How I Read Over 100 Books a Year (Speechify)
TLDRElizabeth, a medical student and artist in London, shares her method of reading over 100 books a year despite a busy schedule. She switched to the Speechify app, which converts text into audio, allowing her to adjust the speed of listening and retain information efficiently. The app facilitates note-taking, is cost-effective, and offers convenience with digital access, making it ideal for informational books and a great alternative to Audible for non-fiction.
Takeaways
- 📚 Elizabeth, a medical student and artist in London, managed to read about a book a day during a busy year by changing her reading method.
- 📱 She transitioned from physical books to using an app called Speechify, which converts text into an audiobook format.
- 🔊 Speechify allows for text to be uploaded and read aloud, with adjustable speed and automatic bookmarking for easy navigation.
- ⏱️ Elizabeth increased her listening speed from 600 words per minute to 900, enabling her to read books in as little as one to two hours.
- 📖 She differentiates between reading for pleasure and reading informational books, using Speechify for the latter to skim through fluff and focus on key points.
- 📝 Elizabeth emphasizes the importance of taking notes on interesting points, regardless of the reading speed, to aid retention.
- 💡 She acknowledges that while fast reading may lead to forgetting some content, the key information is retained through note-taking.
- 🌐 The digital nature of Speechify allows for随时随地的阅读 and easy organization of notes in a single digital location.
- 💰 Speechify offers a cost-effective alternative to buying physical books or subscribing to services like Audible.
- 📈 The app is particularly beneficial for students and those looking to read more non-fiction or educational material quickly.
- 🎧 A comparison is made between Speechify and Audible, with Speechify being praised for its text-on-screen feature that facilitates note-taking.
Q & A
What is the main challenge that Elizabeth, the speaker, faced in her reading routine?
-Elizabeth, a medical student and artist, faced the challenge of keeping up with her growing book wish list and task list amidst a busy life.
How did Elizabeth manage to read about a book a day during one of her busiest years?
-Elizabeth managed to read a book a day by completely changing the way she read and what she used to read, specifically by using an app called Speechify.
What is Speechify and how does it work?
-Speechify is an app that allows users to upload any text, which it then converts into an audio file and reads out loud. It also displays the text on the screen with a highlighter going through the words being spoken, allowing users to adjust the speed and have a free audiobook experience.
How did the use of Speechify change Elizabeth's reading speed?
-Speechify allowed Elizabeth to adjust her reading speed significantly. She started at an average speed and increased to 900 words per minute, enabling her to read books in as little as one to two hours.
What is Elizabeth's approach to reading informational books quickly with Speechify?
-Elizabeth reads informational books quickly, pausing and slowing down only when she encounters interesting points or needs to take notes, thus controlling the reading pace based on content interest rather than word count.
How does Elizabeth address the concern of forgetting content when reading at high speeds with Speechify?
-Elizabeth acknowledges that she forgets most of the content but points out that even when reading slowly, she only remembers what she took notes on. With Speechify, she pauses at important points, ensuring she retains the same amount of information regardless of reading speed.
What are the benefits of using Speechify over physical books according to Elizabeth?
-Speechify offers portability, the ability to copy and paste extracts easily, centralized note-taking in digital form, and cost-effectiveness as many books can be found online for free or at a lower cost.
How does Speechify compare to Audible in terms of cost and convenience?
-Speechify is more cost-effective as it requires a one-time annual payment and allows for unlimited books, whereas Audible has a monthly subscription that covers only one book, with additional books requiring extra payment.
What is Elizabeth's view on using Speechify for non-fiction versus Audible for fiction?
-Elizabeth prefers using Speechify for non-fiction because of the text display and ease of note-taking, while she would use Audible for fiction due to its human narration, provided she had access to free endless Audible books.
What advice does Elizabeth give to students or those with busy schedules looking to read more?
-Elizabeth suggests trying Speechify for a free trial to see if it works for them, as it can help manage university readings, save money on books, and train oneself to read faster.
How does Elizabeth conclude her speech and what message does she leave with the audience?
-Elizabeth concludes by thanking the audience for watching, encouraging kindness to oneself and others, and reminding them not to believe everything they think, ending with a farewell.
Outlines
📚 Transforming Reading Habits with Speechify App
Elizabeth, a medical student and artist in London, shares her experience of managing to read a book a day despite a busy schedule. She attributes this to a significant change in her reading method, transitioning from physical books to an app called Speechify. Speechify allows users to upload text, which is then converted into an audio file with a voice reading it aloud, accompanied by a scrolling text and a highlighter. Elizabeth emphasizes the app's ability to adjust reading speed, enabling her to read at a pace of 900 words per minute, which allows her to finish most books in under two hours. She also discusses the benefits of speed reading for informational books, where she can quickly skim through fluff and focus on key points. Elizabeth admits that while speed reading, she forgets most of the content, but she finds that taking notes on important sections helps her retain information just as effectively as reading slowly. The app also bookmarks the user's place and provides an estimated reading time left, which she finds very convenient.
💡 Embracing Digital Reading for Convenience and Cost Efficiency
In the second paragraph, Elizabeth discusses the advantages of digital reading, particularly using Speechify, over traditional physical books. She highlights the convenience of having digital books readily available on her phone, making it easy to access and read anywhere. The app also facilitates easy extraction of text for note-taking, which she organizes in Notion, eliminating the need for physical notes. Elizabeth appreciates the cost-effectiveness of digital reading, as books can often be found for free online, and with Speechify's annual plan, she doesn't need to spend additional money on books. She compares Speechify to Audible, noting that while Audible offers high-quality human narration, it is more expensive and lacks the text-on-screen feature that Speechify provides for easy note-taking. Elizabeth concludes by recommending Speechify for those with heavy reading loads, such as students, and for anyone looking to read more cost-effectively or improve their reading speed.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Speechify
💡Reading Speed
💡Informational Books
💡Fluff
💡Retention
💡Digital Books
💡Notion
💡Cost-effectiveness
💡Audible
💡Trial
Highlights
Elizabeth, a medical student and artist in London, managed to read about a book a day even during one of her busiest years.
She changed her reading method by using an app called Speechify to listen to books instead of reading physical copies.
Speechify allows users to upload text, which the app then reads aloud, also displaying the text and highlighting words as they are spoken.
The app enables adjusting the speed of narration, with Elizabeth comfortable listening at 900 words per minute.
Elizabeth suggests reading informational books quickly and slowing down for interesting points, while fiction is best enjoyed slowly.
She argues that speed reading informational books does not necessarily lead to poor retention if key points are noted.
Digital books offer the convenience of being accessible anywhere and the ability to easily copy and paste text for notes.
Elizabeth finds digital notes in Notion more useful than her physical notebooks because they are searchable and portable.
Using Speechify is more cost-effective for students as it requires a one-time annual fee rather than purchasing each book.
Elizabeth prefers Speechify over Audible for non-fiction books due to the text display and ease of note-taking.
She acknowledges Audible's superior narration quality but criticizes its cost and lack of text display for note-taking.
Speechify offers a free trial, allowing users to test its utility for their reading habits.
Elizabeth recommends Speechify for those with heavy reading loads, such as university students, to make reading more manageable.
For those who find books too expensive, Speechify provides a more affordable way to access a wide range of literature.
The app can also help individuals train to read faster by adjusting the speed of the narration.
Elizabeth concludes by encouraging viewers to be kind to themselves and others, and to question their own thoughts.