How to Start a Reading Journal: What to Write, Page Ideas and Which Notebook to Use

The short answer: a reading journal is a notebook where you keep track of the books you read: the title and author, when you read it, what you thought of it and the lines you want to remember. To start one, pick a notebook you like, give each book a short entry, and write it within a day of finishing the book. That is all it takes; everything else is optional.

Below: what to write for each book, page layouts you can copy, lists worth adding, how to keep the habit going, and how to choose a notebook. We are Sealed & Shelved, a small shop for readers and letter writers, and we sell the four journals compared near the end. The rest of the guide works with any notebook.

What a reading journal is for

A reading journal is a record of your reading life. A reading app can count books, but a handwritten journal holds whatever you want: a ticket stub, a sketch of a character, a quote copied out by hand, the name of the friend who lent you the book. People keep one for different reasons:

• To remember what they read. A few lines written right after finishing a book bring it back years later.
• To notice patterns. Which genres you keep returning to, which authors you rate highest, how many books you finish in a year.
• To keep quotes in one place, instead of on scattered sticky notes and phone screenshots.
• To read more deliberately. Knowing you will write something afterwards makes you pay attention while you read.

What to write for each book

A simple entry can hold:

• the title and the author;
• the dates you started and finished;
• the format (print, ebook or audiobook) and where the book came from: the library, a gift, a bookstore;
• a rating, or a one-line verdict;
• three things you want to remember about it;
• favorite quotes, with page numbers;
• who you would recommend it to.

You do not need every line for every book. On a busy week, the title, the date and one sentence are enough.

Page layouts to copy

• One page per book. The entry above, written out on its own page. It suits readers who finish a book every week or two and like to reflect.
• A running log. A table across two facing pages with columns for number, title, author, date finished and rating, one line per book. It suits fast readers and makes a year of reading easy to scan.
• Two pages per book. Facts and quotes on the left page, your thoughts on the right. It suits book club members, who can add the discussion notes later.
• A monthly wrap-up. At the end of each month, list the books you finished, pick a favorite and note what you want to read next.

Many people combine a running log at the front with fuller pages for the books they want to remember in detail.

Lists and trackers worth adding

• To-read list. Write down every book someone recommends, and who recommended it.
• Books lent and borrowed. Who has your copy, and whose copy you have.
• Series tracker. Which book of a series you are on, and when the next one comes out.
• Yearly goal. A simple grid with one box per book, filled in as you finish them.
• Quote collection. Your favorite lines from every book, gathered on a few pages.
• Wish list. Books and bookish things you would like as gifts, handy when someone asks what you want for your birthday.

Grid pages make trackers and tables easy to draw. Lined pages are better for longer entries, and blank pages leave room for sketches and pasted-in tickets.

How to keep the habit going

• Write within a day of finishing. After a week the details fade.
• Keep entries short. One line written is better than a perfect page you never start.
• Keep the journal where you read, with a pen in it or next to it. A bookmark in the journal marks the next empty page.
• Leave the decorating for later. Headers, color and stickers are fun, but the record matters more than the look.
• Start with the book you are reading now. If you begin in the middle of the year, add the earlier books from memory, or simply start fresh.

How to choose a notebook for a reading journal

Four questions decide most of it:

• Size. A pocket notebook travels with your book. A5 paper, about 8.3 × 5.8 in (210 × 148 mm), has room for tables, long reviews and monthly spreads.
• Ruling. Lined for writing, grid for tables and trackers, blank for drawing and collage.
• Bound or refillable. A bound journal keeps a whole reading life in one book. A refillable one lets you add or swap pages, so it never runs out. Our guide Refillable Leather Journals compares the two refillable kinds.
• Paper. Smooth white paper suits most pens. Kraft paper is brown and looks natural and rustic; if you write with a fountain pen, try it on a back page first.

The four journals we sell, compared

Sizes are approximate. Details on each journal:

• Refillable Leather Journal ($26.99 in passport size, $29.99 in medium): best for a reader who carries a journal with their book, and for anyone who wants a grid insert for trackers. The leather cover (genuine cowhide, according to the supplier) closes with an elastic band. The three inserts (blank, grid and lined, on 100 gsm paper) are held in by elastic bands, so they can be swapped out when they are full. It also comes with a clear zip pouch insert, handy for ticket stubs.
• A5 Leather Ring Binder Journal ($36.99): best for long entries, running logs and monthly spreads. Pages can be added, removed or moved around the six metal rings, so you can file entries by year or by genre, and a clear divider separates sections. The supplier describes the cover as leather with a crazy horse finish.
• Embossed Leather Journal with Metal Clasp ($36.99): best as a keepsake reading journal. Its 100 sheets (200 pages) of plain kraft paper suit freeform notes and sketches, and the cowhide cover (according to the supplier) is embossed with a floral pattern, with metal corner guards and a metal clasp. The clasp is a closure, not a lock.
• Wooden Cover Journal ($22.99): best when the look matters most, for example as a gift for someone who loves old-fashioned, bookish things. The wooden cover is engraved with a floral frame and closes with a heart-shaped clasp. The supplier's images are digital renders, so the wood tone and engraving may look a little different in person. The supplier does not state the page count or whether the pages are lined, so if the reader is particular about paper, choose one of the other three.

All four ship free within the US. Leather and wood are natural materials, so color, grain and surface marks vary from piece to piece.

Giving a reading journal as a gift

A journal is a good gift for a reader because it goes with every book they will ever read. To make it personal, set up the first pages before you wrap it: write a short to-read list with books you think they would love, and add a note about why. If they write with a favorite pen, our Writer's Gift Set ($56.99) pairs the embossed leather journal with a leather pen roll in the same color. For more ideas, see our guide to gifts for book lovers.

Frequently asked questions

What should I write in a reading journal?

At minimum, the title, the author, the date you finished and one sentence about what you thought. Add a rating, quotes with page numbers and who you would recommend it to when you have time.

Is a reading journal the same as a reading log?

A reading log is usually a list: one line per book, with the title, the dates and maybe a rating. A reading journal can include a log, but it also has room for your thoughts, quotes and notes, so it reads more like a diary of your reading.

Should a reading journal have lined, grid or blank pages?

Lined pages suit written reviews, grid pages make tables and trackers easy to draw, and blank pages leave room for sketches. A journal with a mix, such as the refillable journal's three inserts, lets you try all three.

What size is best for a reading journal?

If you want to carry it with your book, choose a pocket or passport size. If you write long entries or like tables and monthly spreads, A5 gives you more room.

Can I include ebooks and audiobooks?

Yes. Note the format in the entry. Many readers find it useful to see later how much they read in each format.

Is it too late to start halfway through the year?

No. Start with the book you are reading now. If you want a complete year, add the books you already finished from memory, with as much detail as you can remember.