How do you read so fast?

I get asked this a lot. Like, a lot. In January of 2020, I read 17 books without trying or noticing. In the first lockdown, I read over 40 books. I read 2 books across February and March, and still managed to hit 75 books by September.

So how exactly do you read *so* much in a short space of time?

The answer I always give is: I don't really do anything else. I mean, I do other things - I exercise, I play video games, I hang out with my friends, I bake/reluctantly cook. But I always dedicate time to reading. Before lockdown, it was regular for me to read during my 50 minute commute. I would read whilst waiting for my train. I had books on my iPad, and I would carry it in my pocket to read at any given moment. In May, I bought a Kindle, which was so much smaller than my iPad! It fits in the pocket of my clothes - even my jeans! My sister has been known to yell at me whenever we're together because I'll have my Kindle in my pocket. I would read after work, during my lunch break, even sometimes during work.

Although I do cut out parts of my day to read, I'm lucky for being able to read pretty fast. For those that can read a huge amount of books per year/month/week - this is pretty common. Carving out parts of my day is definitely the most helpful part of being able to read more - between 2014 and 2019, I read very few books. Now that I make a conscious effort to find books I enjoy and prioritise those, it becomes a lot easier to finish a book quickly. But it's something that's also boosted by an ability to read faster. And reading faster is something best learned with practise.

I think the most important part of trying to read more is to just.... do it and keep the momentum up. Whenever I finish a book, I have the next one ready. Back in August, before I picked up The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, I knew that once I had finished it, I would read Real Life by Brandon Taylor (which is excellent, in case you needed the push to read it!). If I don't have the next book in my mind by the end of a book, I find it harder to get back into the swing of things.

It also helps to follow a lot of book related content; I very rarely feel like I don't have something to read. I love recommendations and if I'm ever not quite sure of a book, I'll get it on my Kindle so I don't have to dedicate myself to a physical copy.

Whilst I've spoken a lot about reading a lot, and a lot within a short space of time, I think it's equally as important to recognise that it's okay not to read as much. Between September 2020 and December 2020, I read so little. I've read less than 10 books between January 2021 and April 2021. And that's okay. It's nice to have goals in mind, but there's no point in reading for the sake of reading, or to reach an arbitrary goal. Whilst I have a goal of 75 books in 2021, I don't think I'll reach it and that doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would.