Does increased blog exposure mean less book reading?
by kimmerie

I have a question: If we're either writing or reading blogs all the time, does this take a

way from how much we read? I'm talking about books. Not newspapers, not magazines. Good old fashioned, paper and board bound books.

I'd really like to hear what you have to say.

In short (because I want to go read), I'm finding that by the time I've finished creating a post, which is usually at night, I'm pooped. With just a small window of time before I fall asleep, I usually opt for the ending of an old black and white movie on AMC. Or Jon Stewart. Or, one of my guilty pleasures, What Not to Wear (so I can unconsciously accessorize and wake up fashionable).

There's some irony here in that I'm writing about the book world and reading less. I'm hopeful that this is just a temporary symptom of embarking on my new blogging adventure. Perhaps it will level off and my literary intake will increase.

Truth be told, I've never been as avid a reader as I'd like (my book devouring sisters as my barometers - my lazy eye, my alibi) and constantly resolve to increase my book reading usually every January 1. Like most resolutions, my best results happen in the first quarter.

Am I wrong in thinking that the writing process exercises similar neurons and other vital brain material as reading? Is that a lame rationalization? 

I haven't studied the sociological and industry effects of blogging vs. reading but I've definitely noticed the books on my night stand lingering longer than usual. For some serious conjecture on the subject I recommend Lissa Warren's recent piece in the Huffington Post  or an in depth article by Motoko Rich in theNY Times.

I just wonder what goes on in our brains when we are predominantly face to screen rather than nose to book. I've been told that my red eyes are a byproduct of old age, but my constant staring at the computer screen's got to have something to do with it. (Not to mention that my frequent remedy, Visine,  supposedly "gets the red out" by bleaching your eyeballs)

So, help me out here. I'm keeping this post short to save my aging eyes and to carve some room for a good book. With any luck, I'll finally finish Alice Munro's Runaway and can begin Rene Fleming's autobiography,The Inner Voice.

Is blogging bad for you? Or like everything else, is it about moderation?

I was never good at that.

for more, go to www.helpmewithmybook.com/blog 

Submitted by kimmerie (view blog) on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 16:46

Comments

 

No it doesn't

You can look at my blog and check out all of the books I've read in 2008. Here, I'll give you the link to the 2008 posts (some posts have more than one book listed and almost all of them are posts that indicate I've finished a book.) My partner reads twice as many books as I do.

I subscribe to 398 feeds and read them everyday (this is down from 622 due to the move I recently made.) My partner currently subscribes to 464 feeds and reads them everyday (she's up from where she was pre-BlogHer, I believe.)

No. Living in the blogosphere and actively participating in the blogosphere has not diminished book reading. Not at all. It may have increased it due to the large number of book blogs I read - those folks recommend some awesome books.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

Submitted by Denise on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 15:54
 

I find that my novel reading

I find that my novel reading makes me a better blogger, and much better at making responses.  Right now I read a couple hundred daily, but I've read over 100 books this year.

I have found that I need to be more creative with my reading.  I read alot of the treadmill or the exercise bike, I've also purchased a couple of books on ITunes and listened to them on my IPod.

Doris

The Leaky Cauldron
Everything Harry Potter.


Fit, Fabulous and Forty the Natural Way! 
My fitness journey now that I'm in my forties!

Submitted by Doris on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 16:13
 

100 Books!

 Do you need a spare girlfriend? child? Because, there is quite a bit of grumbling about my reading speed at my house. I think you wouldn't be as grumpy. I have only read err maybe a dozen books since Blogher con this year. 

 

~TW
Retro-Food

Submitted by TW on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 18:38
 

I am behind this year

But I blame moving for that, since I think I only read 2 books for the entire month of July.

So far, I've read 86 books this year.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

Submitted by Denise on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 19:25
 

No Way

I write 4 blogs, I'm writing a book and own my own business and I make sure to read at least one book per week. I find the more I write the more I read. My brain has a desire to devour the written word. I suppose its like breathing for me, I expel words, sentences and paragraphs and conversely my brain needs to take in words, sentences and paragraphs.

Then again I've always been a reader. So to me its important to include books into my life. It has nothing to do with moderation it has to do with time management that's all. You'll get there. Keep plugging away.  

Self-discovery through fashion!

www.wisdomofglinda.com

askglinda.blogspot.com

glindaofoz.blogspot.com

 

Submitted by GlindaofOz on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 16:18
 

Reading makes you a better writer

So sayeth Stephen King and really, who is going to argue with him? ;-) (There's a post coming on this sometime...it's still marinating.)

I read more books now than I did before I got into blogging (I won't lie, a good library system helps). Granted I do read a lot of book blogs, it kind of comes with the territory of covering the book beat here at BlogHer. I go through ebbs and flows in my reading as I think anyone does. Right now for instance I've been wrapped up in some books that I ordered and it's been a pretty good reading week for me - I've finished 4 books since Saturday and am currently reading two others. That's higher than normal but not totally out of the ordinary. Next week I might read one. Or maybe even none (not likely but it is possible) I always have to be reading a book, even if it's only a couple of pages a day and sometimes it really is only a couple of pages.

Reading blogs and books are both very beneficial to your writing. Reading helps you look at how language is used. How to describe things. How to incorporate dialogue. How to argue. How tone does and does not translate well to the page or screen. How your voice matters.

Just read books that you actually want to read. Don't force yourself to continue a book you don't like (Denise might argue with me on this one...but I say time is limited and you should enjoy what you are reading). But if you are interested in the reading/writing relationship add Stephen King's On Writing to that pile by your bed.

Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.

Submitted by sassymonkey on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 19:41
 

My kudos to you all!

I feel like such a dweeb! How do you do it all? I write and speak so much that I can only catch a snip of my stock pile of books now and then. Usually it's at night, right before I fall asleep! I still keep buying them but I don't seem to be able to read as much as I would like!

www.ClaudiaBroome.com

www.LadiesDontQuitYet.com

www.ToHaveAndToHoldHostage.com

Submitted by Claudia Broome on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 20:15
 

You make the time for things you love

Or at least I have always done so. My reading is a non-negotiable expenditure of time. It will be at bedtime usually.

Or when kids were little-during nap time, with a baby on my lap, or between that 10 pm and midnight feeding.

I can read in the car, on a plane, while standing in line, while other people fidget with their phones, while cooking dinner, etc. Saturday afternoon when there are not kids around. 

 

~TW
Retro-Food

Submitted by TW on Fri, 08/08/2008 - 17:19
 

Who needs sleep

I always find time to read.  I started carrying my novel with me, and those 10 minutes waiting for kid #3 to finish basketball, or waiting for the doctor or just sitting in a car when hubby is driving.  Reading is much like eating, I probably would be a grump without it.

Of course if the book is good, just don't sleep!  (I hear sleeping is over rated!)

 

Doris

The Leaky Cauldron
Everything Harry Potter.


Fit, Fabulous and Forty the Natural Way! My fitness journey now that I'm in my forties!

Submitted by Doris on Fri, 08/08/2008 - 18:18
 

Touche!

I always take something with me in case I get an extra minute. The problem is that it's usually my laptop. I am going to change the rules for me to include more reading! Doris, I have been known also to forego sleep in order to finish a great book. Thank you all. I needed a wake up call. Sounds silly and I really miss the books that are fun to read. I just started the Kite Runner this morning. Mmmm which one next?

www.ClaudiaBroome.com

www.LadiesDontQuitYet.com

www.ToHaveAndToHoldHostage.com

Submitted by Claudia Broome on Sat, 08/09/2008 - 07:56