Printable vs digital reading journal: which one will you actually stick with?
The short answer: choose a printable reading journal if you want a screen-free, handwritten keepsake and you do not mind doing the tallies yourself. Choose a digital one if you want stats, search and your whole library with you without the upkeep. Many readers keep a small paper notebook for feelings and a digital journal for the numbers.
Search for a reading log and you will find two kinds: printables you print and fill in by hand, and digital journals you keep on a phone or computer. Both work. The real question is which one you will still be using in six months, because the best reading journal is the one you keep up.
What each one is good at
| Printable | Digital | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Print, trim and maybe bind | Add your books once, by scanning or importing |
| Upkeep | You write every entry and add up every total | Totals and charts are worked out for you |
| Stats | Only what you count yourself | Automatic, such as books and pages read |
| Finding something | Flip through the pages | Search by title, author or series |
| Always with you | Only if you carry the notebook | On your phone, in the bookstore too |
| Screen time | None | Some |
| Keepsake feel | Your handwriting, on paper you can hold | Pretty, but on a screen |
| Running out of room | Pages fill up | No pages to run out of |
| Cost | Often free or cheap, plus ink and paper | Varies: free, subscription, or one payment |
Why reading journals get abandoned
- The upkeep wins. Entering every book, adding up pages and redrawing a tracker is fun in January and a chore by spring.
- It is not with you. You finish a book on a trip, the notebook is at home, and the entry never happens.
- The pages run out. A big series or a big year outgrows the template.
- It feels like homework. If the journal asks for more than you want to give, you stop.
These are common patterns, not hard numbers, but most people who have tried a log will recognize at least one of them.
How to choose
Pick a printable if you love handwriting, you want a break from screens, you only track a handful of books, or you want a physical keepsake of your reading year.
Pick a digital journal if you own a lot of books, you want stats without counting, you like having your whole library on your phone, or you want to check what you own while you are in a store.
Use both if you want the best of each. Keep a small paper notebook for the feelings, quotes and doodles, and let a digital journal handle the library, the counts and the series.
Where Dog-Ear fits
Dog-Ear is a digital reading journal built to look and feel like a bullet journal. Its pages, such as Year at a Glance, Reading Challenge and Bookshelf, fill themselves in from your library, and you decorate them with more than 100 stickers, washi tape, notes and photos. Here is what that looks like.
What to put in a reading journal
- The title, author and the dates you started and finished
- A star rating
- A favorite quote, with the page number
- A line or two on how it made you feel
- A note on whether you would read it again, or recommend it
Keep it that light and you are far more likely to keep going. You can always add more later.
Try the digital version
Stickers and washi tape, with the tallying done for you. $9, one time, no subscription.
Get Dog-Ear for $9Questions
Is a printable or digital reading journal better?
Neither is better for everyone. A printable suits people who want a screen-free, handwritten keepsake. A digital journal suits people with large libraries who want automatic stats, search and their books with them. Many readers use both.
Can I use a printable and a digital journal together?
Yes. A common setup is a small paper notebook for feelings, quotes and doodles, and a digital journal for the library, totals and series.
What should I put in a reading journal?
Keep it light: the title and author, when you started and finished, a star rating, a favorite quote with its page number, and a line about how the book made you feel.
Is there a digital reading journal with stickers?
Yes. Dog-Ear is a bullet journal style reading journal on your phone with more than 100 stickers, washi tape, notes and photos, and pages that fill in from your library.
Related: A digital reading journal with stickers, Book tracker apps with no subscription, Goodreads alternatives for people who own physical books.