I'm relatively new to Zettelkasten, but I'm not new at all to research and note taking. I started using Obsidian for novel writing about six months ago, and although I'm still trying to devise my own system, it's already working wonders.
One thing that you said really struck me: "I see connections between ideas more easily..." That's exactly the magic that happens for me. I started to see similarities between themes more clearly, and really got a sense of how the characters fit into the story by how they were connected to the other characters.
So not only does Zettelkasten give me a new way to organize my research and notes, it helps me see the bigger picture way more easily.
Thank you for this! I’ve been using Miro for organizing and structuring thoughts and notes as it has great visuals and linking ability. But I’ve always gotten my best inspirations (and retention!) the old-fashioned way of pen and paper. My living room is littered with notebooks filled with scraps and tidbits.
Honestly, I’ve never heard of this method - actually never really looked for one - but it looks wonderful.
And a great use for all those shoeboxes kept for “just in case”...
Oh, I also came across this brilliant methodology for building connections with notes coined the Idea Compass or the Compass of the Zettelkasten https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7r9t9T9Aww
(Linking Your Thinking. _Vicky Zhao & Fei-Ling Tseng: The Compass of Zettelkasten Thinking: Associative Thinking Made Easy_. 2022. _YouTube_)
It is a process for working with ideas to link and make new connections and create new ideas for future work.
Timely, Mark. I recently subbed to your Substack and this hit my inbox as I'm trying to wrestle with developing my own Zettelkasten using Obsidian (which I love). I also found it strange that in the same week you publish an article about this PKM system, I'm set to meet up with Harold Jarche. Something in the Maritime air, perhaps?
My current challenge is to figure out how to fit me into the system or the system around me or both. I absolutely get it in a research context but am struggling with how to make it work in a context of capturing ideas that matter in a day-to-day working and learning context. I really find I need to see things in action (literally watch people work) in order to grok it.
I should say. Your post is one of the best intros to Zettelkasten I've seen now that I've been digging into it for a few months.
Yeah, this was an awesome read, I know we have discussed this in the past but seeing it illustrated with examples really made me start to want to try it for my own purposes. It’s like an analog version of the late great HyperCard ...
Gosh, thank you for sharing your experience with the Zettelkasten system in such depth - I'll be returning to this post again once I've digested it (and the great resources you've linked) and will see whether this way of organising ideas is something for me!
I use a bullet journal for everything - schedule, to-dos, notes, plans and ideas - and indexing every note is absolutely brilliant for being able to access this analogue data quickly. I think this experience with indexing would stand me in good stead with Zettelkasten.
And all power to you for your authentic written German treatment of nouns - you've got upper-case 'Z' throughout - BRAVO! :D :D :D
Wow - what an in-depth look!
I'm relatively new to Zettelkasten, but I'm not new at all to research and note taking. I started using Obsidian for novel writing about six months ago, and although I'm still trying to devise my own system, it's already working wonders.
One thing that you said really struck me: "I see connections between ideas more easily..." That's exactly the magic that happens for me. I started to see similarities between themes more clearly, and really got a sense of how the characters fit into the story by how they were connected to the other characters.
So not only does Zettelkasten give me a new way to organize my research and notes, it helps me see the bigger picture way more easily.
Great overview!
~Graham
Thank you for this! I’ve been using Miro for organizing and structuring thoughts and notes as it has great visuals and linking ability. But I’ve always gotten my best inspirations (and retention!) the old-fashioned way of pen and paper. My living room is littered with notebooks filled with scraps and tidbits.
Honestly, I’ve never heard of this method - actually never really looked for one - but it looks wonderful.
And a great use for all those shoeboxes kept for “just in case”...
Oh, I also came across this brilliant methodology for building connections with notes coined the Idea Compass or the Compass of the Zettelkasten https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7r9t9T9Aww
(Linking Your Thinking. _Vicky Zhao & Fei-Ling Tseng: The Compass of Zettelkasten Thinking: Associative Thinking Made Easy_. 2022. _YouTube_)
It is a process for working with ideas to link and make new connections and create new ideas for future work.
Timely, Mark. I recently subbed to your Substack and this hit my inbox as I'm trying to wrestle with developing my own Zettelkasten using Obsidian (which I love). I also found it strange that in the same week you publish an article about this PKM system, I'm set to meet up with Harold Jarche. Something in the Maritime air, perhaps?
My current challenge is to figure out how to fit me into the system or the system around me or both. I absolutely get it in a research context but am struggling with how to make it work in a context of capturing ideas that matter in a day-to-day working and learning context. I really find I need to see things in action (literally watch people work) in order to grok it.
I should say. Your post is one of the best intros to Zettelkasten I've seen now that I've been digging into it for a few months.
Yeah, this was an awesome read, I know we have discussed this in the past but seeing it illustrated with examples really made me start to want to try it for my own purposes. It’s like an analog version of the late great HyperCard ...
Gosh, thank you for sharing your experience with the Zettelkasten system in such depth - I'll be returning to this post again once I've digested it (and the great resources you've linked) and will see whether this way of organising ideas is something for me!
I use a bullet journal for everything - schedule, to-dos, notes, plans and ideas - and indexing every note is absolutely brilliant for being able to access this analogue data quickly. I think this experience with indexing would stand me in good stead with Zettelkasten.
And all power to you for your authentic written German treatment of nouns - you've got upper-case 'Z' throughout - BRAVO! :D :D :D
Marl, this post is awesome! Thanks for the practical review! I found one more cool article about the Zettelkasten method: https://productive.fish/blog/zettelkasten-method/ Recommend checking it!