My journal also includes the rest of my life: my appointments, to dos, collections and lists. I love that everything is in one place and I carry it with me everywhere. That’s why I switched from a dedicated book journal. I found I was forgetting to write in it (and sometimes I was lazy)! That defeated the purpose. When I have it with me everywhere I go, it’s much easier for me to remember. Book Journal Supplies

A dedicated book journal for your reading challenge can be especially useful if your challenge will span a whole year (or even longer). It can help you stay focused on your goal and remember to work in those books that help meet your challenge. That’s the beautiful thing about journals. They are for your eyes only and free from all judgment. 7. Branch Out with a Book Club Spread Trust me on this. It’s such a fun, creative outlet to critique a book without the intimidation factor of someone critiquing your critique! It’s one reason I don’t set a yearly goal on Goodreads. While I glance at how many books I’ve read at the end of the year, I never want to get focus on that number–and start avoiding long or slow books so I can read more books.

As with anything else in life, when you first get started, it may take some time to figure out your groove. One fan raved: “I have always wanted a book journal. This is perfect for me as someone who is just starting. I read a good deal so I needed a journal with lots of entries, this has room for 100 books. It's big and has lots of room to write and gives you promts of what to write where. So excited to start filling it in.” But keeping a physical journal with pen and paper has had multiple benefits to my reading life, including: Book journaling is a great way to reflect on the books you read as you read them. You don’t have to wait until the book is finished to add your thoughts or make notes. My reading journal of the Books I Love is just that: a collection of notes on my very favorite books.

I tend to avoid numbers-based challenges, but I do like to consider my reading habits each year and what kind of books I want to read more of. My 2020 reading challenge was to read one nonfiction book per month and one book from my shelf. In fact, this type of journaling is an excellent way to dig deeper into a book because you can pause and really contemplate the character development and record your own feelings as the plot unfolds. 3. Keep a Log of the Books You Read There is no right or wrong way to approach it. The important thing is to just have fun and enjoy your reading journal! Finally, what I’m calling a “ thoughtful reading journal” is a type of journal that I haven’t actually started yet, but that I’ve been wanting more and more in my reading life. I am especially realizing this in 2020 as I read more nonfiction and more books for my antiracist education.When you become invested in a book for too long, you become so emotionally attached toward it that you possess the ability to remember almost every detail that happens in the book. Whether you already spend hours each week immersed in a good book or you’re looking for a fun way to read on a regular basis, a book journal is an excellent way to document your journey.