Reading lists / bookmarks for readers

[nwwatson]

Summary

Readers cannot save or bookmark posts for later reading. A reading list feature lets visitors curate a personal collection of posts they want to return to.

Who Has This

• Substack — Reading lists and saved posts

Why This Matters

Reading lists increase return visits and engagement. When readers can save posts for later, they're more likely to come back. This is especially valuable for long-form content that readers discover but don't have time to read immediately.

Recommended Implementation

Approach

• Use localStorage for anonymous readers (no account required)
• Use database for authenticated subscribers
• Bookmark button (heart/bookmark icon) on post cards and post pages
• /reading-list page showing saved posts

For Subscribers

• ReadingListItem model: subscriber_id, post_id, created_at
• Syncs across devices when logged in

For Anonymous Readers

• Store post IDs in localStorage
• Reading list page reads from localStorage and fetches post data
• Prompt to create subscriber account to sync across devices

Key Files to Create

• app/models/reading_list_item.rb
• app/controllers/reading_list_controller.rb
• app/javascript/controllers/bookmark_controller.js
• app/views/reading_list/index.html.erb