“Tell me a story,” is one of the most ubiquitous and insistent requests a young child is likely to make. And the love of hearing a story is something we never out-grow. I love to read, both from paper books and electronic devices, but hearing a story is a different experience altogether.
Learning Styles
When reading a text, we interpret the story we see on the written page. When hearing a story there is nothing physical between us and the event. Hearing a story is more like overhearing an actual conversation. Hearing isn’t necessarily a better experience, it’s a different experience.
Seasoned teachers have long understood that people learn in different ways—visual, tactile and auditory—therefore it’s important that books be available in all possible formats. Educators say that visual learning appeals more to right-brained, artistic people; auditory learning works better for left-brained, scientific people. Both types of learning are important for well-balanced understanding. That’s why audio books are so important.
History
The first “talking books” were short recordings on a cylinder made at the end of the nineteenth century. In 1932 The American Foundation for the Blind offered the first audiobooks on gramophone records. The invention of cassette tapes in 1962 made the later popularity of books on tape possible.
Libraries began offering them to their patrons and some bookstores issued cards which allowed holders to check out recorded books for a fee. Some audiobooks are still available to buy on compact disc—but they are expensive.
The revolution began in 1997 when a company named Audible produced a portable media player. Amazon purchased Audible in 2008 and in April of that year they released 25 titles. Current statistics are impossible to find, especially because titles are added every day, but they must be nearing the million mark—if they haven’t surpassed it already.
My Experience
For many years I have frequently encountered the question, “Are your books available in audio?” My answer was sketchy. I have had several titles recorded for the blind—which pleases me greatly—and one publisher produced audiobooks of the first two titles in my Elizabeth and Richard series. That was it.
Until a few months ago. Amazon has recently begun offering voice-generated audiobooks. I took the plunge shortly after Going There, Tales from the Riviera and Beyond, released last December.
I was amazed. Truly, three clicks did the job. I selected a lovely British female voice, set the price near the minimum allowed, and clicked publish. I now have 23 audiobooks (about half of my published titles) available for readers who want the listening experience.
Various life experiences demand different solutions: Taking a road trip? Having eye surgery? Feeling too distracted to focus on a printed page? Need to paint a fence? A great opportunity to listen to a book.
The audiobook revolution offers a great opportunity for writers to offer their works in multiple modes. And presents more available choices for readers who want someone to “Tell me a story.”
Hi Donna, I don’t often listen to audiobooks because I see the story (like a movie screen) in my mind, which means I’m not seeing what I’m actually doing while I’m listening. I do listen to podcasts daily and the audio version of the Bible. One day I might get on the audiobook wagon. Thanks for sharing with us. 😊
How interesting, Narelle! I watch the scenes in my head, too–but not so vividly that I would be unsafe driving. Fortunately, though, my husband does the driving on road trips which is when we listen to books together. I found audiobooks a lifesaver when I had eye surgery a few years ago.