Do writers need social media? Richard Osman thinks not. Here’s why that’s a problem

Richard Osman recently sat down with Guardian journalist Marina Hyde and offered a tidbit that has rippled across social media (or all places): writers, he said, don’t need to be on social media. 

It wasn't even a casual comment. It was something he had thought about. On the surface, it might sound comforting for those of us bone-tired of the algorithmic hamster wheel we have found ourselves on. But it’s also, frankly, bad advice for most writers trying to carve out a space in today’s publishing world.

Reading for Joy: How to escape a reading slump and embrace comfort in 2025

It happens quietly. It has happened to me. The pile of unread books grows taller, the will to open one grows thinner, and suddenly reading—this thing we once loved—feels like homework. We tell ourselves we’ll get back to it.

When things slow down. When we’re more focused. When we finally feel smart enough for the Booker-longlisted doorstop. But maybe the way out of a slump isn’t through discipline or guilt. Perhaps it’s a return to softness. To stories that ask nothing of us except to enjoy them. In 2025, perhaps the kindest thing we can do is let reading be easy again.