While audiobooks are becoming increasingly popular due to their convenience, I still believe nothing compares to the feeling of curling up with an ebook and reading for hours on end. On top of that, there are several reasons why I’ll pick ebooks over audiobooks any day.
1I Struggle to Focus When Listening to Audiobooks
One of the primary reasons why I ditched my iPad and switched to a Kindle for reading was because I’d constantly get interrupted by notifications. Within seconds of receiving a text, all I’d be able to do was think about it, and I’d lose my focus. The same somewhat applies to audiobooks.
Audiobooks require your full attention, which means listening to them in a noisy environment isn’t the best idea. On the other hand, you can pull an ebook out and read it anywhere and everywhere. Since I commute to and from university daily, I’ve had firsthand experience with this. Whether it’s during a quick break between classes, or while I’m commuting, I can easily read my book without needing to find a quiet space or worry about being interrupted.
I struggle to focus when I’m listening to an audiobook for long periods. More often than not, I zone out as I’m listening, and before I know it, I’ve lost track of the story. With ebooks, I can essentially set my own pace. For the times when I do zone out while reading, I can easily re-read sections as many times as I need to.
So, while audiobooks offer the convenience of reading on the go, they don’t provide the same control ebooks do.
2I’ve Always Been a Huge Fan of Annotating Books
Whether I’m reading a paperback or an ebook, my reading experience simply feels incomplete without annotating. Similar to how I like to screenshot quotes or even lyrics from Spotify that resonate with me, I’ve made it a habit to highlight passages or lines that stand out to me as I’m reading a book.
If something within the book makes me take a minute to pause and reflect, I’ll always highlight it and jot down a few words about how I’m feeling at the moment, so I can revisit it later on and relive the experience.
Since I tend to forget the plot of a book days after I read it due to my short-term memory, I can’t begin to imagine what life would be like without annotating my books.
While most audiobook apps come with annotation tools, or you can go the traditional route and jot down sentiments that stood out to you in a physical notebook, it doesn’t come close to the ease and feel of annotating an ebook.
3Not Every Book Is Available in Audiobook Format
With the amount of books out there, it’s realistically impossible for there to be an audiobook version of each one—especially if you read relatively niche books. While the same can be said for ebooks, I’ve personally never faced a situation where I couldn’t find an ebook version of a book I had my eye on. Manga, a style of Japanese comic books, is the perfect example of this!
Since they’re graphic novels that rely heavily on visuals, they simply can’t be translated into an audiobook format. Even in cases where you do find audiobook adaptations of them, would they really capture the true manga reading experience? On the other hand, there are a ton of legal sites that allow you to read manga online for free! Similarly, lesser-known titles are far less likely to have audiobook adaptations, making ebooks a more reliable option overall.
4I Like to Listen to Music While Reading
Whether I’m on a walk, studying for a final, or reading a book, one thing stays constant—I always have my AirPods in, playing some sort of background music. While reading, I usually stick to lo-fi beats or one of my go-to Spotify playlists for background music.
It not only helps me focus on the task at hand and block out the external noise, but it’s also a great way to boost my Spotify listening hours to win Spotify Wrapped! Since audiobooks require you to actively listen and comprehend the story, adding music to the mix, even if it’s chill lo-fi beats, ultimately causes you to miss details or lose track of the plot.
It’s a lot like when you’re listening to music and someone starts talking—you instinctively pause the music so you can hear them. Whereas with ebooks, listening to music simultaneously isn’t an issue at all.
With my schedule being so packed lately, I’ve been struggling to find time for reading. So, the idea of reading while multitasking seemed like a dream, which is why many people think audiobooks are better than ebooks.
However, despite giving them a fair shot, I soon realized, due to the reasons I mentioned above, that they’re probably just not for me.
