How I Learned to Read 2-3 Books/Week During Quarantine
Over the past few years, I've let work, grad school, and other projects distract me from good old-fashioned non-fiction reading. Babson's reading load was intense, to be fair, but I know I could have squeezed in at least one new book each month. Then, I graduated, COVID hit, and suddenly I was out of excuses. So, I sat down, broke out David Allen's Getting Things Done, and read four pages before my eyes started to hurt. It turns out that all of that Zoom calling strained my eyes. And if you're anything like me, sitting home alone can get pretty taxing without some outside inputs. Foiled again.
Last summer, I happened by an interview with Cliff Weitzman, who created the app Speechify, which reads PDF documents aloud in HD quality voice. Weitzman, dyslexic, was inspired by his experience learning English by repeatedly listening to Harry Potter audiobooks. 85% of Speechify users, including myself, do not have dyslexia. Still, Speechify and apps like it are a great solution to anyone who learns best via audio input, wants to cut down their screen time, or listens while accomplishing other tasks.
That last point is ultimately how I'm able to read three books a week using the app. I wake up each morning, put in my headphones, and start listening before making my bed and brushing my teeth. I listen to books on walks while doing dishes and while eating meals. I uploaded my PDF of Getting Things Done to my Speechify trial, and it was finished in three days.
Speechify has three features that make it my new favorite tool:
It can read English, Japanese, and other languages. I could also go on and on about the language-learning applications. I find that Japanese vocabulary becomes "real" only when I've heard it spoken aloud.
It has a neat feature where it will speed up 5 words/minute every 1000 words to build up listening speed. I first consumed 250 words/minute, but now I'm up to 500-600 words/minute. I get through a 300-page book in about 2.5-3 hours.
It's straightforward to upload documents.
Speechify is not perfect, and, as someone new to this type of app, I can't say stronger competitors don't exist. My major gripe is that even on the pro account, the number of HD words is limited, after which the app will revert to a more robotic voice. Perhaps technical limitation plays a role, but on the surface, it sounds like double-dipping sales. Second, I'd like to see a shortcut to switch between multiple languages quickly.
If you're an auditory learner like me, or if you want to consume books faster, listening apps like Speechify more than justify their cost.
