Reading is one of the most common past-times and hobbies for many people, but according to Pew Research Center research, the average American adult reads only around 12 books per year. Books may spark your curiosity about daily objects and habits like the question: Are there bugs in peanut butter? We all have friends who can read that many books in a few months, while some can even do that in a matter of weeks. If you’re not this type of reader as it takes you longer to finish a book, then you may have asked yourself, How long does it take to read 100 pages? to gauge how long it will take you to finish your current read so you can move on to the next.
Of course, there are many good books out there, so many book lovers end up with the dilemma of buying – or hoarding, if we’re honest – more books. But some have a snail-paced reading causing their to-be-read books to pile up more, which is common for readers.
So, from a reader to another reader, let me help you answer those questions going through your head about reading faster so you can finally lessen the books you have to read. We also have tips and suggestions on how to read faster and better. If these are some tips that you find interesting, then let’s cut to the chase and start now.
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How Long Does It Take To Finish A Book?
It depends. It’s the simple answer to the question concerning the time you must devote to finish reading a book. Of course, every person is wired differently. Some readers resemble Tilda Swinton’s character in the film Only Lovers Left Alive, where she plays a vampire with the ability to finish reading a book in a matter of minutes. Of course, in this reality, we are not vampires with that kind of superpower, so your reading speed depends on what you’re reading, when you’re reading, where you’re reading, who you’re reading, and how you’re reading.
So, how long does it take to read 100 pages? Based on several studies, the average person can read 100 pages in 2.8 hours. Now, if you’re asking yourself the same-ish question for a thicker book, How long does it take to read 200 pages? or How long does it take to read 500 pages? then if you do the math, it would be 5.6 hours and 14 hours, respectively. This fact makes it seem you can finish a thick book in a day, but, of course, that’s not the case.
So, don’t feel bad if you’re taking too long to finish Leo Tolstoy’s War & Peace with 1225 pages, as an average person would not finish that in a day. Also, it’s a Leo Tolstoy book about the 1812 Napoleonic army’s invasion of Russia, so no one has the mental capacity to process all that information in a set amount of time as you may need to take breaks from it now and then.
You should consider other factors if you want to know how long to read 100 pages, such as what time of the day and where you’re reading your book. You could be rereading everyone’s favorite The Little Prince’s 96 pages, but still not be finished in 2.8 hours because you started during the busy hours in your favorite coffee shop. This situation begs the question of how you can read better and faster.
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Tips On How You Can Read Better And Faster
Just like most things, there are many ways you can go about reading if you want to read faster and still understand everything you’re reading (or at least most of it). There are also books like Reading Development and Difficulties and Speed Reading For Beginners: Start Reading at a Shocking Pace Now that could give you some tips or help someone you know to read faster.
While some of the tips that I have listed here are nothing new, they could be your gentle reminders that you can do these things to boost your reading speed. Most of these tips are simple ways you can try while reading your next book. Here are some of them:
Set A Reading Goal For The Day.
I know some people who have a full-time job with some side hustles who can still binge-watch a Netflix series and manage to finish a book in a few days, but some take them ages to finish a chapter. It really depends on a reader’s situation, to be honest.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with reading at a slow pace, especially if you have too much on your plate or you just don’t have the time to read more than a few pages every day. Being a slow reader is also a sign that you want to focus on certain elements of the book you’re reading, like the plot, characters’ stories, and world-building. Still, you can boost your reading speed by setting an achievable goal for the day, starting on a low number, like maybe five pages.
Once you’ve noticed that you’ve been meeting your daily page goal, you can slowly increase the number of pages as your daily goal. Eventually, you should aspire to finish a chapter in a day, and you’ll finish your current read in no time.
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Choose The Books Depending On Your Mood And Schedule.
Someday, when Fray’s signature song or Out Of The Box series are no longer your cup of tea, hit some books to make your day! When you’re in the mood to read something light, choosing a Dostoevsky might not be ideal. You have to match the book to what you’re in the mood to read. So, you should ask yourself what your mood is like and what book would you be likely not to put down or give up on right away.
So, if you’re always asking yourself, how long does it take to read 100 pages? to know when you will finish your current book, then you might even do it faster if you read something short even if you have a busy day.
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Have A Backup Book.
Tsundoku is a Japanese word that describes the act of buying more books than you can read, and every book lover is guilty of that. If you’re that kind of person, then you can use it to your advantage by having two different kinds of books you want to read so that when you feel like giving up on your “main book”, then you can switch to the other book. Doing this would allow you to stay in your reading mood.
What I do is have a thick book I want to finish then my backup would be a poetry book or a collection of short stories. So, when I reach a part of the book that I’m struggling to finish, I would read some poems or short stories. Well, this tip may not be advisable for people who get distracted too easily as you might end up losing interest in your main book, but it can work if you’re determined and focused on reading more books.
Read Today, Live A Thousand Lives Tomorrow
There is no question that you can get so much pleasure from reading. Keep it as your daily ritual with different titles. For example, a good read about finance, like “How Many quarter in a roll?” or “How to overtone dark hair with rose-gold tint?” to a slave to fashion.
Here’s an issue: currently, we may put too much pressure on ourselves to finish a book faster. So, just ignore that inner voice telling you that you must finish your current read soon to start a new book. Stop asking yourself, “how long does it take to read 100 pages?” and just read for your preference.
Read slow and savor every page until you get to live in its world if you want to. Read fast to discover newer stories, characters, and places. Just like what George R.R. Martin once said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, but the man who never reads lives only one.” Reading can give you that experience, but it shouldn’t matter how many pages or books you finish in a day. Just read and live more lives than anyone you know.
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