Taking notes can be a hassle, especially if you don’t have something that connects the dots for you, easily displays information, and organizes that information in a way that is easy to find. That is part of why I have fallen in love with the note-taking app Obsidian.

Why I Needed a Note-Taking Tool

If you are like me, you probably read a lot, and with that, you might take notes. I have only occasionally done this, but I have recently been getting more into note-taking, mainly because I started with DnD.

But taking down character stats or gameplay highlights wasn’t the only place that notes were helpful. I am also an avid reader, and notes are perfect for organizing my thoughts on what I am reading.

Variety of plugins created by users for the Obsidian app.

As my bookshelf continued to expand with every book I bought, so too did the need to create a structured way toorganize the information across the different topics. Just jotting down notes on loose pieces of paper meant a lot of trash, and I have never been a highlighter or sticky note person.

I also found that the summaries on the back of a book often didn’t jive with what I remembered of what I read, so I wanted someplace I could keep track of my ideas about a certain book or book series. What I needed was a central place that would allow me to track, connect, and easily navigate my reading notes over time. Enter Obsidian.

Creating a new vault in the Obsidian App.

Obsidian is a versatile markdown-basednote-taking appthat is fairly flexible and has a powerful linking system. It’s also a great way to take notes or keep summaries of books for anyone who wants to capture thoughts, arrange ideas, and expand their knowledge network without hassle.

Why I Chose Obsidian

So the first reason I decided to try Obsidian is that I had heard it was fairly flexible, even if it had a steeper learning curve than something like, say, Google Docs. Unlike more linear note-taking apps, Obsidian can be molded to fit personal preferences and workflows. It allows customization, meaning my notes look and feel just how I want them to.

Another of Obsidian’s best features is its bi-directional linking (orbacklinking notes) capability. I can connect ideas without issues by creating links between notes on different pages or chapters. This lets me easily understand and flip between various bits of information.

Personal character description template used on Obsidian app.

Beyond linking, Obsidian also offers some other features, like graph view, which visually maps out relationships between notes. There is also a fairly hefty community-drivenObsidian pluginsecosystem that I have not fully dove into yet, but I am excited to learn more about. Together, these elements create a pure powerhouse of productivity and organization.

Setting Up Obsidian for Reading Notes

The first thing you will want to do when organizing Obsidian to manage reading notes is to create a hierarchical folder structure that will mirror your reading categories. Each category will hold notes related to that specific book, series of books, or thematic clusters.

For consistency and because I would probably forget otherwise, I use a basic note template containing sections for summaries, key concepts, quotes, and my thoughts. This simple template means I get all the essential information I need systematically.

Implementing the tag wrangler plugin for Obsidian app.

Templates make note-taking easier by providing you with cues on what to write, rather than staring at a blank page. If you don’tuse Obsidian templates, you’re missing out on the app’s full potential.

Organizing Obsidian to manage reading notes involves establishing a hierarchical folder structure that mirrors my reading categories. Each category holds notes related to specific books or thematic clusters.

Now, to augment and improve Obsidian’s capabilities, I also use plugins likeCalendarto track my reading sessions andTag Wranglerto make managing tags a little easier. This keeps my system dynamic, responsive, and easy to search through.

How to Take Notes While Reading

When it comes to the actual note-taking, I pretty much just jot down my insights as I read. This is followed by a review session at the end, which expands these points into fairly comprehensive summaries. For more complex ideas, I focus on breaking them down into more digestible parts, using things like analogies wherever possible, and pruning the info down to shorter, meaningful sentences or bullet points.

This is also where tags and links come in. Both are invaluable when I want to connect themes or concepts across different books. Tags and links help me create a network of interconnected knowledge that doesn’t become overwhelming to read.

Update and Reviews

Regularly revisiting and updating your notes is going to be important. I typically like to go back through and check out my notes or even reread my favorite books every few months or so to ensure my notes are still relevant and that I remember the material.

Search and Retrieval Techniques

Luckily for me and everyone like me, Obsidian’s search abilities make finding information quick and easy. By embedding keywords and maintaining a logical note structure, retrieval is as simple as clicking on the keyword to find the right note section.

I’ll also say that creating a master index will be a big help. This master index will be a gateway to all your reading notes, organized by themes, summaries, and categories, so quick navigation and overview of my reading archive is even better.

Implementing Obsidian into my overall system has positively influenced my thinking and how I look at book reading. Linking knowledge across different books has triggered new ideas and, in some cases, solutions to a certain project or personal development goal I’ve wanted to achieve.

While the learning curve is, admittedly, steeper than that of simpler tools, Obsidian is well worth learning if you are someone getting into or improving your note-taking skills.