7 Practical Tips to Double Your Reading Speed
Whether you're a student drowning in textbooks or a professional trying to keep up with industry news, reading faster is one of the highest-leverage skills you can develop. Here are seven techniques that actually work.
1. Use a Visual Pacer
Point your finger or a pen along the line as you read. This simple trick forces your eyes to move forward at a steady pace and reduces regressions. It might feel awkward at first, but it's one of the oldest and most effective speed reading techniques.
When you're reading digitally, RSVP tools like Read Fast serve the same purpose — they control the pace for you, so your eyes never wander.
2. Expand Your Peripheral Vision
Most people fixate on individual words, but your eyes can actually take in 4–5 words at a time. Practice by focusing on the center of a line and trying to read the words on either side without moving your eyes.
A good exercise: draw two vertical lines about one-third from each margin of a page. Practice reading by only fixating between those lines, letting your peripheral vision pick up the rest.
3. Stop Subvocalizing (Mostly)
That inner voice reading along with you? It's slowing you down. You don't need to "hear" every word to understand it.
Try this: while reading, count "1-2-3-4" repeatedly in your head, or hum a simple tune. This occupies your inner voice and forces your brain to process text visually. It's uncomfortable at first, but it breaks the subvocalization habit.
4. Preview Before You Read
Before diving into an article or chapter, spend 30 seconds scanning it:
- Read the headings and subheadings
- Look at any images, charts, or bold text
- Read the first and last paragraphs
This gives your brain a mental map of the content, making it easier to process the details when you do the full read. Research shows that previewing can improve both speed and comprehension by up to 20%.
5. Set a Timer and Track Your Progress
What gets measured gets improved. Time yourself reading a passage, count the words, and calculate your WPM. Then try to beat it.
Read Fast tracks your WPM automatically, so you can see your progress over time. Most people see a 30–50% improvement within the first two weeks of regular practice.
6. Read More, Read Often
Like any skill, reading speed improves with volume. The more you read, the larger your sight vocabulary becomes — words you recognize instantly without needing to decode them.
Try to read for at least 20 minutes a day. It doesn't matter what — articles, books, newsletters. Consistency beats intensity.
7. Match Your Speed to the Material
Not everything should be read at the same speed. Learn to shift gears:
- Skimming (600+ WPM): News articles, familiar topics, social media
- Fast reading (400–600 WPM): Business articles, general non-fiction
- Normal reading (250–400 WPM): Textbooks, detailed reports
- Slow reading (under 250 WPM): Poetry, legal documents, complex technical material
The goal is flexibility. A skilled reader isn't someone who reads everything at 1000 WPM — it's someone who can adjust their speed to match the demands of the material.
Start Building the Habit
Pick one of these tips and practice it for a week before adding another. Speed reading isn't about overnight transformation — it's about building small habits that compound over time.
Ready to start? Open up Read Fast, set your target WPM just a little above your comfort zone, and start reading. Your future self will thank you.