3 Tips For Speed Reading

Speed reading can change the way you research, evaluate, and how you read for pleasure. Contrary to popular belief, comprehension increases when you read faster. I read How To Read a Book a few years ago, and there are a few tips in that book that have stuck with me and helped me to read faster.

1. Don't focus on the lines of words, but the white space between the lines.

2. Don't focus on each word. Try using just two focal points, one near the beginning of each line and one near the end. You will be surprised how easy it is to read this way.

3. Force yourself to read faster. Use your finger to follow the words as you read them, and gradually increase the speed that you move your finger until you cannot keep up. Continue reading until your eyes learn to keep up with your finger.

Bonus Tip: Do not read non-fiction like you read fiction. If you don't use different reading techniques for different genres, I can promise that you are missing out. Pick up How To Read A Book for some great information on reading different genres.

Bonus Tip 2: Go to www.readingsoft.com and take a free speed reading test. I have never used their software, but you should be able to rank yourself here and see what you can improve.

How many words a minute do you read? I am at 412 words per minute on the computer test with 91% comprehension. Feels a little harder to read on a screen like this than the words on a page. What speed are you at? Have any other tips to share that have helped increase your speed?

Price/Value Mismatch

Great post from business guru Seth Godin on Price and Value. Valuable information for every author . . .

"How's the wine?"

You really can't answer that question out of context. Compared to what? Compared to a hundred dollar bottle? Not so good. Compared to any other $12 bottle... great!

"How was the hotel?"

"How's the service at the post office?"

In just about all the decisions we make, we consider the price. A shipper doesn't expect the same level of service quality from a first class letter delivery than it does from an overnight international courier service. Of course not.

Continue reading on Seth Godin's Blog

Tell To Win - Review

Peter Guber, former CEO of Sony Pictures, uses Tell To Win to convince businesses to unleash the power of story. It is an engaging book that draws on a wide variety of stories from successful people, and it is worth reading for anyone interested in how narrative can be used to string facts together in an emotional way. 

The author starts off in Part One by describing the power that a story can have. The book is full of his personal examples, all of which are entertaining. Here, he draws on his failure to sell the Las Vegas mayor on hosting a minor league baseball team. After convincing the reader that stories do have power, the author follows it up with the elements of a story and who can tell it.

The short analysis of what makes a story is great. Though there is not much information given, you will learn exactly what a story is and how to frame a story when you present it. One of the things I really liked about this book was the discussion about "violation of expectation" and how it makes a story.

The last chapter of Part One is titled The Story That Runs Your Story. This chapter contains very little information and I would recommend skipping it. The author talks about Deepak Chopra and narrative medicine and getting past the story that "runs" you so you can tell other stories effectively. Not helpful.

Part Two contains more practical information about how to craft stories, tell stories, and deliver them. It is still light on the "how-to" aspect of storytelling, but it does have many great examples that should help you gain perspective on storytelling as an art form. While this section is good, how it relates to business seems like an afterthought rather than a main thrust most of the time.

This book is great, and one that I would recommend to anyone that wants to learn more about the power of story to convey truths, whether in business or not. Not surprisingly, it is told through stories instead of a practical how-to guide, but it still would have been nice to include more practical advice throughout.

*Pros
- Great read, great examples, easy to follow.
- Subject matter handled with ease. You will learn more about the hidden power of story.
- Will help anyone convey information in story format. I can see this being very useful for non-fiction writers from all walks (even though oral storytelling is much more powerful according to the author)

*Cons
- Most of the professionals quoted are from UCLA, where the author teaches. Would have been nice to expand research and expertise beyond.
- While you will realize the power of story, the how-to most has to be derived from the many examples
- Hard to think of this as a "business book." It's a good book that is really addressed to a wider audience than business alone.