I thought I couldn't do audio books either but this year I discovered that if I set the pace to x2 and make sure I'm doing something with my hands I actually love them! I crochet or journal while I listen and absolutely love it!
I love to work in my studio or to knit with an audiobook - it makes me think I’m wealthy, since I think a queen in the distant past would have had a minstrel reading poetry and stories to the ladies in a solar of a castle somewhere while they embroidered and sewed! I don’t do double speed, but usually 1.5.
I hear you about audiobooks, I struggle to concentrate also, so I rarely listen to audiobooks. Even if I'm not doing anything else at the moment, my mind will wander. Interestingly, if I've already read the book before or I'm familiar with it, I've no problem concentrating 😂 Anyway I wouldn't mind more bookish content ❤
reading these comments is honestly making me feel way better about it ehehehe, that's exactly what happens to me! my mind just starts to wander and i lose track of what's going on, and have to rewind. thank you!!! 🥰
I have had exactly the same issue and I've found increasing the speed at which the person is talking has massively helped! Might be an option to try? I'm enjoying the convenience of being able to absorb books without looking at a screen or page 😁
Audible has a series done with with multiple readers, called "graphic audio" which they say is "like a movie in your mind! I love them. Will sometimes even listen to them before bed rather than turning on the tv!😉
I love audio books, and they're absolutely not for everyone, but if you're not ready to give up, heres a few things that I personally found helpful about audio books: 1) I absolutely listen to a sample before purchasing/renting because SOME narrators are impossible for me to listen to, while others I waaay prefer over my own inner reader "voice". 2) I love doing "read alongs" with audio books. In other words, I'll rent an audio book from my library of a book I already have and follow along with the narration in my physical book. Sometimes, that enhances the experience and/or actually enhances my ability to focus. 3) I almost always change the narration speed! As a neurodivergent person, I find it waaaaay easier to pisten to audiobooks at an increased speed. Usually 1.5 speed sounds relatively natural, while having a more engaging pace, but it depends on the narrator. Sometimes, I'll go up to x2 speed or sometimes listen on regular speed and everything in between. It might sound counterintuitive, but for folks with ADHD and other brain differences, delivering the information faster can actually improve focus. Again, I'm not saying anyone needs to like or listen to audiobooks, just offering some ideas to anyone who WANTS to like audiobooks but is struggling to. All that aside, you made an adorable journal!! You're very talented! 🤩
omg thank you so much for this, this is super useful!!! the speed thing makes so much sense to me actually, i listen to most things in x1.5 speed, the regular speed makes me lose focus 🫣🫠 thank you so much, you’re so sweet!! 🥰
The narrator does have a great impact on how you'll enjoy the book. I've taking to listening to audio books due to sight problems - the fonts on some books are bad to read. The James Herriot books, LOTR, The Hobbit and the Natural History of Dragons series are great to listen to. Another tip I've found is listen when you aren't going to be disturbed. A lot of people think you can multi task while listening to audiobooks and you really can't. You end up loosing concentration and you'll suddenly find it's moved on to something you didn't pay attention to and you have to back track.
@craftyhobbit7623 you bring up a good point about multi-tasking. I love putting on an audio book when the other thing I'm doing is something I DON'T want to focus on, like cleaning. I will also listen while driving. But I can't listen to audiobooks at work like some people do. I certainly can't split my focus on two different things/tasks that involve words. I have only listened to audiobooks at work when my task is boring and menial and requires zero concentration, again, something I don't want to focus on.
This video was much fun! Loved seeing your beautiful journal set up and really enjoyed hearing your thoughts as well. YES to reading vlogs!! Especially classics reading vlogs! ❤
honestly, in my journal, i only make spreads about the books about which i have something to say. sometimes i finish a book, and write down the title and thats it. other times it is a one page spread. other times its a two page spread. depends on what i want to say about the book
This is a beautiful set up. I don't have a reading journal but this makes me want one haha. I LOVE audio books. I have the opposite problem.. I loose whats happening when I read to myself. Im also a slow reader so it takes me forever to get through an actual book AND I absolutely struggle to sit still long enough to read. Id love to get better at it but so far Im a huge audio book fan. I listen while driving or doing mundane tasks like cooking, cleaning and laundry. It keeps me so well entertained and it comes with me when I move rooms because I have headphones. haha.. i'll shut up now.
thank you so much!! 🥰 and gotcha! in my mind that also works best, i was just kinda worried about spamming people with book related content 🫣 but i'm really happy to know that some of you are into the idea! 🥰
Im starting my first reading journal and listing 2-3 books per page, giving brief summaries and star ratings for each. Im saving 1-2 page spreads for books/series I love and want to devote the time to, including decor and quotes for those. Ive been watching a lot of videos to consider what to include. Ideas: reading goals (such as how many books to try to read this year), TBR, and daily reading tracker in table format.
I began a reading journal last year. I have some goal oriented and tracking spreads in the beginning but then I have a calendar where I log when I start and finish books done by month. I also read around 100 books yearly. After my calendar spreads I make a thumbnail copy of the cover and write a synopsis and review of each.
the joy to audiobooks is that you dont need to pay close attention- doing household chores or crafting with a book playing in the background it a great use. I was always plugged into a Walkman for decades and my hearing has caught up to my age so tuning out on the bus was another use. There are a lot of books where I have either read the physical book or seen the show so that helps to pay attention but ultimately, if you cant listen to one then I find it likely wasnt a great book (no way I could have ever gotten through the Game of Thrones series via audio!). You also have to like the voice of the reader. I have progressed to using the Calm app to read a short bedtime story. lol.
Found you bc of this video and instantly followed! You have such an approachable way with journals! ❤ I keep a digital reading „journal“ (aka notion tracks my stats) and have found the following things fun/practical: tracking monthly/yearly books completed (+/- star ratings), a reading calendar/log (which doesnt work very well on notion but there are beautiful examples on yt i.e. erin smith), a place to see at one glance the big year-long readathon i take part in (including journaling in-character), a wishlist, a physical tbr. I have found that I don‘t care for individual spreads for my books bc it slows down my reading and quickly felt like a chore, but that‘s a me-thing 😊
thank you so much for following and for this lovely comment, that's so sweet of you!!! 🥺🥰 uuuhh never thought of using notion to track my reading, that's an interesting idea, might work for writing out my thoughts on books i didn't love as much. thank you so much for sharing, that was really helpful!! 🥰
Welcome to the Reading Journal Community!! Your journal is STUNNING! I am excited to see what other spreads you'll add to it as time goes on. Subscribed!
I struggled really bad with audiobooks for a while. I totally understand. I do love them now though! I found that I had to ease myself into them by using audiobooks to "reread" books when I wanted to continue the series but it's been like a year since I read the first book. It works as a good refresher. Now my brain can (mostly) listen to audiobooks just fine while I work
This was a very very cozy video!! I usually have videos like these kind of in the background but I was so entranced by the way that you draw that I ended up watching the full video in awe unable to look away 🤩 We also have ready/plan to read almost the exact same books so I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on them in future update videos 😄You should link your Goodreads or Fable in the description! Definitely gained a new subscriber
oh thank you, you're so sweet!! 🥰 i'll probably share my Goodreads at the beginning of 2025, I wanna share it when the new reading challenge begins ehhehe
Same about audiobooks! And it happens to me with podcasts too, my attention span is terrible when it’s listening only. Beautiful journal i love all the spreads!❤
I have a similar experience with audiobooks! What I really like is listening to the audiobook WHILE I'm reading along in the book! That way I keep a good steady pace! :-) But with only the audiobook I lose track of whats happening very easily (except with some, where the speakers are just brilliant, like Andi Serkys with the audiobooks for The Lord Of The Rings). 30-40 books for someone working fulltime AND have a TH-cam channel is such a great amount of reading!! I also have a job, and 2 TH-cam channels, and so far I also "only" just read 31 books this year. I love love love your reading journal, it's so beautiful! 🧡
Very pretty setup! I am the same with audiobooks, I have started listening to them to get ahead in the book though. I'll read the ebook and listen to the audiobook while doing chores or something and that way I am still able to get immersed in the book because I'm still reading it every few chapters.
i like to do spreads if i really like the book, if i rated it three stars or less, usually it doesnt get its own page. I usually do monthly spreads where i have the pictures of the book covers with their ratings so i can see what books i didnt make spreads for still
It's so funny you said you didnt know if it was an adhd thing with audiobooks but thats actually the reason I love them! If i'm sewing or drawing / making layouts having an audiobook makes it so nice to have both things going and my mind doesn't wander (tho i am medicated so it does help me focus alot more)
I use my absolute favorite notebooks with a 5 year goal in mind. My reading/media journal is ONLY for my absolute favorite books/documentaries and life-changing movies that I can look back at years down the line and remember :)
I love your reading journal 😍 I feel you with audiobooks, I can't even try to listen to one because it's quite of like podcast I can't focus. Plus voices make a difference for me! I wish I could listen to audiobooks because then I could do that while driving, cleaning and also while I'm at the gym, but it looks like audiobooks aren't made for me!
I struggle with the same problem with audiobooks, can’t focus on what’s happening no matter how hard I try. I always knew I wasn’t an audio learner but I still tried a bunch of audiobooks to make sure. I just love seeing the words before me, helps me retain more of the plot.
Love your spreads, been watching a lot of reading journal videos to get inspo for my 2025 reading journal. I kinda know what you mean about audiobooks, I can only listen to certain audiobooks, I find romance is the easiest to listen to, otherwise I have to read physically because I don't actually follow the story. Though I also kinda struggle doing other things when listening to an audiobook, I can only really draw or journal.
I feel like monthly spreads is likely to be overwhelming, but I like the idea of quarterly or season-based spreads, like a winter theme for Dec-Feb. I also get it, not all books I read will make me feel like I have a lot to say. I only recently am doing media journaling. I am using the pages in the back of my hobonichi weeks, and 1 page is a great space for 1 books or game, so I bet a half-page would be a good amount in an A5 Journal for most books.
I've always struggled with audiobooks, I was unable to have it on in the background. Until this year when I got in a really bad reading slump, and I found that I'm just very picky on the narrator of the audiobook. So far YA books and non-fiction are what I can read with audiobooks, but I still prefer a physical book Love the whole setup, so cozy and elegant! If you want to track more stats digitally, I can also recommend the Storygraph app :D It gives you monthly data, not only yearly as GR does!
I totally understand about audiobooks because I used to be the same until last year! My mind would just wander and not focus on them at all. I decided to try a reread through an audiobook so that it wouldn't matter so much if I spaced out and I discovered for some reason that while journaling (like drawing and collaging, not the writing parts) I didn't space out at all! I got curious so I tried with a book I hadn't read and 100% focused the entire time so long as I was journaling while listening. I dunno what it is, I guess it keeps my hands busy and my focus just right or something. I honestly think it might be a learned skill? Since I've definitely gotten better at it and can sometimes manage to listen while commuting as well now, but only if I can feel that I'm in a very focused mood if that makes sense. It's weird and I don't really know how but I'm still happy about it since it lets me get more stories in me haha Anyways, new to your channel but beautiful setup. The gingam really works wonders and makes it so cohesive and cozy
eheheheh thank you! i don’t think i’ll do spreads for every book, but i decided i do want to do monthly spreads, so more reading journal content coming 🥰
Your journal is simple yet beautiful which is the thing I struggle so much with 😅 I overwork my spreads more often than not 😂 I sometimes can't concentrate on audiobooks as well but that happens to me with physical books too. I spend almost hour every day walking to/from work and I was so tired of listening to the same music (and too lazy to look for something new lol) so audiobooks are my go to now. And if I am listening to especially good one I find my place cleaner or I'm suddenly in a mood for a walk because I just have to listen to what is going to happen next but I have to be doing something where I don't need my brain :D Not sure if I make sense 😅
oh i get you with the habit of overworking themes and spreads, i deal with the same issue honestly and i’ve been forcing myself to dial it down 😅 i wish i could do that!! i definitely see myself getting a lot more chores done if i can just put on an audiobook and get to it, really need to find a way to get into listening to audiobooks
Re: audiobooks. You have to learn to listen to them. Just as you had to learn to read once upon a time. A mindless activity for your hands, as others have suggested, is a good idea. Personally, I like puzzling (via an app), or crocheting or journaling.
I really struggle with audiobooks as well! I had pretty much given up on them until I stumbled upon a book I didn't have physically and really wanted to read. I just happened to put it on as a background to something I was working on that was very repetitive and a bit tedious. It was also a really simple romance novel (I tend to read fantasy most often) and I also bumped up the speed to 2x and magically it was a lot of fun! It actually helped me finish the tedious task easier as well, so I attempted it with one of my fantasy novels and ... nope! 😂 For now it seems it has to be a more simple novel that doesn't take as much concentration and the task I'm doing really has to require zero brain power. I'm hoping over time I will gain more practice and it will get easier, but if not at least I know I can listen to certain stories in audio format which is nice ^.^
thank you so much, i'm glad you like it!! 🥰 i'm using a fineliner from Winsor & Newton, size 0.3, in shade Sepia! They can be a bit pricey but they last a long time, their quality is great and they hardly smudge, hope this helps! 🥰
I mostly do audiobooks bc I struggle to sit and focus on a book for long periods 😅 Instead i tend to do some quiet activity while listening to an audiobook bc of course I still love literature and stories 🩷
Since I work a manual labor job with 10 hour shifts and the job doesnt require my brain I listen to audiobooks when I can. I listen when Im driving and when Im cleaning house. It just allows me to consume many more books. I always listen at 1.50 speed to even as much as 2.50. If I ever feel Im losing focus I turn it off for a bit and let my own thoughts in.
This is such a beautiful reading journal, it has made me so excited to set up my 2025 journal! Can I please ask what pen do you use to do your Gingham backgrounds? im struggling to find the right pens! Thank you :)
thank you! it’s a tombow dual brush pen marker, in a shade of beige, i’d love to be able to tell you the shade number, but it’s faded 😞 i just know it starts with 99, i hope this helps!
I write the title, author, date when I started reading, date when I finished reading, language, where did I get the book, short resume and a quote or two that I absolutely loved... one page for a book... on average :)
ooohh thank you, that's actually so helpful!! i really hadn't thought about adding where i got the book from! most books i just order online, but this year i travelled abroad and got some books, i like buying books as souveniers eheehe 🥰 so that's actually a great idea to write that down in those cases! thank you!!! 🥰
I have been waiting for new reading journal setup video's. I think I might have seen all the video's for 2024 and am so exited to start a new reading journal for 2025 but I do use them per year so I still need to wait a bit before actually using it. I might set one up already soon tho. I tend to not have the patience to wait when I'm exited. hope this shit made sense.
definitely get it!! well you can already start thinking about what you want to do, it's a bit early, but i know a lot of people that start planning their setups for the next year around this time, that way they have everything ready to go, even if the holiday season gets super busy! thank you for commenting! 🥰
@@lunar.inspiration I ordered my journal today from archer and olive so once it arrives. (hopefully soon) I can start planning it in pencil and then work it out. 🥰 this would be my second year of doing a reading journal so I'm searching for my own vibe still aswell. I noticed a few things I will defenitly not use again in 2025 since I either didn't use it that much or it just didn't fit my vibe that much but I also have a lot of things that I do want to try again this year. I'm watching other people making their journals so I can get more inspiration for my own. either of style, colour combo's or spread idea's. I love the vibe you went for, it is so cute and cozy!
I sometimes have that issue with audiobooks. I need to mentally prepare to listen to one and sometimes, the subject matter is too complex that I can't focus on it at all, or it has too many twists and turns that I can't follow. Having said that, I wouldn't have such a high read count if it wasn't for audiobooks though😅
thank you! i’m assuming you’re talking about the fineliner, right? it’s from Winsor and Newton, it’s their fineliner in 0.3 and in the shade Sepia. Don’t have a link for it, I just get them off of Amazon! You can buy them individually or in packs, hope this helps!
@@mysiaperry499 glad i could help eheheh their fineliners are my favorite, in my humble opinion they are waaay better than the micron ones. they’re a bit pricier but they last longer and i personally think the quality is better. they also have them in black, grey and blue ☺️
I am really thinking about buying this exact journal! Does it lay flat or does it lay at a angle? Some hard cover journals i notice cant lay flat because of the spine. I love this video and your creativity!
I love audiobooks, but I can't consume most books in audio format. It's hard to find my place if there is a distraction and with some people's writing styles, I really need punctuation marks to know what is being said and what is being thought. Audiobooks with a full voice cast are amazing for me because it's easy to find my place and everything is just clearer
oh that's interesting! i have heard that there are some books that have particularly good voice casts and it elevates the reading experience, maybe i need to try out some audiobooks with full voice casts, really hadn't thought of it from that angle 🤔 thank you so much for sharing!! 🥰
i sketch it on in pencil! i do it off camera cause it can be a long process with a lot of back and forth, and the video would be huge if i included that
I didn't like audiobooks until I leaned that you can speed it up. So I usually listen at 2x speed and for some reason my brain can handle listening then.
reading these kind of comments makes me feel so much better about it, not gonna lie 😂 i see so many people in reading vlogs enjoying their audio books, i thought i was weird 😂 thank you for commenting!! 🥰
Eu sinto que preciso me concentrar muito mais pra escutar um audiobook do que ler um livro físico ou e-book kkkkkk acabei não gostando muito das experiências e aceitei que não é pra mim.
I can only listen to audiobooks while I do something else that is the *right* level of cognitive load. If whatever else I’m doing is too boring or too interesting, I will need to rewind constantly. But I still love reading with my eyes so much better. Verbal instructions, on the other hand, are worse than useless >_
I have a love hate relationship with audiobooks while I would love listen to them more I just don’t want to!! But I have been known to listen to audiobooks and read along with the physical copy. But sometimes the narrator will sway me to just cut the audio book right there.
I personally can’t stand audio books. It’s not that I can’t focus on them, but the narration actually pulls me OUT of the immersion. I can just tell that the narrator sometimes inflects differently than I would, so I get annoyed. Also, this is an unpopular opinion, but I don’t consider listening to audio books in any way similar to reading physical (or e-) books. I have a pet peeve when people (mostly TH-camrs) talk about the hundreds and hundreds of books they “read” this year, when it turns out 70% of them were audio. It’s not the same. Not LESS, I’m not hating on audio books, y’all! But it’s not the same.
This is adorable! I have a video of my 2024 reading journal setup, and monthly spread videos if you want to see how i set them up! I’m doing a blackout journal for 2025 and it is going to be a challenge for myself 😂
I thought I couldn't do audio books either but this year I discovered that if I set the pace to x2 and make sure I'm doing something with my hands I actually love them! I crochet or journal while I listen and absolutely love it!
I love to work in my studio or to knit with an audiobook - it makes me think I’m wealthy, since I think a queen in the distant past would have had a minstrel reading poetry and stories to the ladies in a solar of a castle somewhere while they embroidered and sewed! I don’t do double speed, but usually 1.5.
I listen to them while I play video games or clean!
I hear you about audiobooks, I struggle to concentrate also, so I rarely listen to audiobooks. Even if I'm not doing anything else at the moment, my mind will wander. Interestingly, if I've already read the book before or I'm familiar with it, I've no problem concentrating 😂 Anyway I wouldn't mind more bookish content ❤
reading these comments is honestly making me feel way better about it ehehehe, that's exactly what happens to me! my mind just starts to wander and i lose track of what's going on, and have to rewind. thank you!!! 🥰
I have had exactly the same issue and I've found increasing the speed at which the person is talking has massively helped! Might be an option to try? I'm enjoying the convenience of being able to absorb books without looking at a screen or page 😁
@@georgiabrazier hi, i am doing exactly the same and it helped me to listen to audiobooks without finding them boring
Audible has a series done with with multiple readers, called "graphic audio" which they say is "like a movie in your mind! I love them. Will sometimes even listen to them before bed rather than turning on the tv!😉
I love audio books, and they're absolutely not for everyone, but if you're not ready to give up, heres a few things that I personally found helpful about audio books:
1) I absolutely listen to a sample before purchasing/renting because SOME narrators are impossible for me to listen to, while others I waaay prefer over my own inner reader "voice".
2) I love doing "read alongs" with audio books. In other words, I'll rent an audio book from my library of a book I already have and follow along with the narration in my physical book. Sometimes, that enhances the experience and/or actually enhances my ability to focus.
3) I almost always change the narration speed! As a neurodivergent person, I find it waaaaay easier to pisten to audiobooks at an increased speed. Usually 1.5 speed sounds relatively natural, while having a more engaging pace, but it depends on the narrator. Sometimes, I'll go up to x2 speed or sometimes listen on regular speed and everything in between. It might sound counterintuitive, but for folks with ADHD and other brain differences, delivering the information faster can actually improve focus.
Again, I'm not saying anyone needs to like or listen to audiobooks, just offering some ideas to anyone who WANTS to like audiobooks but is struggling to.
All that aside, you made an adorable journal!! You're very talented! 🤩
omg thank you so much for this, this is super useful!!! the speed thing makes so much sense to me actually, i listen to most things in x1.5 speed, the regular speed makes me lose focus 🫣🫠 thank you so much, you’re so sweet!! 🥰
@lunar.inspiration Yeah, adjusting the speed was a game changer for me. Glad you find it helpful! 😊
The narrator does have a great impact on how you'll enjoy the book. I've taking to listening to audio books due to sight problems - the fonts on some books are bad to read. The James Herriot books, LOTR, The Hobbit and the Natural History of Dragons series are great to listen to. Another tip I've found is listen when you aren't going to be disturbed. A lot of people think you can multi task while listening to audiobooks and you really can't. You end up loosing concentration and you'll suddenly find it's moved on to something you didn't pay attention to and you have to back track.
@craftyhobbit7623 you bring up a good point about multi-tasking. I love putting on an audio book when the other thing I'm doing is something I DON'T want to focus on, like cleaning. I will also listen while driving.
But I can't listen to audiobooks at work like some people do. I certainly can't split my focus on two different things/tasks that involve words. I have only listened to audiobooks at work when my task is boring and menial and requires zero concentration, again, something I don't want to focus on.
This journal is gorgeous on the outside and you continued that onto the inside. Beautiful.
you’re so sweet, thank you so much 🥹🥰
This video was much fun! Loved seeing your beautiful journal set up and really enjoyed hearing your thoughts as well. YES to reading vlogs!! Especially classics reading vlogs! ❤
thank you, you’re so sweet!!! 🥹🥰
Yes, I’ve been waiting for a reading journal setup and love what you created! Please post more reading journal content 📚
thank you so much!! 😍 and i'm glad to know the timing of this video was good eheheh! more reading journal content coming your way soon 😘
honestly, in my journal, i only make spreads about the books about which i have something to say. sometimes i finish a book, and write down the title and thats it. other times it is a one page spread. other times its a two page spread. depends on what i want to say about the book
I can’t get on with audio books at all . I love the feel of a book in my hand . Lovely set up in your reading journal .
This is a beautiful set up. I don't have a reading journal but this makes me want one haha. I LOVE audio books. I have the opposite problem.. I loose whats happening when I read to myself. Im also a slow reader so it takes me forever to get through an actual book AND I absolutely struggle to sit still long enough to read. Id love to get better at it but so far Im a huge audio book fan. I listen while driving or doing mundane tasks like cooking, cleaning and laundry. It keeps me so well entertained and it comes with me when I move rooms because I have headphones. haha.. i'll shut up now.
I would love a reading blog and a set up but separate! Love these spreads they're super pretty ❤
thank you so much!! 🥰 and gotcha! in my mind that also works best, i was just kinda worried about spamming people with book related content 🫣 but i'm really happy to know that some of you are into the idea! 🥰
Im starting my first reading journal and listing 2-3 books per page, giving brief summaries and star ratings for each. Im saving 1-2 page spreads for books/series I love and want to devote the time to, including decor and quotes for those. Ive been watching a lot of videos to consider what to include. Ideas: reading goals (such as how many books to try to read this year), TBR, and daily reading tracker in table format.
I began a reading journal last year. I have some goal oriented and tracking spreads in the beginning but then I have a calendar where I log when I start and finish books done by month. I also read around 100 books yearly. After my calendar spreads I make a thumbnail copy of the cover and write a synopsis and review of each.
I loooove your reading journal aesthetic ❤️
thank you so much!! 🥹🥰
the joy to audiobooks is that you dont need to pay close attention- doing household chores or crafting with a book playing in the background it a great use. I was always plugged into a Walkman for decades and my hearing has caught up to my age so tuning out on the bus was another use. There are a lot of books where I have either read the physical book or seen the show so that helps to pay attention but ultimately, if you cant listen to one then I find it likely wasnt a great book (no way I could have ever gotten through the Game of Thrones series via audio!). You also have to like the voice of the reader. I have progressed to using the Calm app to read a short bedtime story. lol.
First time on your channel.. This is such a beautiful and cozy set up 💜
thank you so much! 🥰🥰
I’m using the exact same journal for my own reading journal! I absolutely love it.
oh how cool!! isn't it gorgeous 😍
Found you bc of this video and instantly followed! You have such an approachable way with journals! ❤
I keep a digital reading „journal“ (aka notion tracks my stats) and have found the following things fun/practical: tracking monthly/yearly books completed (+/- star ratings), a reading calendar/log (which doesnt work very well on notion but there are beautiful examples on yt i.e. erin smith), a place to see at one glance the big year-long readathon i take part in (including journaling in-character), a wishlist, a physical tbr. I have found that I don‘t care for individual spreads for my books bc it slows down my reading and quickly felt like a chore, but that‘s a me-thing 😊
thank you so much for following and for this lovely comment, that's so sweet of you!!! 🥺🥰 uuuhh never thought of using notion to track my reading, that's an interesting idea, might work for writing out my thoughts on books i didn't love as much. thank you so much for sharing, that was really helpful!! 🥰
Your setup is so, so beautiful ! I love it.
I can't listen to audiobooks either. The only read physical books. That's what I enjoy the most.
thank you so much!!! 🥰 physical books will always be my favourite
Welcome to the Reading Journal Community!! Your journal is STUNNING! I am excited to see what other spreads you'll add to it as time goes on. Subscribed!
thank youu!! 🥹🥰❤️
Love your set up for your reading journal! I'm using an A5 stalogy.
thank you so much!! 🥰 oh how nice!!
I struggled really bad with audiobooks for a while. I totally understand. I do love them now though!
I found that I had to ease myself into them by using audiobooks to "reread" books when I wanted to continue the series but it's been like a year since I read the first book. It works as a good refresher. Now my brain can (mostly) listen to audiobooks just fine while I work
i might try that! there are some books that i’d like to reread, so that might be my way to go about that! thank you!!! 🥰
This was a very very cozy video!! I usually have videos like these kind of in the background but I was so entranced by the way that you draw that I ended up watching the full video in awe unable to look away 🤩 We also have ready/plan to read almost the exact same books so I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on them in future update videos 😄You should link your Goodreads or Fable in the description! Definitely gained a new subscriber
oh thank you, you're so sweet!! 🥰 i'll probably share my Goodreads at the beginning of 2025, I wanna share it when the new reading challenge begins ehhehe
Same about audiobooks! And it happens to me with podcasts too, my attention span is terrible when it’s listening only. Beautiful journal i love all the spreads!❤
Yay book content from you can’t wait
thank you!! 🥰
I have a similar experience with audiobooks! What I really like is listening to the audiobook WHILE I'm reading along in the book! That way I keep a good steady pace! :-)
But with only the audiobook I lose track of whats happening very easily (except with some, where the speakers are just brilliant, like Andi Serkys with the audiobooks for The Lord Of The Rings). 30-40 books for someone working fulltime AND have a TH-cam channel is such a great amount of reading!! I also have a job, and 2 TH-cam channels, and so far I also "only" just read 31 books this year. I love love love your reading journal, it's so beautiful! 🧡
thank you so much!!! 🥰❤️
btw I just subscribed to your channel, I haven't even watched any of the videos yet, but it looks so cozy already 😍😍😍
@@lunar.inspiration 🥰💕Thank you so much, I hope you‘ll enjoy my content at least half as much as I enjoy yours! 🤗
Very pretty setup! I am the same with audiobooks, I have started listening to them to get ahead in the book though. I'll read the ebook and listen to the audiobook while doing chores or something and that way I am still able to get immersed in the book because I'm still reading it every few chapters.
uhhh i might try that!! thank you! 😘
i like to do spreads if i really like the book, if i rated it three stars or less, usually it doesnt get its own page. I usually do monthly spreads where i have the pictures of the book covers with their ratings so i can see what books i didnt make spreads for still
Absolutely gorgeous setup! Love the window idea. Did you free hand draw all the penciled outlines? You are a fantastic artist!
Super cute journal!!! Love to see what you do next
thank you so much!! 🥰
It's so funny you said you didnt know if it was an adhd thing with audiobooks but thats actually the reason I love them! If i'm sewing or drawing / making layouts having an audiobook makes it so nice to have both things going and my mind doesn't wander (tho i am medicated so it does help me focus alot more)
I use my absolute favorite notebooks with a 5 year goal in mind. My reading/media journal is ONLY for my absolute favorite books/documentaries and life-changing movies that I can look back at years down the line and remember :)
Also, these are the only books I allow to keep. Any other book will go to my friends or used book shops!
I love your reading journal 😍 I feel you with audiobooks, I can't even try to listen to one because it's quite of like podcast I can't focus. Plus voices make a difference for me! I wish I could listen to audiobooks because then I could do that while driving, cleaning and also while I'm at the gym, but it looks like audiobooks aren't made for me!
I struggle with the same problem with audiobooks, can’t focus on what’s happening no matter how hard I try. I always knew I wasn’t an audio learner but I still tried a bunch of audiobooks to make sure. I just love seeing the words before me, helps me retain more of the plot.
same! i watch all movies with subtitles, it just helps to retain the information somehow 🫠
Beautiful setup!
Love your spreads, been watching a lot of reading journal videos to get inspo for my 2025 reading journal. I kinda know what you mean about audiobooks, I can only listen to certain audiobooks, I find romance is the easiest to listen to, otherwise I have to read physically because I don't actually follow the story. Though I also kinda struggle doing other things when listening to an audiobook, I can only really draw or journal.
thank you so much!! 🥰 yeah it's really hard to juggle paying attention to what's being said while actually doing stuff 😕
I feel like monthly spreads is likely to be overwhelming, but I like the idea of quarterly or season-based spreads, like a winter theme for Dec-Feb.
I also get it, not all books I read will make me feel like I have a lot to say. I only recently am doing media journaling. I am using the pages in the back of my hobonichi weeks, and 1 page is a great space for 1 books or game, so I bet a half-page would be a good amount in an A5 Journal for most books.
I have the exactly same problem with audio books. You’re not alone. I’m not sure this is a normal thing, but you’re not alone 😊
thank you for letting me know!! definitely thought it was a me being weird kinda thing ehehehe 🥰
Yes! Literature major as well and I totally understand what you mean. But I love mysteries too.
yes reading vlog!
thank you!! 🥰 will start working on one soon 🤭
Just found your channel, I love the gingham! I just did plaid in mine, but you’re right, the gingham is easier! I might use that in the future! 😊
oh hiiii! thank you so much!! 🥰
I've always struggled with audiobooks, I was unable to have it on in the background. Until this year when I got in a really bad reading slump, and I found that I'm just very picky on the narrator of the audiobook. So far YA books and non-fiction are what I can read with audiobooks, but I still prefer a physical book
Love the whole setup, so cozy and elegant! If you want to track more stats digitally, I can also recommend the Storygraph app :D It gives you monthly data, not only yearly as GR does!
thank you, and thanks for the tip!! 🥰
I totally understand about audiobooks because I used to be the same until last year! My mind would just wander and not focus on them at all. I decided to try a reread through an audiobook so that it wouldn't matter so much if I spaced out and I discovered for some reason that while journaling (like drawing and collaging, not the writing parts) I didn't space out at all! I got curious so I tried with a book I hadn't read and 100% focused the entire time so long as I was journaling while listening. I dunno what it is, I guess it keeps my hands busy and my focus just right or something. I honestly think it might be a learned skill? Since I've definitely gotten better at it and can sometimes manage to listen while commuting as well now, but only if I can feel that I'm in a very focused mood if that makes sense. It's weird and I don't really know how but I'm still happy about it since it lets me get more stories in me haha
Anyways, new to your channel but beautiful setup. The gingam really works wonders and makes it so cohesive and cozy
it really might be just about getting used to it! i need to give them a try and see how it goes! thank you so much! 🥰
As a person addicted to reading journal videos i would love to see your spreads to every single book and every month, so i'm a bit sus in that opinion
eheheheh thank you! i don’t think i’ll do spreads for every book, but i decided i do want to do monthly spreads, so more reading journal content coming 🥰
Your journal is simple yet beautiful which is the thing I struggle so much with 😅 I overwork my spreads more often than not 😂
I sometimes can't concentrate on audiobooks as well but that happens to me with physical books too. I spend almost hour every day walking to/from work and I was so tired of listening to the same music (and too lazy to look for something new lol) so audiobooks are my go to now. And if I am listening to especially good one I find my place cleaner or I'm suddenly in a mood for a walk because I just have to listen to what is going to happen next but I have to be doing something where I don't need my brain :D Not sure if I make sense 😅
oh i get you with the habit of overworking themes and spreads, i deal with the same issue honestly and i’ve been forcing myself to dial it down 😅 i wish i could do that!! i definitely see myself getting a lot more chores done if i can just put on an audiobook and get to it, really need to find a way to get into listening to audiobooks
Re: audiobooks. You have to learn to listen to them. Just as you had to learn to read once upon a time. A mindless activity for your hands, as others have suggested, is a good idea. Personally, I like puzzling (via an app), or crocheting or journaling.
Wow this is so pretty, congrats !
thank you!! 🥰
I really struggle with audiobooks as well! I had pretty much given up on them until I stumbled upon a book I didn't have physically and really wanted to read. I just happened to put it on as a background to something I was working on that was very repetitive and a bit tedious. It was also a really simple romance novel (I tend to read fantasy most often) and I also bumped up the speed to 2x and magically it was a lot of fun! It actually helped me finish the tedious task easier as well, so I attempted it with one of my fantasy novels and ... nope! 😂
For now it seems it has to be a more simple novel that doesn't take as much concentration and the task I'm doing really has to require zero brain power. I'm hoping over time I will gain more practice and it will get easier, but if not at least I know I can listen to certain stories in audio format which is nice ^.^
I love your art so much! what pen are you using for your line art so that your tombow doesn't smudge on top of it?
thank you so much, i'm glad you like it!! 🥰 i'm using a fineliner from Winsor & Newton, size 0.3, in shade Sepia! They can be a bit pricey but they last a long time, their quality is great and they hardly smudge, hope this helps! 🥰
I mostly do audiobooks bc I struggle to sit and focus on a book for long periods 😅 Instead i tend to do some quiet activity while listening to an audiobook bc of course I still love literature and stories 🩷
This is a gorgeous journal! 😍 does anyone know where it’s from? I didn’t see a link in the description
it’s from Leelajournals! she has her own online stored based in the US and some international stockists, hope this helps! 😊
Since I work a manual labor job with 10 hour shifts and the job doesnt require my brain I listen to audiobooks when I can. I listen when Im driving and when Im cleaning house. It just allows me to consume many more books. I always listen at 1.50 speed to even as much as 2.50. If I ever feel Im losing focus I turn it off for a bit and let my own thoughts in.
oh that sounds nice to be able to do that! i might have to experiment with different audio speeds, maybe that helps! thank you for sharing! 🥰
Beautiful ❤
thank you!! 🥰
This is such a beautiful reading journal, it has made me so excited to set up my 2025 journal! Can I please ask what pen do you use to do your Gingham backgrounds? im struggling to find the right pens! Thank you :)
thank you! it’s a tombow dual brush pen marker, in a shade of beige, i’d love to be able to tell you the shade number, but it’s faded 😞 i just know it starts with 99, i hope this helps!
I can't focus on audiobooks, I need the physical book in my hands. Strangely enough i LOVE podcasts
I write the title, author, date when I started reading, date when I finished reading, language, where did I get the book, short resume and a quote or two that I absolutely loved... one page for a book... on average :)
ooohh thank you, that's actually so helpful!! i really hadn't thought about adding where i got the book from! most books i just order online, but this year i travelled abroad and got some books, i like buying books as souveniers eheehe 🥰 so that's actually a great idea to write that down in those cases! thank you!!! 🥰
I have been waiting for new reading journal setup video's. I think I might have seen all the video's for 2024 and am so exited to start a new reading journal for 2025 but I do use them per year so I still need to wait a bit before actually using it. I might set one up already soon tho. I tend to not have the patience to wait when I'm exited. hope this shit made sense.
definitely get it!! well you can already start thinking about what you want to do, it's a bit early, but i know a lot of people that start planning their setups for the next year around this time, that way they have everything ready to go, even if the holiday season gets super busy! thank you for commenting! 🥰
@@lunar.inspiration I ordered my journal today from archer and olive so once it arrives. (hopefully soon) I can start planning it in pencil and then work it out. 🥰 this would be my second year of doing a reading journal so I'm searching for my own vibe still aswell. I noticed a few things I will defenitly not use again in 2025 since I either didn't use it that much or it just didn't fit my vibe that much but I also have a lot of things that I do want to try again this year. I'm watching other people making their journals so I can get more inspiration for my own. either of style, colour combo's or spread idea's. I love the vibe you went for, it is so cute and cozy!
@ oh cool!! thank you, that’s really sweet of you! 🥰
I sometimes have that issue with audiobooks. I need to mentally prepare to listen to one and sometimes, the subject matter is too complex that I can't focus on it at all, or it has too many twists and turns that I can't follow. Having said that, I wouldn't have such a high read count if it wasn't for audiobooks though😅
I am immediately obsessed with this pen you are using for the intro pages, are you able to share a link?
thank you! i’m assuming you’re talking about the fineliner, right? it’s from Winsor and Newton, it’s their fineliner in 0.3 and in the shade Sepia. Don’t have a link for it, I just get them off of Amazon! You can buy them individually or in packs, hope this helps!
@@lunar.inspiration omg yes you just made my day
@@mysiaperry499 glad i could help eheheh their fineliners are my favorite, in my humble opinion they are waaay better than the micron ones. they’re a bit pricier but they last longer and i personally think the quality is better. they also have them in black, grey and blue ☺️
@@lunar.inspiration I have been a micron stan for ages so I am hopeful this can become a new fave!
hoping you will love it ehehehe 🥰
I am really thinking about buying this exact journal! Does it lay flat or does it lay at a angle? Some hard cover journals i notice cant lay flat because of the spine.
I love this video and your creativity!
sorry, only saw this now!! it actually lays flat!
I cannot listen to audio books at all. You're not alone at all. I wish I could because then car rides would be so much better. lol
true! it would also improve my commute, honestly, sometimes the subway is super crammed and there’s no way to read in those conditions 🫠
Hey, you have a beautiful journal!! Where is it from? ❤
thank you! it’s from a brand called leelajournals! the creator also goes by that name on instagram, hope this helps! 🥰
I love audiobooks, but I can't consume most books in audio format. It's hard to find my place if there is a distraction and with some people's writing styles, I really need punctuation marks to know what is being said and what is being thought. Audiobooks with a full voice cast are amazing for me because it's easy to find my place and everything is just clearer
oh that's interesting! i have heard that there are some books that have particularly good voice casts and it elevates the reading experience, maybe i need to try out some audiobooks with full voice casts, really hadn't thought of it from that angle 🤔 thank you so much for sharing!! 🥰
How do you get the picture onto the page?
i sketch it on in pencil! i do it off camera cause it can be a long process with a lot of back and forth, and the video would be huge if i included that
I know what you mean with audio books. Reading a book your imagination runs wild lol and makes you think. ☺️☺️☺️
yes, specifically with fantasy books!! my imagination gets to run wild with all the descriptions eheheh 🥰
I didn't like audiobooks until I leaned that you can speed it up. So I usually listen at 2x speed and for some reason my brain can handle listening then.
I really can't with audiobooks either....I just keep loosing focus ^^.
reading these kind of comments makes me feel so much better about it, not gonna lie 😂 i see so many people in reading vlogs enjoying their audio books, i thought i was weird 😂 thank you for commenting!! 🥰
Eu sinto que preciso me concentrar muito mais pra escutar um audiobook do que ler um livro físico ou e-book kkkkkk acabei não gostando muito das experiências e aceitei que não é pra mim.
If you mean romance set in modern times then it's called contemporary Romance
I can only listen to audiobooks while I do something else that is the *right* level of cognitive load. If whatever else I’m doing is too boring or too interesting, I will need to rewind constantly. But I still love reading with my eyes so much better. Verbal instructions, on the other hand, are worse than useless >_
I have a love hate relationship with audiobooks while I would love listen to them more I just don’t want to!! But I have been known to listen to audiobooks and read along with the physical copy. But sometimes the narrator will sway me to just cut the audio book right there.
I personally can’t stand audio books. It’s not that I can’t focus on them, but the narration actually pulls me OUT of the immersion. I can just tell that the narrator sometimes inflects differently than I would, so I get annoyed.
Also, this is an unpopular opinion, but I don’t consider listening to audio books in any way similar to reading physical (or e-) books. I have a pet peeve when people (mostly TH-camrs) talk about the hundreds and hundreds of books they “read” this year, when it turns out 70% of them were audio. It’s not the same. Not LESS, I’m not hating on audio books, y’all! But it’s not the same.
This is adorable! I have a video of my 2024 reading journal setup, and monthly spread videos if you want to see how i set them up! I’m doing a blackout journal for 2025 and it is going to be a challenge for myself 😂