diff --git a/lib/convert.js b/lib/convert.js
index 5233518..4bfdb05 100644
--- a/lib/convert.js
+++ b/lib/convert.js
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@ const serializeToXML = require("xmlserializer").serializeToString;
 const { JSDOM } = require("jsdom");
 const substitutions = require("./substitutions.json");
 
-module.exports = async (cachePath, manifestPath, contentPath) => {
+module.exports = async (cachePath, manifestPath, contentPath, concurrentJobs) => {
   const manifestContents = await fs.readFile(manifestPath, { encoding: "utf-8" });
   const chapters = JSON.parse(manifestContents);
   console.log("All chapters downloaded; beginning conversion to EPUB chapters");
 
-  const mapper = throat(10, chapter => convertChapter(chapter, cachePath, contentPath));
+  const mapper = throat(concurrentJobs, chapter => convertChapter(chapter, cachePath, contentPath));
   await Promise.all(chapters.map(mapper));
 
   console.log("All chapters converted");
diff --git a/lib/worm-scraper.js b/lib/worm-scraper.js
index a288d6d..95d2601 100644
--- a/lib/worm-scraper.js
+++ b/lib/worm-scraper.js
@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ const argv = yargs
     requiresArg: true,
     global: true
   })
+  .option("j", {
+    alias: "jobs",
+    default: 10,
+    describe: "Number of concurrent read/write jobs to run, for the convert command",
+    requiresArg: true,
+    global: true
+  })
   .demandCommand(1) // TODO remove and allow all
   .recommendCommands()
   .help()
@@ -72,7 +79,7 @@ if (argv._.includes("convert")) {
   commands.push(() => {
     return rimraf(chaptersPath)
       .then(() => mkdirp(chaptersPath))
-      .then(() => convert(cachePath, manifestPath, chaptersPath));
+      .then(() => convert(cachePath, manifestPath, chaptersPath, argv.jobs));
   });
 }