zettelkasten is a method. In addition to being an object, a zettelkasten is a methodology—a way to capture ideas in notes, establish relationships between them, and leverage both for knowledge work. The formula is relatively straight forward: Capture ideas in the form of fleeting and/or reference notes. Turn these captures into individual main

By giving your ideas a place to land, an inbox helps alleviate some of the potential anxiety that initially comes from working non-hierarchically (5.6). Later, when you process your inbox (that is, convert your fleeting notes into main notes), you can bring only what remains interesting into your network of ideas. I recommend processing the

Main notes don’t need to be perfect.

The important thing is to bring the fact into contact with your own thinking. It’s what you have to say about the facts that matters most.

If you’re someone who likes to work on multiple writing projects at a time (9.4), I recommend leaning into your structure notes. They’re great places to develop your thinking, and will allow you to stage developing ideas so you can return to them later.

As literary critic, Stanley Fish, states, “[I]t is interpretive communities...that produce meanings.”25 Lean on people you trust for insight, and insight will eventually come.

Atomicity Creates Possibility The reason we’re able to relate ideas within different trains of thought is due, in part, to atomization, the practice of reducing ideas to their essential points.49 Atomicity makes ideas highly sensitive to context. The more “atomic” an idea, the more broadly you can employ it.

What Is a Reference Note? A reference note is a single long-note containing brief citations or “references” to what caught your attention while reading a book, listening to a podcast, watching a video, or having a conversation.15 These long-notes are stored in your zettelkasten sometimes in a separate section or folder.

ideas stored in a zettelkasten aren’t organized according to semantic logic.