The rise of blogging as a most popular way of publishing content online has meant that an increasing number of people are finding themselves writing on a regular basis. People who would once never have considered putting pen to paper are now putting fingers to keyboard and broadcasting to the world. But is all this writing coming at the expense of time we might once have spent reading? Reading widely can ensure we consistently improve our own writing style. It is in observing the writing of others that we are best able to refine our own words. By absorbing the words of others we too increase our knowledge and become better educated on all matter of issues.
A word is not the same with one writer as with another. One tears it from his guts. The other pulls it out of his overcoat pocket. – Charles Peguy
Photo by Mr.Fink’s Finest Photos.
There are simple ways in which we can become more widely read. Making use of an RSS reader, such as Google Reader, is a great way of aggregating online content. Google Reader allows you to subscribe to blogs or news websites and create categories in which you can separate your areas of interest, for example, you might like to have categories such as “Blogging Tips”, “Fashion Blogs”, “World News”.You can also share content you enjoy with your friends by emailing an article direct from your feed reader.
A key benefit of online content is that we can commit to reading about a topic we are not entirely sold on – we may read an article on gardening or socialism or backpacking, without having to commit to an entire book. If we find we enjoy the topic, we can read further through the blog archives and subscribe for new content. If we do not enjoy it, we can easily move on. We can also seek out alternative points of view quite simply.
Why not consider moving outside of your regular areas of interest and read some niche blogs that you may not have considered before:
It’s about marketing, it’s about ideas chrisbrogan.com
It’s about finance barefootinvestor.com
It’s about pop culture, and social justice 3things.org.au
It’s about personal development stevepavlina.com
It’s about being a stay-at-home-mom momminitup.com
It’s about social commentary on lesbianism and bisexuality afterellen.com
It’s about food thefoodpornographer.com
It’s about life through the eyes of an African woman wherehermadnessreside
It’s about motivation and inspiration 1000diamonds.wordpress.com
It’s about street style around the world thesartorialist.blogspot.com
It’s about being stylish, from your fashion to your thoughts stylishthought.com
Another way you can digest more information each day is by reading a newspaper each morning. By making this part of your schedule you make a commitment to broadening your knowledge on news and current affairs and observing the style of newspaper journalists.
By opening a membership account with your local library, you make available to yourself thousands of books you may not be able to commit to buying. A library membership means you can borrow a book from a niche that you would not yet pay full retail price for. You are able to indulge your curiosity and read outside of an area that you would usually actively seek out. Why not stroll each aisle of your local library and pick books from sections you’ve never read from before, try science, religion, history, computing, fantasy, autobiography.
Learn as much by writing as by reading. – Lord Acton
Blogging is an excellent means to communicate and share, but remember that to write without reading is to speak without listening. Be curious and hungry for knowledge and the rewards will show in the work you publish.
Share your favourite articles, blogs, reports and books in the comments…
My name is Kate, I'm 24 and I live in Sydney where I study journalism, read The Guardian, eat dumplings and drink a lot of coffee. For more 
I love this article. I find that this is so true! By trying to write more I’m reading much, much less. And I miss it a lot. I do read a lot of articles and blogs, but I’m not reading much in the way of actual books. I’ve recently been trying to remedy that actually, but its nice to know I’m not alone.
I agree
I do a lot of reading online lately (I get most of my links via twitter), but my book reading has suffered. I am dedicating my uni break to tackling the 20 book high stack beside my bed!
It’s very true, I write a lot but these days I read so little, I have a few blogs I go to every now and then but other than that it’s a big ol’ nothing. But, luckily I have figure out how to solve the issue and not step away from my computer, ebooks!
Thanks Valerie – you’re so not alone! But like any issue, once you know it’s there, you can rectify it pretty simply
Laura, I have two weeks break coming up soon too – and I have a whole pile of half read books so I expect I’ll be following your lead
Though, must say, Twitter can be a brilliant resource for finding obscure and fascinating articles.
Jacinta, Ebooks = very exciting, also, books posted in their entirety on the web. I found Alsous Huxley’s Brave New World a few months back and am rereading it
It’s here in case you’re interested, http://www.huxley.net/bnw/
I love this! So true. I started reading George Orwell’s 1984 today, and it’s so funny because it reminded me of Brave New World and how much I wanted to re-read it again too :0 I also discovered Google Reader today which is another coincidence haa!
Sheshtyn !! How have I not persuaded you into using Google Reader yet? It truly saves my life when it comes to reading. I could never keep up with my favourite blogs & news websites without it… I love it so, I have everything organised neatly into folders. I am glad you have discovered the joy. Also, you’ve inspired me, I really must reread 1984. I’ve not read it since highschool.. and I’m quite certain I’d have a far greater appreciation for it now. I remember walking past Orwell’s one time home in West London and thinking I should reread it, clearly I’ve not got around to that – but we’ll see, I must go & join the SH library.
nice one.
ps: Graham still had your blog open when he spoke to my class (that feels odd to type) re blogging on Thursday..
What a fabulous post and so true!!
This is such a great post. I especially love the ‘to write without reading is to speak without listening’ part.. very inspiring! And great links too!
Hey Kate -
As an English major,I COMPLETELY agree that reading is super important. My only qualm with reading online is something you stated in this post: Anyone & everyone with a keyboard and internet connection can start a blog and publish to the web. Sometimes I wonder if I should spend more time reading real books–which contain thoroughly and meticulously edited & proofread copy–instead of the writing anybody can post. Not saying that some blogs aren’t wonderfully written. They definitely can be. But when you’re reading a book, you KNOW it’s good writing (or at the very least–it’s passed through many editors to get published).
I don’t know. I still love blogs (obviously). But there’s something about reading a REAL book by a “REAL” author that delivers a different experience.
Nice post!
I love reading! I do sometimes find that I don’t have time for it, and that is such a shame. My favourite thing to do on my holidays is just to curl up with a book or twenty and catch up on my reading.