Love books, lists, and doodling in notebooks? A reading journal might just be your next favorite thing!
If you’ve ever wished you could remember all the books you’ve read, track your favorite characters, or gush about a plot twist in a beautifully creative way, then welcome to the magical world of reading journals!
It doesn’t matter if you’re a casual reader or a total bookworm, a reading journal is a personal, fun, and artsy way to dive deeper into your reading life.
What is a Reading Journal?
A reading journal is a dedicated space where you record your thoughts, feelings, and ideas about the books you read.
Think of it as a book lover’s scrapbook. It can be as neat or as messy, minimalist or maximalist as you like.
There are no rules! It’s your cozy corner for literary reflection.
Why Keep a Reading Journal?
Besides being incredibly fun, keeping a reading journal can:
- Help you remember plot details and characters
- Track your reading habits and progress
- Reflect on how books make you feel
- Spark creative expression with doodles and design
- Make reading even more intentional and enjoyable
Plus, flipping through old pages is like visiting a little time capsule of your reading life.
How to Start a Reading Journal
Ready to begin? Here’s how to get going:
1. Choose Your Journal
Pick something that excites you!
It could be a blank notebook, a page or section in your bullet journal, or even a digital journal.
Bonus points if it smells like new paper.
2. Gather Your Supplies
You can go as simple or decorative as you like.
Some fun supplies include:
- Pens and highlighters
- Washi tape
- Stickers
- Printed book covers
- Dried flowers or bookmarks
3. Set Up Your First Pages
Create an index or a table of contents, and maybe a cute welcome page with a favorite quote about books.
Then start adding your reading entries!
What to Include in Each Reading Entry
You can design your book pages however you want, but here are some ideas to get you started:
- Book Title
- Author
- Date Started & Finished
- Star Rating
- Favorite Quote
- Summary in your own words
- Main Characters
- Plot Twists
- Your Thoughts or Review
- Would you reread it?
- Genre
- Mood it gave you
- Page count
- Book cover image (print it out or draw it!)
Different Types of Reading Journal Pages to Include
Your journal isn’t just for reviews.
Mix it up with these fun and functional pages:
- Reading Tracker: List or graph of books read each month. We have a FREE reading tracker printable you will love.
- Bookshelf Spread: Draw a bookshelf and fill in each book you finish.
- To-Be-Read (TBR) List: Keep track of books you want to read next.
- Book Challenges: Track reading prompts or challenges you’re working on.
- Favorite Characters: A whole page dedicated to your literary besties.
- Quotes Page: Collect the quotes that made you cry or giggle.
- Genre Tracker: Pie chart or bar graph showing what genres you read the most.
Fun Extras to Add to your Reading Journal
This is where your creativity really shines! Consider adding:
- Doodles of characters or scenes
- Book Doodles
- Habit trackers (Did you read today?)
- Mood trackers for each book
- Tabs, envelopes, or flaps
- Collages or aesthetic inspiration based on the book
How to Build a Reading Habit
A reading journal can actually help you read more by making the experience more engaging.
Try these tips:
- Set a daily reading time, like before bed or with your morning tea.
- Keep your current book somewhere visible.
- Track your progress. Checking off chapters is so satisfying!
- Join a reading challenge and log it in your journal.
- Buddy read with a friend and compare your journal pages!
Your reading journal is your story of reading. It’s where books live on after you close the last page.
You may want a minimalist tracker or a maximalist explosion of colors and stickers, either way your journal is a celebration of the stories that move you.
So grab a book, pick up your pen, and let your reading journey unfold on the page!
PIN FOR LATER!
