Longform journalism is far from dead. This may seem counterintuitive in the age of the 140-character Twitter update, but the digital world still demands quality, in-depth reporting — it's only the medium that has changed.
In an email exchange with Forbes's Lewis DVorkin, Longreads founder Mark Armstrong suggested that "social recommendation" has played a role in the resurgence of interest in longform journalism. "When people read something they really love, they become its biggest cheerleader," he wrote.
Twitter has become a beloved resource for everything from job hunting to online shopping, and it can also be an asset in tracking down the skillful, thought-provoking articles you've been craving. You can consult the Twitter feeds of your favorite news outlets to see what longform content they have to offer, or use the hashtag #longreads to see articles recommended in real time by Twitter users. Mashable compiles its own weekly list of must-reads, too.
For a more curated experience, consider subscribing to these seven Twitter accounts for longreads to discover the web's hidden gems.
Longreads is arguably the "Patient Zero" of curated longform content. In 2009, Longreads founder Mark Armstrong created the #longreads hashtag so Twitter users could share and discuss quality works of fiction and nonfiction of 1,500 words or more. The hashtag blossomed into a Twitter account and a website, which has since partnered with The Atlantic to offer a daily stream of exceptional writing and reporting from places like Grantland, The New York Review of Books and New York magazine.
Travelreads is a destination-based offshoot of Longreads sponsored by Virgin Atlantic. Longreads contributing editor Jodi Ettenberg curates a selection of serious travel articles from sources like The New Yorker, National Geographic and Wired.
Longform uses its Twitter, web and tablet platforms to recommend new and classic works of longform nonfiction from places like Der Spiegel, Spin magazine and The New Republic.The site also hosts weekly podcasts with top-tier nonfiction writers like Gay Talese, Elizabeth Wurtzel and Malcolm Gladwell.
The Feature showcases works of serious investigative journalism from major outlets like GQ, The Los Angeles Review of Books and Esquire, and from smaller publications that other curators may have overlooked. All articles are archived on The Feature's website and offer a "Read Later" function courtesy of bookmarking app Instapaper.
Matter co-founder Bobbie Johnson started If You Only… with the simplest of concepts: "If you only read one thing today, make it this." Accordingly, Johnson shares a single piece of longform journalism every day, from sources like The Guardian, Gawker and Businessweek. Johnson also offers a weekly email digest for non-Twitter users.
Byliner is a paid subscription site that commissions and curates longform fiction and nonfiction from renown writers. On its Twitter page, you will find links to rare or exclusive pieces from Christopher Hitchens, Margaret Atwood and Jon Krakauer, among others. Byliner also links to quality content posted at other news sources, and alerts followers to any free pieces available on its website. Recently, for example, Byliner shared nine free stories by Virginia Woolf in honor of the 84th anniversary of A Room of One's Own.
The Atavist is a multimedia publishing platform that commissions bestselling and award-winning works of longform nonfiction that range from magazine to book length. Each feature is sold individually on Atavist's website and is available on its iPhone and iPad apps. Atavist's Creativist storytelling software is now in open public beta, allowing any author to log in and create interactive content that can be shared across the web.
If you come across an intriguing longread online but don't have the time to read it in full, try one of these free bookmarklets to save articles for offline reading.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
In an email exchange with Forbes's Lewis DVorkin, Longreads founder Mark Armstrong suggested that "social recommendation" has played a role in the resurgence of interest in longform journalism. "When people read something they really love, they become its biggest cheerleader," he wrote.
Twitter has become a beloved resource for everything from job hunting to online shopping, and it can also be an asset in tracking down the skillful, thought-provoking articles you've been craving. You can consult the Twitter feeds of your favorite news outlets to see what longform content they have to offer, or use the hashtag #longreads to see articles recommended in real time by Twitter users. Mashable compiles its own weekly list of must-reads, too.
For a more curated experience, consider subscribing to these seven Twitter accounts for longreads to discover the web's hidden gems.
1. Longreads
Longreads is arguably the "Patient Zero" of curated longform content. In 2009, Longreads founder Mark Armstrong created the #longreads hashtag so Twitter users could share and discuss quality works of fiction and nonfiction of 1,500 words or more. The hashtag blossomed into a Twitter account and a website, which has since partnered with The Atlantic to offer a daily stream of exceptional writing and reporting from places like Grantland, The New York Review of Books and New York magazine.
2. Travelreads
Travelreads is a destination-based offshoot of Longreads sponsored by Virgin Atlantic. Longreads contributing editor Jodi Ettenberg curates a selection of serious travel articles from sources like The New Yorker, National Geographic and Wired.
3. Longform
Longform uses its Twitter, web and tablet platforms to recommend new and classic works of longform nonfiction from places like Der Spiegel, Spin magazine and The New Republic.The site also hosts weekly podcasts with top-tier nonfiction writers like Gay Talese, Elizabeth Wurtzel and Malcolm Gladwell.
4. The Feature
The Feature showcases works of serious investigative journalism from major outlets like GQ, The Los Angeles Review of Books and Esquire, and from smaller publications that other curators may have overlooked. All articles are archived on The Feature's website and offer a "Read Later" function courtesy of bookmarking app Instapaper.
5. If You Only...
Matter co-founder Bobbie Johnson started If You Only… with the simplest of concepts: "If you only read one thing today, make it this." Accordingly, Johnson shares a single piece of longform journalism every day, from sources like The Guardian, Gawker and Businessweek. Johnson also offers a weekly email digest for non-Twitter users.
6. Byliner
Byliner is a paid subscription site that commissions and curates longform fiction and nonfiction from renown writers. On its Twitter page, you will find links to rare or exclusive pieces from Christopher Hitchens, Margaret Atwood and Jon Krakauer, among others. Byliner also links to quality content posted at other news sources, and alerts followers to any free pieces available on its website. Recently, for example, Byliner shared nine free stories by Virginia Woolf in honor of the 84th anniversary of A Room of One's Own.
7. The Atavist
The Atavist is a multimedia publishing platform that commissions bestselling and award-winning works of longform nonfiction that range from magazine to book length. Each feature is sold individually on Atavist's website and is available on its iPhone and iPad apps. Atavist's Creativist storytelling software is now in open public beta, allowing any author to log in and create interactive content that can be shared across the web.
BONUS: Bookmarking Apps
If you come across an intriguing longread online but don't have the time to read it in full, try one of these free bookmarklets to save articles for offline reading.
- Instapaper: Instapaper is a simple bookmarklet that allows you to save your longreads for later via an icon in your Bookmarks Bar. It's available for iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle.
- Flipboard: Flipboard is a content curation platform that lets you browse articles and bundle them into a stunning digital magazine. In addition to searching for content within the app, you can save your favorite articles from the web with the Flipboard bookmarklet. Subscribe to magazines by other Flipboard users for a more personalized experience. The app is compatible with iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire and Nook.
- Readability: Readability translates web pages into an easy-to-read format for computers, iPhone, iPad and Android, and offers a bookmarklet to save articles for offline reading.
- Pocket: Pocket, formerly known as ReadItLater, allows you to save articles or videos from your browser or from more than 300 apps including Twitter, Flipboard, Pulse — another bookmarklet — and Zite, a content curation app. The Pocket reader is available for iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Kobo and more.
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