In our continuing conversation about How to Blog Consistently, we’ve talked exclusively about writing stuff: Blogging Everyday and Knowing Your Audience. Today’s tip is a little bit different. Today, I want you to start reading blogs. Now, the very fact that you are reading these words means that you are a blog reader to some extent, but what you may not know is that one of the best ways to become a blog writer is to be a blog reader. Reading blogs helps us to learn good blogging habits, gives us ideas for posts, and gets us acquainted with everyone else in the blogosphere.

While you’re out combing the interwebs for blogs to indulge your insatiable thirst for knowledge, be sure to visit blogs with lots of different themes. Just because our blog is primarily about church issues, doesn’t mean we don’t read other kinds of blogs. Some of my best post ideas come from blogs that have nothing to do with church or even God in general. I read everything from tech-related blogs to posts about the influence of Homoousios on Christology. Read outside your comfort zone. Read blogs that challenge how you think. Read blogs that make you mad. Read. Read. Read.

Way back in the misty recesses of March, James wrote this post which can help to simplify your blog-reading life. I suggest everyone read it.