Reading may feel like a chore sometimes, whether you are doing it for academic purposes or leisurely reasons. There may be occasions when you want to finish that book you are reading so that you can move on to the next. And there are times when you feel that reading a history book takes forever.
You may be wishing that there is a faster way to read. And you may even be engaging in it at times without realising it. However, you must note that you will need some concentration to make this happen at will.
Whether you are planning to buy a fiction book here in Singapore or borrowing an academic book from the library, you need to understand that reading faster is like an art. Every time you read is an opportunity to make yourself much more efficient. The first rule is never to stress out. Other pointers are below.
Take a scan first
Just like watching a movie or eating at a fine dining restaurant, there is always a preview. It could be the trailer or that appetiser. You may want to do the same when you are reading a book. Scan the pages and skim the parts that may interest you.
That way, you get a grasp of what you are about to read and experience. You will also gain an insight into how the writer drafted the passages and the way they painted the picture.
Skip the unimportant words
You may not believe it, but you are not supposed to read each word. You should read by phrase, meaning stop reading word by word, as it will slow you down. You can do this by reading the sentences in a scanning manner. Skip the words that do not matter.
You can use a highlighter, your finger, or your bookmark to guide your scan.
Do not re-read, unless the part’s important
It seems that skipping is essential, and you can do it on a much larger scale. You may find yourself re-reading the same paragraph for more than eight times. If you do not get anything from it, you are free to skip it — unless you believe that that part is vital for moving the plot forward.
Read and read
Reading has always been recommended to writers so that they can develop their own voice and discover a lot of writing styles out there. If you want to master fast reading, you should do the same. Constant practice just happens when you read regularly. Soon after, it will be just second nature.
Reading faster and still understand everything is a mark of efficiency. That way, you cover more ground, and that it will allow you to move to a new book. You also get to absorb information in a much faster way. If you are still new to this technique, you may feel that it is quite challenging.
But constant practice will help you become better at it. And the best way to practice it is by reading over and over again.
