Reading Online, Chew Before You Swallow

Dave: Do you think the two will ever merge? Do you think computers will become more readable, for lack of a better word. I hear the Kindle's pretty cool as well, but do you think that maybe it's just the beginning of something we have not yet thought of?

Peter: Maybe my favorite comment in the thread, Peter. Thanks.

I would suggest that its all under the banner of Progress. We will never move forward if we stand still , but its always a comforting to take a step backwards and regard that which is stylistically reassuring and of intrinsic value. Music downloads give us the same melody and lyrics - but I like to put the original vinyl LP on every now and then. As I sit at my PC in my Ikea desk chair I can see my Eames Design Classic chair out of the corner of my eye - it makes me smile. I love being able to take a photo and email it to a friend 3000 miles away in seconds, but i still enjoy the feel and satisfaction of handling a 70s Nikon Nikkormat . Lets move forward and embrace technological advances , but lets also appreciate their beginnings.

Reading online is difficult to do comfortably, I find. With a book, you can lay on your bed, sit in any room, sit in a park or cafe, sit on the toilet. Can't do that with the computer, well, not with mine, anyway.

There is also the way we use computers to consider. We are used to BROWSING, not necessarily reading. We surf the web with 20 windows open, CTRL Tab jumping from one to another. When you are used to using a medium one way, the habit carries over to sites rich with text.

Then of course, reading on a screen can be tiresome and an eye strain. I'd love to get a Kindle and try that out, it seems to offer the best of both worlds, but I'll have to wait till its in my price range.

Very thought provoking post, Sean.
And oh yeah, a VERY subtle diaper reference :)

Alik: That's awesome to hear, Alik. I'm glad the reverse has been true for you.

Kwek: I think it's infinitely more comfortable to read a book, just not nearly as convenient (for me right now). My eyes are never as tired.

Tammy: No doubt, it is all about balance.

Maya: Thanks for telling me about growing up, Maya. That's really interesting. When I was little, my parents had a flower shop next to a bookstore. I used to spend entire afternoons in the bookstore getting lost in words. I'd probably be a different person today without such easy access.

Ruth: That's true, Ruth. Successful blogging calls for reading the material of others, and that is most often morsels rather than meals (well said). I've been trying to be better, and am halfway through my third book of the year, so I think I'm doing well.

Bamboo: You're awesome, Bamboo. Hats off. i've started following far less blogs myself because, I too, want to start absorbing every word rather than simply allowing them to fall in front of my eyes.

Lisa: I couldn't agree more. It's sad with the amount of quality literature available, we're still fixed on the same old same old. I love the classics, but if I had been exposed to only them, I wouldn't ever have been the reader, or the writer, that i am today.

Randi: Very true. Books are far more tangible than online text is. For now. I can only imagine what's just past the furthest horizon we can see, but I have a feeling they'll find a way to add a more tactile experience to online reading.

Patricia: Sigh. The Kindle never worked out, but I'm looking forward to maybe getting one by the holidays this year. Even at its best, I don't think the technology's there yet, but I think it will be soon.

Kristin: I'd never heard Chuck say that, but I love it! It's true to the core. I have those two types of reading myself. I never curl up with my laptop. I would call myself a sit back writer on a sit forward writing device as well.

Yeah, I'm really struggling with this dichotomy myself, both as a reader and a writer. Chuck Westbrook refers to two types of writing: "sit forward writing" and "sit back writing." The first is the kind you skim for information, usually on your computer, while sitting alert in a task chair. The second is the kind you savor and lose yourself in—you have to be physically comfortable and not distracted by the clock or the next task.

Of course, websites are the classic "sit forward" medium, while print is the classic "sit back" one. For a long time I resisted starting a blog for this very reason: my content didn't seem to fit the form. But here I am now, 100+ posts later—a "sit back" writer relying on a "sit forward" delivery device. Sigh. It seems like the two will gradually become more and more compatible—they have to, don't they?—but sometimes it's hard to imagine.

P.S. Deep down, I'm still a book person. I love to read them, I long to write them, and there's nothing more satisfying than seeing my three girls devour one book after another, reminding me of my own childhood.

<abbr>Kristin T. (@kt_writes)’s last blog post..A magic morning (and a realistic outlook)</abbr>

I love writing and reading. I do not scan blogs or books (although the last 900 page novel I read I got very tired of the sexual descriptions and thought they interrupted the flow of the story - often) I read every word and thus I don't attempt to read 50 blogs a day, but only all that I can do in my two hours allotted to reading and commenting.

I read about 2 books a week besides blogs - one technical or text and one novel or poetry, short story compilation. I have discovered I find a richness of the word play and vocabulary stimulates my mind. I like the way my mind becomes more creative and playful with a book.

I am amazed after 5 months of owning a Kindle, I prefer it to other books and it's versatility and it is much easier on my eyes too. Text and story both fix on there. I don't miss the smell of books at all - or the dust and care they must have.

Reading a book gives my thinking mind muscles more exercise - I savor and reread a page to guess secondary meaning or suggestion.

My Mother stopped teaching 1st grade when children refused to learn to read face clocks - I have a digital watch! I can tell time! Now we know that they can not truly understand time and space ratio without those old clocks to read - we must make it a game on the DS player and bribe them to learn.

I think the brain needs to read books....

<abbr>Patricia’s last blog post..Pooh Patrol</abbr>

I'm with Robin...

I hope nothing will ever replace the printed book. The subtle scent of a bookstore or library makes me as happy as a hippie in a head shop---pure Nirvana!

The tactile euphoria comes into play too...the feel of thick paper under my fingertips, running my hand back and forth in a caress as I read an especially well-written phrase, allowing a long fingernail to trace an engraved title...my monitor just does not evoke the same sensuality.

As Robin said, we feel as if books are our friends, but also books for me can symbolize my friends. I can open any number of books on my shelves and find an inscription from a loved one---someone who saw a book in a store, or at a yard sale, or in his own library---and was reminded of me. It carries more love weight with me than an email from those same friends saying, "Follow this link."

<abbr>Randi’s last blog post..Dissin' Aretha</abbr>

I totally agree. In fact, I tutor two 10th grade boys in reading and writing, and I really try to find books they will enjoy. I so want them to really enjoy reading. Most of the required reading just doesn't cut it. Oh, I love some of the "classics" but new classics are being written now, and it's too bad some schools aren't embrassing them.

<abbr>LisaNewton’s last blog post..The Treasured Sculpture Garden Gem at UCLA</abbr>

I'll also add... nothing beats a book. Nothing.

That being said... it's fun to enjoy both books and blogs. Do both. Enjoy.

<abbr>Bamboo Forest - PunIntended’s last blog post..Clowns are Downright Creepy</abbr>

"Reading online is like racing home during rush hour."

I generally don't follow this model. And here is how I overcome this trap. At least to me... it is a trap.

#1 I subscribe to as few blogs as possible. Only the ones that I feel are important for me to do so. Secondly, among these blogs... there are some that I opt not to read every post. I decide based on the title and maybe the first few lines.

I think the racing to finish you speak of is going to be much more prevalent among people who read blog entry after blog entry after blog entry. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with that. Not at all. Particularly if you want to make as many comments as possible.

But if you cut down on the blogs you read, you can read them with more care. That's what I try to do.

<abbr>Bamboo Forest - PunIntended’s last blog post..Clowns are Downright Creepy</abbr>

Meant to add that with all the blogs together it's like reading a chapter of 50 different books a day!

<abbr>Ruth’s last blog post..What Are You Valuing More Than Your Goal?</abbr>

This is a dilemma I've found as a blogger. Blogs are morsels, not meals. A good blog may be able to provide a whole meal, but subscribing isn't the same as sitting down with a book...it may drag on forever, it's like reading a chapter of a book a day.

On the writing side, I want my blog to be useful to readers...not just to build up reader stats but to provide something valuable for the longer run. A little inspiration to keep them going, another way of looking at things. I know I find the conversations thought-provoking.

And part of running a successful blog is reading other people's blogs. It helps me network and get ideas...plus I like the blogs I read. But it's often less-fulfilling than the book I've got beside the computer, especially over the long term.

So what does one do? Like Aylad, I've been reading a lot more in the last few months. But I love blogging and don't want to quit the blogosphere...even though all the reading sometimes overwhelms and undernourishes me.

<abbr>Ruth’s last blog post..What Are You Valuing More Than Your Goal?</abbr>

There is no comparison really. They are very different experiences. And hopefully, we will use both mediums the right way - for ourselves and our children.
The fun of turning pages and getting lost in a book will never go away - but then, the internet has made so much possible!!
In India, when I was growing up, we did not have libraries rich with books (like we have in the US ) and we had to pay to check a book out ( x amount/day) - it was expensive! We borrowed books from friends and family all the time. And books are expensive - so I cannot imagine the less fortunate kids got to read anything beyond the books the school provided ... I think I would have read a LOT more if I had the internet growing up.

<abbr>Maya’s last blog post..Preparing to Believe in Yourself: The Science of Ditchiness</abbr>

I couldn't agree more ... reading a book, enjoying that book smell, and holding a highlighter in my hand (if it's that kind of book) ... THAT'S where there is peace and relaxation in reading. I DO try to read internet stuff more quickly, but I also want to be careful to ponder the good from what I've read there, so there is a balance that needs to be found.

<abbr>Tammie @ Are You For Real?’s last blog post..How To Use Blessings?</abbr>

I've always preferred reading books to reading online. When given the choice, I choose to scan through the sallow pages of a book as opposed to running my eyes over the text on my computer screen. It is much more comfortable to read an actual book than an ebook or online content. It just feels right somehow.

This is coming from someone who has lived on his computer since young.

I have never been a book reader.
My mom tried hard to make me read but unsuccessful...
I started blogging, I was reading tons online. Guess what? Most insightful online reading get me to borrow a book in the library.
Last year I read more than 20 books. Must admit - more than I have ever read before....
Thank you, online reading, for making me read real books ;)

<abbr>Alik Levin | PracticeThis.com’s last blog post..Program Yourself For Extremely Fast Performance</abbr>

Barbara: No doubt, they're two different beasts. I love them both and feel I would benefit from approaching them differently.

Miguel: I'm looking forward to trying the Kindle, or something similar, at some point. I believe the experience would be far different from staring at scrolling text on a giant screen.

Melissa: LOL. That's funny, Melissa. I know exactly what you mean. Writing online, admittedly, has changed my fiction as well. I'll write short paragraphs with a single sentence in between them that I totally want to put in H2. It's ridiculous. By the way, I know the difference between them, but there and their trip me up on a subconscious level. I don't even see them in an edit. Those crazy homophones.

Charlie: I think you hit an interesting point, Charlie. Books touch more of our senses. We don't smell our computer, and they haven't been around long enough to tap into our base memory. Excellent point.

Chase: Another excellent point, Chase. My father and I call this "the zebra." Reason being that we were trying to find out if Mr. Ed was actually a painted zebra. We couldn't get a clear answer online. Too many sources claiming to have the facts.

Aylad: Good on you, Aylad! I never attempted a page count, but I did for several years successfully get through a book a week (on average). Last year was my worst year in the last fifteen. I started out fine, then turned online and never looked back. I too am trying to be better this year. I'm on my third book of the year, Dennis Lehane's, "A Drink Before the War." It's excellent, I'm reading it with a friend, and I'm glad I am. Nice to see you, and I wish yo all the luck in the world.

Kent: I love the quote, Kent, but honestly I think you said it with more precision.
"In general, the internet is a distraction that weakens the mind and books are an attraction that strengthens the mind." That might just be my favorite quote of the day.

Ulla: That is a high compliment, Ulla, and I really appreciate it. I know how easy it is to scan online. I'm glad to know my words are slowly chewed. There's no higher compliment for a writer. Well, I guess that's not really true. There's the Pulitzer, the Newbury, and millions of dollars.

Roger: I would LOVE a Kindle. I've heard that they're just amazing, and really do lend themselves to the authentic feeling of reading a book. If I can swing it this year, it's definitely on my list of wants. It's just nowhere near a need.

Susan: Why are you so awesome? Seriously? I agree with what you're saying about 90%. My wife and I often discuss the changing publishing industry. We believe it's dying as well. No doubt. I think books will be around, certainly, but they will be a novelty rather than the norm. This is why I've put aside being published for now. I just want to work on my writing because I'm certain I can be in the first wave of legitimate digital authors, rather than the final rolling tumble from a final wave of yesterday. I don't believe fiction must be done in print. I do believe it will happen, and probably sooner than most anticipate.

Lori: I know it would be all too easy to allow myself to fall into that pattern, so I do everything I can to steer clear. When I have printed text, I read it slowly and try to savor - the opposite of how I read online. However, I try to afford my favorite online readers with the same respect. Perhaps it's only a matter of time (my own as well as the calendar's) until I see the mediums as equal.

Robin: There is nothing like the tangible feeling of a book. That cannot be argued. Funny thing, Robin, I read all the Nancy Drews when I was little. They all came from a collection my mom bought for me at, you guessed it, Goodwill. The more things change, the more they stay the same I guess. Nice to know you.

Like reading my own mind...
Yes, there is some kind of love affair that we have with the printed book. I don't quite understand it, but it is a wonderful thing.
I look lovingly at my library of books (all hardcover, many first editions) upstairs, sitting so stately in their wooden home...It is as though they are my friends.
I never feel that way about anything online. Some blogs are very inviting and welcome, but still everything online feels very intangible, disposable.
My daughter also has a library in her bedroom and I smile inside when we together look through the titles at our local Goodwill or garage sale fodder.
When we purchase a beautiful, hardcover book from Goodwill (recently I acquired a first edition Nancy Drew mystery) it is no different of a feeling than finding a purebred Golden Retriever shivering in his cage at the local shelter and rescuing him from certain doom.
Finding a book and adopting it is like finding a jewel amidst the rubble. Like I said, there is something charming and dreamy about a book...
The Internet will never replace that.
Great post!
Robin Hale (mommy, activist, and freelance writer)
a href="http://yoursidedoor.com">Your Side Door
<abbr>Robin Hale’s last blog post..extreme pressure…</abbr>

Truth be known, I've skimmed many a book. It happened after 4 years of college, including two years of journalism classes, when I learned to rush through things just to pick out the main points. *Sigh* Now it takes a rare writer to draw me in fully.

<abbr>SpaceAgeSage -- Lori’s last blog post..There is a time for everything; a season for every activity under heaven</abbr>

I'm an avid reader both online and offline. It doesn't matter to me how the message is delivered; I'm enamored with the words.

I think we will soon see a day when books as we know them are not available. Printing books is a slow and costly process that consumes resources (paper, ink, etc.). It will soon be replaced by Kindles or PDFs or some other more efficient technology.

If you don't think that's likely, just ask the thousands of people in the newspaper industry who've been laid off this year because print readership has so sharply declined as the internet has become a more dominant information source. The book printing industry is next.

I can relate to this as I tend to scan constantly while reading online (sometimes even to actual books, when they are boring). I don't think more focused reading has to do with the feel of a paper book though; if available, I read as much as I can on my Kindle (an ebook reader) and find the experience is almost identical to reading a book - I savor every word, sink into the story and let myself be carried away. I do find that reading on the computer screen is rough of the eyes - perhaps that's why we tend to skim when reading online?

<abbr>Roger Hyttinen’s last blog post..Canning is not as difficult as you may think</abbr>

I really think it is the problem of focussing, of digging deep. I've also got the bad habit of scanning - but that also happens when reading a book. I made the experience, however, that I read your blog posts, Sean, word by word. I even sometimes read them aloud, because the way you write is a joy to read, word for word, sentence for sentence.

<abbr>Ulla Hennig’s last blog post..Candles and Emotions</abbr>

The vast majority of internet sources seek to steal attention and providing useful information is a secondary concern -- if that.

Many blogs are a prime example of attention theft at its worst.

I like the exchange of thoughts, such as the comments here; however, I try my best to allocate my attention much more to books and creative writing and much less to time spent online.

In general, the internet is a distraction that weakens the mind and books are an attraction that strengthens the mind.

"... in an information-rich world, the wealth of information means a dearth of something else: a scarcity of whatever it is that information consumes. What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it." Herbert Simon

Like many of my peers, I temporarily lost the habit of reading books in favor of absorbing what my friends were posting on various social media. For the last few months, I've been spending a lot more time with books, and I feel that my mind is far more active as a result.

I made a commitment -- call it a New Year's resolution, if you will -- to read 10,000 printed pages by the end of the year. I'm just past 700 at the moment. Wish me luck... :)

The real problem is trust and authority.

Books have gone through several stages to get published. We can trust that the publishing firm has done its job to edit the piece, fact check it, and deliver it to us in an honest way.

Websites don't have that trust or authority built in. We can't trust the source because anyone can throw up a website. I know that I have come across some erroneous information online.

So we skim trying to "feel" if what we are reading is trustworthy.

I don't see this changing anytime soon.

<abbr>Chase March’s last blog post..Why Do We Fall for 99 Cent Pricing?</abbr>

I have to agree about the feeling of readin online.

I also think though, that a book adds a little something, using an extra sense or two, especailly when its an old book, one you know must be imparted full of knowledge, in a glorius hardback cover that has been used over and over.

The feel of the book, and often the smell of it, lock it memory much more than online text ever could.

Luckily as a university student, i still feel the need to dip into books often, but isn't the internet a distraction from the wonders of books. So much information readily available, I'm glad you are letting your children see you reading books too.

They are not mutually exclusive. (I think reading the news online is great, although what will we do when we put the newspapers out of business becuase we only read online?)

Lots of things are implicated, more than just the mere concentration of reading online.

<abbr>Charlie’s last blog post..Celebration Day</abbr>

I have to confess, in the time since I started working online, I do think I've scanned pages of a novel or two. It becomes habit when you're not paying attention and next thing you know, you're in the bookstore, flipping through a 300-page paperback wondering why they don't have bold headings and shorter paragraphs to break up the reading so it's easier to scan.

I know. That's so bad. Someone should punish me.

<abbr>Melissa Donovan’s last blog post..Why Proofreading Matters</abbr>

It's probably that we have not yet learned to focus when reading online. I say this because I often read ebooks on my palm and the experience is much closer to reading a book. I don't, perhaps the smaller laptops and the ubiquitous wifi will do the trick, but I feel online writers need to design their pages to maximize focus, perhaps adding background music, using a minimalist designs...

<abbr>Miguel de Luis’s last blog post..A better word processor than MS Word, Open Office or whatever the Mac uses.</abbr>

Oh my gosh, Writer Dad - Like you I pray we never lose the experience of reading a real book. As I read your words I was nodding in agreement. Reading online is different than reading a book. There's nothing like the feel of a book in our hands, turning the pages with anticipation and not wanting the story to end.

<abbr>Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..How To Lose Blog Visitors</abbr>