How to create and sell reading journals for passive income

This post is a tiny challenge for you to build a reading journal in under 30 minutes (or an hour if you need breathing room), put it up for sale, and use two low-stress traffic methods to try and get your first 3-4 buyers this weekend. Even one sale counts. Simple, realistic, scalable goal. Are you in?

Why this challenge matters more than you think.

Far too many people who say they want passive income or want to start selling digital products get stuck at the planning phase. Ideas are never executed. Every step feels overwhelming because there are too many options, and too many tutorials.

This challenge exists to interrupt that pattern.

This 30 mins challenge was what helped me stop overthinking and finally start putting my digital products out there - I was so thankful when the sales started coming in.

By giving yourself a short, timed window, you remove the space for overthinking. Your brain switches from planning to doing. You create something small, put it somewhere real, and see what happens.

That shift from idea to execution is where everything changes.

But Before we get to it, let’s go over the viability of this business selling reading journals.

Who Is Actually Buying Reading Journals?

A lot of people.

Not just lifelong book lovers, but also people who are newly getting back into reading, people who enjoy journaling, and people who want a slower, more intentional hobby.

They love these journals because it helps them:

• track what they’ve read

• write down thoughts or favourite quotes

• plan future reads

• remember books that mattered to them

It sells because It’s such an evergreen necessity all year round.

How much can you make Selling a Reading Journal?

Reading journals are usually low-priced products, often in the $3–$9 range, so sales volume matters a lot.

A quick Etsy search will show you several sellers with hundreds and thousands of sales.

The key thing to understand is that once you create the journal and put it up for sale, it doesn’t require more time from you per order. There’s no extra work when someone buys. That’s what makes it a solid entry-level passive income product.

How you’ll create your reading Journals

To create your reading journal bundle, you’re going to start with a handful of pages and build from there.

Your workflow should look like this:

1. You pick one aesthetic you genuinely like - minimalist, vintage, floral etc

2. You design a few spreads you’d personally use.

3. You duplicate them, refine spacing, adjust fonts.

4. You test how they print or feel digitally.

5. Then you package them as a simple product.

   
   

That’s it.

Common spreads to design include:

• a book log

• a rating page

• a “want to read” list

• space for notes, thoughts, reviews or quotes

Finish faster with Templates

To give you a head start, I created several editable reading journal templates you can use as a starting point. Using existing templates is really the only way a beginner can create a digital product like this in 30 minutes - 1 hour.

You don’t need to reinvent anything. Just tweak the aesthetics, fonts and background. Familiar formats sell better since people understand them immediately.

Get access to reading journal templates here.

Package Your Journal for Sale

Once you’re happy with your pages, export the journal as a PDF. This works for both printing and digital use.

If you include stickers, export those as PNG files so buyers can use them easily in digital planning apps.

Where to Sell Your Reading Journal

For this challenge, you’ll sell on Gumroad because it’s the easiest to set up, and unlike Etsy, there is no fee to pay for listing your product for sale.

You can explore Etsy or your own website later. Right now, the goal is speed and execution, so we use Gumroad.

Here is a quick tutorial for setting up your Gumroad account.

To list the journal you need:

• A keyword rich title

• A description that highlights a believable payoff

• A what’s inside section

• How to use it section

• Who is it for

• What you’ll receive

• A mockup image

Here is an example you are free to use:

Title: Cozy Reading Journal (Printable + Digital)

A simple, aesthetic reading journal to help you track what you read, remember your favourite books, and enjoy reading a little more intentionally.

This journal is designed to be easy to use, not overwhelming. No pressure to be consistent. No complicated systems. Just clean, calm pages you can come back to whenever you want.

What’s Inside

• Book log pages

• Book rating pages

• “Want to Read” list

• Space for notes, thoughts, or favourite quotes

• Cozy, neutral design that works for print or iPad

  
  

How You Can Use It

• Print it at home or professionally

• Use it digitally on iPad with apps like GoodNotes

• Duplicate pages as often as you like

This journal is undated, so you can start anytime.

Who It’s For

• Book lovers who want to remember what they read

• Anyone easing back into reading

• People who enjoy journaling but don’t want something complicated

• Readers who love cozy, minimal aesthetics

  
  

Why This Journal Is Simple on Purpose

Most reading journals fail because they try to do too much.

This one focuses on the pages people actually use so it feels calm, approachable, and easy to stick with.

What You’ll Receive

• Instant digital download

• PDF file (print + digital friendly)

• PNG files if you choose to use the stickers digitally

  
  

Please Note

This is a digital product. No physical item will be shipped.

Tweak as needed, but this is pretty much all you need.

Pricing

For a few pages any price between $1.50 and $2.00 would work. You can add more pages to the bundle and increase your price one you have eyes on your planner and you’ve started making sales.

How to get your first 3-4 buyers.

Without any audience, you cannot rely on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok. You need more efficient ways to get your planner in front of real people who are searching for it.

Option 1: The Reddit method

You can do this in less than 10 mins and it involves looking for threads of people looking for reading journals.

Step 1: Search on Reddit

Open Reddit and Copy/paste any of these searches:

• reading journal template

• GoodNotes reading journal

• book tracker printable

• reading journal ideas

• guided reading journal book tracker recommendations

  
  

You’re looking for posts where someone is clearly asking for help, like:

• “Any reading journal templates?”

• “How do you track what you read?”

• “Where can I find a good book tracker?”

(These come up a lot in reading and planner communities, especially places like GoodNotes, books, and journaling subs).

Filter by new, so you get fresh posts that’ll likely give you more visibility.

Step 2: Pick questions with “buyer energy”

Choose posts where the person sounds like:

• they’ve already tried looking

• they want something specific (aesthetic, printable, iPad, etc.)

• they’re asking for recommendations

These people aren’t casually browsing they’re already shopping mentally.

Step 3: Answer like a real person (help first, no link yet)

Use this simple structure:

1. Validate the problem

2. Give a clear, helpful solution

Step 4: THEN add your link as an optional extra (soft + honest)

After you’ve helped, add a short “by the way” line. Keep it casual and optional.

Pick one of these:

Option A (softest):

If it helps, I made a simple cozy reading journal layout for myself and I can share the link — no pressure.

Option B (direct but not pushy):

I actually have a cozy reading journal PDF I made (print + iPad friendly). If you want it, here’s the link: [Gumroad link]

Option C (freebie first = best for trust):

I’ve got a few free cozy reading journal pages you can start with (and tweak to your own style). If you want them, here’s the link: [freebie link]

That last one is especially strong because Reddit users are more likely to click free + useful than “buy my product”.

Step 5: Repeat this in 4-5 threads

Don’t overdo it. Reddit works best when you’re consistent and human.

Even one good comment can bring 20-40 targeted clicks.

Remember to respond to any replies you get.

This is how people without an audience get sales.

Option 2: The Pinterest method

Pinterest is one of the best platforms to get longer term traffic for this kind of product because people are actively searching for:

• reading journal ideas

• book trackers

• printables

A single pin can bring traffic for months, and you only need to do three things.

Step 1: Create 3-5 pins in Canva

Step 2: Create 3 Pinterest boards with relevant titles and keyword rich descriptions.

Step 3: Schedule 3-5 to go out everyday automatically, a different board a day.

Why It’s also Worth Considering a Printed Version of Your Reading Journal

Beyond this challenge, It’s worth thinking about a printed version of your reading journal.

Why? It’s a sure fire way to get sales quickly once you design a great cover page.

Many people enjoy reading as an offline, screen-free habit, and a physical journal will fit naturally into that slower routine.

Printed journals also make great gifts for book lovers and feel more personal and intentional than a download. You don’t need to manage stock or shipping yourself; services like Printify can print and send each order for you.

Even just offering a printed option can increase the perceived value of your journal without adding much extra work.

Final Thoughts to push you forward.

Reading journals are one of the most beginner-friendly digital products you can create.

They’re:

• simple

• always in demand

• easy to improve over time

If you’ve been waiting for the “right” idea or the “perfect” moment, this is something you can realistically start this weekend.

This challenge is about momentum. You’ll be amazed at how motivating that first sale can be.

Make it simple. Use templates. Put it out there. Let it grow quietly.

That’s how passive income usually starts.