08-29-2010, 01:08 PM | #1 |
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Suggestions for speeding up reading?
Hi all!
My new Kindle will be here tomorrow and I'm pretty pumped. I want to do much more reading than I've been doing in the last several years. However, the problem I've always had with "doing more reading" is that read rather slowly. Even though I have to do a lot of reading for my profession, it's always very slow. Does anyone have any suggestions of techniques or resources out there to help improve the speed of my reading? I'm not looking to be a speed reader, but just looking for help getting my slow reading speeds to increase a bit. Any thoughts you might have, I'd appreciate! Thanks! |
08-29-2010, 01:50 PM | #2 |
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Don't pronounce in your mind what you read with your eyes.
Don't read words, read sentences and paragraphs. Don't move your eyes while you read, just fix them in the middle of the page and let your mind focus on the part you're actually reading. |
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08-29-2010, 05:51 PM | #3 |
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Just a thought; if you like reading, and are enjoying reading for pleasure, why do you want to get it over with as soon as possible?
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08-29-2010, 07:22 PM | #4 | |
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All seriousness I agree with TGS. If you enjoy it, why do some wish to rush it? |
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08-29-2010, 07:33 PM | #5 |
Aging Positronic Brain
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If you need to move up your reading speed to enjoy reading more rather than devour books, my suggestion is to just read.
I have a friend who expressed the same sentiment as you. Several years ago, he decided to just read whenever he could. From being someone who never read a book, he became someone who reads several books a year. I saw his bookcase when I stopped by his house last week. He had shelves of books. So, I think reading is the solution. You'll pick up the necessary skills. There are tricks, but practicing reading will help. |
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08-29-2010, 08:00 PM | #6 |
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08-29-2010, 08:16 PM | #7 | |
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once you HAVE an e-reader (and get as many free reads as possible) you will find yourself reading like mad! to the point where you need to back up and make sure you retained what you read. read it. it will come |
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08-29-2010, 08:29 PM | #8 |
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Me either and I read pretty fast.
ebooks are different than pbooks and many people read slower on ebook readers. I read fastest on my laptop, slower on pbooks, slowest on Sony reader. I don't like reading books on my laptop although I can often read a book in an hour. Same length book pbook 2 hours, and probably 4 hours on reader. (typically light reading 150 - 200 pages paperback format) I only read fiction books on my laptop when the formatting looks bad on my reader (ie to much line spacing, too wide margins, justified and I have read half of it in bed and am thoroughly annoyed) By that time I don't even think of pronouncing the words perhaps. Just a thought that perhaps if you switched back and forth between the reader and the computer on the same book or three, it might change your reading patterns. It is a mindframe thing I think as one (or this one anyway) generally only pronounces spoken parts in their mind. Regardless I am sure you will love your new reader and perhaps forget to worry about speed. It is not about the books, but the pleasure and relaxation. I have always suffered from the too many books too little time syndrome and am gradually getting over it. Helen |
08-29-2010, 08:38 PM | #9 | |
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08-29-2010, 08:51 PM | #10 |
12 Miles and Climbing
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My feeling is - if you are enjoying it, why rush? Stay awhile, put your feet up, relax, immerse yourself in another time, another place.
I remember quite awhile ago, I was reading an old book - The Awakening Land by Conrad Richter. I was enjoying the story and characters so much that I did not want the book to end. I savored it, reading it mostly on the train. I looked forward to the train ride and visiting with them once again. But, if you're not enjoying it - there are so many other pages in the sea that you would enjoy - toss it overboard, row over to another and scoop it up. __________________________________________________ _______________ Kindle Edition of Outsmart the Unexpected (Challenging and unusual dilemmas to solve your way out of) Resources on Creativity, Creative Problem Solving, Thinking on Your Feet, and Decision Making |
08-29-2010, 09:27 PM | #11 |
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Yeah, I don't want to rush the books at all. It's just that I also don't want them to drag on forever and ever.
It's interesting, I think at times the text formatting can really affect the speed at which I read. A few weeks ago I finished a decently-lengthed novel over the course of about a week. The text was a nice font, had some nice spacing and margins. Then I moved onto a different book whose text was really tightly spaced, small font, etc. I've been moving much more slowly in that book. And maybe it just feel slower because there's much more text per page. I wonder if the ereader, with adjustable font and spacing options, will allow me to at least feel like I'm making progress where in a paper book I would feel like it was a complete waste of time to even try to start because I could never finish it. I guess we'll just have to see! |
08-29-2010, 09:28 PM | #12 | |
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08-29-2010, 09:54 PM | #13 | |
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08-29-2010, 10:56 PM | #14 | |
12 Miles and Climbing
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I guess with an ebook reader, reading might be easier and flow better (faster) than with some print books because you can adjust the text size to your liking and comfort level. |
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08-29-2010, 11:21 PM | #15 |
Just a kid from Bklyn
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I don't have an e-reader yet, either (my Kindle arrives tomorrow), but one use I can foresee for the adjustable text size would be to regulate reading speed -- smaller text for skimming, larger for close reading. (Maybe. We'll see.)
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