Why I Started Using NotebookLM’s Audio Feature to Summarise My Substack Articles
Even if it butchers every wine name
Audio (ironically) powered by Google NotebookLM
One of the sneakiest upgrades to my writing workflow lately has been NotebookLM’s audio summaries. After only one person unsubscribed to my Substack, saying that they prefer audio over written text, I knew I had to correct this. I wouldn’t modify anything if you told me my writing sucks or it isn’t for you, but this is a technical thing, something that can be upgraded. A robot reading my own words back to me - out loud, in a weirdly calm voice, absolutely destroying the pronunciation of half the wineries I write about is something that I am weirdly loving right now.
What it gives you:
A clean summary of what I actually wrote (not just what I think I wrote).
The ability to multi-task - I’ll listen while walking Fora or polishing glassware.
And yes, occasional comedy when it tries to pronounce “Pineau d’Aunis” like it’s reading IKEA furniture assembly instructions.
It’s not perfect - and that’s fine.
NotebookLM still can’t tell a Barbaresco from a Barbacoa. But it can distill my rambling into something coherent and let me hear if I’ve actually said something worth saying. And for a wine writer who lives half in the sensory and half in the cerebral, that’s gold.
So if you’re looking for a fresh way to tighten your writing - or just want to hear your own words get butchered by a calm, robotic duo - NotebookLM’s audio feature might be your new weird little ritual.
Thinking of doing a quick guide on how I actually use the tool each week for my MW studies - let me know if you’d read it.
As always, thanks for reading - stay thirsty, stay curious. If you would like to further support me, you can follow me on Instagram or LinkedIN or tell your friends about this newsletter.
Aleksandar
The podcast feature is class!