Play it again, Sam!

[zvi]

How many times do you listen to a podfic? What affects your decision to keep and re-listen to a particular recording? If someone records something you've already listened to, are you willing to listen to the newer one? Is there a joy in repetition?

Comments

[brimtoast]

I re-listen to podfic more often than I re-read stories. There are some I've listened to 5–10 times, which is a lot of repetition for me. Whether I put on something new or an old favorite will depend on my reasons for listening at that particular time.

Advantages of a new podfic:
-Keeps my brain engaged with a new story
-Gives me a chance to discover a new reader or a new favorite by an already-loved reader
-More exciting, because I don't yet know what's going to happen

Advantages of an old favorite:
-Very emotionally soothing, like having an old friend saying comforting things in my ear
-I can zone in and out of the story and still know what's going on and be engaged during the times I *am* listening
-It's always a story/reader combo that worked really well for me, so even though I'm not discovering something new, the chances of adoring it are much higher than with a new podfic

Basically, if I want to be entertained/occupied, I will usually listen to a new one, and if I want to be comforted, I will listen to an old one. Like, if I'm having a really bad day or if I want something to listen to as I drift off to sleep, old one. Assuming all is going fairly well with my life, my default while travelling from place to place or doing chores is a new one.

Obviously both story and reader are big factors in what makes me love a podfic and keep it around for future re-listening, but for me I definitely feel more attached to the reader. I have folders on my iPhone for Aceles podfics, Aphelant podfics, Nny podfics, Fiercelydreamed podfics, etc. And when I am deciding what I want to listen to, I will figure out which reader I'm in the mood for first, and then from there decide which story.

I think I would listen to a new version of a story I'd already heard, if only to see whether the different interpretation gave me any new insights into the story. I'd be much less likely to open my heart to a recording and keep it around for multiple listenings if there was already a recording of that same story that I loved, though.