Note- This ecosystem could be an Obsidian vault like this, a Slip-Box, or another system that stores all of your notes
There are multiple mindsets to inhabit, it’s important to understand which one you’re in
If notes are the smallest step of this larger journey, they must be difficult?
No.
Thinking is. Reading is. Turning ideas into your own words is. Notes are just the tangible outcome of the difficult effort
Take your notes in a smart way and success will be guaranteed.
Step by Step
- Take Fleeting notes. If you daydream and come up with something, notate it. Need to remember a date? Have an idea for a boyfriend? Something to send to a friend? Write. It. Down.
- Make literature notes. No matter what you read or consume, take quick notes with whatever is nearby you. Make sure each note makes it your singular inbox. Be extremely selective of quotes. Make sure you understand the text when you turn it into your own words.
- Make permanent notes. Take the fleeting and literate notes and bring them into your note ecosystem. How do they relate to your current collection of notes? What connections can be formed? What tags can be used? Do those relate to what you already have collected? What new topics does this make you want to research or write about? What new ideas can be created because of this collection?
- The idea isn’t to collect, but to create new ideas. This is not an encyclopedia.
- Write exactly one note for each idea. Write as you would for another, with full sentecnes and be brief.
- You can forget about these notes for now, all that matters is that they exist in your ecosystem.
- Add these permanent notes to your slip-box. Do this through links, tags, and folder structure.
- Begin your research from the bottom up. Start with a single note and see what connections are present and how you can build from there. Follow your interests and be inspired.
- Once enough related notes are connected, the topic finds itself. Each related note to the topic that now exists can be structured into an outline. This outline can be as simple as a bulleted list of notes (linked of course) ready to build from
- Turn your notes into a rough draft. Do NOT just copy from the related notes. Understand how they can relate to the topic and how each idea can communicate with one another, transition betwixt another and help enforce the final point.
- Edit and proofread :)
The best ideas to write about are ones we didn’t anticipate