So, I have a question that pertains to books. Now I know that we have a lot of people who love audio (hello Big Finish fans), but I’m curious specifically about novels/novelizations (hence putting this is Books as opposed to Cross-Media Discussions). How do you prefer to consume Doctor Who novels?
Personally, for me, I prefer Audiobooks because I can get through an audiobook faster (generally) than a book. Now, I still read faster than a narrator when I actually sit down and read. That said, I rarely sit down and read because I’m busy with life or messing around on my computer. An audiobook I can stick in my ears and listen while I do chores, drive, go for a walk, etc. A physical book (or eBook - see this discussion: Reading: Digital or Physical?), I actually have to make the time to sit down and read, which is usually before bed if I’m not sitting up at my computer too late. Now, with a single-narrator audiobook, if the narrator doesn’t work, than you’re better off just reading the thing. So, there is that to contend with. To wrap this back to Doctor Who, I really wish that more of the original novels (which are out of print and hard get ahold of, especially outside the UK) would get unabridged audiobook editions.
Prefer print, but I like audiobooks too.
I do print; mainly I think it’s because I try to enjoy a piece of media as closely as I can to the way it would have been released, so for example all the Target novelizations, I will read them in print. The other half of my motivation is that I listen to a hell of a lot of audio drama already so if I had to rotate in audio-books I simply wouldn’t have any time.
Audiobooks are generally faster. I can’t read English text that quickly and I get even slower if it’s unfamiliar. And I always prefer original to translation. I used to put the audiobook while reading the translated version to help me understand.
Print. It’s easier for me to focus on them and gives me a break from my devices. I spend way too much time on the internet than I probably should.
For audiobooks, I have a little SanDisk MP3 player. I just copy files from my computer (after a bit of detail editing) to my player and I’m good to go. I transfer several titles at a time so I can conceivably go for quite a while before loading more.
Granted, I’m often removing listened to bits and adding new stuff as I decide “ooh, I’d rather listen to this next”. But it’s not a internet-accessible device.
I use a Shanling M0 Pro but the screen is too small and I can’t go back 5 or 10 seconds if I missed something. So thinking about an upgrade to Hiby R4, though it seems like an overkill if I’m mostly using it for audiobooks and audiodramas?
Paradox incoming: 
I absolutely prefer print, mainly in the e-book variety for practical reasons, but I still buy printed versions too.
I absolutely prefer audio because I can listen to it on my morning walk, etc. Nowadays, I just don’t have enough spare time to dedicate to “just” reading. Also, a good speaker can actually enhance the reading experience. For example, I loved Clare Higgins’ reading of “The Gods of Winter.”
I guess I contain multitudes ¯\(ツ)/¯
I love the audiobook versions because I have poor vision, dyslexia, a hypersensitivity to light backgrounds, multiple constant photopsia hallucinations, and severe Visual Snow Syndrome which all makes the act of reading a bit of a challenge, (I can read, but only very slowly), and I also have to work a lot so I have very little free time, but I can often listen to audios while working, so the audiobooks are incredibly helpful otherwise I wouldn’t be able to get through anywhere near as many of them.
Also, having a real person or multiple people narrating a book is much better than using a screen reader since, at least with the free one that I use, it doesn’t capture the tone of voice and pacing that a human can, so it is more enjoyable listening to them being read by actual people. I also think it can make the experience more fun or special when it is being read by a person whom I like a lot or by someone who is very talented. (I really recommend listening to the audiobook of Scratchman, even if just to hear Tom’s beautiful voice! But also he sometimes laughs a bit throughout it and I just find it so charming.)
It makes me so sad when audiobooks are abridged though because I don’t want to miss out on any detail, so I will make time to struggle through reading a book myself if I absolutely must when only abridged audiobook versions are available or if there isn’t any audiobook at all.
I actually don’t really have a preference.
I love both Audiobooks and print books. If I want to read a book I actually usually decide based on price/availability which one to get. If I then like this book I usually get the other medium as well and listen/read to it as well. (If I read the book first I usually listen to the audiobook multiple times after that, if I got the audiobook first I will still listen to the audiobook multiple times usually but I will also read the book more than once (If not as often as listening to the audiobook))
The only case in which I won’t go for the audiobook at all is if it only available in abridged versions, because I will not spend my money/time only to get a cut version that is missing parts. (I mean there is a reason why I started preferring to read English books in the original rather than the translation. (Jokes that don’t translate, sometimes wonky translations based on words not existing in both languages etc.))
My ADHD makes me really struggle with reading, so I much prefer audiobooks
I definitely get through audiobooks faster, but on the other hand they have such a long runtime compared to audio dramas, so if I start listening to an audiobook I then get behind on my Big Finish stuff! (Which I am already, thanks to the recent app issues.)
So it’s swings & roundabouts for me.
Theoretically I prefer print but given that most of the stuff I want to read is much cheaper and easier to get electronically, I prefer audiobooks (don’t much like reading on screens). I find it easier to focus on them since I can do something else simultaneously but they do have the disadvantage of not being able to look up words I don’t know. I wish I was still able to focus on books as completely as I was a few years ago.
I generally prefer print because I find that even while doing a fairly menial task I have a much easier time focusing on text than on speech. I process stories a lot better when I read them compared to listening. I’ve gotten better at it since getting into audio dramas, but it’s still not even a close competition.
On the other hand, I rarely have time to read. I can listen to things while working, but reading needs all my attention. Even when I have an hour to two, I find myself lacking the necessary focus. It’s a balance, I suppose.
Overall I prefer print, but I listen to audiobooks at night when I’m going to sleep so I do love an audiobook too. I probably wouldn’t jump to listen to the audiobook over a print one, but then again I probably wouldn’t read that many DW books if I didn’t listen to the audiobooks, so. All things have their place 
I love how unsnobbish this thread is too, people get so elitist about audiobooks not being ‘‘real’’ reading, which is nonsense really. Different stuff works for different people and that is good
I’m in the ‘Doesn’t Matter’ category. Sadly I don’t have space for a lot of physical books so much of my reading is done via ebook. But, like quite a few others here, listening to an audiobook while doing other things is so convenient. So I have a growing collection of audiobooks as well.
I particularly like the fact that the vast majority of Doctor Who novelisations are available as audiobooks. I long ago got rid of most of my Target books so to be able to revisit those old books is very welcome.
I prefer print and have shelves heaving with books still to read. I find with audiobooks, my mind wanders very easily when its a single narrator (audio drama isn’t an issue). That said I have listened to a few more audiobooks lately such as a couple of Agatha Christie’s and a couple of Target novelisations.
I’m starting to read more ebooks too but only have my phone to read them on which isn’t always brilliant.
It doesn’t matter, but I tend to lean more into print than audio, mainly because I love reading at my own pace and with my own voice, and I find it easier to focus and take in the text if I read it myself (I’m with @deltaandthebannermen on this). My mind tends to wander a bit when listening to audiobooks, which means that I might miss out on some stuff. That being said, I have loads of other books I want to read as well. I have started listening to more DW audiobooks because I can do that while doing other things and, therefore, save some time to read non-DW stuff (such as Brandon Sanderson, which I’m hugely enjoying!).
I’ve also decided to listen to audiobook versions of stories I’m already familiar with (such as the Target novelisations).
Wow, I haven’t seen a good old MP3 player in ages! It’s cool to see that people are actually still using them!
