Now that your incoming information is solid, you need a way to harness it. It’s not enough just to binge eBooks and list a stat on your website. You should save the best parts of what you read, so you can easily reference them later.

By capturing ideas in the moment, you can effectively start essays when they’re 80% finished.

Notes are so central to my writing process that writing without them is like building a campfire without a pile of wood. Because I’m so diligent about writing ideas down, I don’t need to run back to the “forest” every time I get stuck. Instead of starting a new research process for each new article, I pull from ideas I’ve already captured in my casual reading, in conversations, and in the ordinary moments of my life. All those notes became intellectual fodder for future pieces.

---

From David Perell's The Ultimate Guide to Writing Online (archive)