Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Custom Reading Journal From Scratch

If you’ve ever scrolled through Pinterest and seen those beautifully decorated reading journals with perfect calligraphy, color-coded tabs, and stickers that somehow look like they came straight from a stationery store and thought about actually doing that, I get you.

I’m not a naturally crafty person. 

I can’t draw to save my life, my handwriting changes halfway through a sentence, and if you give me a ruler, somehow the lines still end up crooked. 

But you don’t need to be artistic to make a reading journal that works for you, looks nice, and makes you want to use it.

The key is simplicity, planning, and making it personal.

A reading journal is more about function than it is about aesthetics. 

Yes, it can look beautiful, but more importantly, it should feel like a comfortable space for your reading life.

So here’s my guide to creating a custom reading journal from scratch even if you have zero creative bones in your body.

Step 1: Decide on Your Journal’s Purpose

Before you buy anything or start writing, you need to be clear on why you’re making this journal.

When I made my first one, I thought I’d use it for everything: tracking books, writing reviews, noting quotes, making book wishlists and in two weeks, it was a chaotic mess. 

I learned the hard way that clarity saves you from frustration later.

Here are a few possible purposes:

1. Book tracking: keeping a log of every book you read, start/finish dates, ratings, and genres.

2. Review journal: space to write down your thoughts, impressions, and notes about each book.

3. Quote collection: somewhere to store all those lines that made you pause and reread.

4. Reading challenges & TBRs: a motivational tool to track progress on reading goals.

5. Mixed use: a combination of the above, but organized in separate sections.

If you’re new to journaling, keep it simple with two to three main purposes instead of trying to track everything. 

You can always expand later.

Step 2: Choose the Right Journal

When I say choose the right journal, I don’t mean the fanciest or most expensive one in the shop. 

I mean the one you’ll actually use. 

I’ve bought gorgeous notebooks in the past and then never written in them because they felt too pretty to mess up.

Here are the main options:

1. Spiral-bound notebook

1. Lays flat easily.
2. Pages tear out cleanly if you make a mistake.
3. Great for beginners.

2. Hardcover bound notebook

1. Sturdier, lasts longer.
2. Feels more like a real book.
3. Pages don’t tear out easily (which is good for commitment, bad for perfectionists).

3. Dot-grid or bullet journal

1. Tiny dots instead of lines or blank pages.
2. Helps you keep things aligned without the strictness of lined paper.
3. Perfect for making simple charts, lists, and boxes.

4. Composition notebook

1. Affordable and widely available.
2. Flexible and less intimidating.

I personally like dot-grid spiral notebooks.

The spiral makes it easy to flip and the dots make my uneven handwriting look less chaotic.

Step 3: Gather Your Basic Supplies

This is where most people overcomplicate things.

You ABSOLUTELY do not need to buy 50 colored pens and $40 worth of stickers before you even start. 

Your first journal should be built with essentials.

Here’s a starter list:

Must-haves:

1. Your chosen notebook.
2. A comfortable pen (gel pens are smoother, but ballpoints smudge less).
3. A ruler (trust me, even the non-creative need straight lines).

Optional nice-to-haves:

1. A few colored pens or highlighters (2–3 colors max for simplicity).
2. Washi tape (decorative tape you can use for borders or section dividers).
3. Sticky notes or tabs for marking sections.

Buy quality over quantity. 

A $1 pen that skips and leaks will make you hate journaling. 

I’d rather have one smooth, reliable pen than a whole jar of frustrating ones.

Step 4: Plan Your Layout Before You Write Anything

The number one mistake I made in my first reading journal? Jumping straight in without a plan. 

I ended up with reviews mixed in with quotes, challenge trackers squeezed between book lists, and zero order.

You don’t need a perfect layout, but you do need a basic structure.

Here’s one simple beginner-friendly structure:

1. Title Page: your name, the year, maybe a short quote about reading.
2. Index: a list of page numbers and what’s on them (leave 2–3 blank pages for this).
3. Yearly Reading Goals: how many books, genres, or challenges you’re aiming for.
4. Book Log: a running list of every book you read with dates and ratings.
5. Review Section: a few pages per book for your thoughts.
6. Quote Section: space to copy down memorable lines.
7. TBR List: books you want to read next.

If you’re not sure how much space each section will need, use sticky notes as placeholders before you write. 

That way, you can rearrange before committing.

Step 5: Create Your Sections

This is where the ruler comes in handy. 

Divide your journal into the sections you planned in Step 4. 

You can:

1. Use sticky tabs to mark each section.
2. Add a piece of washi tape to the edge of the first page of each section for quick navigation.
3. Write a bold header at the top of each section (doesn’t need to be fancy).

I used to make my section headers in pencil first. 

If I messed up, I’d erase and try again. 

This saved me from tearing out half my first journal in frustration.

Step 6: Start With the Book Log

This is the easiest section to set up and will make you feel instantly productive.

Book Log Setup:

1. Draw a simple table with columns like: Title, Author, Start Date, Finish Date, Rating.
2. If you’re feeling extra, you can add Genre or Format (ebook, audiobook, physical).
3. Leave enough rows for the number of books you hope to read this year.

Ikeep my table very plain – just straight lines and clear writing. 

If I try to make it look Pinterest-perfect, I spend more time decorating than reading.

Step 7: Set Up Your Review Pages

This is where your journal gets personal. 

A review page doesn’t have to be fancy. It just needs to capture your thoughts.

Here’s my simple template:

1. Book Title & Author (at the top in bold or underlined)
2. Date Started / Date Finished
3. Star Rating (you can draw small stars and color them in)
4. Initial Thoughts: your first impressions as you read.
5. What I Liked: characters, plot, themes, pacing, etc.
6. What I Didn’t Like: slow parts, confusing sections, character flaws.
7. Memorable Quotes (optional, if they fit on the page).

Remember to write reviews in your own voice. 

Don’t try to sound like a professional critic.

You’ll enjoy it more if it feels like talking to a friend about the book.

Step 8: Add Your Quote Collection

This is one of my favorite sections. 

I love flipping through pages of lines that made you stop and think.

Quote Page Setup:

1. Title the page with the book’s name and author.
2. Write the quote in your neatest handwriting (or at least try).
3. Add the page number for reference.

I leave a blank line between quotes so I can come back and add my thoughts later.

Sometimes a quote means something different to me months after reading it.

Step 9: Make a TBR List You’ll Actually Use

TBR (To Be Read) lists can get out of hand quickly. 

I once made a list of 50 books I planned to read that year and read about 15 of them. 

Now, I keep it short and realistic.

TBR Setup:

1. Write the book title and author.
2. Leave a small checkbox next to each book.
3. Only list books you’re genuinely excited to read in the next few months. You can add more later.

Step 10: Add Fun Extras 

Once you’ve got the basics, you can start adding extras that make the journal more fun:

1. Reading Challenges: e.g., Read 5 classics or Read a book set in a country you’ve never visited.

2. Genre Tracker: a pie chart or bar graph showing how many books from each genre you’ve read.

3. Book Wishlists: books you want to buy or borrow.

4. Seasonal Reading Plans: a page for each season’s themed reads.

Only add these once you’re comfortable with the basics. 

Extras are fun, but too many can feel overwhelming.

Step 11: Keep It Low-Pressure

This is something I wish I’d known from the start.

Your reading journal does not have to be updated daily. 

It’s okay to fill in logs weekly or write reviews a few days after finishing a book.

The point is to make it a supportive companion to your reading life and not a chore that makes you feel guilty.

Step 12: Stick With It by Making It Routine

The easiest way to keep your journal alive is to tie it to an existing habit. 

For me, that’s my tea time in the evening. I read, and then I spend 5–10 minutes updating my journal.

Basic Supplies Checklist

Here’s everything you need to start without overbuying:

1. Notebook (spiral, hardcover, or dot-grid)

2. Reliable pen (black or blue)

3. Ruler

4. 2–3 colored pens or highlighters (optional)

5. Washi tape (optional)

6. Sticky tabs or notes (optional)

You don’t need fancy skills or expensive stationery; you just need a notebook, a pen, and the willingness to jot down what matters to you.

If you keep it simple, personal, and low-pressure, you’ll end up with something far more meaningful than a Pinterest-perfect spread: a journal that tells the story of you as a reader.