Been getting some submissions for Annotation Nation(on hiatus till September) that are either book reviews or life histories. Also saw a question on how to annotate in the discussion forums for College Confidential, so here are some helpful links:

Peter Turchi has a list of resources. His own column (scroll down) is excellent.

Read Francine Prose’s Reading Like A Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them.

I am starting a certificate program in postsecondary reading and annotating was mentioned there, too. Here it is in a nutshell: active participation in the reading process; read with a pencil in hand and make notes; interact with the author (what are they doing?); develop your own marking system; identify the main point, key ideas, specific craft issues, and determine the strengths and weaknesses of the narrative.

My primary admonition would be, if you are a writer and you’re serious about it, do not be lazy about reading.  Be rigorous with the narrative, whether reading another’s or writing your own.