Thank you so much for this detailed reply! That’s a lot to take in; nevertheless, I am grateful to get to know about great resources like these. I don’t think I am at a point where I can use it yet, though 
I am still a beginner. When did you start using it?! I was really inspired by your level 60 post. I currently want to level up so that I can start taking your advice and get to reading. Around what levels exactly did you start reading and joining clubs?
Thanks, happy if it can help! I really enjoyed the journey so I hope you will too!
I also forgot to write that you can make your own decks on JPDB, but as you said, I already wrote enough but in case that’s interesting for you too, let me know!
So I started using JPDB after one year only, didn’t have a big need for it before. It was when I started reading my first Visual Novel, ISLAND, that I saw a use for it.
I joined the ABBC at WK level 24, which was 7 months after starting. Before that, I did Genki and Bunpro everyday, watched also a lot of Cure Dolly.
Read my first manga on my own (ハピネス 1) two months later, I was level 28. Also started to be regular with reading Satori Reader around that time, I read two episodes a day for more than two years I think.
Joined the BBC for the first time level 31.
By that point I was reading everyday, manga and Satori Reader.
Joined the IBC for the first time and read my first novel WK level 43, a year and 3 months after I started.
Then joined the ABC at level 52, one year after finishing my first manga.
I see. Thank you again! Quick question! After years of experience, do you still think level 24 is the optimal time to start reading in general? I am super interested in the way you personally read when you started. Did you look up every word you didn’t know? What did you do when you there was a word you didn’t know? Did you make a deck for those words or did you only look them up?
How would you recommend approaching reading to make the most out of it? Would you recommend finished Genki 1 and 2 before starting to read or joining a book club or do you think Genki 1 is enough?
Sorry if I bombarded you with questions
I had tried to start level 8 and could see that it was way too early for me. But I don’t regret trying, it showed me how much I didn’t know yet. I didn’t have enough grammar and vocab under my belt - it’s not kanji only! And I didn’t enjoy spending one hour per page, thought I could use my time better. So I went back to studying and tried again level 24. I don’t remember why specifically that level. I think because by then, you pretty much know all the N5 and N4 kanji, and I was also done with Genki 1 around that time probably.
I do look up every word I don’t know. Then sometimes I look it up more (will I learn it in a later level in WK? how frequent is that word, do I need to “bother” remembering it? have I seen it before?), but I didn’t do any more with it (such as adding to an Anki deck). Either it’s in WK and I will learn it, either it’s not and I will learn it from context / repetition in the wild if it’s relevant (if it’s an obscure word, then I don’t mind not remembering it)
No problem with the questions, you can keep them coming 
I recommend finishing Genki 1, and doing Genki 2 while joining a book club (the Absolute Beginner Book Club). If the timing isn’t right (if they are in the middle of a book), you can also just pick an previous pick and read it at the same pace, just one assignment a week! The questions in the old threads and the vocabulary sheets really help. Plus people usually still get a notification if you comment in an old thread, in case you have a question that hasn’t been answered yet.
I think reading practice is important, but so is to continue with the grammar. And both can be done parallel, they are complementary.
Of course everybody is different and they are for sure people that will tell you the opposite of what I said. So the best advice is to find try and find what works for you! 