Reduce an overloaded reading queue with KTool magazines

A Kindle full of unread magazines can feel much like an inbox full of unread newsletters. Moving articles to another device helps with access, but the volume still needs a decision.

If KTool delivers more than you want to read, start by reducing what enters the next magazine.

Check the sources filling the queue

Open your RSS subscriptions and identify the publications responsible for most of the articles. Keep the ones you return to. For a busy source, look for a narrower feed or send selected articles manually instead.

Review email forwarding rules as well. A newsletter you once wanted every morning may now be something you read once a month. You can forward selected issues to your KTool inbox without routing every email from that publication.

Check whether the same publication reaches you through RSS and email. Choosing one route can reduce duplicate reading without losing a source.

Separate by when you expect to read

Use Daily Read for a small amount of current reading. Put less urgent essays in Weekly Read. A Custom Magazine can hold research for a particular project until you choose to deliver it.

You don't need a detailed filing system to begin. If you cannot decide which magazine should hold an article, ask when you expect to read it and what you want from it. An article with no answer can stay out of the queue.

A weekly delivery can still be too large. Changing the schedule doesn't reduce the number of articles, so inspect the contents as well as the timing.

Clear the next issue before tackling the archive

Review the pending magazine and remove pieces that no longer interest you. Put the article you most want to read near the beginning. You can use the table of contents to skip around after delivery.

There is no requirement to read old issues in order. Start with the next collection you can make useful, then decide whether older material deserves a separate session.

For material you need as a reference, keep the original source in your own notes. That gives you a way to find it without keeping every issue in the active reading queue.

After a few deliveries, compare the selection with what you read. If a source still contributes mostly skipped articles, adjust the subscription again. Keep enough room in the next issue for an article you chose yourself.