If I could give you only one idea to develop the habits that lead to a readerly life, it would be this: surround yourself with books. What better reminder to read than an actual book waiting patiently to be read! 

Many of us have a space to collect books in our homes: bookshelves made especially for the task, a bedside table, or, in my house, the dining-room table that seems to be the catchall for everything. 

But simply having books is not enough—we need to strategically curate them and place them in locations where they will spur us to take reading action. After all, if the books are neatly tucked away, patiently waiting for us, then our reading habits are neatly tucked away, too. 

Enter the book stack.

Book stacks are beautiful piles of books just waiting to be read. They take our lofty statements about the books we hope to read and turn them into concrete reminders to create the time to read them. So, creating a book stack based on the reading life you envision for yourself is the first step in finding time to read. Here’s how:

Explore & Browse:

First, spend some time exploring the books you truly want to read next. Browse through the recommended book lists online, read reviews on Goodreads, head to your local library or bookstore, or gain recommendations from friends and colleagues.

Think about the messages you want your stack to say about yourself as a reader. Does your stack reflect those choices? If not, keep searching for titles until you are content with the books in front of you.

Choose & Stack

Then, select three to five titles, purchase or borrow them, and physically stack them in a pile. It isn’t enough to simply write down a list of to-be-read (TBR) titles.

You must stack the actual books as a clear commitment to your reading life and a reminder to find the time to read them. Trust me. It works.

Display & Read

Place your TBR stack strategically in your daily line of vision. I prefer placing the books on my kitchen counter because I know I will see them each and every day, begging me to choose reading over the dishes.

And it often works.

Choose a place that will work for you. Perhaps it is the coffee table in your living room or your bedside table. Maybe it is right next to your favorite chair on the porch where the breeze comes in. Where you decide to place your stack is almost as important as the books that comprise it. By glancing at those books every day, you’re more apt to find the time to read them. 

Digital Stacks for Long-Term Planning

Now, while I love a good book stack, there are only so many books that you can stack before they start to tilt and wobble. That’s why I love creating book stacks with a few books for immediate reading and larger digital collections for long-term planning, and I encourage you to do the same. Here are a few options: 

Create a TBR stack in a photos app on your mobile device. First, create a new album and label it. Mine is simply called “Want to Read.” Next, spend some time browsing your local library or bookstore, snap pictures of book covers that seem interesting, and add them to the album. I love taking pictures of the books friends and colleagues are reading, and I often ask them to get in the picture, too. That way, I can remember who recommended a particular book to me!

Create a List on Amazon or Bookshop. I used to have a bad habit of adding all the books I was interested in buying “someday” to my shopping cart. After accidentally purchasing all the books in my cart, I started creating Amazon and Bookshop lists instead. Lists are easy to make. Simply click on the “Add to List” button on the page for the book you are interested in. You can add the book to your public wish list or private shopping list, or you can create a personalized list instead.

Create an account on Goodreads. Goodreads is a social platform that allows readers to connect with other readers and helps them decide what to read next. Creating a profile is quick and easy and adding books to your shelves is even easier. If you do not yet have a Goodreads account, go ahead and create one. If you do, spend ten minutes browsing the site and add a few books to your Want-to-Read bookshelf. If you want to maximize Goodreads, download the app to your phone so you can quickly and easily add books to your digital stack on the go. 

Remember...

It’s one thing to create a collection and an entire other thing to actually use the collection to spark daily reading. While you might not physically see your digital stacks as you move about your day, challenge yourself to visit those spaces often. Move the app to the first home screen you see on your device for easy access and a reminder to open it. 

Building a book stack is a delightful activity to indulge your reading life AND ensure you make the time to read. If you’d like even more guidance on creating your book stack and building a robust reading life, you might like to join Get Lit(erate), my digital community designed to help you cultivate a life you love one book, notebook and planner at a time!