Is it possible to avoid online distractions and read deeply? I say yes.

Dear VIPs,

Thank you for being paid subscribers and for supporting me and Article Club.

This weekend, I have for you an audio letter, where I share some of my thoughts on deeper reading — and whether it’s possible to read deeply with so many online distractions swirling around, competing for our attention.

I’ve been thinking about this topic for a while, but Meta’s launch of Threads really got me wondering if there’s any way for us to escape the endless bombardment, besides of course destroying all our tech and moving to a mountain in Montana.

I do think there’s hope, and in this audio letter, I talk about four things we can do to promote and preserve deeper online reading. They are:

1. Limiting our reading sources

2. Choosing a dedicated reading device

3. Consciously compiling our reading collection

4. Scheduling a regular time and place to read

These steps sound commonsensical, but at least for me, they’re easier said than done. I hope you’ll listen to my musings, and I’d love to hear what you think!

Do you do any of these four things? Do you have an online reading system that works for you — or any secret tips to share? You can leave a comment, email me, or record a voice message.

Leave a comment

Also, if this deeper reading thing interests you, I warmly invite you to Quiet Reading Hour next Sunday, July 16, 9-10 am PT. Let me know if you’re in!

Have a great weekend, and happy reading,

Mark

PS - Want to listen to these audio letters (and all other AC-related audio) on your phone? Click “listen on” to the right of the player above, then click “email link” to receive the private, subscriber-only RSS feed. Go to your phone, find the email from Substack, and click “add to podcast app.” Voila!