How to annotate while reading books?

The Chatters
, , ,
1

I mean there is no clear way on how to do it. Though when I am asking, I’m asking as someone who is very new to it and doesn’t know how.

So, I want to know what ways I can annotate when reading because I want to do this.

If you have any advice, feel free to let me know.
Thoughts and feelings?

2 Likes
2

you are annotating to help you get better at writing so thats going to look different from someone who is annotating to get better at structure/ storytelling, someone whose annotating to write essays, someone whose annotating to engage with material more, for memories etc.

so first determine purpose of your annotating.
in your case to get better at writing.

okay lets go through other purposes
writing an essay

  • what topics am i trying to explore through this text. i am going to annotate anytime the book makes me think of the topic or references the topic. and i am going to write either why it makes me think about it or how it talks about it

to form memories

  • anytime i have a strong reaction whether that be a thought or an emotion. i am going to mark the passage and elaborate on it.

to engage with the material more

  • whenever something interests me/ i am curious i am going to mark the passage and explore what i am curious about and why and develop hypothesis for my curiosity.

to get better at structure/ storytelling

  • anytime there is a change or development in the story or characters etc I am going to mark it down, say how it was executed, and its effect

to get better at writing

  • first i start reading and i ask myself am i bored or engaged with the writing itself. not with the story, not with the task of reading but the writing itself. i mark down if i am bored or if i am engaged
  • second i ask myself have i read enough of the writing to determine why. if the answer is yes write down why. if the answer is no keep reading until you get the answer. write that down. if by the time you’ve read enough to answer the question your answer has changed marked where it has changed and why if you can.
  • third make sure your why answer whether bored or engaged is something actionable you can do as a writer. for example this bored me cuz I don’t get why the writer is rambling about this may be true but it doesn’t give me something actionable. vs i am bored because the writer writes long descriptive sentences without any breaks for action or variety in length.
  • fourth whatever technique the writer employed whether you found it boring or engaging write something using that technique.
  • fifth go back to step 1 and repeat 1-4.
2 Likes
3

This is helpful!
Sorry for the late reply.

1 Like