De-Automating My Reading Notes: A New and Better Way For Capturing My Reading Notes in Obsidian

De-Automating My Reading Notes: A New and Better Way For Capturing My Reading Notes in Obsidian

In our fast-paced digital world, automation has become a popular solution for streamlining tasks and increasing efficiency. However, there are times when automation can feel detached and remote, lacking the personal touch that is often necessary for certain activities. One area where I learned this lesson firsthand was in capturing my reading notes in Obsidian, a note-taking app.

When it comes to capturing my reading notes, I have found a three-step process that not only allows me to effectively capture and organize my thoughts but also ensures that I am actively engaged with the material I am reading. The first step is simply reading the book and marking it up along the way. This allows me to highlight important passages or make notes directly in the book itself.

However, instead of immediately transcribing these notes into Obsidian, I take a step back and review the markings I made. This helps me determine which passages are truly worth capturing and which can be safely ignored. To aid in this process, I keep spare sets of Post-It Flags handy, which allow me to easily find the sections I marked after I finish reading.

Once I have reviewed my markings and selected the passages worth capturing, I move on to the second step of creating a source note for the book in Obsidian. This source note serves as a map of content (MOC) for the book, allowing me to have a centralized location where I can access all my notes and thoughts related to the book.

Within the source note, I create separate linked notes for the passages I deemed worth capturing. This allows me to dive deeper into those specific ideas or concepts and explore them further. By using transcluded links, the full note shows up in preview mode, providing a seamless reading experience.

Sometimes, there are thoughts or insights that don't necessarily warrant a separate note. For these instances, I simply jot them down within the source note itself. This allows me to capture those fleeting ideas without cluttering my note library with unnecessary individual notes.

Initially, I thought that automating this process would save me time and effort. However, I quickly realized that by automating the titles of the reading notes with UIDs instead of readable titles, I was losing the connection and understanding of my own notes. It became clear that the act of manually curating and organizing my reading notes was an essential part of the learning process.

In reflecting on this approach, I realized that it aligns with a lesson from Jessica Livingston, a co-founder of Y Combinator. In her talk on startups, she emphasized the importance of focusing on sales rather than marketing. She explained that at the sales end, outreach is narrow and deep, while at the marketing end, it is broad and shallow.

This concept resonates with my approach to capturing reading notes. By focusing on narrow and deep engagement with the material, I am able to truly absorb and understand the content. This deep understanding then translates into the creation of valuable notes that serve as a foundation for further exploration and learning.

Livingston also highlights the value of engaging with individual users and seeking out a core group of early adopters. Similarly, in capturing my reading notes, I engage with the material on an individual level, carefully selecting and curating the passages that are most meaningful to me. This process serves as a form of market research, allowing me to refine my understanding of the book's content and make more informed connections.

In both cases, the focus on the right end of the sales/marketing continuum provides a double benefit. By acquiring users and defining the product through deep engagement, startups and readers alike can ensure their offerings are tailored to meet the needs and interests of their audience. On the other hand, focusing on the wrong end can be detrimental.

For startups, focusing on the broad and shallow end can result in a failure to grow and a lack of valuable feedback to improve the product. Similarly, for readers, automating the note-taking process can lead to a detachment from the material and a missed opportunity to truly engage with and understand the content.

In conclusion, I have found that manually capturing my reading notes in Obsidian not only allows me to curate and organize my thoughts effectively but also ensures that I am actively engaged with the material I am reading. By following a three-step process of reading and marking, reviewing and selecting, and creating source notes, I can capture the essence of the book while still maintaining a personal connection to the content.

Actionable Advice:

1. Take the time to review and select the passages worth capturing in your reading notes. This will ensure that you are capturing the most valuable insights and ideas.
2. Consider creating a source note or map of content (MOC) for each book you read. This will provide a centralized location for all your notes and thoughts related to the book.
3. Don't be afraid to engage with the material on a deeper level. By actively reading and marking the book, you can better understand and absorb the content, leading to more meaningful and valuable reading notes.