Audiobook Week is hosted by Devourer of Books and continues today with a new discussion prompt:
Audiobook Tasks
What do you do while you listen? Any particular tasks or games that you find amazing for audio time?
My preferred way to listen to audiobooks is on my iPhone, and that allows me to take my book with me wherever I go.
Audiobooks are my saving grace for all kinds of household tasks. I listen when I’m:
Doing dishes
Folding laundry
Cooking
Also I listen when I’m online:
Doing financial tasks like Quicken
Leaving blog comments or drafting meme posts
I don’t play too many games, but I listen when I do play:
Candy Crush and Words with Friends
I listen when I’m Out and About:
Exercising
Commuting
I’m also addicted to Spotify so sometimes music competes for my audio attention. But since school’s out and my daughter and I share a Spotify account I’m not listening to that much music lately.
A question for all of you audiobook reviewers:
Since I’m busy with other tasks while I’m listening it’s not really convenient to take review notes. When I listen using the Audible App I can add bookmarks to refer to later, but I’m wondering if anyone has a process that’s working really well for them. What I do now is jot down notes after I’ve listened to the whole audiobook.
Do you take review notes when you listen to audiobooks? Hit me up with some tips!
I actually never take notes for reviews. I have a total just wing it approach to my reviews. Occasionally, I will attempt to jot down a word that I want to figure out how to spell, particularly in Fantasy. This is why I wish audiobooks came with glossaries.
The spelling is tricky with audiobooks. I prefer to have the book on hand to refer to look up words but also use the Click to Look Inside feature on Amazon.
I listen while doing blog maintenance as well – updating challanges, linking reviews, setting up upcoming posts, etc.
As far as taking notes – when I’m in the car, I have scrap paper and occasionally will jot something down that I want to use in my review. But, note-taking is something I do with every audio.
~Kristin @ Always With a Book
I jot things down on a notepad too- it seems easier than taking notes on my phone for some strange reason.
Blog maintenance and listening go together well 🙂
I don’t have any note-taking tips to offer, as I do a lot of listening in the car and tend to forget the things I want to make a note of by the time I’m at my destination!
That’s the problem I have too! It’s hard to remember everything, and when I listen I’m thinking – I should write this down!
Audiobooks are hard to review in a way. Most of mine our through Overdrive & I can’t bookmark. These reviews tend to be more wholistic that physical book reviews.
So true. I like your audio reviews so whatever you’re doing is working!
I’ve created notes in audible but I rarely ever go back to check through them again. Since most of my listening is done in the car I really struggle with notes and quotes that I want to remember as well. I wish I could work on the computer and listen but I always end up regretting it when I try! too easily distracted…
I don’t take notes, but I try to do my review soon after I finished, if I plan to review that audiobook. But taking notes part way through is a good idea! I can’t really bookmark to go back to a particular section since my books are either on overdrive or streaming through audiobooks.com.
That’s a good idea, Julie, to review right after you finish. Otherwise I’m on to the next thing and will completely forget what I want to say!
I think only the books I purchase through audible can be bookmarked, sadly.
I wish I could do computer tasks while I listen but I can’t. I listen in the car, while I walk and while I do mindless chores.
wow, guys, how can you do other mental tasks while listening to an audiobook and not miss a word?? i’m really impressed. I do sometimes jot notes during audiobooks, and when I like very much a line, I copy a few words of it, and then use the ‘look into the book’ feature on amazon to be able to quote it correctly in my review
I think all this multi-tasking takes practice, but yes working with words while listening is tricky, and I sometimes have to put down the audio for a time.
I use the Look in the book feature too! It’s awesome for reference if you don’t have the book on hand 🙂
if i’m listening on my kindle i can bookmark and note / highlite which is great.
What kindle do you have where you can listen to audiobooks? I have a paperwhite and I don’t think it has that capability. That is a cool idea though! I’m intrigued.
I love listening to audiobooks when I’m in the car, or cleaning, but I can’t listen to them while I”m commenting on other blogs. I end up not concentrating on the blog or the book. Since I usually listen while I’m driving, I do not take notes, and sometimes that makes it difficult to review. I’ve found that doing bullet list reviews for audiobooks works really well for me.
Bullet list sounds like a good format type for audio reviews. I’m sort of rethinking how I review audios now, and want to make them clearer to read.
I also think visitors to the blog will like bullet lists reviews. Sometimes I love writing a full review with paragraphs, but also bullet lists are great.
I do take notes when I listen. I will sometimes use the note app on my phone or ipad depending whether I’m at home or out and about. Not long notes just a few reminders that I want to mention.
I can’t listen to audio while paying bills or drafting posts or even cooking a new recipe (I will always mess it up!) but I do listen to them when doing laundry, cleaning, getting ready in the morning, walking and driving which sadly takes up a huge chunk of my day. I am a nerd. I keep a little pocket sized notebook with me pretty much wherever I go. If a phrase sticks with me and I’m in the car I’ll frantically jot down notes at a red light,. I’ve even pulled over into parking lots to take notes. I usually just write a few key phrases if I’m wanting to quote from the book and will later look up the entire phrase online when writing the review. If I waited until I finished the book I would probably have a once paragraph review because my memory is so awful!
Sorry *one not *once
I don’t really have a good way of taking notes for audiobooks either. (And I might be obsessed with Candy Crush Saga.)
I’m so bad at that game but it is addictive!
I don’t take notes, but I also don’t take notes with my print books. On the rare occasions I do take notes (in either print or audio), I do it with a note on my phone.
I sometimes struggle with the audiobook/music balance. I feel like I listen to less music now and I miss it. So I try to listen at work when audiobooks aren’t an option.
I go through waves with music where that’s all I want to listen to. Then I get on a roll with audiobooks again. Glad you can relate 🙂
I’ll have to try to take notes on my phone. I guess since it’s easier to refer back to print books, I feel more obligated to take notes with audiobooks.
If I need to make a note I usually keep it with a memo in my phone. I don’t take a lot of notes, but do jot down things that capture my attention so I don’t forget them when I do the review. With a physical book I might stick in a post it, so my memos in my notes on my phone is like my sticky.
Sometimes I get the urge to listen to some music, but music does really take a back burner to my audiobooks because I have so little time to read at home. Sometimes I do miss it though.