I was JUST thinking about doing a post on annotating, its so much fun to see the supplies everyone uses like back to school shopping vibes I LOVE SUPPLIES. cant wait to read Passing with everyone 🖤
I tried your multicolor highlighting process with The Age of Innocence and got quickly overwhelmed. I'm currently using an annotation method I picked up from Plant Based Bride on YouTube. I do all of my highlighting with a Tombow 942 brush marker and then add page flags to color-code favorite quotes, plot points, themes or images I want to track, etc. I write plot point summaries next to those flags with a Micron pen.
Oh, I love that you're uncovering the best method for you!! Those Tombow brush markers are so beautiful. I love using margins to add plot summary. For a time in grad school, I put a short plot summary on a post-it note on the first page of each chapter or section — it helped me so much!
That's how I annotate too. I probably could be saving myself time by using different color flags or highlighters as I go along but like you, that overwhelms me.
What I do now is underline with a pencil or pen as I go along. Then after I am finished, I write a list of themes, assign color-coded flags to each theme and then go page by page and apply the flags. It takes some time but I find that process of going back and re-reading my underlined parts super clarifying.
Looking forward to more read a longs with you Haley .Pride and Prejudice I read constantly as a teen but I haven't revisited as an adult. Passing I read a couple of years ago and it will be good to read more closely
Looking forward to Passing in Sept. & anxiously waiting for your fall picks. The postcard you sent for Age of Innocence was AMAZING. That stamp.... for the win too. Have you heard of Postcrossing? I joined in Dec. and it brings so much joy.
I am so excited to join this read-a-thon! I haven't read "Passing" but a few years ago I read "The Vanishing Half" by Britt Bennet, which I believe is inspired by it. I can't wait to dig in.
Lining up all my supplies as we speak! I have been refining my annotation system since last time and this is what works for me:
1. Use whatever for underling, a pencil or ballpoint pen.
2. As I read, I start noting themes/categories of things I am trying to keep track of as they start to emerge.
4. Then go through my underlining and place the appropriate color flags.
5. In a journal, I will write the title of the book, list of the themes, page numbers related to each theme.
I am trying not to create a whole entire bureaucracy around this so I don't do it for each book that I read but I have been trying to annotate and journal about the top 1-3 books I read each month and it's felt so meaningful. It's been very helpful as I prepare my monthly roundups for my Substack, too.
Over the years, I had gotten into a habit of buying Moleskin journals and I think they are great but I go through notebooks like it's nobody's business and I just ordered a stack of these Paperage journals in red. I love the color and from what I can see, they are pretty similar to the Moleskins. Here's a link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0991NWHWH/ref=ewc_pr_img_2?smid=AW2GH31L40111&psc=1
lol never apologize for waxing poetic about office supplies. Also, I think you should write a whole post for your Substack about this!!
Also also: I used to list page numbers, too!! When I was writing my dissertation, I'd fill whole pages with page numbers but it took me a while to hone the system so that I had the right pages with the right topics and wasn't getting things jumbled.
I love figuring this stuff out. It reveals so much about how we read!
I have you to credit for actually pushing me into action on annotation with the last closed reading project. I always wanted to do it and I freaking love all the annotations content on Instagram and Pinterest... but I just thought I didn't have the time. Now I have a system that is not especially rigorous but definitely allows me to go deeper than I ever could before.
I think the funnest thing about annotations is when you actually start doing it for yourself and you realize you don't have to do it the way anyone else does it. It's such a personal, meaningful process of interacting with a story or a voice or a set of ideas, and I love learning about how other people take it on as a practice.
Verrrrrry excited to read Didion with you in October and annotate the hell out of some essays of hers!
I loved Passing when I read it as an undergrad, but I haven't read Quicksand yet. I looooove dotted paper - my writing looks messier but for some reason I can read it better? Makes no sense but it works! Those flags you linked to are gorgeous - I might have to get some, too!
Looking forward to the Passing read-a-long! It's been about two years since I last read it, so it will be fun to revisit!
It'll be SO fun! I think it's been maybe 4 years since I last read it? So excited!!!
So excited to read-a-long with you again!
Me too, Katherine!
Thanks for all the fun tips. I love to see other people’s favorites. I’ll be joining in for Passing!
I love to, too!! Excited to read with you!
I love how thorough this is and excited to tune in to your Passing read-along!
Thanks Steph!!
I was JUST thinking about doing a post on annotating, its so much fun to see the supplies everyone uses like back to school shopping vibes I LOVE SUPPLIES. cant wait to read Passing with everyone 🖤
Ooooh DO IT! I love a school supplies/annotation/bookish materials post any day, any time! Would love to read about yours!!
I tried your multicolor highlighting process with The Age of Innocence and got quickly overwhelmed. I'm currently using an annotation method I picked up from Plant Based Bride on YouTube. I do all of my highlighting with a Tombow 942 brush marker and then add page flags to color-code favorite quotes, plot points, themes or images I want to track, etc. I write plot point summaries next to those flags with a Micron pen.
Oh, I love that you're uncovering the best method for you!! Those Tombow brush markers are so beautiful. I love using margins to add plot summary. For a time in grad school, I put a short plot summary on a post-it note on the first page of each chapter or section — it helped me so much!
That's how I annotate too. I probably could be saving myself time by using different color flags or highlighters as I go along but like you, that overwhelms me.
What I do now is underline with a pencil or pen as I go along. Then after I am finished, I write a list of themes, assign color-coded flags to each theme and then go page by page and apply the flags. It takes some time but I find that process of going back and re-reading my underlined parts super clarifying.
Looking forward to more read a longs with you Haley .Pride and Prejudice I read constantly as a teen but I haven't revisited as an adult. Passing I read a couple of years ago and it will be good to read more closely
Oh, I'm so excited to read both with you!! Thanks for being here!!
Looking forward to Passing in Sept. & anxiously waiting for your fall picks. The postcard you sent for Age of Innocence was AMAZING. That stamp.... for the win too. Have you heard of Postcrossing? I joined in Dec. and it brings so much joy.
I am so excited to join this read-a-thon! I haven't read "Passing" but a few years ago I read "The Vanishing Half" by Britt Bennet, which I believe is inspired by it. I can't wait to dig in.
Lining up all my supplies as we speak! I have been refining my annotation system since last time and this is what works for me:
1. Use whatever for underling, a pencil or ballpoint pen.
2. As I read, I start noting themes/categories of things I am trying to keep track of as they start to emerge.
3. Once I am done reading, make a comprehensive list of topics on the title page of the book and place little color flags next to each theme. That's my color guide/legend. These are the flags I use and really like: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WVQ3R72/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
4. Then go through my underlining and place the appropriate color flags.
5. In a journal, I will write the title of the book, list of the themes, page numbers related to each theme.
I am trying not to create a whole entire bureaucracy around this so I don't do it for each book that I read but I have been trying to annotate and journal about the top 1-3 books I read each month and it's felt so meaningful. It's been very helpful as I prepare my monthly roundups for my Substack, too.
Over the years, I had gotten into a habit of buying Moleskin journals and I think they are great but I go through notebooks like it's nobody's business and I just ordered a stack of these Paperage journals in red. I love the color and from what I can see, they are pretty similar to the Moleskins. Here's a link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0991NWHWH/ref=ewc_pr_img_2?smid=AW2GH31L40111&psc=1
Oh, wow. I am sorry... this was so long. Reading + office supplies = my love language
lol never apologize for waxing poetic about office supplies. Also, I think you should write a whole post for your Substack about this!!
Also also: I used to list page numbers, too!! When I was writing my dissertation, I'd fill whole pages with page numbers but it took me a while to hone the system so that I had the right pages with the right topics and wasn't getting things jumbled.
I love figuring this stuff out. It reveals so much about how we read!
I have you to credit for actually pushing me into action on annotation with the last closed reading project. I always wanted to do it and I freaking love all the annotations content on Instagram and Pinterest... but I just thought I didn't have the time. Now I have a system that is not especially rigorous but definitely allows me to go deeper than I ever could before.
Thank you, My Close Reading Godmother.
OMG I love being your CRG!
I think the funnest thing about annotations is when you actually start doing it for yourself and you realize you don't have to do it the way anyone else does it. It's such a personal, meaningful process of interacting with a story or a voice or a set of ideas, and I love learning about how other people take it on as a practice.
Verrrrrry excited to read Didion with you in October and annotate the hell out of some essays of hers!
I loved Passing when I read it as an undergrad, but I haven't read Quicksand yet. I looooove dotted paper - my writing looks messier but for some reason I can read it better? Makes no sense but it works! Those flags you linked to are gorgeous - I might have to get some, too!
Okay but what is it with the dotted paper? Even my most chaotic notes look so good on it 🤣