How do I create a reading list in Notion?

Creating a comprehensive reading list in Notion transforms your scattered bookmarks and mental notes into a powerful, centralized tracking system. Unlike traditional spreadsheets or note apps that offer limited functionality, Notion's database approach allows you to organize, filter, and analyze your reading habits while maintaining detailed notes and progress tracking in one seamless workspace.

Start by creating a new page in your Notion workspace and adding a database by typing "/database" and selecting "Table view." This forms the foundation of your reading list where each row represents a book or article. Begin with essential properties like Title (which comes by default), Author as a text field, and Status using a select property with options like "To Read," "Reading," and "Completed." You can expand this framework by adding properties for Genre (select), Start Date and Finish Date (date properties), Progress (number for percentage or pages), and Notes (text for quotes and reflections).

The real power emerges when you leverage Notion's multiple view options. Switch between table view for comprehensive data entry, gallery view to display book covers visually, and board view for a kanban-style workflow where you can drag books between status columns. Each view filters and displays the same underlying data differently, giving you flexibility in how you interact with your reading list. For online articles, install Notion's web clipper extension to quickly capture content with pre-filled titles and URLs, streamlining your reading queue management.

While Notion's reading lists offer remarkable customization and functionality, they do come with some considerations. The learning curve can be steep for newcomers, and overly complex setups with too many properties may slow performance, especially on mobile devices. Additionally, Notion lacks native integration with services like Goodreads, requiring manual entry for most content. However, the ability to create filtered views, track detailed progress, and maintain rich notes within each entry far outweighs these limitations for most users.

Focus on starting simple with core properties and gradually adding features as your needs evolve. Use consistent categorization in your select fields to enable effective filtering, and remember that each database entry can be opened as a full page for extensive note-taking and reflection. This approach creates not just a reading list, but a comprehensive knowledge management system that grows with your learning journey.