Which Do You Love More: Reading or Blogging?

I love reading and I love blogging. But even more, I love doing both of those things together! But the other day I got around to wondering: if I had to choose, which one do I love more?

I know, I know, it’s like asking to pick a favourite child. You just don’t do it! But for the sake of this post, I really wanted to force an answer out of myself… and I think I love blogging more than I love reading.

AHHHH!

For some reason I feel like that’s something I need to whisper. It’s almost scary to admit that in front of fellow book lovers. Obviously I do LOVE to read, I just think I like blogging more. Reading is great, but it’s also a very solitary thing. Blogging is the way that I connect with other people. It’s how I share knowledge, information, and also how I fangirl and talk with fellow book lovers. I really enjoy being able to connect with people who have similar interests, and also just share my excitement or frustrations with my online friends.

Although, reflecting on that last paragraph, it’s almost weird that I’d choose blogging over reading because I’m a MASSIVE introvert. I like doing things quietly on my own… so why is it that I chose the option that’s less solitary and more community-focused? Maybe I secretly want to be more social.

Which one do you love more: reading or blogging?

Photo of Ashley
I'm a 30-something California girl living in England (I fell in love with a Brit!). My three great passions are: books, coding, and fitness. more »

Don't miss my next post!

Sign up to get my blog posts sent directly to your inbox (plus exclusive store discounts!).

You might like these

42 comments

  1. Naw! You don’t have to be embarrassed at all about that! 😀 I sometimes HAVE to say that I love blogging more than reading xD Because while reading led me to blogging, sometimes when I don’t read, I sit there thinking, what can I post about today? 🙂 And also, YES for all the friendships made! I LOVE that! It’s one of the greatest things about blogging, and while yes, we talk about books, our conversations don’t center ALL around books, ya know? 😉 Sometimes we talk about non-bookish things, and hey, that’s super fun too! 😀
    So no need to be embarrassed about liking blogging more than reading, I would say that would be the case for me too 😉

    1. Haha thanks!! And yeah, it is fun when we talk about books but also when we talk about other stuff. 🙂

  2. Secretly I’m totally on your side Ashley. I’m very shy and insecure and it’s a wonder I have a best friend like Stephanie. I met her by coincidence. (Fate totally brought us together.) On the internet I’m very social, but I bet when I get to BEA some day, I’ll be scared to death and I won’t have the courage to come up to anyone and talk. Luckily Stephanie will be with me and she’ll do most of the talking for me, haha!

    Bieke @ Istyria book blog recently posted: Bookish Babble: How often do you post on your blog?
    1. Haha I was a bit like that my first year at BEA. I went with someone who was super social and excited to meet people. I often lingered awkwardly on the side LOL.

  3. It’s a toughy, because if I didn’t love blogging (for reasons I can’t even figure out yet) I wouldn’t give up reading time to blogging time, but at the same time without the reading, I’d have nothing to blog about. I think I love reading a little more though. If someone said I could only do one for the rest of my life I’d become a “commenter”/observer in our community again and keep my books 🙂

  4. Wow, who would have seen that coming? That’s cool though, because I think you are going against the grain in a way. I think the majority of people are going to say they love reading more, because more often than not, it lead to the blogging. I am on of those people. Even though I love blogging, I could NEVER give up reading. If I had to give up blogging, I would be heartbroken, but I could do it.

    Jennifer Bielman recently posted: Kindle & Nook Freebies #91
    1. That’s true. I guess maybe part of it for me is that this isn’t my first blog. Although reading got me started on blogging about books, I’ve had other blogs before this (web design, relationship blog, etc.). It’s something that I’ve always really loved!

  5. I can live without blogging but without reading… no way. I got panicked the other day because I realized all unread books I own are ebooks on my Kindle. What if there is a zombie apocalypse and there is no power? Luckily my husband comforted me that we will find nearest library and make our shelter in there. *pfhef* One crisis diverted. 🙂

  6. WOW! That is such a hard question… I think I would ultimately have to go with reading but I would be seriously upset if I couldn’t blog anymore. You know… even as I wrote that I’m still second guessing whether I should say blogging haha. Reading is just so much better for me, blogging about it… gosh I hope I never have to choose!!!

    Lauren @ Lose Time Reading recently posted: 2nd Annual Beat the Heat Readathon!
    1. Yeah thank goodness this question isn’t for real! 😀 Having to actually pick would be horrible!

  7. Oh man. Really, how do I pick? I’m guess I’m going to say blogging too – because blogging has enhanced my love of reading. I always loved to read, but reading has been made so much better because of blogging – where I discover more books than I ever dreamed of and get to connect to fellow book lovers and even authors. I also have to say, though, that if it came down to it, I’d give up blogging before reading. Does that even make sense?

    Berls recently posted: Sharknado | Movie Review
  8. When my kids ask me who I love more. I always tell them I love them both for different reasons. So asking this I really have a hard time picking. So I am taking the weenie way out I love reading for the quiet times that I want to be alone in another world and I love blogging to be able to chat with others and share my thoughts. I honestly really love them both for different reasons 🙂

    But if one had to come to an end for some unforseen reason it would be blogging before reading!

    Michelle@Because Reading recently posted: Author’s Spotlight ~ R.L. Kiser #interview
  9. To be honest, I think that I’m the same. Blogging is like that thing I just really really want to do all of the time. I do love reading, but blogging is something I love more. It just works that I’ve combined them. To be honest, I run two blogs now because I enjoy it so much and I’m trying to break into freelance blogging. You just do what you love and I don’t think it’s a bad thing to admit that at all.

  10. I can easily say I love reading more. I do love blogging, but I find reading to be a perfect and fun escape, while blogging is work and effort. It’s rewarding, but not in the same way.

    Sarah recently posted: Review: Gone Girl
  11. Ooh great question. Well, lately I feel like I spend more of my time blogging than I do reading. But, I don’t know if that is a preference or a necessity. I just don’t have as much time to read. But I love to read. And reading came first. So I’ll have to go with that.

    Julie S. recently posted: Guest Post: Peter Monn on coming of age
  12. This is such a hard question to answer because on one hand I love just sitting down with a good book, but like you said,that doesn’t lend itself very well to social interaction. On the other hand, sometimes blogging really wears me out and I just feel very done with it. So I guess I would have to pick reading, as of right now, just coming back from a blogging hiatus, but hopefully I’ll come to love blogging again. I definitely don’t think it’s a bad thing that you love blogging over reading! I almost envy you haha. Great post!!

    Chloe @ YA Booklover Blog recently posted: My Current Playlist
  13. This is hard! I’ve always been a reader, but for the few years when reading took a backseat, I was blogging, and I’m still blogging. I’ve blogged about everything! I don’t keep up with all of them, as my book blog is my primary one. But I do really really love to blog. If I gave up blogging just to read, a lot would be missing from my life. But if I gave up reading just to blog, then I could put more effort into my other blogs…Hmm…I suppose I do like blogging more. 😛

  14. I love reading more. Blogging is a lot of work (despite what people think) where reading is well… just that .. reading. I sit back and relax and go to another world. Blogging I am thinking constantly of my next post.. visiting other blogs… commenting.. and all that jazz. So it is work.. though I enjoy it. Reading is just enjoying the work someone else has done.

    Angie recently posted: San Diego Comic Con 2014
  15. When I read the title of this post, I was like: I love reading WAY MORE than blogging. It’s the reason WHY I blog, so how could it not be my favourite of the two?

    And then I read your paragraph on how blogging lets you meet like-minded people, and fangirl. I absolutely adore blogging, and I don’t think I could ever give it up. But I know I simply could not function properly without reading, so i know if I had to pick one to give up, it would probably be blogging. Reading is my main salvation, and my main escape from the world when it gets too rough for my taste. I don’t know if I could really be who I am today without reading.

    But blogging is pretty much my favourite thing outside of reading. I have met so many amazing people, and absolutely adore spending my time reading posts and commenting.

    So yes, it is like choosing between children because I love them both for different reasons. At least I shall never actually have to pick between the two! Phew.

    Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity recently posted: Review: Earthquake by Aprilynne Pike
  16. I would have to say that I love reading more than blogging. I do love the community, but I don’t think I could give up books, especially since I could always talk about them with my friend, and then the stress that blogging sometimes gives me would also be gone and I could read whatever I wanted.

  17. Oh, tough question! I love both, but if the options were “no reading” or “no blogging” for the rest of my life, I’d have to sacrifice blogging. I couldn’t imagine the rest of my life without books! I think I’d be able to find another online social outlet to replace blogging if I really had to. I’ve played several MMORPGS that had awesome communities and it was so hard when the sites closed down, but we managed, and we still keep in constant contact with each other years later. On the other hand, I don’t think I could find something to replace reading, ever! 🙂

    Alma @ Journey Through Fiction recently posted: Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer
  18. I prefer reading to blogging. I am not a very social person and despite the wonderful intentions of being really active and sociable online when I started my blog, I have found that I am struggling to meet those goals. Don;t get me wrong I still love sharing my reviews but the introvert in me wins when it comes to being anymore involved despite my best efforts.

  19. I just started my blog yesterday. I started it because I was/am a reader and I was already leaving reviews on amazon and goodreads so i decided why not make a blog too. So I would definatly stick with reading because without it I wouldn’t have startes my.blog.

Recent Posts

    Random Posts