Using Your Slip Box

Write everything down - ideas don't count until they're out of your head and on paper. Writing it down also frees your mind to move on to other things.

Whenever you are taking in someone else's ideas (e.g. reading, listening) take notes.

The initial notes are just temporary inputs, later in the day you need to convert them into some form that has these attributes:

• They are complete - write them for your future self, don't rely on being able to remember what else is needed to understand the note.
• They are written in a way that relates to your interests.
• There is only one idea per note.

• When you file your note look through the other notes and try and place it behind a related note.
• Add links to other notes that are related.
• Add the new note to an entry-point note that holds links to other notes.

• Don't try and come up with a project by "thinking", look through the slip box and let it tell you what you're interested in.
• If you have an idea for what to do but there isn't enough in the box yet, take more notes.
• Keep the notes in one folder - don't sort them into sub-categories. This way you can make new associations that you didn't have when you first made the note.

Copy everything that seems relevant to a project folder on your desktop and see what needs to be filled in and what seems redundant (or maybe just wrong).

Take these fragmented notes and convert them into a coherent argument. If you can't then look to take more notes to fill in what's missing.

Don't accept the first draft, edit, erase, re-do.

When you're done with the project, start over with a new one.