As our lives become more and more full of technological innovation– smartphones, tablets, 3D televisions, thinner and lighter computers– it’s becoming easier and easier to be distracted by anything and everything. Short has become the new standard for content because if it’s too long, the new way of thinking goes, people won’t read it. It seems like there’s far too much to consume for anyone to dedicate himself or herself to reading something long.
But there’s inherent merit in reading long-form pieces that shouldn’t be overlooked. It improves concentration, increases focus, and above all, increases knowledge. As we discussed a couple of weeks ago, reading literature serves as a wonderful source of inspiration. It opens the reader’s eyes to new possibilities and new interests. The same goes for longer pieces of work, whether they are fiction, journalism, screenplays, historical texts, interviews or academic papers.
Lucky for us, Longreads.com serves as a forum for precisely that: long reads, classified as stories over 1,500 words. They choose the best of the best long form pieces on the Internet, give readers an excerpt of the piece and let them choose what sounds most interesting and worth their time to read. Longreads is a great place to find inspiration. The stories are exceptional, and worth the time necessary to read them.
Stories can be searched for by name or topic through the Longreads archive, or they can be searched for by the time it takes to read, a particularly cool feature. Those options range from less than 15 minutes (under 3750 words), 15-30 minutes (3750-7500 words), 30-45 minutes (7500-11250 words), 45-60 minutes (11250-15000 words) or 60+ minutes (over 15000 words). So if you have a 30-minute lunch break and you’re looking for something to read, you can search accordingly.
Longreads has featured curators, like Virgin Atlantic and Gawker, who compile their latest favorite long reads. It also features Authors We Love and lists the Top 5 Longreads of the Week, a great way to find a weekend read. A resource like Longreads seems more or less essential these days in finding excellent content through the ubiquitous clutter of the Internet.
Not enough can be said about the benefits of reading long form fiction and journalism, especially in this age of Twitter-length musings and reflections. Dedicating time to these works not only fosters inspiration, but it bolsters vocabulary and strengthens understanding of otherwise recondite material. Being well read is the easiest way to nuance and refine a presentation. If you are cultured and informed about current events, issues and occurrences your presentation will be strengthened because of it.
In a recent op-ed in the New York Times, Annie Murphy Paul discussed the neurological benefits of reading fiction. Studies by Dr. Oatley, a professor of cognitive psychology at University of Toronto, and Dr. Mar, a psychologist at York University in Canada, showed that “individuals who frequently read fiction seem better able to understand other people and empathize with them and see the world from their perspective.” Indeed, reading fiction strengthens the qualities we need to relate to our audience and get inside their minds.
Longreads offers lots of quality long form fiction in addition to its large reserve of long reads on current events. Both will provide inspiration on a sleepy Monday, as well as provide support and nuance to an upcoming presentation. Perhaps you’ll discover a new fact or statistic, learn a new word or become inspired by a particular writing style. Regardless, find time to enjoy a long read on this Monday. Your next presentation is bound to benefit from it.
