The (Very Real) Benefits of Keeping a ‘Book Journal’

How this one habit revived my long-dead daily journal when nothing else worked

Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash

For the past month, I’ve written in my journal every single day. I know. Big deal, right? Well, if you’re anything like me, sticking with a journal for more than thirty minutes is a huge win.

So let me share how I finally—and kind of accidentally—started a daily journaling habit that has fueled a surprising amount of writing over the past month.

If you’ve ever struggled to build a daily writing habit, read on.

How to keep a daily journal

I don’t keep a bullet journal, productivity tracker, to-do list, gratitude journal, idea notebook, diary, or any other fancy journal. Instead, I started something called a “book journal.” And even though it’s super simple, this little journal has single-handedly changed how I write. Here’s how it works.

How to Keep a Book Journal:

1. Carry a small spiral notebook and a pencil with the book you’re reading
2. Copy down any lines that you like, word for word
3. Note the page or chapter where the quote comes from