A bookmark has about the same printable area as two postage stamps side by side. That is the whole constraint, and once you accept it the wording almost writes itself: a name, or a name and a few words, in letters big enough to read when the book is closed on a bedside table.
Below are forty ideas sorted by who is receiving it, and the practical bits first, because they decide which of the forty will actually look right.
The three things that decide it
Length. Our personalised tassel bookmark is roughly 15 cm by 3 cm and prints on both sides. Under fifteen characters prints large. Up to about twenty-five is comfortable. Beyond that the letters shrink to fit the width, and a bookmark that has to be squinted at is a bookmark that gets replaced by a receipt.
Two sides, two jobs. Because both faces print, the useful pattern is a name on one side and the words on the other. It keeps each side short, and it means the name is the face that shows when the bookmark is left standing in the book.
The tassel is the point. It hangs out of the top of the book, so the page is found without opening it and the bookmark is pulled without touching the paper. Wording that runs to the very top edge gets hidden by it, so keep the top centimetre clear in your mind when you write.
For a reader who reads a lot
- [Name]'s page
- Do not lose my place
- Property of a serial reader
- [Name] was here
- One more chapter
- Currently reading
- Books before bed
- [Name] — Est. [birth year]
Resist jokes about book hoarding. They are funny once and then they are on the object for years. A name ages perfectly; "Georgia's page" is still right in 2036.
For a teacher or a teaching assistant
- Miss [Surname] — Class of [year]
- Thank you for teaching me to read
- From all of Year [number]
- [Name]'s reading corner
- Best storyteller in [school]
- Thank you, from [child's name]
A name and a year is the format that gets kept, because it turns the bookmark into a record of that class. If it is a group gift, put the class on the bookmark and the individual names in the card; thirty names do not fit on 3 cm.
For a child
- [Name]'s book
- Reading champion
- [Name] reads every night
- World Book Day [year]
- Big school, big books
- [Name] loves dinosaurs and stories
Use the name they answer to, in Block lettering, large. A six-year-old reads their own name before anything else, and a bookmark with their name on it is the reason the library book comes home.
For a book club, a colleague or a friend
- [Club name] — since [year]
- Read it. Loved it. Argued about it.
- [Name], Head of Recommendations
- Borrowed from [Name]. Return it.
- Tea, blanket, book, [Name]
- [Name]'s commute
- Another chapter, then bed
- Reading. Do not disturb.
For a wedding, a milestone or a memorial
- [Name] & [Name] — [date]
- Our story, chapter one
- Congratulations, graduate — [year]
- Happy retirement. Read all the books.
- In loving memory of [Name]
- [Name]'s favourite line, in their handwriting
For a memorial or a wedding, a short quotation from a book they love beats anything invented for the occasion. Keep it to a line, and put the attribution on the other side rather than squeezing it underneath.
Quotes that actually fit
- So many books, so little time
- A room without books is a body without a soul
- Not all who wander are lost
- She read books as one would breathe air
- Once upon a time
- The end is only the beginning
Anything longer than a short sentence needs the Serif font and two lines. If a favourite quote runs to a paragraph, print the first clause only; the reader knows the rest.
What prints well
Serif or Block for anything over ten characters. Script only for a short first name; at this width the joined letters close up. Photos work on the tassel bookmark because it is double-sided, but choose one clear face rather than a group shot, and keep the text on the other side. There is a fuller guide in choosing a font for a personalised gift.
Contrast matters more than colour: dark lettering on the light face reads from across the room; a pale mid-tone does not.
Making it a set
A bookmark and a slim kraft notebook in the same font is the classic reader's pair and comes in under £16. Add a fabric coaster for the tea that goes with the book. More in personalised gifts for book lovers.
Ordering
Every bookmark is printed to order in Cheshire, usually dispatched within one to three working days, with free UK delivery on every order. Because it carries your wording, it cannot be returned for a spelling change, so read the text back once before checkout.
The short version
- Under fifteen characters prints large; twenty-five is the comfortable ceiling per side.
- Name on one side, words on the other.
- Names age better than jokes. Years turn a bookmark into a keepsake.
- Serif or Block for anything longer than a first name.
- Read it back before you check out.
Frequently asked questions
How many characters fit on a personalised bookmark?
Comfortably, about 25 characters on one side. Under 15 prints large and reads at arm's length; past 25 the lettering has to shrink to fit the 3 cm width.
Can I have different wording on each side?
Yes. The tassel bookmark prints on both sides, so a name can go on one face and a quote, date or photo on the other.
Which font reads best on a bookmark?
Serif or Block for anything over ten characters; Script only for a short name, because the joins close up at this size.
Related reading: 50 things to write on a personalised mug; what to write on a personalised tote bag.
