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My personal reading log

Build a skill that keeps your reading list, your post-read notes, and the "did I learn this already?" check.

The more specific the description, the higher the quality of the skill.242 / 2000

Don't paste passwords, API keys, ID numbers, account details, or real document content. Describe in general terms.

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Why a custom skill beats a one-off prompt for a reading log

Reading is a multi-year practice. You read, accumulate notes, and sometimes rediscover material you already covered without realizing it. The skill carries your full history, knows the way you summarize, and remembers what you already thought about. A one-off prompt cannot hold six years of reading.

What makes this skill specifically yours

  • Your library: one file per item, with start date, finish date, quotes, and personal take. Someone else's library looks completely different.
  • Your note style: some people write dry bullets, some write reflective paragraphs. The skill understands your style.
  • Your queries: "What else have I read on X?", "When did I last read about Y?", "What did I start and abandon?". Everyone asks different questions.

Three things to include in your description

  1. Folder shape: e.g. "/reading folder, one Markdown file per item, frontmatter with title, author, started, finished, status". The skill knows where to look.
  2. Tagging convention: how do you tag? #leadership, #process, #technology? The skill will use the same vocabulary.
  3. Weekly practice: a day each week when you check what progressed, what you abandoned, and what is next in the queue.

What this skill is NOT

This is not Goodreads, Readwise, or Notes. It does not read for you, and it does not summarize books before you read them. That would be a bad idea. It is a personal archive that compounds context and your note style.

Drop our catalog a look first

If you want a generic personal-knowledge skill maintained for everyone, check the agentskills.co.il/en/categories/education catalog. The generator is for the parts that are uniquely yours.

FAQ

Where is the log itself stored?
A single Markdown folder, one file per item. The skill reads the whole folder before answering. This shape is simple, git-versioned, and not tied to any commercial tool.
How does the skill know "I already read this"?
It reads your notes, categorizes the topics, and compares to the new query. If you tell the skill how you tag (#leadership, #post-mortem), it gets sharp.
Will the skill read for me?
No. Bad idea. If you let AI read on your behalf you lose the entire value. The skill maintains the scaffolding so your reading compounds, not the reading itself.
How is this different from Goodreads or Readwise?
Those are standard tools. A personal skill understands your note style, your tags, and the questions you tend to ask ("what did I start and abandon? what am I rereading?"). That is the difference between a tool and something that is yours.