I don't write in margins although I wonder if I should. For example book club books where it might help with retention or discussion.
Usually (not always but usually) when I close a book I'm done, and I'm curious what others usually do after they've finished reading. Do you do more research on the author or topic etc.
For example, sometimes I will look up podcasts which might speak about the book especially if I really enjoyed the book, or if it was a popular book that didn't capture me and I wanted to see what others thought of it. If the book was truly divine, I will look up other titles by the same author or in the same genre.
When you write in the margins, do you usually go back after you've finished to reflect on what you've written?
How often do you tend to Google anything while you're reading a book? What would you be most likely to google while reading?
by skywalkerbeth
16 Comments
I write in margins when I’m reading for an academic purpose or if it’s reread of a favorite book. I actually went back to look at my notes for The Vampire Lestat and was cracking up over them.
I make a point to put my phone away when I’m reading so I rarely google while reading unless it’s something really, really bugging me.
nah never
I dont write in the margins. I’ll star a paragraph or passage as a way to find it quickly because I want go read it again or I found it particularly striking, but it’s quite rare that I do it.
I’ll Google stuff more often than writing, but not often. if I’m not sure of a word or phrase, or I if I just want a bit more context, historical or otherwise.
I don’t google about the book while I’m reading (to avoid spoilers) unless it’s to look up the meaning of a word OR if I’m reading a series and I genuinely can’t remember something going on. I do like to look at reviews after I finish reading the book to see other folks opinions, because typically those open my eyes to perspectives I may have missed (whether I liked the book or not, I appreciate seeing how other people felt on both ends). I don’t write in my books but sometimes separately I will keep notes if it is for a book club. Quotes I want to bring up or plot points, that sort of thing!
I only annotate my favorites, and even then I buy an annotation copy. For things I’m reading casually, I have a lil pocket notebook where I write down impressions that I organize into a StoryGraph review on completion, but some books are simple/short enough that I don’t even need that. I also mostly use audiobooks, so the clip function in Audible has been useful (though I do tend to read more with Libby because books are expensive).
I never Google until after. Too many spoilers! But if I’m interested in reading more of the author afterward, I do like to look up interviews or essays to learn about their inspirations and writing process.
I never write in the margins. I don’t want another person’s thoughts butting into my reading experience, and that honestly even includes younger me from however long I’d last read the book. Drives me crazy.
I do Google while reading, depending on the book. Some – Cloud Atlas comes to mind – almost demand it. There are so many references in that book that I wouldn’t have understood otherwise. It made the entire thing far more meaningful.
I write in the margins for my first reread because it means I like the book enough.
For bookclub – I tab it and have a small notebook where I note page numbers, and my notes. I buy really cheap small notebooks so that each notebook is dedicated to one book. I also note it in if I need to look up something and after I google I note it in there.
I’m definitely googling the words I don’t know. Or the pronunciation of words so I can stop saying “smsjdjshd” or “phshehshsj” in my head while reading.
Sounds too much like homework to me. I just like reading. I guess if I were to do a book club that would make sense. But beyond that if there’s something I’m extra curious about I just google as I go along.
i don’t write in margins but i do underline in pencil with a ruler and then use a tab to show where i’ve underlined.
for googling, honestly yeah i do but i have bought a dictionary in hopes to stop this habit and not break the reading spell
Nothing in margins. I do highlight digitally relatively rarely, excluding certain nonfiction (mostly psychology) where it’s more intended at note taking the whole thing.
Google is for the rare case where I don’t understand a word/reference that feels important to the point.
When I read a physical book I use a notecard or piece of paper as a bookmark and write on that. I trade a lot of books with friends and free libraries. I do search up words I don’t know, events I’m unfamiliar with, or places to look at pictures of them.
Most books I read are eBooks or Audiobooks though. EBooks are far easier to look up words in the built-in dictionary, or copy/paste other things into a search! I highlight all words I needed definitions for as a little personalized dictionary. I also highlight quotes and put them and my thoughts into a Notes app as I read.
With Audiobooks, I bookmark any section I have a lot of thoughts on or questions about, then when I’m done I’ll re-listen and sometimes search a short transcript to see if others pulled those quotes in online reviews.
I’ll write in both margins, underline, asterisk, bracket etc. I had a professor who would draw character maps on the inside cover, though I rarely ever go that far. It’s mostly a throwback to when I was an English student and needed things to write about, as I mostly just read for pleasure now. But it’s still fun to go back and reread notes to see what stood out at that time in my life.
I don’t Google anything except words/places I’m unfamiliar with. After I’m done reading then I’ll look up reviews etc.
I have a book journal where I write thoughts on books I’m reading. I write a lot more notes on non-fiction than fiction.
I also tab / highlight important parts and have been known, on occasion, to write in the margin. Being an active reader helps me draw together concepts and better remember important points, especially with historical or philosophical books.
Growing up, I read a lot of library books, so I’ve never gotten in the habit of writing, underlining or otherwise marking up a book.
And one of my pet peeves is when others do that to library books, so I feel like I can’t do it, even on copies I do own (because it means I can’t really lend the book to others)
However, when I read on Kindle now, I do appreciate the ability to click on a word and quickly look up a definition, wiki entry or translation. I use that regularly. But I try not to move to my phone, as I’ll get too distracted by something else on there
Absolutely never write in margins of books. This is why dog made Post-it notes.