This is a real challenge for me. My mother was a librarian and I was always warned against writing or marking books, turning down pages etc. That childhood indoctrination is hard to overcome. For academic work I managed to do some light underlining with pencil and that was about it. I found that the copy of Pride and Prejudice bought for me as a young teen is abridged, so I have got an ebook of full version and can highlight away. Any maybe then by when we reach Middlemarch I can happily mark my printed copy
An option.... to start dipping your toes... would be to get transparent sticky notes and a fresh sharpie, stick them over the paragraph you are underling and go to town. I "discovered" this system when reading a library book earlier this year and getting the sudden urge to annotate it to death.
It's a little work to take the stickies out at the end but worth it, to me.
I have the very same problem! Even with textbooks I always had re-sale value in my mind and was doing as little annotation as possible. After experimenting for a while, I realized I can do post-it, similar to Petya‘s suggestion. But I‘m sure ebook is another great alternative. Happy reading!
I love these ideas! The transparent sticky notes, using little page flags and an accompanying notebook to mark ideas without marking your book, and using digital annotations are amazing ways to get started!
You know, this had me reflecting. The first few times I annotated books, my notes were SO timid and I was so scared I would write something "silly" or "wrong" in the margins. It makes me think about how annotation is really just like any other creative habit: you have to find your voice and your style and the approach that works for your brain.
Thank you for writing this series and sharing it to free subscribers. It’s exactly what I’ve looking for. I wish I could find more newsletters with actual content, not just content about creating content!
Thanks Rachel!! I have often felt the same about Substack: I find lots of content about how to monetize or use Substack or get more followers...but I want real storytelling and writing expertise and academic goodness. I can hiiiiighly recommend Petya Grady (another commenter in this list!) and Kate Jones as amazing creators who have *actual* content in their stacks! Natalie McGlocklin is another fave!
My favorite topic! This has been such a fun series. I am traveling right now and finding myself too scattered to do my 2025 reflection and goal planning but I will do it all when we get back!
Ooh I'd love your feedback on the series, Petya!!! I am so excited to hear what you like (and what you wish was different) if you end up doing the exercises!
I have no issue writing in my books but...using a pen made me, perhaps, not spontaneous enough with my thinking, but the, I discovered Blackwing pencils and one would not think that one pencil is that much different from another...I have pencil love now and happily write spontaneous thoughts in my books. Now I need to reel in my thoughts just a bit 🤔.
OMG Kim! Blackwing pencils are the BEST!!! I hav a box of the 602s on my desk at all times. They are somehow so smooth while also having the perfect grit to write in book pages? Yes!!!! The best!!
This series is really helpful! Thank you for writing it!
I'm so glad you've enjoyed it!
This is a real challenge for me. My mother was a librarian and I was always warned against writing or marking books, turning down pages etc. That childhood indoctrination is hard to overcome. For academic work I managed to do some light underlining with pencil and that was about it. I found that the copy of Pride and Prejudice bought for me as a young teen is abridged, so I have got an ebook of full version and can highlight away. Any maybe then by when we reach Middlemarch I can happily mark my printed copy
An option.... to start dipping your toes... would be to get transparent sticky notes and a fresh sharpie, stick them over the paragraph you are underling and go to town. I "discovered" this system when reading a library book earlier this year and getting the sudden urge to annotate it to death.
It's a little work to take the stickies out at the end but worth it, to me.
I have the very same problem! Even with textbooks I always had re-sale value in my mind and was doing as little annotation as possible. After experimenting for a while, I realized I can do post-it, similar to Petya‘s suggestion. But I‘m sure ebook is another great alternative. Happy reading!
I love these ideas! The transparent sticky notes, using little page flags and an accompanying notebook to mark ideas without marking your book, and using digital annotations are amazing ways to get started!
You know, this had me reflecting. The first few times I annotated books, my notes were SO timid and I was so scared I would write something "silly" or "wrong" in the margins. It makes me think about how annotation is really just like any other creative habit: you have to find your voice and your style and the approach that works for your brain.
That’s exactly how I feel! As if I’m „contaminating“ a beautiful book 🤪 this is what I’m aiming to overcome.
Thank you for writing this series and sharing it to free subscribers. It’s exactly what I’ve looking for. I wish I could find more newsletters with actual content, not just content about creating content!
Thanks Rachel!! I have often felt the same about Substack: I find lots of content about how to monetize or use Substack or get more followers...but I want real storytelling and writing expertise and academic goodness. I can hiiiiighly recommend Petya Grady (another commenter in this list!) and Kate Jones as amazing creators who have *actual* content in their stacks! Natalie McGlocklin is another fave!
My favorite topic! This has been such a fun series. I am traveling right now and finding myself too scattered to do my 2025 reflection and goal planning but I will do it all when we get back!
Ooh I'd love your feedback on the series, Petya!!! I am so excited to hear what you like (and what you wish was different) if you end up doing the exercises!
I have no issue writing in my books but...using a pen made me, perhaps, not spontaneous enough with my thinking, but the, I discovered Blackwing pencils and one would not think that one pencil is that much different from another...I have pencil love now and happily write spontaneous thoughts in my books. Now I need to reel in my thoughts just a bit 🤔.
OMG Kim! Blackwing pencils are the BEST!!! I hav a box of the 602s on my desk at all times. They are somehow so smooth while also having the perfect grit to write in book pages? Yes!!!! The best!!