2 Tricks to Keep Your Online Reading Manageable

As you can imagine, I do a LOT of online reading, across hundreds of sites and blogs. To manage it all, I do 2 things: Here’s what my Google Reader…

As you can imagine, I do a LOT of online reading, across hundreds of sites and blogs. To manage it all, I do 2 things:

  1. I use Google Reader, which is an RSS reader. See here to learn how and why to use it, for free.
  2. I use the PostRank extension for Google Reader. PostRank helps me see which posts are most popular (and perhaps important) for me to read/review.

Here's what my Google Reader looks like WITHOUT PostRank.

And here's what it looks like WITH PostRank.

Additional tips

  • Many professionals use RSS readers (and/or Twitter) to keep on top of important online posts & articles. This makes your article/post headlines incredibly important!
  • You can use Google Reader as a social networking & conversation tool by following what other people share/comment on in the Reader. (See Guy Gonzalez up there in "People I Follow"!)
  • You can add Twitter feeds to Google Reader, too. (Just paste in the Twitter user URL into the subscription feed box, e.g., http://twitter.com/janefriedman.)
  • Keep up with my Shared Items even if you don't use Google Reader.

Do you have any tips to share to streamline online reading? Leave them in the comments!

Jane Friedman is a full-time entrepreneur (since 2014) and has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. She is the co-founder of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and is the former publisher of Writer’s Digest. In addition to being a columnist with Publishers Weekly and a professor with The Great Courses, Jane maintains an award-winning blog for writers at JaneFriedman.com. Jane’s newest book is The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press, 2018).