TBR means To Be Read. It is actually a list of all of the books that you want to read, but just haven’t gotten around to it. For avid readers TBR piles are mini-libraries. They grow at at alarming rate and tend to increase after you read book reviews or chat with a fellow bibliophile or see the recommendations from your favorite people or celebrities or book clubs. And if you are an eBook-a-holic like me, the TBR pile grows like Jack’s magical beanstalk.
With recommendations flying in from all directions, how do you create and organize your TBR list? Where do you keep the record of books you want to read? How do you ensure that you know what’s in your pipeline of books to read. Here are some tried and tested ways to create and organize the books you are interested in reading.
1. Notebook or a Diary
Well, this is the good old fashioned way of noting the books you want to read. As soon as you come across any good book and want to dive into it in the near future, make a note of the title and the author in your notebook. It’s simple and efficient, believe me!
2. Excel Sheet
If you are tech savvy, then Excel is the tool for you. You may save your excel spreadsheet on Google Drive so as to edit it on the go from your phone anytime, anywhere. You can make it as simple and as complex you want. Apart from the name and the author, you may add genre, format of book, date of starting and finishing the book, star rating etc. Here’s a part of my TBR List in Excel.
3. Goodreads
Goodreads is the social network for book-lovers. If you want to add a book to your TBR, search it on Goodreads and click on Want to Read button. When you click on that green button, not only do you make it easier to plan your future reading, you also unleash the power of the Want to Read shelf. Yes, when you add a book on your Want to Read shelf, it helps build a book’s buzz and gives you inside access to when that book is on sale, or free as part of Goodreads Giveaways program!
4. Amazon Wish List
As a rule, I dont buy ebooks which cost more than Rs 129. of course there are exceptions to the rule. So, if a book/ebook is not suiting my budget or I’d like to buy it at a later date, I add it in my Amazon Wish List. There is Add to List icon under the Buy box on the right-hand side of any item’s product detail page. Adding to Wish List not only keeps all your TBR books at one place but helps you to get alerts whenever there is a price drop on the items placed in the Wish List! Interesting isnt it?
5. Litsy
Litsy is an iOS and Android social media application and website that is based around reading books. It combines the best features of both Instagram and Goodreads. Apart from sharing of a ‘blurb’, a ‘quote’ or a ‘review’, you can also add your TBR books to the To Read section.
6. List and Productivity Apps
You may add your list of TBR books on list and productivity apps like the Notes on your phone, Evernote, TickTick, Microsoft To Do, Google Tasks etc.
7. Your Nightstand
Keep a pile of books you want to read next to your bed and grab one whenever you want.
So you see, creating and organizing your TBR list is easy.
But what about reading all these books?
If you are keen to get through your reading list and have fun doing it, read 9 Simple Ways to Read More Books This Year
Which of the above mentioned ideas appealed to you? How do you create and organize your TBR List? Do share in the comments below.
33 Responses
I have never used any apps for making TBR List. Listy is also new to me. I often follow the nightstand method.
I add books I want to read to my Amazon list as I come across them. I’m not sure it’s the best way though as I often don’t end up getting or reading them. I also have a couple of shelves in my master bedroom where I put books I have and want to read but it gets cluttered quite fast! Weekends In Maine
Excellent ideas.
I had no clue there were so many ways to do this. I stick with Goodreads and the Amazon Wish list. However, I have to admit I often get side-tracked from my TBR list to whatever is trending. And that’s why the list never ends.
I am using Good reads and Amazon wishlist for my TBR… ❤ often guilty after purchasing a kindle book of 200 or 300 rs. I have done it just for the heck of reading the hype. Sometimes regret it after for the story wasn’t worth it.
I have graduated from maintaing a TBR in a diary to an excel sheet to Goodreads. And I am now happily stopped at that as Goodreads has everything that I need.
As for reading more books in a year, I have to learn some tricks. Will check tour post on the topic for insights and some practical tips.
I love the idea of a night stand. Well I follow something similar. And I use Goodreads. I am bowled over by your excel sheet though. Given my own love for excel sheets I think I am going to try it atleast once.
Whenever I come across a book that I want to read I make a note in my phone’s notepad. As simple as that. It doesn’t take much time for me to place the order irrespective of the price. Right now I’ve been waiting for a month for the last order from Amazon to come – stuck on the way.
Oh wow Shilpa, you are super organised. I just take a snapshot of the book.
I use goodreads, very efficient and convenient to keep a track of both the books to be read and the ones that are read already. This A to Z challenge has added plenty of books to the TBR pile. 🙂
I just note in a note book shilpa whenever I find something interesting to read, i don’t use any other methods.. and now with so much of academic stuff to read, I buy only when I want to..
Woahh you actually maintain an excel sheet! That’s amazing. 🙂 I use the plain old journal for my tbr list. I did have a jar with chits. But it wasn’t practical for me.
I have never been an organised reader. Will try some of your suggestions.
Maintaining TBR is very systematic method to read. I liked your excel sheet- it will help to filter & sort genre.
Goodreads is one good way – it also allows u to review a book
I shy away from making TBR lists as then I feel anxious about how much I’m not reading!! But my choice would be Goodreads if I was to. It’s my go-to place for all things books.
My list of TBR books had become serpentine long that I felt terrible when I couldn’t finish 40 per cent of them. I stopped making them thereafter. I have personally like Good reads amongst your suggestions here and I think the excel sheet gives information in one quick glance. At present, your last suggestion is applicable to me. I keep the books I want to read by my bedside. It is working well and I read more.
I write on my notebook or take a screenshot and save it for later. Glad to know such a long list for making my TBR list. Thanks.
I discovered the Excel workbook templates when I started book blogging and there has been no looking back. The graphs have their own charm.
Amazing ideas. I use Goodreads and sometimes a notebook for maintaning my TBR list.
I’m pleased I read this because it’s reminded me I need to get my unread and want-to-read stuff organised!
I loved the idea of a nightstand as I generally like reading to sleep. Also good reads is a perfect way to track our TBR. Again a post full of wonderful ideas, loved it
I am very lazy to make a TBR list. There are some great tips. Thanks for sharing
Great suggestion Shilpa, Litsy is new to me, will surely check this out. Thanks for sharing dear.
I use goodreads and my note pad. Informative Post.
I’ve always been an old fashion person when it comes to lists even my book list but here lately I’ve been losing them so I have to put them into my phone under my notes section. I like the apps you mentioned I have never heard of them before now but they sound like they are awesome and may help me with my organizational skills lol
I just accumulate all the books I want to read either on my shelves, or if they are ebooks in a folder on my computer. Sure I have some on my nightstand but that’s just a way to feel guilty, for me. I just love the feeling when I open the ebooks folder and see how many books I have left to read. I choose at random and read at least three at a time. I love the joy of being disorganized with my books!
My TBR is growing at an alarming rate. I use Goodreads but I didn’t know that there were so many ways to organize my TBR. Wow! Do you maintain an excel? That’s just amazing. I just keep adding books to Goodreads! Thank you for these ideas. I’ll definitely try Excel. That seems like a neat and efficient way. 🙂
My TBR is growing at an alarming rate. I use Goodreads but I didn’t know that there were so many ways to organize my TBR. Wow! Do you maintain an excel? That’s just amazing. I just keep adding books to Goodreads! Thank you for these ideas. I’ll definitely try Excel. That seems like a neat and efficient way. 🙂
Thank you for sharing.
Fab post, Shilpa! Yup, my wish list is on Amazon so that when I earn Amazon gift vouchers, I remember what I wanted to buy. I also have loads of books in Amazon Kindle that I haven’t got around to reading yet.
I used to read piles of books a year but I seem to do most of my reading on blogs nowadays – it’s quicker and easier to catch a short post that summarises a whole lot of info than reading an entire book on the same subject.
I still adore books though and look forward to carving out more time to catch the latest bestsellers and the books written by the awesome Authors I’ve met online.
I didn’t know of Litsy. I am terrible managing my TBR, hope now get somewhere with it now.
I have been working on making a TBR list i\on a spreadsheet. I keep adding faster than subtracting though! I do have a Goodreads TBR and Amazon wishlist.
I use Goodreads.
Awesome it’s really very useful for students and book lovers