change it to 1.25x or 1.5x or even 2x, it can match up to your mind’s reading speed, minus the effort of doing this work. So experiment with the speed until you find one that feels comfortable to you. And then, I promise you, there won’t be any looking back, and before long, you’ll be the one writing a blog post saying, “How to Get Started with Audiobooks?” *wink*

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4. Read Short Stories

Short stories are good for every type of beginner. If you’re looking to start off on your reading journey as a whole, they are a great way of consuming stories without overwhelming yourself. And if you’re trying a brand new format of reading like listening to audiobooks, short stories can be a fun way to keep your attention while giving you the satisfaction of having consumed a story. A win-win all along!

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5. Listen to an Audiobook While Doing Mundane Chores

This is a great way for you to actually look forward to the chores that are drab and boring, and make them into an exciting time. This way, you’re getting your work done, while entertaining yourself by diving into a whole other world. Exercising, driving a car, laundry, and cooking are just some of the times you can pop on an audiobook and live two lives in one. It’s always a pretty adventurous thing to do.

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6. Try Out Samples before Committing to an Audiobook

The same way as you would flip through a book at a bookstore or read a sample of a Kindle eBook to get a hang of how the writing is, you also need to try out audiobooks to figure out if the narrator is working the text well for you or not. If you’re not feeling the vibe from it, move on and try a different audiobook. It will take time for you to zero in on the types of audiobooks that you like, but use this little process and you will end up finding an audiobook genre or genres that you love.

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7. Lastly, But Most Importantly: DO NOT FORCE YOURSELF!

As an addendum to the previous point, I just want to remind you not to force yourself to gulp down audiobooks with no space to breathe. Instead, take it easy. Because the more you shove it down your throat, the more you will pressurize yourself. And we do NOT want to do that. We’re looking to make our lives easier by going for audiobooks. So if one doesn’t work for you, leave it be. Give it some time and then, whenever you’re comfortable, go for the next one. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. There are plenty other formats to read from.

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So those were my tips on how to get started with audiobooks. What do you think? Do you think these will help you? Which of these tips have you used in your audiobook journey? Or do you have any other tips to help fellow readers navigate the world of audiobooks? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you! 🙂

I’ll be back soon with a brand new blog post.

Until next time, keep reading and add melodrama to your life! 😀

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