Let me start off by saying that I have always believed in treating my books in a way that keeps them in pristine condition. No dog-earring pages, no breaking the spine, and definitely no writing in them … until recently.
I’ve committed a bookish sin of writing in my book and I have to say – it’s my kindle’s fault. When I got my kindle, I started using the note taking and highlighting features to make writing book reviews easier. It’s not damaging the book because the book isn’t “real”. I got so used to this style of reading that when I read a real book, I found myself wanting to take notes like I did on my kindle. I used a separate notebook for my notes at first, but that interrupted my reading a lot. So I started using post-it notes. I would put them near interesting lines I liked and sometimes I wrote notes on them.
BUT. One day, I ran out of post-it notes.
And there was this really cool section in Wonder by R. J. Palacio that I was reading. I didn’t have my phone nearby so I couldn’t post it on Goodreads either…and there was this pen right there… I’m not even sure how it happened…
He’s was acting so Dumbledore. I had to write it down.
It’s weird how I had anxiety over it. I can’t believe I wrote in my book! (It’s mine by the way, not a friend’s or a library book. Definitely don’t write in those). But then I asked myself why (because I’m going to therapy and that’s what you do. You ask lots of questions like “why are you feeling that way” etc.). Why can’t I write in my books?
I had no answer to that.
Because here’s the thing. I usually keep all the books I buy. They sit on my shelf and look pretty.
Behold the pretty
I re-read books I own occasionally but I keep them mostly because I’m a hoarder and they’re mine and you can’t have them. I don’t usually lend them out. I might let my kids read them. Might. When they are a lot older and swear on all their Legos that they won’t damage them. So if I’m the only person who ever reads them and I only read them once, what’s stopping me from writing in them?
Nothing.
I started having this idea. This wonderful, awful idea. I could treat my books as a kind of reading journal. Someday, when I pull a book off my shelf, I could look at my past notes and highlights and re-experience what it was like to read it again. I kind of liked that idea. A shelf full of reading experiences.
So I’m writing in another book. With a highlighter. It’s permanent.
(I’m sorry it’s still kind of shocking. The anxiety over doing it hasn’t completely gone away. But I’m still excited to start writing more in my books.)
I’m highlighting The Night Circus as I re-read it for Halloween. I’m going through and highlighting any time food is mentioned. Food is such a huge part of The Night Circus. I want to see how much food is mentioned, what kinds of food, man I need to get some more snacks while I read this. Carmel popcorn is a must. And apple cider.
So there you have it. I now write in my books. I never thought I’d do that.
My name is Jessica. I love to read Young Adult and classic literature. I’ve been a book blogger for six years and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. I’m a very curious reader. Writing about all the questions and thoughts I had while reading a book is the best hobby ever.
Yes, I do. I have a thing for quotes, so highlighting and taking notes are my reading habits. It’s funny because back when I was at school, I dreaded taking notes, now I do it voluntarily :P
Your bookshelf is so pretty!
I love quotes too. :) lol I didn’t take notes in books in school either because I wanted to sell them back. Thank you!
I don’t because I don’t want to make a mistake. I know that’s weird, but I dread highlighting something I didn’t mean to or write something I didn’t mean to. Also, I don’t take notes, I don’t ask questions (often), I don’t look up places, etc. I read just to read. I’ve thought about being more involved in my reading, but I’m afraid it’ll take the joy out of it.
You could try pencil if you really want to start writing in books .. I don’t think you’d make mistakes :) Looking up things and asking questions has been something I’ve always done. I think if it’s something you loved doing then you would already be doing it, you know? I think not interrupting the flow of reading with notes is a good reason to not write in books that I hadn’t thought of.
Awesome! I’m no one to write in books mostly because I don’t keep all of my books and I lend them out and if I were reading a book with writing in it, it would distract me. So yeah. I do want to take more notes. Post Its are sounding like a great idea.
Post its are fun :). See if I did lend out my books like you do then I might not want to write in them.
Uh, we can’t be friends anymore! You’re creating bad book habits, and you must stop it RIGHT NOW! What’s to stop you from taking this dirty trend into other aspects of you life? What next, highlighter blobs and glittery stickers in your planner? I feel like Unikitty when she says, “I feel something inside it’s like…THE OPPOSITE OF HAPPINESS! I must stay positive. [breathes] Bubblegums! [begins hyperventilating] Butterflies? [eyes mist] Cotton candy…?”
I can’t read a book UNLESS I write in it! I never use my library card, I can’t borrow books from friends…if I’m reading and I see something I love, I HAVE to underline it or make margin notes. It makes reading a much more active, engaged experience for me and I find that I remember the books better afterwards. Plus it makes it super easy to go back and find my favorite lines! Althogh, I have to admit, I never use a HIGHLIGHTER. I etch away lightly in pencil…still a little reverent for the ink the author put on the page XD
Oh I like the word interactive. That’s so fun and I hadn’t thought about it that way. I like that you still respect the book with a pencil :)
I see the appeal of doing this, and I want to, but I just can’t… yet.
I insist that all my books are pristine also – no bending of pages or spines or covers. But I underline books.
It started in high school when there were parts I especially loved and wanted to reread. I started with little bits of paper as a sort of permanent bookmark. But then I decided, this was my book, I wanted it to be easy to find all the lines… so I underlined them. And my bookshelf looked much nicer without all the little bits of paper sticking up and I could find all the parts I liked.
The only one that almost hurt was my leather bound copy of Lord of the Rings. That one took me a while to remind myself as big and important and pretty as it is, it’s still a book. And it’s my book.
But I love the perspective of it being like a reading journal. Because, it is your book and how wonderful to be able to go back and not only revisit the book but also that particular experience of reading it – or a whole collection of reading experiences bound into your book with the story itself.
So, for me, writing in the book doesn’t count as it being anything less than pristine. After all, books signed by authors are written in…