The goal: Capture notes so you can find them again. Two strategies: make atomic + make searchable.
Making Atomic
Break ideas into the Q-I-ST Framework:
- Questions the idea answers
- Ideas (core concepts)
- Supplementary Tools (quotes, anecdotes, studies)
Each becomes its own note. See Atomic Notes for why.
Making Searchable
Two retrieval methods: Tags and Keywords.
Tags
Use 1: Categorize note types
| Tag | Purpose |
|---|---|
#question | Question notes |
#idea | Core concept notes |
#paradox | Ideas that are paradoxical |
#counter-intuitive | Ideas that defy expectation |
#quote | Direct quotations |
#anecdote | Stories and examples |
#study | Scientific studies |
Use 2: Track status
| Tag | Purpose |
|---|---|
#build | Want to develop this further |
#check | Need to verify accuracy |
#to-read | Source to consume later |
#to-watch | Video/talk to watch later |
Use 3: Tag for output channels
| Tag | Purpose |
|---|---|
#newsletter | Ideas for newsletter |
#twitter | Ideas for Twitter |
#video | Ideas for video content |
Why not topic tags? You can already search for keywords. Tags should help you retrieve for output, not duplicate what search already does.
Keywords
In titles: Include words you’ll search for later. Think SEO.
Bad: “Interesting idea from Range” Good: “Sampling period enables later specialization”
In note body: Intentionally add topic-level keywords even if they’re not in the original idea.
Example: Note about Buddha’s teaching on beginner’s mind → Add “Buddhism” in the note body so searches for Buddhism surface it.
Quick Switcher vs Search
| Tool | Searches | Use When |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Switcher (Ctrl/Cmd + O) | Titles only | Looking for existing notes before creating new ones |
| Search (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + F) | Full text | Finding any note mentioning a term |
Before creating a new note: Open Quick Switcher, type keywords, check if you already have a note on this topic. Build on existing rather than duplicating.
The Full Processing Workflow
- Start with raw capture (fleeting, literature, clipping)
- Ask: “What question does this answer?” → Link to question note
- Break into atomic pieces → Separate Q, I, and ST
- Add keywords → Title and body
- Tag for type and status → Categorize, track
- Tag for output → If it’s ready for a specific channel
- Connect via Idea Compass → N/E/S/W links
Common Trap
Over-tagging. If you have 50 topic tags, you’ve recreated folders. Tags should be functional (help you do something), not descriptive (say what it’s about).
North: Where does this comes from?
- Zettelkasten Method (parent system)
- Five-Stage Zettelkasten Cycle (Stage 2: Process)
East: What opposes this?
- Folder-Based Organization (files in folders, not tagged)
- Capture-Only Systems (save everything, process nothing)
South: Where this leads?
- Dataview Queries (pull notes by tag combinations)
- Writing From Notes (output-tagged notes become draft material)
West: What is similar?
- Search Don’t Sort (Tiago Forte’s principle)
- SEO Thinking (optimize for future discovery)