4 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Audiobooks
by Guest Blogger Brooke Chaplan
Audiobooks are a convenient leisure activity that can be enjoyed anywhere. Listen to your favorite author or experiment with new genres by using your smart phone, iPad, or computer. To enhance the audiobook experience, here are a few tips that may help.
Get Comfortable
As you do with a print book, find a cozy seat and settle in for a good listen. You can even dim the lights since you won’t be reading print or digital texts. Any reclining position will do, whether sitting, laying, driving, tub bathing, or slouched. However, some people prefer listening to audiobooks while exercising, so take your phone and earbuds to the gym or on a neighborhood hike or jog. You might want to listen while doing house cleaning or computer work. The beauty of audiobooks that they can go just about anywhere with you.
Adjust the Volume
Depending on your listening location and who you are sharing that space with, you can wear earbuds to keep the story to yourself and avoid distracting others, or switch to speakers to make the volume louder. This is helpful especially when you are busy doing other things and want to listen the audiobook at the same time. The volume can be adjusted anytime that you want it to be louder or softer during certain parts of the book or as your activities change while listening.
Create a Mood
Settle into listening mode by preparing a favorite snack, beverage, or meal. Whether you are having popcorn, a glass of wine, or filet mignon, you can keep your hands free to dine or do other things while listening to the audiobook being read aloud. Diffuse a fresh air scent or open the windows to make the listening area inviting and welcoming. Create a full-bodied listening experience for those times when you are not on the run doing errands or trying to multitask while listening to a book.
Add Theme Music
Play themed background music for the book to match its tone or mood. Even nonfiction audiobooks can be enhanced by listening to low-key classical music or soft rock that fits the book’s theme. Pair your favorite music with selected authors to synthesize the audiobook experience from more than one perspective.
Reading is a universal pleasure for many people. Audiobooks provide a convenient option for accessing the latest best sellers or your favorite classics. Make the most of your audiobook listening sessions to get the most from your favorite authors and genres.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
