My Book Journal Journey
About two years ago, I started keeping a book journal. It happened by accident. I had heard of something called “bullet journaling” which was created by Ryder Carroll. He defined bullet journaling as a method to “help you track the past, organize the present, and plan for the future.” As a planner, bullet journaling didn’t work for me - I needed a little more structure to organize my everyday life. But….I had this dot grid notebook just sitting there. I thought about the definition Ryder Carroll had used - “track the past, organize the present, plan the future”. Why couldn’t I apply those ideas to my favorite pastime?
I am a relatively fast reader which isn’t necessarily a good thing. I read a book and then have difficulty describing it to a friend a week later. I had a hard time “tracking the past”. Or, I would be reading a book and see a quote or phrase that struck me in some way. I would vow to remember it but it was out of my mind by the time I finished the book - I needed a way to “organize the present”. And then there are all of those new books being released every Tuesday! How should I “plan the future” (i.e. remember which books were coming out when)?
I decided to take that blank dot grid notebook (a Leuchttrum 1917) and turn it into a book journal. I am now in my third year of tracking, organizing, and planning. A typical book journal entry includes:
Title
Author
Date finished
Number of pages
Notes about the book (genre, plot summary, character names)
Source and type (hardcover, paperback, or e-book; where I got the book from)
I also keep track of titles I want to read, favorite quotes/passages, book release dates, and reading challenges.
My book journal has evolved as I discover what I want my reading life to look like. I used to focus on the number of books I read every year. That isn’t as important to me anymore. Personally, I want my reading life to complement and improve the rest of my life. So, I try not to stress about what it physically looks like - if my handwriting is messy or if I have to cross out mistakes. My book journal is a reflection of me, mistakes and all.