One great key to reading more is to keep a reading list. This keeps you inspired to read more. And keeps you from guessing what book to reach for once you’ve put down the one you just finished.

Plus, it’s always good as a gift list in case someone wants to know what to buy you for your birthday, Christmas, Arbor Day, or any of those other gift-giving holidays. Because all you want for a gift are books anyway. Right?

A person’s reading list is personal. “No one can be well-read using someone else’s reading list,” says Steve Leveen. A good reading list is as unique as their thumbprint. It takes a while to cultivate and maintain. However, an effective reading list will help you read more and read better.

So whether you’ve got a great app that tracks your reading list, books jotted down on a notepad, or you prefer to stack books you’ve read on a bookshelf, it’s always a good idea to keep an ongoing reading list.

Book blogger and author Anne Bogle keeps a book log as she reads. This is essentially a journal of the books she’s read at different points in her life. She describes this log as “an unexpected vehicle for self-discovery… The act of writing things down inspires me to read more.”

Not everyone gets a biography, but we might as well all write our own bibliography.