Something today that I think most can appreciate. A tweet from Unbridled Books linked to a wonderful blog post at Oxford University Press on slow blogging. From that post is a link to the Slow Blog Manifesto. Never heard of slow blogging? Me neither until today.
Slow blogging is about thinking, studying, learning and writing something meaningful. It is not about who can post the link to the latest breaking headline the fastest. It is about understanding and digesting something and not just spewing it out onto the internet. It is something that I think most book bloggers are inclined toward. Though I know I am guilty of brainless spewing (hopefully only now and then) just simply because I am in the habit of writing a blog post almost everyday and as a creature of habit, get a little twitchy when the routine is broken. However, I like the concept of it and think it can be carried over into other things like reading.
Slow reading. Ever rushed through a book just to be done with it? Or because you have a goal of reading 60 books a year and it’s the end of the year and you’ve only read 50 books? I’m sure everyone can add their own reason for rushing through a book that has nothing to do with the book being one of the “I can’t put it down” kind.
What would slow reading mean? Taking your time to squeeze out of a book everything it has to give you at that particular reading of it (assuming a re-read would give you additional gems). Thinking about what the book means and why certain things in it happened the way they did. It would also mean choosing books that leant themselves to slow reading, ones that offer depth of ideas and character and are, perhaps, challenging.
This is not to say there isn’t a time or place for fast reading and the kinds of books that facilitate that. But I think the idea of slow blogging and what I am trying to get at in saying slow reading is quality and meaningfulness over trash and shallowness. I think it requires a certain mindfulness and presence instead of, like I find myself doing all too often, thinking about work or errands or other things that need doing while my eyes move over the page but take in only just enough to follow the plot. The whole idea of doing something slowly runs contrary to our throw away consumer culture and the urge to do everything faster.
Slow blogging. Slow reading. Slow food. Even slow biking. There seems to be something to it, a yearning, perhaps, for the things we miss out on by being in such a hurry. Worth thinking more about.
Off to spend the evening wrapped in a blanket and slowly reading The Terror. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.
It’s normal for me to read at a slower pace because I hate rushing, no matter what I have to do, I hate rushing! I want to absorb every word and make sure I don’t miss anything. Sometimes, when I read something I especially like, I will put my book down just so I can spend a little time dwelling on it. Is that weird?
I’ve been practising slow reading for some time now, which explains why I finish so few books!
Seriously, I can’t read without frequently stopping to consider what I’ve just read and consider the connections my INTJ brain is constantly making. When I add in underlining important passages that prolongs the process even more. It means that I have to make sure I pick books that are worth spending a lot of time with.
I know it’s not fully connected, but your post reminded me of the Long Now Foundation (http://www.longnow.org/). They’re not necessarily into taking things slow, but the change of perspective is very similar to what you’re talking about here.
Some time ago I read “In Praise of Slow” by Carl Honore. This is not just about reading slowly as it covers many aspects of life and it’s really about living better by striking a balance between fast and slow. It’s a very good book that made me think I should definitely slow down.
This book suggests that reading is more of a pleasure if you take your time and read in small sips – much in the same way that Dicken’s novels were first published in monthly installments spread out over a year.
I’ve found that blogging has slowed down my reading – in a good way, making me think more about what I’m reading. The idea of slow blogging is excellent. I often rush writing something just to get it finished and then think of other things I could have included.
I completely need this reminder to slow down. I started book blogging with the purpose of thinking and slowing down my reading. In reality, I’ve been introduced to so many great books through other people’s blogs that now I feel an urgency to finish reading the book I’m reading so I can start on the next! Complete counter productive. I need to slow down the reading, and definitely make my blogging slower too. What’s the rush?!
Thanks for the reminder.
Laura, not weird at all. Very admirable!
Sylvia, you are excellent at slow reading and I have admired your notebook and your organization. You set a good example
michael617, thanks for the link! I have never heard of the Long Now before. The website is interesting and I will definitely be delving into it further. It may not be fully connected to my post, but they are getting at something similar.
BooksPlease, yes! I’ve read Honore’s book too, though I think I read it too fast
Interesting that you have found blogging has slowed down your reading. I know what you mean when you say it makes you think more about what you’ve read.
Rebecca, I hear you! There are so many books and authors that I have learned about in the blog world that I wouldn’t have known otherwise. I am grateful but also, like you feel a certain urgency. Ironically, thinking about slowing down has helped me not feel as overwhelmed as I did a few days ago.
I do like the idea of slow reading a lot, and although I read slowly, I’m not always a “slow reader” in the sense you discuss here — I mean a careful thinker and responder to what I read. It’s interesting — blogging puts pressure on me to want to read more and more and so I want to read faster, but it’s also true what BooksPlease says that blogging slows down my reading a bit, since the blogging cuts into my reading time, and I do want to stop and write about what I read. I need to resist the urge to want to read everything everybody mentions right away and also to resist comparing my reading list to other people’s and feeling like I need to read more.
Slow blogging sounds like something to aim for. Maybe we should have a Slow Blogging Month, and see how we feel about it at the end of the month when we look back at the posts that we actually write. Are they better written? More thoughtful?
Thank you! for that link – exactly the right word at exactly the right moment. I can’t even tell you how much so.
Now, I have to protest your denigration of brainless spewing. Brainless spewing is an essential step in the thinking process. I think. I hope.
I sometimes brainlessly spew against reading neurotically, which I think is part of what you & the OUP writer are talking about.
I love the idea of Slow Blogging Month, although it would seem to logically lead to No Blogging Month. If the less I write, the better my writing gets – well!
I should be a slow blogger sometimes. I try and post daily, in part as it is a habit now, but if I didn’t I think I would end up posting about twice a month! However when I post on a book–those tend to be more thoughtful posts and far fewer than my mindless posts! Some books I do read very slowly, others I race through because like you mention–I just want to get to the end, and then there are some that I just can’t help myself–turning the pages because the author has caught my attention so entirely. Some books just demand that you are more thoughtful with them. And I guess some posts demand that, too.
I like slow anything, especially slow biking! I’m particularly good at slow running.
I like the idea of slow blogging… and I love to read others’ blogs who obviously take the time to really think about good things to say… but I find that for myself, unless I’m blogging on a fairly consistent basis, I can get intimidated by having to do something GREAT. Part of why I do my blog is to remind myself that it really IS okay to just put some stuff down on ‘paper’ and it doesn’t have to be perfect or even particularly thoughtful. Possibly anyone who reads my blog wishes I did otherwise, but… anyway. I also like slow reading but find myself incapable of doing so. But I frequently take hours to make dinner, and am very good at strolling and doing many other things slowly. Reading, not so much.
I like that the OUP blog post gives this another name — bright blogging. I’m participating again this year in NaBloPoMo. Last year, I realized that I had posted some lame posts just because I felt that I needed to post something. Why am I doing it again this year? I’ve been out of the habit of writing daily and decided that it would be a good exercise for me. But, I think that the more thoughtful posts will be the ones that I not only think are the best, but will be the ones that I spent more time writing. I can see benefits of both, but definitely think that the more considered approach prevents one from publishing only pablum.
Slow blogging and slow reading are both excellent ideas. I read somewhere that slowing down the mind’s processes is the way to serenity, happiness and good mental health. We rush about far too much for comfort these days. I notice it when I’m reading a book that slows me down – I get far more out of it. And I love to blog about something I’ve really contemplated. Much more pleasurable.
I’m definitely a fan of slow (slow food, slow travel, slow living, slow blogging, etc.), but I often use the term “deliberate” in place of “slow”. For me, deliberate living/blogging/reading means taking the time to really think about how you want to live/blog/read, not just mindlessly going about your activities, not just sticking to the same old rut, not just reacting to others, not just keeping up with the Joneses. And deliberate living/blogging/reading frees you up to go fast or slow…whatever works for you.
Quality over quantity.
In so many areas of life we have this balance out of whack.
For me it involves hamburger.
I find that I am a bit too into “quantity”!
And in all seriousness, this is a great time for me to contemplate the topic because I have spent an entire weekend with my best friend, just totally taking things slow. Even now, I am casually writing this from a Starbucks coffee place…. no agenda, no itinerary to meet. Just relaxing, as we have been doing all weekend.
One evidence though of my NOT so slow reading is that I have a new book turned over here, on page 24, and I JUST FINISHED READING MARGARET ATWOOD’S NEW ONE!
What I mean is, I quickly [too quickly I think] move on!
I just never can be without a current read on the go, and often, this means I do not thoroughly digest [in the sense of evaluate and analyze or even review] the previous book.
I move on. Voraciously.
Much in the same way as I approach things like hamburger.
As for “blogging” it is such a relevant point. As bloggers, we want to stay current with our readers, be they real or [in my case] imagined. [Seriously, I have at the most, about three or four readers of my blog. And the first two of these are me.]
But like, posting for the sake of posting… there seems to me something wrong and almost dishonest in this.
I admire bloggers [and you are one of these, Stefanie] that can consistently post meaningful and relevant pieces.
I love the philosophy behind this movement and there are weeks when I think I do embrace it – there are others when I read everything and anything I get my hands on, nearly compulsively. Next year I’m planning to scale back a few of my reading projects so I can take a bit more time with many of the books I read…here’s hoping!
I’ve not heard of slow blogging until now, but I certainly understand the concept of slow reading. I’ve always enjoyed the books that I’ve read and then discussed in depth whether in a class or in a book club more so than books I haven’t discussed with anyone. I really like to dissect books and study them on many levels.
Dorothy, I agree with everything you’ve said. I read slowly too but I’m not necessarily a slow reader. I am not very good at resisting the urge to immediately read all the good books I hear about on blogs. I have to figure out a way to allow for whim reading while also staying with my own goals at my own speed.
Dark Orpheus, a slow blogging month is a great idea. Perhaps in December to counter-act the stress of the holidays and as an antidote to this month where people are posting every day. Hmmm.
Mella DP, you are welcome. I am glad you like it came along at a good time for me too and I like to share
Amateur Reader, LOL. There is brainless spewing as thinking “on paper” and brainless spewing that really is brainless. I don’t think I have ever seen anything brainless on your blog!
Danielle, I think it’s all about finding a balance and you seem to have found one
Daphne, LOL! I am very good at slow running too
Your blog is a pleasure to read. I don’t think slow blogging requires anything particularly great be written, only that we aren’t writing for the stats counter.
Cam, I like the bright blogging alternative name too. Since you are a writer having the goal to write a blog post every day is good practice and meaningful. I think slow/bright blogging is about not just thoughtful post, but also thinking about the reasons for what you are doing and you certainly have done that!
Litlove, I can believe that slowing down the mind’s processes is the way to serenity and happiness, multitasking gets me worked up into a frenzy. Books that make us slow down are good, too bad the rest of life makes us speed up.
wil, deliberate is a good alternative considering “slow” can sometimes be pejorative. I like how you mention how freeing being deliberate can be.
Cip, you crack me up! The latte approach vs the hamburger approach. You are so nice! And I am pretty darn sure you have more than just three or four readers!
Verbivore, I like the slow philosophy too. Good luck with your plan next year. I look forward to the results!
Lisa, I agree the books we can know well and share with others are definitely the ones most remembered and enjoyed!
I’m into slow food, and I definitely see the benefits of slow reading, so maybe I’ll take a crack at slow blogging, too!
Great post. Last year I read both ‘Faster’ (James Gleick) and ‘In Praise of Slow’ (Carl Honore). And while I naturally tend to the former, I am most impressed by the latter, and like to try to aspire to a slower life.
There are clearly some books that I have to read slowly, because of the language usually, ones where I need to savour each word and eak it out. The John Berger (From A to X) this year felt like that.
Slow blogging sounds like fun too!
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The Washington Post came out today with its New Year’s list of what’s in and what’s out, and it linked to The Slow Blog Manifesto, and that got me here.
Many of the list’s items are tongue in cheek, kind of like Newsweek’s weekly CW report. The item in question was “Twitter: out, Slow blogging: in.” That’s ironic to me, since I started a Twitter account last month precisely to try to slow down my writing. Twitter gets me thinking at the sentence level. One morning I spent three hours getting a Twitter sentence just the way I felt it should be. (Two days ago I puzzled a Twitter post out in a five-minute car ride, so you never know how fast slow can take, I guess.)
It’s nice to know you’re out here.
Being an only child, I have never been rushed to do anything or go anywhere. I used to have a sign on my bedroom door that said “I’m Slow, But Sure.”
I am in the process of reading about 5 books right now. I read until I get tired, or until life interrupts. Several of the books I have been reading for over 6 months. I am a big fan of slow reading … or slow anything. Life’s to short to rush.
I have several blogs, none of which I have updated lately. I have been wanting to start a blog with thought of the day … or the week.
I agree with Will … “but I often use the term “deliberate” in place of “slow”. Deliberate sounds much more thoughtful.
I want to “slow down and smell the roses”, like my grandfather always told me to.
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There is some charm to doing things well whether fast or slow. When people say “slow” it makes me think of drawing everything out awkwardly and still it seems to be about timing, we are always timing ourselves unnaturally. There is no one pace for any activity. Sometimes the long slow read is about enjoyment but often it is the pace of a painfully boring narrative rather than any sign of quality. So really we are trying to put meaning and values and creativity back into acts that have lost their daily importance. Food and eating become denatured and flat when all we eat is boring fast food. It is a predictable thing that when we eat only fast food we automatically focus on the time rather than the essential core of discontent which is a lack of quality, emphasize quality and everything else comes with it. Really great food or poetry or any kind of art comes with deeply felt significance, to savor something we need more than just more time, we need more awareness, more stimulating ideas, more surprises and more unpredictability. Who is timing us? Who cares how long it takes.
Alisia, you are so right. Very nicely said!
A book that may interest you is John Miedema’s 2009 book titled Slow Reading. Chapter 2 of that book is online: http://litwinbooks.com/slowreading-ch2.php