Dog-Earing Pages vs Using a Bookmark: How Do You Keep Your Place in a Book?

Every reader has a method. Some slip a bookmark neatly between pages like a ritual. Others fold the corner down with unapologetic confidence and move on with their lives. The debate between dog-earing a page or using a bookmark may seem small, but for book lovers and writers alike, it taps into deeper ideas about how we read, respect books, and interact with stories.

So which approach is better? Or more importantly, what does your choice say about you as a reader and a writer?

The Case for Dog-Earing a Page

Dog-earing a page is often treated as a literary crime, but let’s be honest: it is efficient. No searching for scraps of paper, no forgetting a bookmark on the kitchen bench. You read, you fold, you go.

For many readers, dog-earing feels natural and practical. It is a sign of a book that is being actively lived with, not kept pristine on a shelf. The folded corner becomes a small physical trace of your time with the story, a reminder that the book travelled with you on the train, to the beach, or into bed late at night.

Writers, in particular, may see dog-ears as working marks. A folded page might signal a passage worth returning to, a line of dialogue that sparks inspiration, or a structural choice worth studying later. In that sense, dog-earing can feel purposeful rather than careless.

Of course, there are downsides. Over time, folded pages can weaken paper fibres and permanently mark a book. If you love re-reading or lending your books, dog-ears can make them look tired long before their time.

The Case for Bookmarks

Bookmarks have history on their side. From ornate ribbons to pressed flowers, bookmarks have long been a companion to the reading experience. They allow you to keep your place without altering the book itself, preserving it exactly as it was printed.

For many readers, using a bookmark is an act of respect. It reflects a desire to care for books as objects, not just vessels for stories. This is especially true for writers who see books as tools of the trade and sources of long-term reference.

Bookmarks also offer creative freedom. They can be personal, sentimental, or expressive. A bookmark can say something about your taste, your mood, or the kind of reader you are. It is a quiet extension of your identity.

The challenge with bookmarks is their tendency to disappear at precisely the wrong moment. They fall out. They get forgotten. And in moments of peak reading enthusiasm, hunting for a bookmark can feel like an unnecessary interruption.

What This Debate Reveals About Reading Habits

At its heart, the dog-ear versus bookmark debate is not about right or wrong. It is about how we engage with books.

Dog-earers often read urgently. They move fast, follow curiosity, and prioritise momentum. Bookmark users tend to read deliberately, savouring the experience and preserving the physical book along the way.

Neither approach is superior. They simply reflect different relationships with reading.

For budding writers, this is worth paying attention to. How you treat books often mirrors how you approach your own writing. Are you experimental or careful? Process-driven or outcome-focused? Flexible or structured?

A Middle Ground for Writers

Many writers land somewhere in between. They might avoid dog-earing novels but happily fold pages in workbooks or draft collections. Others use sticky notes, tabs, or marginal notes to keep books intact while still interacting with the text.

The key is intention. If you are marking pages to learn, reflect, or return with purpose, the method matters less than the engagement.

Books are meant to be read, not preserved in glass cases. A well-used book, whether marked by dog-ears or guided by a bookmark, is doing its job.

Final Thoughts

Whether you dog-ear pages or use a bookmark, your method is part of your reading story. It reflects how you move through words, how you hold stories, and how you carry inspiration forward.

So the next time you pause mid-chapter, do what feels right. Fold the corner. Slide in a bookmark. Or use a receipt you found in your bag. The most important thing is not how you keep your place, but that you keep reading.

Because every page you return to is another step deeper into the world of stories.