I don’t know if you’ve heard of this before, but some people take notes while reading.
Back then, I thought taking notes while reading was weird.
Now I do it.
I definitely don’t do it for fun; I do it to write better, more accurate reviews. (At least I think they’re better, more accurate reviews.) When I take notes, my reviews turn out to be a lot longer than when I don’t take notes. Also, when I take notes while I read, I’m able to talk more in depth about the book I’m reading and reviewing.
I even have a special marble notebook for taking notes. I’ll have to get a new one soon though, it’s getting pretty full.
My friends ask me what kind of notes I take. (Secretly, they think I’m weird.) I basically take notes of all, okay most of my thoughts while reading. If I think “hey, I saw that coming a long time ago!” I record the page number I think that on and write that down.
Here’s how I do it:
Since I mostly read more than one book at a time, my notebook gets messy. My notebook is divided into random sections, four sections to be exact. (It may grow to five sections soon.) Each of these sections are notes for the specific book I’m currently reading.
To be honest, I kind of miss the good old days where I read for fun and don’t have to take any notes. It’s quite tedious to take notes – I mostly read on the train where the subway ride is very bumpy and rocky, aka it’s hard to take neat, legible notes. I somehow manage though.
How about you? Do you guys take notes while reading? If you do, how do you guys do it?
I love that you take notes in a journal like that! I don’t take any notes while I read. I know a lot of reviewers do, but I can’t stop myself from reading to jot things down. When I’m on a reading roll, I’m on a roll! And my handwriting is so bad. Yours is super pretty!!
Becca @ Nawanda Files recently posted…ARC Review: Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron
I want to be like you and not take any notes while I’m reading, but at the same time, I want to write better reviews. I hate when I have to stop reading just to jot things down, but as a book blogger, I kind of feel like its my duty.
Ha ha, I’m sure your handwriting is not THAT terrible. ;D
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I use to take notes in a little notebook but it got quite tiresome after a while. Now, whenever I come across something I want to remember (for reviewing or a nice quote), I just note it down in my phone. Mostly because it’s convenient as my phone’s practically with me 24/7. As for good quotes, I use an app called Clipbook which allows you to record quotes from any existing books, including the page it was on & all.
Adelena @ A Page of Heaven recently posted…Review: The 5th Wave (The 5th Wave, #1) by Rick Yancey
When I read ebooks, I write notes on the phone I’m reading it on too. It’s just quicker that way. And hey, at least I’ll still be taking notes.
I’ve never heard of Clipbook before. I’ll have got to check it out. o:
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I don’t take notes while I read. The reason is that I’m so into the book I can’t pull out to write anything done. If I like the book, it will be hours before I feel the need to stop. That makes taking notes quite difficult. I do believe that it would help me write better reviews though, so maybe I’ll try it sometimes.
Also, I have to say this (even though it might sound half-creepy) I love your handwriting! It looks so pretty and neat and clean.
Ruby recently posted…TV Madness: Roswell
I’m like you, I’m wayy into the books I’m reading that it might be hours before I feel the need to stop. However, I force myself to stop once I think of something to note down. It isn’t pretty because I just want to keep on reading without stopping to take notes, but on the other hand, I also want to write better reviews.
Don’t worry, that’s not creepy! :D
And thank you! I personally think my handwriting is kind of sloppy. :P
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I sometimes take notes, but only when I’m reading several books at the same time. I take the notes to keep the books straight in my head.
However, even when I’m not taking notes I’m still………taking notes. That sounds weird I know, but how I write book reviews is I list the pros and cons of the book on the blog post and than write my reviews off of that. So, if I’m reading a book and I start to hate the love interest, whenever I go on my computer next I put that down on the Cons list in the blog post. So, I kind of take notes. I just take online notes instead of notes on a notebook. And they’re really short notes, like I would just put down, “hate the love interest” and then the other cons, if there is more.
Kimberly recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday (32)
Taking notes definitely helps you to keep track of what book did what, etc.
I sometimes take online notes too if I don’t want to take the time to jot down something in my notebook because I type way faster than I write. However, I copy down my online notes onto my notebook because I like everything to be all in one place. I’m a neat freak like that. :P
Short notes like “hate the love interest” count too as notes Kimberly!
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I do it too! Like, as in for every book I read that I plan to review (which is every book) – okay, I’m rambling here. Anyway, yeah, I take down notes because if I don’t, I start feeling paranoid that I’ll forget to mention something on my review. I sometimes hate it because it interrupts my reading time but it’s part of the trade for me so *shrugs*
Kazhy recently posted…Cover Reveal: Four Seconds to Lose – K.A Tucker
Don’t worry, you’re not rambling. ;D
Exactly! If I don’t take notes, I’ll be SO worried that I forgot to add something important in my review. Panic mode is not fun. And yep, it’s all a part of book blogging.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
How funny! We both posted about our note-taking-while-reading this week! I’m glad it seems to be helping you write better, more accurate reviews. Unfortunately for me, it doesn’t seem to help me much beyond remembering quotes I liked, lol.
Kelley (Another Novel Read) recently posted…Book Journals – How Do You Take Notes While Reading?
That is funny! Great minds think alike huh? ;D
Aww, that sucks that taking notes doesn’t help you much. D:
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I take notes! I’d be lost without them. I have a terrible memory, and the two times I lost my notes on the book I was reading I actually couldn’t write the review. I use quotes in almost all of my reviews to back my claims, and I write down my thoughts as I’m reading to keep track of my specific feelings. Without that, I have trouble figuring out what to say! I’m pretty in depth about my reviewing, so I like to have examples and be specific!
Jessi @ Auntie Spinelli Reads recently posted…Review: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
High five Jessi! :D
And oh no, lost notes will be a nightmare for me. I desperately count on my notes to write my reviews now.
Ha ha, you should see all my feels when I get angry while reading! My notes are like HOW COULD YOU -CHARACTER’S NAME- WHY YOU SO DUMB BLAH BLAH BLAH. Once, I even wrote an one page rant.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I only take notes while reading if I feel it’s really important. I usually write all my opinions about the book in jot notes once I’m done reading it. I read one book at a time so it’s not a problem for me but it could be challenging for people who read several books at once. Great post and thanks for sharing :)
Shelly recently posted…Rush by Eve Silver: Book Review
I’m amazed. You must have a REALLY good memory to remember most of the notes you meant to write down Shelly. o:
Yep, it’s definitely challenging for me to remember everything I meant to say about a book when I read multiple books at once. Everything just get mixed up in my head.
Thank you & thanks for stopping by to share your thoughts! (:
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I only takes notes when I’m at home. When I’m reading on the train I just remember it and I write it down later. Or if it’s very important, I might save some words in my mobile phone. I also write down quotes I want to use or remember :) Notes are practically my review in short form and they are so helpful.
Mel@thedailyprophecy recently posted…Review 195. Jenni James – Beauty & Sleeping beauty.
Looks like almost everybody here has better memory than I do. I can barely remember the smallest details I’ve read from books, which is why I fail those little detail quizzes my English teacher gives my class. :P
Note are indeed so helpful! Without them, my reviews would just not be the same.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I don’t take notes quite like you do (though I probably should), but I do try to add a Goodreads status when I have a big thought/feeling about something in the book that I think other people should know about. Before I write my reviews/right after I finish the book I try to make a list of my thoughts on the book/how I feel about it and that becomes the frame work for my reviews so I don’t forget anything major. Half the time I’m too engrossed in the novel to stop and take notes so that last method is used most often.
Bec @ Ransom Reads recently posted…LOVERS LOOT! 100 Bloglovin’ Followers Giveaway
I rarely do Goodreads status; my notebook is basically my personal Goodreads status. :P
I’ll love to just list all of my thoughts after I finish reading, but the problem is that I kind of have a short memory.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
Sometimes I take notes, sometimes I don’t. It all depends on my feelings toward a book. With some books, I can tell right off the bat that I’m going to need to take a notes and with others, I know I don’t need to. I’m lax with it because I know that I don’t need to take notes in order to write a good, informative review. I notice you jot down a lot of quotes! I don’t write them down nearly as much as you do because they’re just so tedious! I like to take short notes so I can get back to reading quick!
Annie recently posted…What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
I write down a lot of quotes because 1. I use quotes in my reviews & 2. I want to read all the memorable quotes I jotted down after my notebook runs out of space.
My notes are not really short because sometimes, short notes may not make sense with the way I word it.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I don’t right now but I REALLY (like reallllllly) need to start!!!
Happy reading
Jackie
Jackie recently posted…Look how Pinteresting!!!
You don’t need to start Jackie. Some people can write great reviews without taking any notes at all. That may be you. ;D
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I try to take notes, but I’m really bad at keeping up with it. I don’t like to write it down by hand because it takes me out of the book I’m reading. I prefer to type it up since it’s much faster, but I rarely read books when I’m on my laptop. Too distracting, my laptop.
Cee recently posted…VOILÀ! THE NOVEL HERMIT IS OFFICIALLY A SELF-HOSTED BLOG!
Laptops are evil! There’s the evil internet lurking and photoshop and microsoft office and just…everything.
I prefer to type up notes too, but I want my notes to be tidy, to be available on the train, and kept all in one place, hence the notebook.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I usually take notes after I’m done a book, but rarely while I’m reading it. It does help a lot when I go to write my review. Anytime I forget to write notes, I have a few moments of panic and can’t remember anything about the book. That’s when other people’s reviews help me remember what I liked and didn’t like about the book.
Sarah recently posted…Desert Fire
I don’t have a really good memory, so I prefer to take notes while I’m reading the actual book.
I don’t like looking at other people’s reviews before I write my own review because I’m paranoid that I might mistake one of their ideas for my own idea, if that makes any sense. =3=
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
OMG! We’re exactly the same, Kelly! Once, I don’t do notes. It’s not only weird but very minimalistic if I should say. I have a pretty good memory but with everything that’s happening right now, I already have two notebooks at the ready. If notebooks aren’t enough, I also make use of the highlighting feature in Kindle, PDF, and ADE. And then, I also take notes using Goodreads. And I discovered that with note taking, my reviews aren’t just accurate but it helps me organize my thoughts a whole lot better.
Charlotte recently posted…Feature Follow Blog Hop {6}
Note-taking does wonders, doesn’t it Charlotte! Too bad I don’t have a Kindle or Nook, I bet the highlighting feature would do WONDERS. And wow, two notebooks? I divided my notebook to different sections so I don’t have to carry a bunch of notebooks around. :P
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I used to take notes, but now I don’t. HAHA! I actually thought it was pretty helpful, but as long as I write reviews immediately, or at least soon after reading, I can manage to remember the little details without the notes :) But it IS pretty effective if you ask me!
Jasmine @ Flip That Page recently posted…Feature and Follow Fridays (9)
I wish I have your memory Jasmine; I VERY easily forget the little details in books, hence why I take notes.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
Your handwriting is quite cute ;)
I don’t usually take notes when reading, but I ever did it about once or twice, one of it is for my review of Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson. Writing notes about book you’re currently reading definitely helps to shape your mind when you want to review the book, or when you don’t want to immediately review the book after you finished it, you could check the notes later and it will be a great reminder.
I think this is something that I have to work harder on, starting right now :D
Aww, thank you! <3
I can see why you take notes on Second Chance Summer. It's one thick book. ;D
Ha ha, I hope taking notes help you! (:
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I don’t take notes but sometimes I wish I did because there are so many things that I forgot to touch on in my reviews and so on. I refuse to do it though, because I know it would take the fun out of reading for me. I read anywhere and everywhere and I refuse to take a notebook with me.
Claire K. recently posted…My Bitchin’ Rundown (September 2 to 8)
That’s exactly why I take notes – I can’t remember everything I want to mention in my review, so taking notes helps.
Yeah, sadly, taking notes do take the fun out of reading. ):
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
For me, the note-taking is just another reason why I love my kindle so much! I can highlight passages and write my notes and thought about them right there, without having a pen and without having to put my book down :) I agree, though, I think my reviews are better when I have notes and highlights, because it makes it easier to remember details that jumped out at me while I was reading.
Great post!
Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews recently posted…Let’s Discuss: Couples that Last
I wish I have a Kindle; I’ll be abusing the highlighting ability SO much.
I love how taking notes help us with writing our reviews. :D
Thanks!
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
Most of my reading is done on my commute, and it’s so hard to take notes standing up! Lately I’ve been using the highlight feature on my e-reader to mark passages I want to use in my reviews but it’s not quite as satisfying as having a physical book of quotes, you know?
Kazen @ Always Doing recently posted…Review: Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace
Yeah, when I take notes o the train standing up, it takes me two minutes just to write one full sentence.
Mhm, with notebooks, you have all your quotes right there in one place instead of all the quotes lurking in different books.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I also take notes. I used to write them out in a notebook, like you. But, I found that it was really messy, like you said, and it’s a waste of paper! So, now I take notes on my phone. I have an Android, so I downloaded the Google Keep app and I find it’s really handy. I can colour-code my notes so that if I am reading multiple books at a time I use a different colour for each book. I also love that when I sit down at my computer to write my review, I just pull up Google Keep’s webpage that’s linked with my phone and all my notes are right there! It makes it very easy and convenient to make and use my notes. I love it. I can also add pictures to my notes, so if I want to quote something I just take a picture of the text instead of writing the whole thing out! You should try it (if you have an Android, and if not I’m sure there are other apps out there like it)!
–Sam @ SIK Book Reviews
Sam recently posted…ARC Review: 3:59
I wish I have an Android like you, but sadly, I only have a really bad phone. D:
But man, after reading what you wrote, I’m definitely planning on saving for one.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I always thought taking notes would take away from my reading experience, but I am thinking that it makes a lot more sense to jot things down as you think of them. I love my ereader, because I can highlight sections or bookmark pages I want to look back at and I can write on the screen and save it. Perhaps I’ll start keeping a notebook or scrap paper nearby on my next read. ;)
Chrystal @ Snowdrop Dreams of Books recently posted…Snowdrop Dreams of Books is Now on Bloglovin’
Jotting down notes does make you think a bit, but it is annoying nevertheless.
I wish I have an ereader; it’ll be SO much easier to take notes and save it.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [50]
I NEED to do it more, but it slows me down so much, so I rarely do. You’re way is VERY organized though. I like it. :)
Jess @ Such A Novel Idea recently posted…Super Six Sunday (6)
Yeah, note-taking makes me take SO long to read a book because I constantly have to stop reading and take notes.
Ha ha, thanks! ;D
Kelly recently posted…Judge A Book By Its Signature: Everbound – Brodi Ashton
I started taking notes recently, and I’m so happy that I did. It’s so much easier to write reviews, and I think it helps with combatting book amnesia, too. Normally what I do is, when I think of something I want to write down, I take out my phone and email the note to myself. Then, when it’s time to write my reviews, I just go through my email and use all the notes I took.
Book amnesia is the worse! I have a short memory, so taking notes does wonders for me.
I get LOTS of email, so emailing myself won’t really work for me. Plus, I usually read in the subway, where there’s no wifi. D:
Kelly recently posted…Judge A Book By Its Signature: Everbound – Brodi Ashton