How to Start a Book Club with Your Personal Journal
Posted by Mari L. McCarthy on Fri, Feb 17, 2012 @ 07:01 PM
Reading is one of life’s great joys; there is nothing like losing yourself in the plot of a good
novel or engaging your mind with interesting non-fiction. The problem is, with all of the commitments and distractions in your daily life, sometimes making time for reading falls by the wayside.
When was the last time you read an excellent book? Did you experience the feeling of not wanting to put it down until you finished the last page but also not wanting it to be over? Remember that feeling, and use your personal journal to keep you reading and writing.
Journaling for Reading Inspiration
1. Start by thinking about how often you read and compare it to how often you would like to read. Is there a big difference? Why? If time is the issue, reflect on parts of your schedule you could rearrange or cut to carve out more time for reading. Tell your personal journal how you are going to make reading more of a priority. For example:
I probably watch more mindless TV than I need to. I do it because it’s an easy, relaxing escape after work, but if I limit myself to an hour of TV instead of two a night, I can use the extra hour to open a good book.
2. In your personal journal, make a list of books you have been wanting to read. Don’t include any that you feel you should read but aren’t actually interested in; limit your list only to books you are genuinely excited about. For inspiration, visit your local bookstore or library; you can even keep track of books you have read and want to read (as well as friend’s recommendations) on Goodreads.com
3. Choose the first book for your journaling book club. As you begin to read, take breaks every few chapters to tell your personal journal about the book. Pretend that you are telling a good friend about it. What are you enjoying about it? What are you not liking about it? Is the story capturing your attention? What do you think is going to happen next? What about the author’s writing style do you like or dislike?
4. When you finish the book, write a slightly longer journal entry reviewing it. On a scale from 1 to 10, what would you rate it? What is your overall feeling about the writing, the plot, the characters or the ending? Would you recommend the book to a friend? Would you read another book by the same author? What about the book was most memorable?
5. Select the next book on your journaling book club list and repeat!
My goal this year is to read more fiction so my list alternates between a book of fiction and a book of nonfiction. What books are on your to-read list? What books have you read recently that you would recommend to others? Please share your experiences!