A reading tracker is one of the most popular pages in a reading journal. It provides an overview of what is being read, how far you have progressed, and which books are still waiting on the shelf. At the same time, a tracker can make reading more motivating because progress becomes visible.
Many people use a reading journal to remember books, reflect on reading experiences, and keep track of reading goals. Trackers play an important role here. They make it possible to follow one's reading throughout the year and discover patterns in which books and genres are read the most.
A reading tracker can be very simple or highly creative. Some prefer a minimalist list, while others create decorative pages with colours, illustrations, and stickers. Both work fine. The most important thing is that the tracker makes it easy and clear to follow your reading.
Here are 12 ideas for reading trackers, which can be used in a reading journal if you want to create a better overview of your books and reading habits.
1. The classic book list
The simplest tracker is a list of books read over the course of the year. It's often the first page many create in their reading journal.
The page may contain columns such as:
- Title
- author
- Start date
- Slutdate
- number of pages
- rating.
This type of tracker provides a quick overview of the entire reading year and works well with pages where a bit more is written about each book.
2. Reading tracker for this year's reading goal
Many set a goal for how many books they would like to read in a year. A tracker can be used to visualise progress and make the goal more motivating.
This could include, for example:
- 20 or 50 small book icons that colour in when a book is finished
- A progress bar that gradually fills up
- A list where books are numbered from 1 up to the target.
This type of page provides motivation throughout the year.
3. Sidestracker
A page tracker records how many pages are read over a month or a whole year. It is especially popular among those who read a little every day.
Here, for example, you can make:
- a table with date and number of pages
- a graph showing the development
- A monthly overview of the number of pages read.
This provides a good overview of one's reading habits over time.
4. Genre tracker
If you want to read more varied books, a genre tracker can be a good idea. It quickly shows you which types of books you read the most.
Lav en cirkel eller et diagram med forskellige genrer som:
- Fantasy
- romance
- Crime
- historical novels
- non-fiction.
Each time a book is read, the relevant category is coloured.
5. Monthly reading tracker
This tracker provides an overview of what is read each month. It is good if you want to reflect on your reading continuously.
The page may contain:
- A list of the month's books
- little stars for rating
- notes on favourites.
It works well with monthly reflection pages in a journal.
6. TBR tracker
TBR stands for “to be read” and is the list of books one wants to read.
A TBR tracker can be made as:
- a shelf with drawn books
- A list of upcoming reading
- a page where books are moved from TBR to finished reading.
This page gives a good overview of upcoming reading projects and helps keep track of books on the reading list.
7. Trackers for favourite books
A tracker can also be used to highlight the year's best reading experiences.
Here you can do:
- A list of the year's favourites
- a top 5 or a top 10
- Small note cards with short notes.
It's a nice page to return to later, when you want to refresh your best reading experiences of the year.
8. Series tracker
It can be difficult to keep track of the order when reading book series.
A series tracker can show:
- which volumes have been read
- which ones are missing
- Year of publication.
It makes it easier to plan the next book in the series.
9. Reading time tracker
Some people prefer to track how much time is spent on reading. This can be a good method if you are working on daily reading habits.
Here you can register:
- minutes per day
- Reading time per week
- Total reading time per month.
This type of tracker gives a good overview of how much time one actually spends reading.
10. Rating tracker
A rating tracker provides a visual overview of which books were best received.
This could be:
- a graph of ratings
- A list of stars
- Colour codes for different ratings.
After a year, you can quickly see which books stood out.
11. Author tracker
If you want to explore specific authors, a tracker can help with an overview.
Here you can register:
- Which books by an author who is read
- which are still missing
- favourites.
This is particularly useful if you're reading classics or longer book series.
12. Visual bookshelf tracker
One of the most popular trackers in reading journals is a drawn bookshelf.
Small books are drawn on the shelves, and every time a book is read, its spine is coloured.
This provides a page that is both decorative and functional in a reading journal.
How to make a reading tracker in your reading journal
A reading tracker doesn't need to be complicated. Many start with a simple list and add more pages later.
The most important thing is that the tracker suits the way you read.
Some prefer minimalist pages, while others enjoy decorating pages with stickers, Stickers with books and reading, Trackers stickers, Sticker dots or washi tape to make their reading journal more personal. If one wants to mark ratings or highlight favourite books visually, one can Star rating stickers also be a good solution. Many people also use different coloured pens to make trackers more manageable, for example Fineliners, Brush pens or Gel pens, which makes it easy to create colour codes, headings and small illustrations.
In a dot grid notebook, it's easy to draw tables, shelves, or diagrams. That's why many people use this type of notebook for their reading journals. If you're in need of a notebook for your reading journal, you can find inspiration in our selection of Notebooks and journals, our Dot grid notebooks or ours Reading logs.
Combine multiple reading trackers
Most reading journals contain several different trackers, which together provide a good overview of your reading.
Here is an example:
- en årlig bogliste
- TBR side
- A genre tracker
- Bookshelf tracker.
Together they provide a clear overview of reading habits and development throughout the year.
If you want to get started with a reading journal, you can also find inspiration in these guides:
- What is a reading journal
- Beginner's Reading Journal
- 9 spreads for your reading journal
- How to write about your books without reviewing them
- Help, my TBR is growing
- Physical reading journal vs. app
- In a reading journal, you can write about:* **Book details:** Title, author, publication date, genre. * **Your thoughts and feelings:** What did you think of the book? Did you enjoy it? Why or why not? What emotions did it evoke? * **Key themes and messages:** What are the main ideas or lessons the book explores? * **Memorable quotes:** Jot down sentences or passages that stood out to you. * **Character analysis:** Your impressions of the characters, their motivations, and development. * **Plot summary (brief):** A short overview of what happened, if you want to remember the story. * **Connections:** Does the book remind you of other books, films, or real-life experiences? * **Questions:** What questions did the book raise for you? What did you want to know more about? * **Rating:** A star rating or a simple like/dislike. * **Reviews:** A more detailed critique of the book. * **Your reading goals:** What do you hope to achieve with your reading? (e.g., read more classics, explore a new genre). * **Book recommendations:** Keep a list of books you want to read next, perhaps based on your current reading.
- How to make a reading tracker in your journal
You can also find useful guides on materials and tools for journaling:
- Which notebook should you choose
- The best pens for journaling
- GSM stands for Grams per Square Metre.
- How to avoid ghosting in your journal
- Hvad er "bleed through"
These guides provide more ideas on how to set up your own reading journal, choose the right materials, and work further with your trackers.
Ofte stillede spørgsmål om læsetrackere
Hvad er en reading tracker?
A reading tracker is a page in your reading journal where you keep track of your reading, for example, which books you are reading and how far you have got.
What can you track in a reading tracker?
You can track books, pages, reading goals, genres, reading time, and your favourite books. Many also use trackers to follow their reading habits over time.
How to make a reading tracker?
You can start simply with a list of books or create a more visual tracker with book icons, graphs, or a drawn bookshelf.
Which reading trackers are the most popular?
The most popular are book lists, TBR trackers, genre trackers, and visual bookshelf trackers, where you colour in books when they're read.
Which notebook is best for a reading tracker?
Many prefer a dot grid notebook because the dots make it easy to create tables, graphs, and creative layouts.
Should a reading tracker be creative?
No, a reading tracker can be both simple and creative. The most important thing is that it makes it easy and motivating to follow your reading.
