Audiobooks, a Forgotten Writing Tool?

As a child, I used to love listening to fiction books on tape (yes, tape…do you remember the pain it was to rewind them or heaven forbid try to find the exact spot you were last at if you mistakenly forgot to press the stop button??). I never really paused to consider until just this month how much listening to those tapes taught me about story, about voice. I didn’t even know it, but those audiobooks were teaching me writing techniques that were vital to becoming an author.

Now, as an adult with a baby who just loves to have my complete attention and doesn’t give me more than a nap time to read, I’ve returned to audiobooks while I take care of him, do housework, drive and exercise and I feel like I’m taking a refresher writing class on getting back to the basics of writing!

What I’ve learned from listening to fiction audiobooks as a writer:

The importance of plot. Audiobooks, even more so than physical books, are a huge time commitment and if the audiobook doesn’t have a good hook,  plot and arc, it’s going to be set aside.

The promise of pace.  Set in the beginning chapters, the pace is the promise that the author makes to the reader saying that the story, as good as it sounds now, will only get better if you keep reading/listening!

Setting and description breathe life into a story. Listening to an audiobook has given me a whole new perspective on description. It’s amazing how certain authors can draw in the reader by painting a vivid picture with words. As I tend to lean more towards dialogue in my own writing, I’ve made it my goal for my current writing project to really focus on the descriptions of the setting and characters. As I read my WIP aloud, I ask myself as a reader if I can see my characters/setting. I can picture the story  in my mind as the author, but it’s vital for me to translate it onto the page for my readers.

For more on incorporating setting/description into your novel, check out this post!

The love of story. And lastly, audiobooks are just a good way to keep up with your to-be-read pile and cultivating your love for a good story and gaining inspiration. As I am listening to one of Laura Franz’s novels, I find myself keeping my notes app open to jot down favorite phrases and possible ideas.

Happy Listening and Writing!