Reading blogs vs reading books.
Blogs are a new genre in reading.(blogging has certainly given all us bloggers the satisfaction of becoming authors !!)
But I find that Blog -reading is just as addictive as books.A good blog vs a good book what wd you choose and why?
Books are mostly about one thing. Blogs give you a view of different things. A Book will always follow one genere. However a blog can be about anything...
Good Blogs are hard to find, and many a times difficult to understand. Books by known authors are a sure shot fly away.
There are different things that we can read from Blogs.. and reading is Free!! But books are not that. Yeah you can find some in the library for a nominal fee, but blogs give you a lot more than that. You can find stories. You can find a lot of different views, and the numbers are just mind boggling..
What I mean to say, Blogs are free
hHemal you are right when you say that blogs give info. and viewpointa on a mind-boggling array of topics.
I love the immediacy and democracy in the blogs-the author is not some remote intellectual figure,a superior repository of talent and knowledge-but someone you can talk to and interact with.
@mag
@varsha +1 to you!! yeah true, you can intereact with Blogther (blogger + author) more freely and availabitlity too is prompt as compared with an Author of book...
I say that given a good book and a good blog, I would prefer having a good book anyday because blogs are explicitly written viewpoint of an author on various issues. Taken together, they do not provide ample scope for imagination which is something that books offer in multitude... another thing is convenience... books can be read anywhere and anytime but that is not the case with blogs.
Dear Ashish-even books are written from the viewpoint of their author!-unless it is a scientific study or research tome.
But yes experience wise holding the crisp pages of a book,inhaling the smell of print,and just holding a good book is unbeatable-clicking the mouse is not imbued with similar romance!
I keep a book in my handbag always but feel the need to read blogs on subjects interesting to me as I get the latest,most well-researched views and authentic info. from them.
@Varsha... what I mean is if you read a book like say LOTR, you tend to visualise a story, the characters, the depth of characters etc.... while reading a blog, you might imagine a situation or empathise with something... somehow, it doesnt have the depth that a book has
blog..ideally shouldnt end....so its always flowing..whereas book at sometime ends..even harry potter book ended..
but wld like to differ with Aashish who said about scope for imagination(view point)..how does a blog differ from author of a book..even he gives his view..it only depends on readers how they want to visualize things...until unless if it is a video(movies) which are viewpoints of directors..book/blogs always give enuf scope to look at things the way u want it..
I like reading blogs..cos it also allows me to know what others think on the samething..and have a disc on that...so basically the web2.0 features am talking..
Hey ! we wd like to know you :))
Books are my first love-so they will always be dear to me.But blogs are my window to newer topics,latest info.latest research on fitness and nutrition(my areas of interest)-so I have to read them.
Its tough to choose.
yes its tough to choose... u cant ask someone to choose one over the other..each serves a diff purpose...books are dear to many cos..they can read them with eas..no net conn..less strain to eyes..can hold ur book n sleep over it..[all might seem silly but are some reasons]
...and about knowing me..:D...how much ever you try to know..am still unknown :P..
Good topic Varsha - I think the fundamental difference is that books are unidirectional - the author speaks to you and more often than not, you don't get to give your opinion back to the author - Blogs are bi-directional - you interact more with the author and the author even gets influenced by the comments.
Blogs can be wide-ranging, topical and dynamic while books are detailed, specific and intended to be longer lasting in their relevance.
These days both are equally portable (after all - you can still print blog posts and read them, while books can be "kindled" across).
I don't think each medium is mutually exclusive any more - Books are being promoted by their authors through their own blogs.
Parting line - Books are like a full course meal - Blogs like Chaat/fast food;)
well said Sowmya!
Books satisfy real hunger and blogs the craving for variety and taste !!
Whenever a author manages a mix to satisfy both his book/blog is a hit.
Oh! Addy you are the indefatigable geek!
Let me quote Gulzar for you!
Kitaben itni buri bhi nahin hoti :))
"...जुबां पर ज़याका आता था ,जो सफे पलटने का अब ऊँगली क्लिक करने से बस एक झपकी गुज़रती है बहुत कुछ तह-ब-तह खुलता चला जाता है किताबों से जो ज़ाती राबता था,कट गया है कभी सीने पे रख के लेट जाते थे कभी गोदी में लेते थे कभी घुटनों को अपने रिहल कि सूरत बना कर नीम सजदे में पढ़ा करते थे ,छूते थे ज़बीं से वो सारा इल्म तो मिलता रहेगा आइंदा भी मगर वो जो किताबों से मिला करते थे सूखे फूल और महके हुए रुक्के किताबें मांगने,गिरने,उठाने के बहाने रिश्ते बनते थे उनका क्या होगा? वो शायद अब नहीं होंगे!!"
I do not think that reading a blog is as easy as we read books. Some of my friends used to advice me to reduce the size of my blog posts and the only reason for such an advice is a fact that it is little strainful to read from a computer. I have a personal blog in which I've written a post of nearly 25 pages and my friend adviced me to cut it into different pieces!! I think, it is extremely stressful to read such a long post from a computer. But, blogging is still an easy and simple way to publish but, I can't really find much future for professional writers here. If you have a lot to write, blogging is not the perfect option. I'm just trying to justify by one fact, I have a lot of e-books saved in my computer which I haven't cared to read yet. I honestly tried it but, lost patience! Still blogging is good as it gives opportunities to many beginners in writing.
Raghu
Raghu- for a neophyte writer, blogs provide a good field to bounce their ideas and get warmed up for more arduous writing.
I can't speak for others,but I do read a lot of pretty long articles on blogs when they are informative,well-researched and well put.
@ Raghu, rightly said. people now like concise, smaller n smaller posts. patience is lost and seeing the length some shy away from reading a single line.
Pramod ji :)).
Every joke needs some banter, every blog some commenter. blogs and their posts when alone, melt in the heat like an icecream cone.
one of the advantage of blogs over books is that we dont need to keep our hand outside the quilt in winters..... just put mouse inside, roll it and enjoy it..... lazyness rocks
I agree with Sowmya on the point of the blog's ineractivity. How many times we are tempted to comment on a book to the author but haven't got across? But apart from that, if one is looking for human interest stuff, then blogs are the place for it. But if one is looking for literary merit, then books score over them. Maybe I have not come across any 'classic' blog yet!
Zephyr blogs have cut the distance between regualr authors and their readers too.
I always wanted to write letters to authors as a young girl but felt intimidated and the ones I did write never got answered.But today all the published authors have their blogs and comments if controversial and smart enough do get replied.
I love being connected to my favourite authors through their blogs.
again a thread regarding blogs Vs Books....
i dont care wat u guys think about books..... i m not familier wid books...
Loves blogging
Dats OK Deepak dood ,
books are like moms and blogs their babies..
well said Varsha
I guess, blogs are refreshing..easy to read and can always bring up differet issues !!
Its as good as loving a particular author and waiting for his next edition...blogs can change with time - content , style of writing , topics etc.Books on the other hand stay the same...through ages...
@nik....waiting for any particular authors post.... seems roman*** ooopsss srry strange
For me, it's books: It depends on the content right!!! I haven't come across blogs as good as almost all of the books I've read!!!
Priya ! I too used to say that but now I say some blogs have changed my life-for better-by way of opening new domains of experiences and possibilities.
I was a book worm, now i think i have become a blogworm. both are unique in themselves,
that i am still a worm.
Why not both?
I believe in taking the best of both :P
Cheers
S.
@Varsha That's awesome *me likes*
@ sanjay /very right.,for you .,bubbling with energy of youth. may be unmarried also.
@Pramod hahaha! i am yet for figure out what marriage has got to do with my comment and the energy levels
@sanjay, being a experienced one, with 23 yrs of marred life, i can say only this, you r engrossed in to a plot of novel ,and feeling its pangs, suddenly your wife pips up, angry as hell,
one work even u can't do properly, this is lying there., and you hv'nt had bath yt, ...nd endless ramblings,
books r like a soutan for you wife.
@ sanjay, and if your wife has a reading habit, you are blessed, because then you can have some solitude,
I also trust there is an additional aspect associated with this topic. Connectivity.
While you can read a book anyplace and anytime, you need to be connected to internet at all times for blogs. No offline availability.
In addition, there is strain on eye and body muscles while using computer and not so much in case of books.
On the other hand, blogs are a two way communication process in which the owner expects you to reply back or comment; just to gauge the audience
Dear Ashish
Nothing is as handy as a good book-I agree.
But abt blogs,the owner does not "expect" you to comment-it sounds too much like an obligation-does it not?
I think when a blog speaks to us-in a language or metaphor we can relate to-we want to connect with that blog.
I am cool with reading blog and books both.... but they should be interesting enough to keep me going
Hey Varsha!
nice topic yaar!
Books, as of now, because for blogs u need to be online, which is not possible at times.
Then the feel of a book, esp a new book.
But yes, it is a one way traffic of thoughts.
Good discussion going on!
RESTLESS
Restless!
aap aaye bahaar aayee!
I read books because that's how I started reading..
I read blogs because it brings the world closer to me;for it has earned me like-minded friends like you,because I can share,what I think and make my thoughts heard...
depends for me.... if m travelling than offcourse the choice would be book but if m online then it must be blog..... but if both r not the cases than i hate to read
You have to purchase or borrow a book. But blogs come free!
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