The essential guide to starting your reading journal

Part 3 of the Reading Journal Series. Catch up on Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

So you want to start a reading journal. Maybe you've been thinking about it for months, or the idea just hit you after finishing a book that completely changed your perspective. Either way, you're here because you want to deepen your relationship with reading, and that's awesome!

Before we dive in, here’s the most important thing to know: The perfect journal is the one you’ll actually use.

Not the prettiest one, the most comprehensive one, or the one your favorite BookTok’er swears by. The one that fits your life, your habits, and your reading style.

If you’ve been following this series and already know whether you’re a Trendsetter, Empath, Escapist, or Philosopher reader, we’ll talk about how to customize your setup for your type later in this post.

Step 1: Reset your mindset

Before formats and tools, let’s address the elephant in the room. If you’re anything like me, there’s a voice in your head that's always whispering things like:

• "My handwriting isn't pretty enough for journaling."

• "I don't know how to make aesthetic layouts."

• "What if I start and then abandon it after a week?"

• "I need to buy the perfect journal first."

Here’s the truth: Your journal doesn’t need perfect handwriting or matching colour schemes. It doesn’t have to be filled out completely or maintained forever. I’ve been “journaling” about books for years, and some of my most valuable entries are:

• Hastily typed into my phone’s Notes app

• Scribbled in book margins

• Written in my physical reading journal only when a book really moves me

It’s not about presentation, it’s about paying attention to your reading life and capturing what matters to you.

Step 2: Choose your format

You’ve got three main approaches–– and yes, you can mix and match!

For the pen + paper traditionalist

Writing by hand can be a lovely ritual and a break from screens. It gives you freedom to doodle, sketch, or keep it plain.

Options:

• Bullet-style journal: Create your own layouts in a dotted journal. As complex or simple as you want it to be.

• Purpose-made reading journals: Brands like The Quirky Cup Collective, Notebook Therapy, and Papier make gorgeous journals specifically designed for book lovers, with prompts and layouts already built in.

• Classic options: Sometimes a plain lined notebook is all you need. It’s reliable, travels well, and there’s no pressure to use it "correctly."

What I use:

• The Quirky Cup Collective: Beautiful reading journals with thoughtful prompts and fun extras (I use the Wisteria reading journal and Everything Nice reading companion)

• Moleskine notebooks: Simple, dot grid journals that come in lots of sizes; perfect for custom layouts (I use the soft cover ones)

For the tech-loving reader

Perfect for easy searching, organizing, and adding links, images, or multimedia. No pressure for “neat” handwriting, and always accessible.

Options:

• Book tracking apps like Goodreads and Fable are ideal if you want something simple and social. They're great for logging reviews, but can feel limiting if you want to do deeper reflection or do more than just rate and write reviews.

• Note-taking apps like Apple Notes, Google Docs, or even voice memos work well for quick thoughts or longer reflections. Face it, your phone is probably with you 24/7, so it leaves no excuse for not jotting down at least a thought or theory about what you’re reading!

• Goodnotes or Notion templates Combines handwriting with digital convenience, structure with flexibility. Searchable and customisable..

What I use:

• Notion: Lets me easily track and review what I’ve read, with custom fields for various ratings (e.g., spice, comfort, buzz, overall)

• GoodNotes: Perfect for when I want to actually write (but I hate my handwriting, so I use the feature that lets me turn handwriting to text)

• Fable app: For leaving overall rating and reviews after I read, and engaging with the community

• Notes app: For jotting down reactions and theories (I always jot down my notes and the page number in case I want to go back and highlight/annotate or leave a lengthier review later)

A hybrid approach 

Who says you have to choose? You might like to:

• Note quick quotes or theories in your phone

• Log ratings in Fable after finishing

• Handwrite when a book really resonates

• Keep both a physical and digital master list

Don’t fight against your natural habits, work with them.

Step 3: Build your basic structure

No matter the format, a reading journal works best with these core elements:

Basic book info

• Title, author, dates you read it

• Where did you get the recommendation (this becomes interesting over time!)

• Format (physical, ebook, audiobook)

• Is it part of a series? If so, what is the name of the series and book number?

Initial thoughts

• Why did you pick up this book?

• What were you hoping to get from it?

• First impressions after a couple of chapters

Reading notes

• Favorite quotes or passages

• Characters or scenes that stick with you

• Questions, thoughts, and theories as they arise

• Connections to other books (or your own life)

Reflection space

• Overall rating

• How did it make you feel?

• What will you remember about this book?

• Would you recommend it? To whom?

That's it! Everything else is a bonus.

Step 4: Your first entry–start simple

Avoid blank-page paralysis by starting with the book you’re reading today.

Write down:

1. The title and author

2. Why did you pick this particular book

3. One thing you've noticed or felt so far

That's it. You're journaling! Tomorrow, try adding a quote you liked. When you’re finished reading, jot down how it ended. There's no wrong way to do this.

Step 5: Customize for your reader type

If you learned your reader identity from this previous post, click the arrows below for some tips for how to adapt your setup:

• Trendsetters

  Description tInclude a "buzz factor" and “worth the hype” rating 

  • Track where you heard about the book

  • Space to compare your thoughts to popular opinion

  • Links to reviews or discussions you found interestingext goes here

• Empaths

  • Focus on character development and relationships

  • Include prompts about emotional responses

  • Space to explore personal connections

  • Track themes that resonate across different books

• Escapists

  • Emphasize mood and atmosphere

  • Include a comfort-level rating to indicate how emotionally or mentally demanding a book was for you

  • Track what you were feeling when you picked up the book

  • Space for favorite quotes that made you smile

• Philosophers

  • Include sections for themes and big ideas

  • Track connections between books and authors

  • Space for questions the book raised

  • Links to related reading or research

Dealing with overwhelm

"There are too many template options!"

Start with something basic. In the jobs I’ve worked at, there’s a term called Minimum Viable Product (MVP), which essentially means a product that meets the minimum necessary requirements to be used. It can be improved in the future after customers use it. Think of your journal in the same way. You can always evolve your system later. Better to begin simply than never begin at all.

"I don't want to commit to filling out every section!"

Then don't! No one’s going to come arrest you for skipping a section. If you’ve opted for a template or reading journal, use what serves you, skip what doesn't. Your journal, your rules.

"What if I pick the wrong format?"

You can always switch. I've changed my system multiple times over the years. I really want to be that handwritten journal girly, but the reality is that digital is easier for me. I go back and forth, usually using both. The point is to do what works for you at the time.

"I'm not artistic enough for this!"

Reading journals don’t have to be art projects–they're tools for expression. If you don’t like your handwriting, try collaging. If you aren’t feeling that, try writing a short sentence, or even just a couple of words about what you read. Focus on function first. If you feel like exploring more creative styles later, go for it! As with anything, practice makes you better.

Most importantly…

Your reading journal should be fun, and feel like a natural extension of your reading life––not another task on your to-do list. If it starts feeling like work, take a step back and simplify. If a particular format isn't serving you, try something else.

The aim isn't to create a perfect record of every book you read. It's to deepen your experience, to notice patterns in what you love or don’t, and to create a little space for reflection.

Start simple. Find your rhythm. Build from there.

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Ready to dive in? I've created a free Notion Book Club Reading List & Tracker template that works perfectly for solo readers, too. You can customize it however you like to make it your own.

Next up in this series: Journaling prompts that actually spark something (and no, it’s not just “rate this book 1–10”!). I’ve got some favorites I can’t wait to share!

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