I’ll be experimenting with using Scrivener in the new year and will update this page once I have more opinions about that. This has worked fine for my needs so far (final papers in courses, grant proposals, lecture planning, research protocols, etc.), but I worry that it will fall short in more complex documents such as my dissertation (and possibly even the general exam). Since I’m currently using Paperpile, I am limited to using Google Docs as my writing environment. ![]() So far, no solution meets all of these requirements, but I’m still hopeful. On top of that, it needs to work with my reference management software. My goals are that it be non-linear, markdown-compatible, and distraction-free. I've not yet settled on a rock-solid writing environment. I discovered this technique in Adam Savage’s book, Every Tool’s A Hammer, and I find it informative and motivating. My ideal system would allow for a middle-state of progress. Lately, I’ve been playing with Analog, which is a designerly system of notecards that stares at you all day, reminding you of the tasks you’d hoped to accomplish. Sometimes this is pen and paper, sometimes a whiteboard or post-it notes, sometimes a word-processing tool like Scrivener or Google Docs, sometimes Trello if the work requires others, and sometimes the latest and greatest product that seems like it will fix everything and never does. I use other tools when I need a system to flex with the work I need to do. I use Omnifocus when being on top of things is my priority. This misalignment causes me to switch programs a fair bit, which is a waste of time on the one hand and kind of fun on the other. At the heart of those feelings is a frustration that to be on top of things requires me to use software that doesn’t treat my work with the nuance and structural creativity it needs. I have complex feelings about task management. I’m currently on the fence on how helpful Roam is with time and task management. This is very powerful when I commit to it, but it lacks charm and generates a lot of noise, too. I also use Roam Research in fits and starts to capture thoughts and ideas about my projects. ![]() I’ve experimented with digitizing my journals, but I haven’t yet found a reliable way to revisit them. I offload the task management and knowledge management bits to digital tools, mostly. To me, my bujo is a temporary storage device that is always with me and enjoyable to use (because of the nice paper and pen). I take meeting notes with it, read with a pen in hand, and jot down things I want to synthesize in my Zettelkasten (more below), draw diagrams, plan projects, and note to-do items as they occur to me, journal sometimes. While I used to manage everything in my bullet journal, I currently use it exclusively as a rapid logger. I advocate for a plainer, simpler method instead of the multi-colored, sticker-clad sort you'll see if you go Googling. However, I have used a caret-style bullet (^) to indicate when I’ve moved something over to my digital system (see below). The bullet key Ryder recommends handles nearly everything I need and so that's what I use, too. I prefer Noodler’s Bernanke Black ink, but I have to refill too often because I write a lot. I write notes with a Pilot Vanishing Point with Pilot Namiki cartridges. ![]() ![]() Both are sturdy enough to be jostled around on my bike. Leuchtturm1917 is, in some ways, more functional with its plentiful and pre-numbered pages, bookmarks, elastic closure, and pen loops (I always install two). Black n’ Red has the best paper, in my opinion, and the wide rule makes quick work of notetaking in meetings or while reading. I go back-and-forth between lined, hardcover Black n’ Red notebooks and plain or dot-gridded Leuchtturm1917. I've used all sorts of formats (small pocket notebook, larger format notebook, and digital using the Apple Pencil). I've been using Ryder's system since 2015. I use a modified version of the note-taking method called Bullet Journaling, which was invented by Ryder Carroll.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |