We just launched a new mode for our typing trainer, typ.ing, which lets you type out your favorite book excerpts. I'll tell you all about it below, but if you prefer watching a video, here's a demo:
I like to read. And when I read, I highlight stuff. For years, my highlights did nothing useful for me — but then Readwise was born (I'm an early user).
Readwise sucks up your highlights from your Kindle library and other sources (including KOReader). By default, it emails you a few highlights every day. They also have a nice mobile app where you can read through your highlights.
That’s great — but I wanted something more active. Reading a highlight is one thing; typing it out is another. And there is something special that happens when I type out a few highlights from random books in my library. Sometimes connections form that I haven't seen before.
When I just read a highlight, my eyes can skip ahead. Sometimes I feel like I got it, when really I didn’t. When I have to concentrate on typing it out, this doesn't happen as often.
Book highlights are also a wonderful source of common vocabulary and usage patterns in a given language. When we practice typing using excerpts, we're practicing with real usage rather than something that's algorithmically generated. (Our Daily Challenge texts are great for practice, but they're synthetic.)
This mode also offers a way to practice on one specific book. This is great for revising for exams, for deepening your connection with a book or author you find insightful, or for reviewing a book after you've read it so you can write your own thoughts about it. Type a few highlights, switch to your own book summary, and type your thoughts. Repeat, and you might end up with a deep and unique overview of the book in your own words.
Don't use Readwise?
If you don't have Readwise, don't worry: You can still use this feature, just with my highlights instead of yours. :) A selection of over 200 of my favorite highlights is available for any user to train with freely. If one strikes you as insightful or particularly disagreeable, I'd love to hear your thoughts about it — email me at [email protected].
Thank you for reading, and enjoy this new feature!
