A reading journal can be a good way to remember books, but also a way to think more about what you're reading. Many people find that they remember books better when they jot down small reflections as they go or after they've finished reading.
If you don't always know what to write in your reading journal, questions can be a great help. These questions are often called reading journal prompts, and they can help you reflect on the plot, characters, themes, and your own thoughts about the book.
If you're new to the concept, you can start with our guide to en læsedagbog or the article about Reading journal for beginners.
Here are some ideas for what you can write in a reading journal:* **Book Information:** Title, author, publication date, genre. * **Rating:** A star rating or a score out of 10. * **Date Started & Finished:** To track your reading pace. * **Summary/Synopsis:** Briefly describe the plot or main ideas. * **Key Characters:** Note down important characters and their roles. * **Themes & Motifs:** What are the underlying messages or recurring ideas? * **Quotes:** Memorable passages or lines that resonated with you. * **Your Thoughts & Feelings:** What did you think of the book? Did it make you happy, sad, angry, curious? * **Predictions:** What do you think will happen next (if it's part of a series)? * **Connections:** Does the book remind you of other books, films, or real-life experiences? * **New Vocabulary:** Words you encountered and looked up. * **Who would you recommend this to?** What kind of reader would enjoy this book? * **Questions You Have:** Things you're still wondering about after finishing. * **Analysis of Writing Style:** Comments on the author's prose, voice, or structure. * **Character Analysis:** Deeper dives into character development and motivations. * **Plot Holes or Inconsistencies:** Anything you found confusing or unrealistic. * **What you learned:** Did the book teach you something new? * **Book Cover Art:** You could sketch it or describe what you like about it. * **Mood/Atmosphere:** Describe the overall feeling of the book. * **The Ending:** Your thoughts on how the story concluded. * **If it was an adaptation:** How did it compare to the film/TV show? * **Ideas for your own writing:** Does the book inspire any creative thoughts?
Many people write short reflections, quotes, or thoughts about the books they read. Another method is to use questions as a starting point. These questions are often called reading journal prompts and can help you think more deeply about the plot, characters, and your own reading experiences.
Below you will find a collection of prompts that you can use in your reading journal.
Questions about your first experience of the book
These questions can help you think about your first impressions of the book.
- Why did you choose to read this book?
- What did you expect from the book before you started it?
- Did the book live up to your expectations?
- How did it feel to start the book?
- Did the book grab you straight away?
- Where did you first hear about the book?
- What made you choose this particular book?
- Did you have any expectations of the author?
Questions about the plot
These questions can help you summarise and understand the story's progression.
- What is the book about, in short?
- Was there a specific moment that changed history?
- Was there a scene that particularly made an impression?
- Was the pace of the book appropriate?
- Was there anything in the plot that surprised you?
- Was there a turning point in history?
- Which part of the story was most exciting?
- Was the ending satisfying?
Questions about characters
The characters are often what make a story memorable.
- Which character did you like best?
- Was there a character you didn't like?
- Did the characters develop over the course of the story?
- Did any of the characters remind you of real people?
- Which character would you like to meet?
- Was there a character that surprised you?
- Did your opinion of a character change along the way?
- Which character made the biggest impression on you?
Questions about themes
Many books contain themes or messages that can be interesting to reflect on.
- What themes does the book cover?
- Did the book teach you anything new?
- Did the book change your way of looking at something?
- Was there a message in the book?
- What feelings did the book leave you with?
- Was there a quote that summed up the book's theme?
- Is there an idea from the book that you are still thinking about?
Questions about your reading experience
These questions are more about your personal experience of reading the book.
- Where did you read the book?
- How long did it take you to read that?
- What time of day did you typically read?
- Was the book hard to put down?
- Were there times when the book felt slow?
- How did you feel when you finished the book?
- Would you recommend the book to others?
Questions for your assessment of the book
Finally, you can reflect on your overall assessment.
- How many stars would you give the book?
- Hvem vil du anbefale bogen til?
- Would you read the book again?
- Would you like to read other books by the same author?
- What was the best thing about the book?
- Was there anything in the book that you didn't like?
- What made the book memorable?
How to use questions in your reading journal
You don't have to answer all the questions for each book. Many people just choose a few questions that suit the book they have read.
You can also make a page at the back of your journal with questions, so you always have inspiration when you've finished a book.
If you're short of more ideas for pages in your journal, you can also read our article about Reading journal ideas or our guide to here's how to make a reading tracker in your journal.
Which notebook is best for a reading journal?
Many prefer a Dot grid notebook, because the dots make it easy to create layouts, trackers, and overviews.
You can also make your reading journal more personal with little touches such as stickers or washi tape.
A reading journal doesn't need to be perfect or advanced. The most important thing is that you find a way to document your reading experiences that makes reading more enjoyable and makes it easier to remember the books that have made an impression on you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hvad er spørgsmål til en læsedagbog?
Reading journal prompts are questions that help you reflect on what you are reading. They can give you inspiration for what to write in your reading journal.
What can you write in a reading journal?
You can write down your reflections, quotes and thoughts on the books you read. Many people also use questions as a starting point for their notes.
Her er et par måder, du kan bruge prompts i din læsedagbog:* **Generelle prompts:** * Hvad handler denne bog om? * Hvad er din første reaktion på bogen? * Hvilke temaer udforsker bogen? * Hvem er din yndlingskarakter, og hvorfor? * Hvilken del af bogen synes du bedst om, og hvorfor? * Hvilken del af bogen synes du mindst om, og hvorfor? * Hvordan fik bogen dig til at føle? * Har bogen ændret dit perspektiv på noget? * Ville du anbefale denne bog til andre? Hvorfor eller hvorfor ikke? * Hvilken scene husker du bedst? * Beskriv bogens omgivelser. * Analysér bogens slutning.* **Specifikke prompts (til bestemte genrer eller bogtyper):** * **Fiktion:** * Hvad er bogens plot? * Hvordan udvikler karaktererne sig gennem historien? * Er der nogen, der ligner karakterer fra andre bøger, du har læst? * Hvordan bidrager sproget eller stilen til historien? * **Faglitteratur:** * Hvad er bogens hovedargument eller budskab? * Hvordan understøtter forfatteren sine påstande? * Er der oplysninger, du synes er overraskende eller nye? * Hvordan kan du anvende denne information i dit eget liv? * **Poesi:** * Hvilke billeder eller metaforer bruger digteren? * Hvilken stemning eller følelse skaber digteren? * Hvad tror du, digteren forsøger at sige? * **Noveller:** * Hvad er novellens centrale konflikt? * Hvordan er novellens struktur? Effektiv? * Hvilken effekt har novellens længde på dens indhold?* **Personlige prompts:** * Hvornår og hvor læste du denne bog? * Hvad fik dig til at vælge netop denne bog? * Hvilke minder eller associationer vækker bogen? * Hvordan relaterer bogens temaer sig til dit eget liv? * Hvilke spørgsmål har bogen givet dig?* **Kreative prompts:** *
You don't need to answer all the questions. Many people choose a few prompts per book that suit their reading experience.
What are good questions for a reading journal?
Good questions often relate to your first impressions, the plot, the characters, and your own thoughts about the book.
Why use reading journal prompts?
Prompts make it easier to get started with writing and help you remember and understand books better.
Do you need to use prompts for every book?
No, you can choose the questions that make sense to you. Sometimes one question is enough to start a reflection.
