We are pleased to announce some major updates to the Leaderboards. In addition to sprucing up the old Leaderboards, we’re introducing two new leadership concepts to the Readup community: Readup Scouts and Readup Scribes.

Here’s what we aim to accomplish with this update:

(1) Make Readup more interesting and fun.

It’s not possible to make the act of reading any better than it already is. It’s perfect. It’s a solo endeavor, a moment of sacred communion between reader and writer, one that transcends time and space. Reading works. That’s why we’re not messing with it. (In fact, we spend a lot of time trying to “un-mess” what the internet has done to it.)

But that doesn’t mean that there’s not a lot that technology can do to improve the commmunity aspect of the experience - what happens after you finish reading something. In many cases, the conversation that follows the act of reading can be just as enriching as the act of reading itself.

The idea is to make hanging with readers online as cool as it is to hang with readers in the real world. The Leaderboard should feel frivolous, but also useful, inspiring, and practical.

(2) Recognize the Leaders of the community.

Communities are as strong as their leaders. The usernames that appear on the Leaderboards are the lifeblood that keeps Readup alive.

Using Readup is your gift to the world. If you appear on the Leaderboards, you’re a really good gift-giver. We see the badges as tiny tokens of our genuine, heartfelt gratitude.

You aren’t just the reason that this thing exists, you are the thing itself.

(3) Inspire people to read.

Anything that motivates people to read is a good thing. Librarians all around the world bribe kids into reading with candy. At precisely this time last year, Readup was cajoling people into a daily reading habit with, of all things, free pizza.

We believe in carrots (and pizza) not sticks. Reading on the internet shouldn’t be a carrotless (meaning: rewardless) endeavor.

Building and launching carrots into the internet often feels like taking a shot in the dark. That’s why we rely on your feedback, all along the way.

Reading, like painting a picture or going scuba diving, is the opposite of a game. And it’s free. It’s a gift that you can give to yourself whenever you want. The cost is your most valuable resource: time.

The act of reading and the prize of reading are inextricably bound.


SCRIBES are the reason that conversations on Readup are better than anywhere else on the internet. If “community conversationalists” wasn’t such a mouthful of an expression, we would have called them that. They earn The Quill.


SCOUTS forage the internet for articles and stories that are worthy of the platform. They mine for precious raw materials (articles and stories) that get served up on Readup. They earn the Pair of Binoculars.


What can Readup do to propel your reading abilities and experiences? Hit us up in the comments!