The Study Hall Podcast The Art of the Longread ft. Peter Rubin
Oct 22, 2025
Peter Rubin, head of publishing at Automattic and editor at Longreads, dives into the nuances of long-form journalism. He discusses how Longreads evolved from a simple Twitter hashtag into a vibrant platform for storytelling. Topics include the challenges of curation after Twitter's decline, the importance of distinct voice in writing, and navigating the attention economy. Peter also shares insights on their editorial process, defending the value of long reads, and engaging with a community of readers through feedback and member-supported models.
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Episode notes
Reading Time Lowers Friction
- Showing word count and estimated reading time reassures readers and helps them decide when to read.
- Peter says their estimates are conservative and meant to make long pieces more approachable.
Long-Form Is A Distinct Value
- Long-form journalism remains vital because it supports nuanced, non-viral storytelling that many writers and readers value.
- Longreads deliberately offers space for pieces that are too literary for commercial outlets and too commercial for literary journals.
Favor Reader-Supported Publishing
- Prefer reader-supported models to avoid ad-driven content shifts that prioritize clicks over quality.
- Support employee-owned or membership-funded outlets that publish for paying readers, not just advertisers.