Error Pop-Up - Close Button Must be signed in and friends with that member to view that page.

How Do You Read X Books in a Day?

Lately, I've had some people ask me how it is possible to read more than five books in a day. I think it's because of that interview I gave.

It's simple.

You pick up a book. You open it up. You read until you reach the end.

Proceed until you run out of books/hours in the day.

But in all seriousness:

I learned to read when I was four-years-old. So by the time I entered kindergarten, I'd already been reading for a full year longer than most of my peers. By fifth grade I was reading at a college level. This is what happens when you are a shy, lonely little kid who doesn't have a lot of friends.

I have taken various reading tests, and depending on the subject matter I can read between 600-700 words per minute. My reading comprehension, admittedly, is not quite so good, but is still above average.

So that is how I read so many books. It is a combination of an early start in life, lots of practice, and way too much free time. I don't currently have a job, so in between job applications and time spent with friends and working out, I read as much as I can, because you only get one brain, and it's important to give it things to do so it doesn't get flabby and slow.

I hope that answers your questions. It's always very sweet when people take an interest in your abilities and hobbies. Just practice, practice, practice, and you'll find your own reading speed go up, too!
13 likes ·   •  31 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 29, 2014 14:20 Tags: books, life, q-a, reading
Comments Showing 1-31 of 31 (31 new)    post a comment »
dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Andria (new)

Andria I'm pretty much the same way, except mom had me reading by the time I was three, and my comprehension is lacking compared to my reading speed. I still read quite a lot, and I re-read things to make sure that I got things right, and while I don't bother with reviews on goodreads usually, that doesn't mean I haven't read the book. I just don't bother with the reviewing.

I once read twelve books in one day, which was a really awesome day, lol.


message 2: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell That's great! My reading comprehension is lacking in comparison to my reading speed, too. It's not terrible, but I do miss details sometimes. That's why I tend to only speed read books that suck. It takes me longer to finish books I'm enjoying, because I want to soak up all the deets.

That sounds like a really awesome day. I read like thirty graphic novels in one day, once. It was really easy because they were all pictures mostly, so I was like, THIS IS THE NEXT BEST THING TO INJECTING THE DRAMA STRAIGHT INTO MY BRAIN.

I need to get back into the manga scene...


message 3: by Andria (new)

Andria I haven't read any manga, sadly. They're hard to get a hold of, as I don't have the cash to snap them up from Ebay or something, lol. Though honestly, I much prefer books without pictures. They create enough of a picture in your head. What's your favorite book? (and the ones you wrote don't count, lol)


message 4: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell Oh God. I have too many favorite books. I really like Diana Wynne Jones's Fire and Hemlock. I have had the same copy since I was eleven years old.


message 5: by Andria (new)

Andria Nenia wrote: "Oh God. I have too many favorite books. I really like Diana Wynne Jones's Fire and Hemlock. I have had the same copy since I was eleven years old."

I've never read Diana Wynne Jones, though everyone's been harping at me to do so. My library doesn't have any of them, I don't think. I mostly stuck with Mercedes Lackey. I adored her stories, especially about Valdemar.


message 6: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell I like Mercedes Lackey too! Not really a fan of any of the Valdemar books I've read but I love her fairytale retellings and urban fantasy! She's written some sci-fi too. :)


message 7: by Andria (new)

Andria I think I've read almost everything by Mercedes Lackey, I was that obsessed with her. *giggles*. I was also obsessed with Stephen King's Dark tower series, and I rather liked The Lord of the Rings/The hobbit, and I read a lot of Nancy Drew as a teen. So sue me, lol, I actually *liked* Nancy Drew.


message 8: by [deleted user] (new)

I used to have a tremendous reading speed (and not that good comprehension) but after school and piano it slowed down a bit. I guess stress makes me read slower.
However, my comprehension has improved a lot and I have above-average comprehension. :)
By the way, did you see those comments about you on the article saying that STGRB "caught" you being a bully? I CALL FOUL. Check them out, they made me almost ruin my computer.


message 9: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell STGRB is like Pluto. I know it exists, and it's out there somewhere in the dregs of the solar system, but I have no inclinations towards going there myself, and it's lost all credibility with the professionals. ;)


Mairéad (is roaming the Undying Lands) Honestly, I can read fast myself but I don't always get the time to do so. Personally, I would but I don't always get the chance--its the same problem with writing--too many people think I'm free to do something else when I'm trying to write. I can't wait to have my own place and just go at my own pace. Maybe THEN I can actually get some serious writing done. But until then, I write when I can, which means I'm not reading as much unfortunately at the moment... :/


message 11: by Erica (last edited Apr 29, 2014 04:04PM) (new)

Erica Nenia wrote: "STGRB is like Pluto. I know it exists, and it's out there somewhere in the dregs of the solar system, but I have no inclinations towards going there myself, and it's lost all credibility with the p..."

*gasp* Stop being so offensive to old people!

 photo OhanaPluto_zps2e534314.jpg


message 12: by Nenia (last edited Apr 29, 2014 04:11PM) (new)

Nenia Campbell @Erica: LOL, are you implying that STGRB is part of my family? :P

ETA: OK, they can be the weird, crotchety uncle no one likes.


message 13: by Erica (new)

Erica What? NO! No, no...STGRB is the same as snipe hunting. Pointless.
But Pluto! Why do you say such mean things about Pluto? I mean, besides Pluto not being a planet for much of your life, of course. It WAS a planet for most of mine, so I have attachments.
OHANA!

Also...unrelated to STGRB & Pluto, I am lucky if I can read one normal-lengthed book in a month. Thank god for audiobooks. But! I have great reading comprehension...or...maybe not comprehension because based on some of my reviews lately, I totally don't get it. But I remember the details...wait...no I don't because it takes me so long to read these books that I forget the entire story when I'm only five chapters in. :(


message 14: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell LOL I'm not sure how old you think I am, because Pluto was a planet for most of my life too. But yeah, I getcha. I was making a joke. Still wouldn't want to go there, though. Freaking, BRR man. Us Californians don't do well with earthly winters, let alone that subzero nightmare. :P

I think that's why some people were suspicious about my reading speed. That's pretty average, especially if you're working and, you know, have a life. I'm a freak, but I hold that everyone needs one superpower in life and mine is speed reading. :D


message 15: by Dan (new)

Dan ::puffs up:: Pluto is still a planet!
I don't care what *they* say... :)


message 16: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell PlaneTOID. :P


message 17: by Dan (new)

Dan :P


message 18: by Erica (new)

Erica Dude, you're...like...a whippersnapper according to your profile. You will note I have no age on my profile because I am too old to understand how the internet works and these new fandangled gadgets wig me out. Me and Pluto, we'll be commiserating in the corner. And grumbling. And yelling at everyone to stay off our lawns. Dammit.

Your reading speed helps those of us who are snailing it because when we go to find a new book, we see you've already read and reviewed it and it helps us make our decisions and we need help since taking a month to read a bad book is a bad investment. So, see? You're doing favors! So many favors!


message 19: by Dan (new)

Dan Nenia has strong book-fu...


message 20: by Erica (new)

Erica It's her young eyes and vital energy. Go, Speed Reader, go Speed Reader, go Speed Reader, gooooooo!


message 21: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell @Erica: I've always thought that it's not how old you are, it's how you use the years you have. I know plenty of people, both offline and on, who might as well be whiny preteens throwing a temper tantrum outside Hot Topic or Forever 21. :)

@Dan: BOOK-FU!


message 22: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell Erica wrote: "It's her young eyes and vital energy. Go, Speed Reader, go Speed Reader, go Speed Reader, gooooooo!"

Please. Some mornings I can scarcely get out of bed. MWAHAHAHA.


message 23: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell Is it me or is there something weird going on with these comments? >_>


message 24: by Dan (new)

Dan I only see your current comment, then the next one is 21hrs 16min old..


message 25: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell Dan wrote: "I only see your current comment, then the next one is 21hrs 16min old.."

GR appears to have reversed the order on the comments. The oldest ones are at the bottom instead of the top. At first I thought some of them were deleted...?


message 26: by Dan (new)

Dan The oldest are at the top for me.. and I do not see anything that looks like a "sort" icon that would toggle them..


message 27: by Dan (new)

Dan Oh wait I had to scroll farther up. there is a "Date" with a small down arrow at the top..
That should toggle the sort order for you,.


message 28: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell Dan wrote: "The oldest are at the top for me.. and I do not see anything that looks like a "sort" icon that would toggle them.."

That's so weird. x_x


message 29: by Dan (new)

Dan Yep the "Date" little arrow toggles the sort order.


message 30: by Nenia (new)

Nenia Campbell I guess I must have clicked the button by accident.

LOL I'm such a dork.


message 31: by Dan (new)

Dan :)


back to top