Regular reading is a
valuable habit for solopreneurs. But it’s not enough to read a lot of books if
you can’t recall anything about them. You need a system so you can track what
you read, when you read it, and what you learned from it. Otherwise, you’ll be
relying on your memory which may not always be accurate.
But that doesn’t mean that
tracking what you read has to be boring or difficult. Here are the details you
want to make sure you hold onto…
Start with These Facts
You want to record the
basics first like the title and author name. You may also want the page count
and publisher information. This can be helpful if it’s a resource you plan to
recommend to friends or if it’s a technical book that may be updated by the
publisher periodically.
Next, grab the book summary.
You can write your own if you prefer to share your impressions of the book. But
if not, then use the book blurb found on websites like Amazon or Barnes and
Noble.
Capture the Details
Now that you have the basics
out of the way, it’s time to focus on recording details about the book you’ve
just read. Note any quotes you loved or passages you want to remember. Be sure
to add the page number or chapter title so you can find them again.
Next, rank the book. You can
create your own ranking system if you like or you can keep it simple and use
the five-star method that’s popular on Amazon. You may also want to include
three to five tags to jog your memory later or help you if you want to
recommend the book.
Take Notes
Finally, take some time to
craft your own notes. These don’t have to be shared with anyone else and don’t
need to be long or complex.
You can write 3-5 sentences
talking about the book. You could say something like, “Great book. I love the
points made in the first three chapters but the middle was a bit repetitive.
I’d skim read those chapters on a re-read.”
Splurge on a Journal
Another way to keep track of
what you read is to splurge on a reading journal. There are a plenty of
journals available at a variety of price points, but one of the most popular
ones is The Book Lover’sJournal. You’ll have plenty of
space to record what you read and what you thought about it. It's the one I use and I love it!
Use an App
Some people prefer to
track their reading digitally. If that describes you, then you might be
interested in the Goodreads app.You can post your own reviews and add books to your virtual shelves called tags. It’s part catalogue system and part social network so you can interact with other users and discuss your favorite books.
It doesn’t matter how you prefer to track your reading. It’s just important that you have a system in place so you can retain what you’ve read and refer back to it in the future.
