Hey friends, how are you on this fine Monday?

This is a stack of books on my desks this Month! What’s on your reading list for the rest of the month? I think I’ve become a voracious reader since shaking off that reading slump. And no, I am not here to tell you to have this much of books in your reading nook at home, you can read at your own pace, thank you very much!

Today, I want to share some tips on how we can make the most out of what we read and retain the information we've learned from all these books.

The Situation :

Unlike Sheldon Lee Cooper (yes, the fictional genius from The Big Bang Theory) who has a photographic memory, most of us don't possess that superpower. Ever found yourself struggling to recall what you've read weeks or months later? Frustrating, right? You knew you had thoughts about it, but they seem to have vanished into thin air. I mean, what's the point of reading to learn if you can't remember your takeaways, right?

Before we dive in, let's set some expectations. This topic's pretty broad, so I'm dividing it into three parts that will be written into 3 series of blogpost.

We’ll tackle the following in the blog post :

Part 1: Reading System

Part 2: Getting the Most out of Fiction Books (We’ll cover this, next time)

Part 3: Getting the Most out of Non-fiction Books (We’ll cover this, next time)

This round, we’ll discuss Part 1 : Reading System.

So, how do you get the most out of fiction books?

First off, it's perfectly okay to read fiction just for the fun of it, without overthinking takeaways and note-taking. But if you're hoping a book will transform you, here are some tricks I find useful.

The Solution

To me, every book holds lessons, even if it's just one tiny nugget of wisdom. That’s when I created a system that works for me.

#1 Book Annotation

This is something that I grow up seeing my mother cutting small colored paper into a triangle shape to label her journals. My mother, she labels everything she reads! And so do I. Well, you can say that am following her footsteps.

Nowadays, there are handy labeling tabs and Post-it notes in assorted colors that make this a breeze.

We’ll discuss book annotation in the next blogpost of Thoughtful Reading Series

#2 Thinking About What You Read

Good books are hard to put down, right? But some stories tackle tough subjects that require us to think critically. After finishing one of those, I take a breather and then grab my reading journal. I pour out everything that's swirling in my mind - thoughts on characters, plot points, questions, and speculations about what comes next.

Following are examples of questions you can use as a prompt when thinking about what you read :

• Who did what, who was that character

• What made me sad/happy/ surprise me, what made me keep going with this story/ made me taking this break

• When that happen, I feel… / When the person did that, I notice …

• Where is this place, is it real?

• How does this scene impact me personally? how does it relate to the reality? How does this scene A connected to the scene B

Do you need to have a reading journal to jot down your thoughts? Absolutely not. Sometimes, I prefer to grab a Post-it Note and jot down my immediate thoughts, sticking it right on the page I'm reading. But if I have deeper reflections, that's when I turn to my reading journal.

There's no right or wrong way to process what you've read. The key is to engage with the material and let your thoughts flow freely. It's all about free-flow journaling - there's no need for diplomatic thoughts; just write what feels right for you.

Do I do this for every fiction book I read? Nah, not really. But I've found that it helps improve my reading skills, enhances my critical thinking, and shapes my taste in books for my TBR list.

#3 Book Cataloguing

Yup, book cataloguing is one way to keep track of the book you own and also help you to keep notes of the takeaways. I keep a spreadsheet on Notion to track the books I own (physical and digital), whether I've read them or they're on my TBR list. It's a handy reference for quotes and revisiting old favorites.

This is how I formatted my book catalogue on Notion (refer image)

#4 Personal Booknotes

At the end of my reading process, I will summarise my thoughts from my reading journal and the post-it notes into booknotes; which I’ve integrated into my book catalogue. It's my way of distilling my takeaways into a single source of truth.

Before I started publishing my booknotes on my blog, I used to write micro-review on my Instagram review. Here and there, I’d received respond from book lovers saying that they love my thoughts about the book I read.

Never come across me that I should probably start a book blog long time ago, but speaking to a friend last year August, she convinced me that getting into this community is one way to learn more about books whilst being surrounded by like-minded people. People like me, who read books!

Related blogpost : Crafting Your Personal Reading Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide (For Beginner)

#5 Taking actions

Books often inspire action.

In 'The Emissary,' Japan grapples with the aftermath of a catastrophic event, severing ties with the outside world due to poor decision-making and negligence. The profound takeaway prompts introspection: What actions can I take on an individual level? It's about heightening awareness of climate change, cultivating gratitude for our world, and making mindful choices to ensure future generations inherit a life of joy and peace. Advocating for global harmony is an ongoing journey, not a one-time effort.

Similarly, 'The Sweet Bean Paste' underscores two vital lessons: 1) Embrace gratitude for life's blessings and the path we tread, and 2) Reject societal pressures that equate physical appearance with worth. Let's challenge toxic beauty standards and recognize the intrinsic value of every individual beyond superficial judgments based on skin color. These reflections serve as reminders to navigate life with empathy and authenticity.

Related blogpost : 6 Lessons from 14 Books I Read in January ‘24 | 13 Books for Rainy Days

Before you go,

I hope these tips help you make your reading experience more meaningful. Of course you don’t have to annotate every book you read. Because frankly friends, “Everything is workable!”

How do you get the most of fiction book you read? Share your thoughts with me! Have a fantastic #BookishMonday

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