"It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it," Oscar Wilde once mentioned. Simply stated, what you feed your brain has a significant impact on who you are and will become. So, why do so few individuals read books regularly after completing their formal education and entering the "real world"?
There certainly isn't a scarcity of excuses. When I tell people I read a book a day, they come up with all kinds of reasons; most of them revolve around a lack of reading time. For weeks, a book will be left on their bedside.
There is, however, another side to the same coin. Maybe it's because they don't know how to read quickly enough. If you are prepared to set aside the argument that you don't have enough time and learn how to double or even triple your reading speed, you may be able to open up a whole new world to yourself.
In the next ten minutes, you'll learn the methods and tricks that the world's quickest readers use to obtain access to more knowledge than you ever imagined possible.
Understanding where you are today
If you're anything like me, you don't test your reading pace every week, if at all. We'll work out where you're starting and where you want to go, just like any excellent fitness program.
Take a book that you love reading. It might be a novel, your favorite magazine, or anything with a passage of at least 1,000 words that you haven't read before. Now get a one-minute timer and set it.
Reading at a comfortable pace will help you read more fluently without any hassle. It is not the end-all exam, so try to enjoy your reading!
When the timer goes off, note the last word you read on a piece of paper and count the words. Consider the overall number of words per line and then count the total number of lines you read: (total lines read x amount of words per line)
Now, see how you stack up. For the sake of this exercise, let's take a look at some broad categories in general across the adult population.
You're a slow reader if you can't read more than 180 words per minute.
You are an average reader if you read between 180 and 240 words per minute.
You're reading at a college level if you're reading between 240 and 350 words per minute.
You read at a rate of 350 to 500 words per minute, which is above average.
You are a superb reader if you can read more than 500 words per minute. Now that we know where you're starting from let's look at how you got there and what we can do to help you get over 500 words (and perhaps 1,000!).
Two things that prevent you from becoming a speed reader today
Backtracking
When it comes to reading, there are two sorts of backtracking: conscious and unconscious. When you read a section of text and realize you didn't understand it entirely, you go back and read it again. This is known as conscious backtracking. This isn't the most efficient technique to improve your reading comprehension, but it's not bad either.
But, one of the most time-consuming reading habits of ordinary people is unconscious backtracking. Have you ever read long tracts of text only to find that you had lost track of time and couldn't recall a single item you had read? I've certainly done so. The average reader rereads 15% of what they're reading as a result of this.
Vocalizing Words
There are three phases to reading "out loud." The first is the method you learned in kindergarten, in which you read the words aloud. We'll presume you've progressed over that point and can read a book on the train to work in the morning without bothering the other passengers.
The second stage is subvocalizing, which involves moving your lips but not uttering anything, and is typically taught in elementary school as a first step away from speaking out. We'll assume you've already progressed past this point.
The third step of subvocalizing occurs when you still hear the words in your brain as you read them, even if your lips aren't moving. The majority of people arrive at this point and subvocalize all of the words as they see them. Right now, take a minute to read a section to check whether you're subvocalizing.
Why are we using subvocalization? Because we've been taught since childhood that we can only see and understand one word at a time and that we must read them in order. This makes sense from a logical standpoint. However, like many other situations, logic imbues us with a very restrictive notion that we never consider challenging.
Reading with a purpose and on purpose.
If you're like me and most of the rest of the world, you've been taught to read everything one way. Of course, a novel you're reading for enjoyment will be read differently from a business book from which you're hoping to acquire a set of concepts. But there we are, reading them one word at a time in the same manner.
Why do you read this, anyway?
The first step in avoiding this blunder is to be extremely clear about why you're reading and what you want to get out of it. If it's just for fun, you'll be less concerned with knowledge and quickness and more concerned with the environment you create so that you may immerse yourself in the moment.
If you're reading a business book, though, you'll be more concerned with speed (so you can learn more, faster), comprehension (so you comprehend what you're reading), and recall (so you remember what you've read) (so you can remember what you learned).
Understand how authors write
The second thing you can do is learn how to read and write like an author. Authors of fiction frequently write in such a way as to keep you engaged in the tale and flipping the pages. They don't offer you clear headers and chapter structures so you can construct a roadmap before you start because they don't want you to rush through it.
Nonfiction authors, on the other hand, frequently use this format in their works. Their books will be organized logically, with one topic built on top of the next. What is the significance of this? For one thing, you can skim the information you already know without sacrificing too much comprehension and then read the sections that are new to you attentively.
Understand paragraph structure
The primary idea of a paragraph will almost always be stated in the first sentence of the paragraph. This means that comprehending the opening sentence of each paragraph is critical to grasp the key ideas. This also means that you can read the rest of the paragraph much faster because it simply gives context to the initial sentence rather than introducing new concepts.
Techniques to Read Faster
Speed readers know that you and I don't because using your finger substantially increases your reading rate. They guide their eyes with their fingers because they understand one crucial fact: humans can see and absorb more than a few words at a time.
There are a few options for this, but you should work through them sequentially. You can only move on to the next one when you feel ready to take your training up another notch.
Underlining
The first method is known as "underlining." To begin, just run your finger across the page while reading, highlighting the words with your index finger. This will feel unusual at first, and you may receive a few funny stares from strangers who haven't seen this technique before. Grab anything new that you haven't read before and try reading it with your fingers as a guide.
Begin moving your finger quicker now. Start using your finger at 300 words per minute if you were reading at 200 words per minute. It's fine if you feel like you're starting to lose control and won't remember what you're reading. Right now, you're fighting your natural desire to speak out, and it'll be uncomfortable for a time.
Dusting
Dusting is the second method for speeding up your reading. Consider dusting off the book's page using your full hand, sliding your hand back and forth along the page, instead of using your finger as an underlining tool. I frequently read on my computer screen, and this action is quite similar to dusting your screen, so you should feel at ease with it.
Remember to move your hand swiftly back and forth as you travel down the page so you can see the text through your hands, just as you can see the road ahead of you even when your windshield wipers are turned on full blast. It will seem strange at first to read this manner, but you will soon be able to read at a considerably faster rate.
Circling
We'll now go on to the circular hand movement, combining with the underlining exercise that we learned previously. Remember that the first sentence of a paragraph is the most important to understand (usually).
So, to apply this method, underline the first line of the paragraph with your finger, then create circles through the remainder of the section on your way back to the left margin.
You'll sweep the entire text in five or six circles, taking in pieces of the paragraph at a time. At this stage, you'll notice that reading at a faster pace feels very different from when you first started. You won't be reading in the way you've been taught and practiced for the majority of your life — word by word. That's OK, and you'll quickly get over the awkwardness.
Paragraphing
You may go on to the last step we'll cover here by employing the paragraphing approach now that you're comfortable reading at a much faster rate. Start by highlighting the first line in the same manner that you did while circling, from left to right.
Instead of circling the rest of the paragraph with your finger, drop down at least four lines and then put your finger to the left margin. If the paragraph is more than four lines, you can continue the motion until you reach the ending.
Reading Faster and Comprehending More
If you can't understand what you're reading, none of this matters. The majority of nonfiction writers are aiming to construct a mental picture for you. They generally stop short of actually making one for you, though. As a result, you'll make one yourself.
To create a mindmap, start with one concept and branch out from there. Make sure related materials are close together for easy reference.
As you go through the material, be sure to pause at moments where you want to recall an idea and add it to your subject's mind map. Although it is beyond the scope of this overview, you should strive to make the mindmap memorable. The easier you make the concepts special, the easier it will be for you to recollect them afterward.
So there you have it: a quick rundown of everything you'll need to boost your reading pace to heights you never imagined. Good luck, and please keep me updated on your progress.
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