A question that is often asked of speed reading trainers is whether
or not anyone can improve their reading speed. The simple,
straightforward, answer to this question is "yes", they can. However,
this is not to say that the leaner will not have to provide some input
of their own: after all, all learning is a form of trade-off. In this
regard, the following are seen as the four essential elements that a
student of speed reading will need to bring with them if they want to
learn to speed read:
1. A desire to improve
Strange as it may seem, not everyone is willing to accept that there
is a better method of reading than the one currently being used by the
student. Most likely, the student has learnt their current reading
method at a very formative age - probably on their mother's knee. As a
result, it can be hard to try and convince students to adapt to new
methods of reading, a skill we see as so fundamental, none of us is
really willing to accept that we do not know how to do it, and do it
well, already. Therefore, a real desire to improve your reading speed is
the first essential element you'll need to bring with you to class.
2. A willingness to accept new ideas
Another concept that we learn in our formative years is to sound out
our words (technically called subvocalize) as we read them. In part this
is done so that we learn how to pronounce the word, not read it!
However, in later life this habit can be extremely difficult to break.
But, if you want to be able to improve your reading speed, it is a habit
you will have to break.
In addition, most of are taught at some stage in our life that if we
have not comprehended, or understood, what we have just read, to go back
and reread the passage. Again, this is a habit which speed reading
courses see as a no-no. You will have to discard it if you want to
improve your reading speed. However, it's not easy to do.
Finally, whichever of the speed reading methodologies you select to
learn, it is likely that you'll need to learn to read large chunks of
information at the same time, or to skim read. As children we are taught
that these practices are not good for us - we will likely miss
information, or misinterpret it.
As you can see then, a willingness to accept new ideas is going to be
essential if you want to learn to improve your reading speed.
3. Motivation
Although motivation may be considered similar to desire, the
essential difference is that not only do you need to have the desire to
learn, but you need to keep that desire for, potentially, a long period
of time. In practice, learning the proper speed reading technique only
takes a very short time. But the real test is in having to practice and
practice everyday.
This means that a student of a speed reading course is going to need
to maintain the motivation to learn how to improve their reading speed
over a prolonged period. Indeed, some would argue that you never stop
learning to improve your reading speed.
4. Practice
The adage is "practice makes perfect", and nowhere is this adage more
appropriate than in the reading learning process. Anyone who wishes to
improve their reading speed is going to have to practice over prolonged
periods.
Conclusion
To sum it up, if you want to learn how to improve your reading speed
, all you is (i) desire; (ii) willingness; (iii) motivation; and (iv) practice.
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A common enough remark is that speed reading takes the joy out of
reading. However, is this entirely fair? Would it not be fairer to say
that being able to speed read actually increases the joy of reading? To
answer this, we need to look at some of the reasons why we are speed
reading in the first place!
It should always be in the forefront of your mind that speed reading
is a skill. It is adopted when certain circumstances arise and it is not
always necessarily a skill you need to invoke each and every time you
read something.
An example, if you are curled up in bed reading the latest thriller
novel, it is unlikely you are going to want to be speed reading. The
reason: first, because you have spent a lot of money on the novel and so
want to make it last; second because part of the atmosphere that you
have set in which to read is one of relaxation and taking things easy.
If we now transfer the scene to one where we are reading the latest
financial report from ABC Company Limited, even if we are doing this in
bed, the environment in which we are reading has dramatically changed.
The need and reason why we read the text in these two scenarios is
not the same. In the former we are at leisure. In the later we are in
professional mode. Clearly in the later, where we want to be done with
the reading and off to sleep, we can adapt out speed reading skills and
in the former we may choose not to.
In other words, speeding reading skills are a "horses for courses"
skill. Invoke them at times when you need to read something really fast,
but not when you don't need to.
Furthermore, as your retention rates are usually better with speed
reading, it is often a good idea that you speed read at times when you
have a special need to comprehend and retain the information you are
reading. If we go back to the financial report/thriller novel example
above, it is far more likely that comprehending and retaining the
information in the financial report is going to be more beneficial to
you, so utilize your speed reading skills at this time so that you can
enhance your chances of comprehending and retaining the text.
Finally, speed reading does not have to be a cumbersome,
professional, skill. It is quite possible to enjoy your time speed
reading something, in much the same way as you would when reading a
novel. To do this all you need do is create the correct atmosphere in
which to speed read. Eliminate all distractions, such as music and chat.
Do a pre-read of the materials: read the index, headings and su
eadings. Then speed read the text. Retain the information. Utilize that information.
As you can see then, having the ability to be able to speed read will allow you the choice of reading faster, or slower. It's about having choices.
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Every book publisher asks five key questions about every
project he or she considers. Here's how to make sure your book proposal
gives all the answers, and convince your book agent to help you publish
your book.
You have a great idea for a nonfiction book. Everybody thinks it's a
great idea. But will a book publishing company think it's a great idea -
enough to pay you an advance, commission you to write it, publish your
book and sell it?
That will depend largely on your book proposal. Here's where
you demonstrate persuasively that your idea has merit, and that the
company will benefit from publishing your book. Of course, even a solid
idea and a great book proposal can't guarantee success, but they surely
can tip the odds in your favor. But if either the idea or the proposal
is weak, your chances of a sale are slim to none.
Book editors look for certain things when reviewing book ideas and
proposals. To improve your chances of winning a book publisher's
contract, let's look at the five key questions they ask and the best
ways to answer them.
1. Is there a large enough audience interested in this topic to justify publishing a book?
You want to stay away from a highly specialized book, which draws
limited audience. You want your book to be among the books that appeal
to a general audience or at least to a large segment of the general
population.
You must demonstrate to your prospective publishing agent that your
large audience - of hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions –
exists.
One excellent source of market data is Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS),
a book listing US magazines that accept advertising and their
circulations. SRDS is available at your local library or from the
publisher (tel. 847/375-5000). Look for the combined circulation of the
largest publications in your book’s area.
However, keep in mind that only a small percentage of the intended
audience will actually buy your book. And a major book publishing
company hopes to sell at least 5,000 copies of your book. So if you're
writing a book that appeals only to the 44,171 branch managers working
at banks nationwide (say, How to Manage Your Branch More Efficiently),
and 2% can be persuaded to buy the book, you've sold only 883 copies -
not nearly enough to make the project worthwhile for either you or a
publisher.
2. Is this a book or a magazine article? Will it sell?
There are two substantial differences between a book and a magazine
article, which will determine if the material you have will be accepted
by a book publisher.
First, there is the matter of time: It can take 18 months to
two years from conception to bookstore. If you have an idea for a book
about Recession proof Business at the onset of a recession, like I had
in 1991, that recession may be over by the time the book comes out and
it would not sell. However, a magazine article’s time line of
publication (or that of a small booklet) is much quicker (weeks to few
months).
Second difference is in length: Do you have enough material for a book?
The average nonfiction book is about 200 pages in published form,
with approximately 400 words a page. That's 80,000 words; about 320
double-spaced typewritten manuscript pages. Most books range between
35,000 words (a slim, 100 pages volume) to 200,000 words or more. An
article, on the other hand, can include anywhere from 300 to 2,500 words
or so.
How do you know whether your idea is a book, article or booklet - and
how do you convince a publishing agent that your concept is a big one?
Here are some guidelines:
First, see if there are other books on the topic. The
existence of a few similar titles indicates that this idea is big enough
to deserve a book.
Second, go to the library and see what else is written on the
topic. If you feel overwhelmed by all the magazine articles, newspaper
stories, booklets, pamphlets, surveys, reports and statistics on your
topic, that's a good indication the topic is 'meaty" enough to justify a
full-length book.
Third, organize your information into chapters. Think about
how you would logically explain your topic or present your information,
and organize it into major categories. These will become chapter
headings.
A full-length nonfiction book typically has 8-15 chapters. If your
outline has fewer, the publisher may think there's not enough
information to fill a book on your topic. Shoot for an outline with at
least nine chapters.
A detailed table of contents proves to the book publishing company
that your topic is appropriate for a book, not just a magazine article.
3. What's different or better about your book?
The first page or two of your book proposal must contain an overview of your idea, the book content and its target audience.
The first two paragraphs of your overview must tell the editor why
and how your book is unique, different or better than other books
already published on this topic.
The angle that makes your book different can take many forms: A slant
toward a different audience, a better way of organizing the material,
or inclusion of topics not covered in other books.
For instance, my co-author and I wrote a nonfiction book, Technical Writing. Structure, Standards and Style,
because we wanted to create a handbook for technical writers that
emulated the concise, to-the-point style and format of The Elements of
Style, William Strunk and E.B. White's popular style guide for general
writers.
Our proposal called our book "the Strunk and White of technical
writing," which instantly communicated the key appeal of the concept.
Our book agent sold the book - within three weeks - to the first book
publishing company who looked at it.
Another section of your proposal that positions your book in relation
to others on the same subject is the "Competition" section. Here you
list and describe competing books; each listing should emphasize how
your book is both different and better.
Include in the Competition section those books that cover the
same - or very similar - topics as your book; that are published by
major publishing houses; and that are no more than five years old.
How many books you list in this section will be important. The
presence of two to six competitive books shows there's a market for this
type of book, while still room for one more. On the other hand, if
there are seven or more books a publisher may think the field is
overcrowded, and you'll probably have a difficult time making the sale.
4. Will people pay $25.38 for this book?
According to Albert N. Greco, professor of marketing in Fordham
University, the average hardcover nonfiction book sells for $25.38; the
average trade paperback edition - for $20.40. Your book must be
interesting or valuable enough to make readers part not only with their
money, but with their time as well.
A how-to or reference book proposal should stress the benefits
readers will get when they buy the book. If your book is biography,
journalism, history, or any other form of nonfiction written primarily
to entertain, your proposal should highlight some of the more
fascinating details of the book.
5. Why should the publishing agent hire you to write it?
Your proposal must show why you're uniquely qualified to write the
book. Such qualifications fall into two categories: writing credentials
and expert credentials.
Writing credentials establish your expertise as an author. In
an "About the Author" section of your book proposal, write a brief
biographical sketch of yourself, and include information about your past
publications (publishers and dates of publications, excerpts from
favorable reviews and sales figures – if they’re impressive).
Expert credentials establish your position as an authority in the topic of your proposed book.
In my experience, your expert credentials don't need to be in-depth.
Editors understand you can research the topic, and they don't require
you to know everything about it before buying your book. They just want
to convince their editorial board - and buyers - that you know what
you're talking about.
Of course,
having a published book to your credit is one credential that always
impresses the book publishing companies. And that's a credential I'm
sure you'll soon have if you follow the five key points covered in this
article.
For additional information about book publishing and other ideas of survival in a down economy please visit www.bly.com/reports.
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I am a true reader at heart. I have a huge appetite for books which
is never satisfied. I have my reading list full of books which are
waiting to be bought. However, even though I love reading, I cannot
always afford to buy all the books I want to.
Thus, I needed to find a way to feed my addiction and get books but for
less money or at no cost if possible. Of course, first on my list of
alternatives was joining many book clubs. I had a bad experience with
them. I ordered many books as there were great offers to get six books
for 99 cents. I believed that it would cost only 99 cents without
reading the small print explaining the end of the bargain. That's how I
received piles of mail and bills for hundreds of dollars. It was a
complete disaster which I won't do again. A little after that I
discovered a small used book store close to my work. I found there many
of the latest titles on half price and in very good condition. I thought
I was in Heaven! Of course, I soon saw the downside. The owner of the
book store didn't want to buy back books I have read. He was pretty
unfair. He rejected any book which was not in absolute mint condition,
no matter what the title or the author was. I was played again. I had
bought many books I couldn't sell or use as trade-ins. Thus, I stopped
going to that store. I was pretty disappointed and didn't know how to
get new books for a reasonable price when I suddenly found a great
online resource called Title Trader. It is amazing! You don't have to
pay anything to become a member and you can receive books from other
members absolutely free of charge. Title Trader gives you the
opportunity to post an inventory of your collection of books, videos,
games so that other members could search and choose some at no cost. You
can also make your wish list letting know what you want to get from
other members. Once posted you will get information about the
availability of the items you are looking for. The best thing about
Title Trade is that you can request and receive as many books videos and
games as you wish without having to pay a cent for it, there is no cost
at all. You only have to take care of the postal expenses when
requesting an item from another member. There are many resources I tried
to feed my addiction to books but only one worked the way I wanted -
Title Trader. It is undoubtedly the best way to get items for free.
There is no charge made, just get as many books, movies and games as you like.
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