Conquer Slow Reading with Five Simple Tips

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I’ll just come right out and say it: I am a slow reader. I guess you can say I finally accepted this hard truth when I noticed that all of my favorite BookTubers’—that’s what we call a YouTuber in the book community—monthly wrap up videos consisted of 10 or more novels. Nevermind that I have a stack of unread books at home that just keeps growing. I normally find myself rereading almost every page just to make sure I understand every detail since I am easily distracted. I often have to pause movies or TV shows so that I can read the subtitles before they disappear from the screen. You can imagine what I go through when I’m at the theater. Yet, none of this highlights my embarrassing plight more than my Goodreads account. I’ve managed to read only 13 of the 50 books I planned to read last year. I’m serious. This is insanely ridiculous. I have no idea how some people can easily knock out seven or more books within a month. It’s unnatural! One BookTuber recently gushed about the 17 books she read last month! Not only do I envy her, but I’ve also come to the conclusion that she’s obviously not human.  Although I don’t possess any supernatural power to shred through 17 books in a month, I’ve put together five weapon-like tips that have helped me to battle against my slow reading while holding on to a bit of dignity.

• Size Does Matter — Let’s be real here. If you’re trying to find the quickest way to read It by Stephen King within a week, I genuinely wish you good luck. I am normally realistic when it comes to how long it’ll take me to finish reading a book with over five hundred pages. I’d give myself a reasonable deadline based on the length of a given read. Why does this work? Well, if you’re brave enough to read a thick book, then creating an appropriate deadline based on the size of that book will help you stay motivated to successfully complete your novel.  

• Section it Off — I know this sounds confusing, but stay with me here. Sectioning off the chapters of your book simply means grouping a few chapters together so as to have a smooth and enjoyable reading experience that will in turn, help eliminate the common stress of slow reading. In my case, after I’ve selected my next read, I’ll count the number of chapters it contains, and then divide them into small reading sections using Post-It tabs. For example, if a book has 20 chapters, I’ll divide the book into sections of five chapters each. This method will help you focus your attention on one section at a time instead of the total number of pages overall. 

• Plan it Out — I’m not going to lie here, I totally stole this tip from my college years. Reading Bible-like textbooks with absolutely boring topics was a real struggle back in the day. However, what kept me on top of my reading assignments was creating a schedule that I followed religiously. I put together a plan where I am completely honest with myself about both the time and amount of pages I can get through on a given day. By creating a reading schedule, which takes into consideration the number of pages you wish to complete, you not only get a sense of accomplishment when sticking to your schedule, but you also retain a level of comprehension while enjoying your novel. 

• Readathon is a Must — This tip is literally self-explanatory but for those of you who have never heard of this term, a readathon is basically where you read all day long. Many BookTubers usually host readathons with a cool theme. My favorite readathon to participate in is the Harry Potter theme hosted by G from Book Roast. As if that’s not enough, there’s also fun reading challenges like selecting a book with a particular cover or reading with others from the same spot in a book selection to name a few. I’m always amazed at the number of publications I am able to get through when I join a readathon.  

Audiobooks Save Lives— I strongly believe that audiobooks are a godsend for slow readers like myself. I have an Audible subscription which I enjoy immensely because I can choose to follow along with my hard copy, or multitask if I’m pressed for time. Also, you can adjust the narrator’s speed if you’d like. I normally stick to the regular speed. If you want to avoid a monthly subscription, you can download apps like Libby or Chirp that also work in conjunction with your local library, to help you enjoy great audiobooks.

While I may not have reached my reading goal last year, I know I will this year. These simple tips have helped me to read with comprehension while simultaneously, enjoying some amazing reads. There are times where I am hit with a major reading slump, and the amount of books I wish to read just doesn’t happen, and that’s OK. The most important thing is having fun! What are some of your reading goals this year?

Again, thanks for reading!