The subsection of the TikTok referred to as “BookTok” has made several books gain widespread popularity. It has publicized aesthetic photos with annotations that are also already relatively widespread on apps like Pinterest. Annotating fiction may sound like a contradicting idea because why do something for fun that is also frequently done for school required readings?
Even though at first the idea may sound off-putting, annotating can be a great way to have fun while reading, especially when returning to a book you have read previously. Annotations can look a lot of different ways, and it is easiest to start with tabbing favorite moments. Tabs come in a variety of colors and styles that can be used to color code based on characters or the types of scenes. (My recommendation for tabs from Amazon can be found here.)
When I first started annotating, I was very against writing in the physical copies of my books. I preferred to write any thoughts I had in my notes app and I did not want the pages to look anything less than pristine. While I still stand by this when I read a book for the first time, splurging and buying another copy specifically for annotations can make for an amusing reading experience.
Another misconception about annotating is that it has to be serious and profound. Honestly, most of my margin notes are random thoughts I have or even doodles. I love using Zebra Mildliners to highlight certain passages because they come in fairly light colors and do not bleed through the pages. Between highlighting, tabbing, and jotting down notes, it makes for something you can go back to and reflect on. And, when you really love a story and characters, annotating will come naturally and you will be glad you have your thoughts all in one place.