PhotoReading Success – Simon Smith
From Newsletter 15…
“My reading is now 20 times more productive”
Simon Smith from Chiswick told us how PhotoReading helped him to write a book…
I thought I ought to tell you about my great experience with PhotoReading.
I purchased the course in mid-September, even though this was a busy time because I was about to get married. I wondered what material to use for practising PhotoReading. I work as a change management consultant, so I decided this would be a good opportunity to catch up on reading about leadership and management.
I started the course and took it slowly at first, because I had so much else to do. I even took some of it on my honeymoon with me, and spent an hour a day with some books. When I returned, I decided to accelerate the pace, working through the course and spending time each day with some fairly dry and heavy material. By the end of October, I had covered over 30 books on leadership and management, spanning from the mid 1970s to the current day. I mind mapped each book, and therefore had an excellent record of each.
The ability to cover this material thoroughly and quickly was remarkable, but it turned out not to be the most important part. What was more important was the effect of the synoptic reading. I realised that the leadership and management thinking and literature missed a vital element which I could provide, because I have psychological as well as business experience.
By early December I had written a short, practical book on this subject. I sent it to seven publishers and three showed initial interest, so I am optimistic that the book will be published. I had not thought of writing a book, but the effect of the synoptic reading enabled me to see clearly the gap in the market and the relevance of my own knowledge and experience.
Since then, I have undertaken further reading projects and written two papers for clients which survey what has been written on certain subjects and draw some conclusions. I would not have been able to do this without the benefit of PhotoReading.
I strongly recommend PhotoReading to anyone for whom reading non-fiction materials is necessary. My reading time is at least 20 times as productive as it used to be.
My experience of PhotoReading may not have been text book style, but what is most important for me is the frame of mind with which I approach the books. I see it like a website; I can look for the headlines, and if I want to, click again for a deeper level of detail, and again.
the discipline of mind-mapping is also important. It organises my thoughts and provides me with a good reminder system. the overall effect of PhotoReading has been remarkable for me.
