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Reading Journals. I love them. Even though I have tons of ways to track my books online, nothing beats having the Reading Journal to track your reading stats.
I find that my Reading Journal can be a creative outlet for me at times.
Youtubers and Bookstagrammers alike display beautiful pages of their journals and most of time for myself, I seriously get intimidated by it. But through some trial and error. I am able to narrow down the simple necessities and ideas to for the best way to start a reading journal today.

Research
I found that some of the best ideas comes from looking at other Bookstagrammers or Booktubers reading journals. I even scour Pinterest for ideas. Whatever the case may be, find a few, easy ideas that you can replicate for your own Reading Journal.
Examples of Ideas for Your Reading Journal:
These Reading Journal spreads is what I have personally attempted myself. These layout ideas can get you started.

Book Covers
This is by far my favorite way to track what I read. Simple as printing out the book covers and pasting them in your Reading journal.

Pages Read
Seeing a side-by-side comparison of the pages you read each month can be super satisfying. Thank you rulers and stencils for this.

Bookshelves
Super popular in the Reading Journal is the bookshelf. In this example, I tracked what a read and what format by the color. I used stencils to create the items on my shelf.

Challenges
By far the most popular book reading challenge is the Alphabet Challenge. You would just need to read a book with the starting letter in the alphabet. Easy? Wait till you get to X-Z. There are so many challenges out there that can fit into anyone’s Reading Journal.
Basic Items to Start a Reading Journal
These items are what helped me get started in my journey of making a Reading Journal. I made sure to find affordable supplies on Amazon to start with.
I definitely recommend getting a bullet journal. The dots on the pages help you with straight line and create a layout for your designs. BUY NOW
My second favorite piece of equipment in my tool chest. I love this tape. It comes in tons of sizes, colors and designs for any reader’s style. There are so many to choose from that will enhance your Reading Journal. BUY NOW
Mildliner Double Ended Highlighter
A lot of my color in my Reading Journal comes from these highlighters! With two tips to choose from, it certainly brings your journal to a new level. BUY NOW
The must have tool of any journaling. These are the best when it comes to making your writing and designs pop. It outlines your pencil marks to make it more permeant on the page. BUY NOW
I love these fine liner Pens because of the variety of colors that you can choose from. You line your drawers with a pop of color. So, it helps with some variety in your journal. BUY NOW
For the artistically inclined folks out there. I love these stencils. It helped me with shapes and designs that I felt like I would never achieve on my own. With no shame, I will use stencils any day. BUY NOW
I can’t draw straight lines worth the crap. Even with a bullet journal, my straight lines are actually squabbily lines. With the two sizes provided, it helps with the straight lines and makes it look like you are a pro. BUY NOW
I have tendency to hoard book stickers but every once in a while, I will bravely use one. I find that it adds joy in my Reading Journal.
Reminder:
Have fun being creative!! There is no right or wrong answer when creating your Reading Journal. It is very intimidating when starting out, but you can find it to be a fun process.
During this journey, you will find that it is perfectly normal to find what you do and don’t like about making your own Reading Journal. Don’t be afraid to experiment. I ripped a page out because I didn’t like something. It is all in your creative control.
Make it the way that you want it and love it because you created it. If there something you don’t like, you can always make an adjustment throughout the year.
HAPPY READING JOURNALING!!!
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