There was a time when I thought becoming “a reader” meant reading more books.

More classics.

More literary fiction.

More books everyone else seemed to be discussing online.

But the longer I spent reading, the more I realized quantity was never the thing I was actually chasing.

I wanted reading to feel meaningful.

I wanted stories that stayed with me.

I wanted books that created connection and curiosity instead of pressure and obligation.

Somewhere along the way I realized that readers collect rules, often without noticing.

Finish every book.

Read what everyone else is reading.

Read more.

Read faster.

Read smarter.

So I started wondering:

What if I wrote my own rules instead?

That question eventually became my reading manifesto.

The capstone to The Intentional Reader Reset is to create your own reading manifesto.

A manifesto is a declaration of intentions or views of an individual, group, or political party.

How does a manifesto apply to reading?

The reading manifesto is a personal declaration of intent. Deciding what you want to start, stop, or continue in your bookish lifestyle. It can also speak to how you want reading to feel or what you hope to get out of the practice.

The point of creating a personal reading manifesto is to quickly summarize your intentions about the bookish lifestyle you want to lead. It acts as a touchstone to ground you in your own bookish truth.

No one has to see it except you.

The only criterion is that it be genuine.

Here is an example:

Reading is fun.

I read books that engage me, entertain me, and challenge me.

I will choose curiosity over pressure.

I will not read books simply because the internet tells me I should.

I will trust my reactions to stories.

I will share my thoughts honestly.

I will look for connections between books and people.

I will create a reading life that feels like mine.

Start with simple questions:

• What do I want reading to feel like?
• What do I want more of?
• What do I want less of?
• What kinds of books energize me?
• What reading habits drain me?
• What matters most in my reading life?

You do not need perfect answers.

You only need honest ones.

A reading manifesto is not a contract.

You are allowed to change it.

You are allowed to evolve.

You are allowed to become a different reader than you were five years ago.

The goal is not perfection.

The goal is simply to create something that reminds you:

this is the reading life I want to build.

If you had to write one sentence in your reading manifesto today, what would it say?