If you are a book lover, chances are that you do not remember a lot about books that you read a year ago or a month ago.
I used to face that problem too.I used to forget names of main characters, sometimes about the plot too.
Earlier I thought it must be because of my shrinking attention span but then I realised I am not alone in this. We book lovers all face this issue.
Highlighting important lessons or keywords does help, I do that while reading. Some people also take notes by writing on the same book they are reading, but I like to keep my books away from my shabby handwriting.
"Maintaining a Reading Journal helps me to tackle all the problems mentioned above."
What is a Reading Journal after all?
A reading journal is a tool readers can use to keep track of what they’ve read. It works as a dated log, or reading diary. By keeping your own reading journal, you can record your reactions to what you read. This gives you a way to remember what you thought about certain characters and can lend insight into themes and plot lines.
Writing does wonders for your memory. It helps you build better comprehension skills, thereby leading to better recall. Also, it has a direct impact on your working memory. When you record your thoughts in the writing form, you are going over them again and again and your brain as your thoughts are way faster than your writing speed could ever be.
I have been maintaining Reading Journal since 2012. its the best thing that has happened to a book nerd like me.
I have written in my Reading Journals about the books I have read, the date when i started and finished reading them,plot of that book, about my favourite quotes and MOST IMP "Lessons learned from the book and how it made me feel"
Now, in 2021 when I look back at the entries in my journal, I can see my transition from Fiction to Non fiction, how my thought process has changed over a decade. I love going back to my Reading Journals to take a sneak peek at the days that have gone by and will never come back but I have my journal to go back to feel same emotions I felt when I read it for the first time.