Thread by @OneStuttering

1/ There are two broad approaches to deal with 'information overwhelm':

1. Manage the flow (but still consume it all!) - use shortcuts, tools & tricks, and triaged prioritisation
2. Close the tap - stop the information coming in at the source.

I think #2 is more critical.

2/ I've realised the need to improve my filters & make peace with the fact I won't get to it all.

You don't need to listen to every podcast/read every newsletter (esp. if you're trying to appear smart!) Attention is too precious to not enjoy the process of engaging with content.

3/ My goal is to have 2 lists: 'read' & 'don't read'.

There are thousands of non-fiction books out there, and everyone is convinced that the current book on their nightstand is a 'must-read'.

Whilst I take note of these recommendations, there is only so much time in the world.

4/ So many books are just rehashes of the same old information.

There's often significant overlap (esp. in business books!) and creative reframing of ideas.

We also all know the book that could have been a blog post, but then got padded with anecdotes to fill some page quota.

5/ I recently started the exercise of curating my reading recommendations.

There were nearly 100 books there. Assuming an average reading time of 5 hours (complete thumbsuck), that's 500 hours: 3 weeks of continuous reading 😅

6/ What to do with all of this?

Map and filter.

Step 1 - map: what subject areas do I want to read in?
Step 2 - filter: what books do I want to read in those subject areas?

Step 1 is fairly simple, starting with collecting all the blocks tagged [[to/read]] into a single page.

7/ Mapping is basically a categorisation exercise.

I borrowed the top-down structure of my Scratchpad 'MOC' with different branches, and then did some bottom-up re-shuffling to break these into subcategories based on the books in my list.

8/ Step 2 is a bit more involved.

I came across a great non-fiction book classification system by @ejames_c here: commoncog.com/the-3-kinds-of…

Simply put:
- Tree books cover a framework of ideas
- Branch books cover one idea
- Narrative books tell a story

9/ Knowing which classification a book is can help you decide if, and how you want to read it.

Good narrative or tree books are well-worth reading.

For branch books however, you can skim-read (or read a summary) to get the core ideas, or at least be far more selective...

10/ i.e. read only books that you come highly recommended from multiple people.

Now that all my books are arranged in categories (branches😉) and tagged with #narrative or #tree where appropriate, the next step is to curate reviews and figure out which books don't make the cut.

11/ Book summarisation services/good blogs can save you a lot of time with branch books.

I use Shortform for my summaries - their 1-pagers are excellent & have spared me from many laborious reads. Affiliate link 👉🏽shortform.com/onestutteringm… (blas.com is a great blog)

12/ This is what my reading list for writing looks like.

I'm prioritising reading 'On Writing Well' even though there is a Shortform summary. I've heard many good things and it sounds like a great book to get immersed in.

13/ As for Stephen King's memoir, I'll keep that back pocket.

There's also a Shortform summary for that, but autobiographies / biographies have a lot of nuance that are inevitably missed in summaries.

The other two go will be preserved on my 'don't read' list.

14/ Another benefit was the simple pleasure in finally cleaning my [[to/read]] page, which cleared some psychic drag I wasn't even aware of.

There's still a lot more work required, but ultimately I think the pay-off in time saved is well worth the effort 🙂