Take Note, Writers
Note-Taking Strategies to Get the Most out of Writing Classes and Conferences
One of the most important aspects of attending writing conferences, seminars, and classes is the opportunity to learn from the speakers who come to share their experiences and knowledge. And whether you’re attending a three-day, multi-track event like Author Nation in Las Vegas or attending one of Jonathan Maberry’s live online classes, you’ll want to be prepared to take notes.
In the digital age, we often rely on the idea of easily accessible recordings, but replays aren’t always available, and tech hiccups happen. Even when replays are available, how often do you honestly go back and really absorb those recordings? Aside from your odds of actually watching the replay, numerous studies suggest that it’s more beneficial to actively take notes than to passively review information later. Research from the University of Michigan’s Center for Research on Learning and Teaching shows that students who took notes and reviewed those notes at any point retained more information, demonstrated better short- and long-term recall, and analyzed the lecture points more effectively than those who didn’t.
How you take notes matters, too. But where do you start if you haven’t taken notes since school? Different note-taking methods work best for different people, and the strategy or tools you use may change depending on what you want to take away from a class.
Hardware
There is contention across academia regarding whether analog or digital note-taking is superior. In alignment with many studies preceding and many following, researchers Elizabeth Stacy and Jeff Cain from the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy found in 2015 that those who handwrite notes perform better in all areas of comprehension, recall, and analysis. Another study, published in 2022 in the Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions, found little difference between handwriting, tablet, and laptop use for note-taking, except to note that tablet users included visual note-taking more often than any other group—drawing tables, graphs, and diagrams in their notes—and were less vulnerable to distractions than laptop users.
Although laptop users achieve more words per fifteen-minute time block than any other group, they are also far more likely to record the lecture almost verbatim, reducing critical information processing and comprehension of the information. Not to mention those with laptops were often more distracted by the temptation to multitask, often resulting in fewer notes overall and lower performance than other groups in all areas.
The takeaway here is to carefully consider what technology you use to take notes.
- If you enjoy handwriting and are physically able to take notes without experiencing pain or discomfort, there is an abundance of research suggesting this is the most effective form of note-taking.
- Are you a visual learner? Consider using a tablet so you can have the best of both worlds: handwriting and drawing in a digital format that allows you the most expansive creativity.
- Laptops should be reserved for those who are not easily tempted to multitask and who can slow down and take the time to process the information they’re hearing rather than simply try to record the entire presentation. This is also ideal for people who experience pain or difficulty when using other methods to take notes.
- Would you like to keep tech small without resorting to handwriting? Consider using your smartphone to take notes. Like a tablet, it’s easier to stay away from distractions, and many note-taking mobile apps are available. Additionally, you can pair your phone with a Bluetooth keyboard to make note-taking easier.
Whether you choose analog or digital, what’s most important is to consider your own needs. If you find writing by hand painful or struggle to decipher your notes after the fact, take full advantage of the technology available to help you. Bridge the gap between analog and digital methods by mindfully taking time to listen, process the information, and write it in your own words to analyze and synthesize the content.
Note-Taking Methods
The Outline Method
Possibly the simplest and most intuitive method outside of the sentence method, which involves simply writing everything without any organization, the outline method allows you to focus on outlining topics and major points. When the speaker goes into greater detail, you list the supporting points under each respective topic. Your notes quickly become a bullet-style list of the information you’ve learned. This method works well with any level of technology and is built into many word processors already with the numbered list and bulleted list formats.
The Split-Page Method
This approach is just what it sounds like: a split page. On the left side, you’ll write the speaker’s presentation topic, major points, and supporting details. On the other side, you’ll write your interpretations and summaries. This method is simple to accomplish on paper or digitally. In a word processor, format two columns, and add a vertical line between them to build a split page.
The Box Method
The magic of this method is in its name: As you write, you’ll use boxes to group the notes together on the page by topic. Although this isn’t impossible to do on paper, it can be much easier to do this on a “whiteboard” in Canva or similar apps—that way, the boxes expand to the precise length you need to fit your content.
Mind Mapping
As creative writers, many of us are already familiar with mind mapping to organize plot points or create character maps. But you can also apply it to note-taking at conferences and workshops. If your brain is already attuned to mind-mapping, this method could make note-taking much more fun and effective, providing a visual representation of how thoughts and ideas connect with one another.
Sketch-Noting
If you are a visual learner or love to draw, then sketch-noting could be your Goldilocks note-taking method. Whether you use a pencil and sketchbook or a stylus and tablet, this method is all about drawing, doodling, and making your notes more visual. Aside from doodles, most learners benefit from drawing graphs, charts, diagrams, pictures, and more to better interpret the information provided.
The Cornell Method
Like the split-page method, the Cornell Method first asks you to split your page into sections—in this case, the top portion of the page is split into two sections by a vertical line, and the third section is denoted by a horizontal line across the bottom third of the page. The sections refer to keywords, on the left side; notes, on the right side; and a summary of the lesson that’s written later at the bottom of the page.
Although it can seem a little daunting at first, many learners swear by this method, and it does emphasize information analysis and processing, which numerous studies over decades of research have demonstrated is the crux of effective note-taking and learner success. This method is probably best accomplished on paper, on a tablet—free form drawing and writing—or on a “whiteboard” in Canva or a similar program.
Zettelkasten-Inspired Method
A Zettelkasten, a “note box” in German, is the inspiration for this method. It can be as simple or as complex as you desire; each card focuses on a single topic or idea, making it easy to consolidate your notes, reuse the cards, and interlink each card in an interconnected system. This has traditionally been accomplished with physical index cards, but this would also work very well in Scrivener’s corkboard layout, in note-taking apps such as Notion or Evernote, or in Asana. Although the latter option is not meant to be a note-taking program, consider using its “assign” function with dates and reminders attached to cards you want to follow up on after your class or event.
Final Recommendations
Notes are not meant to be written duplicates of the information presented, whether that information is spoken or listed on slides. Note-taking is most effective when you’re actively listening and processing the information.
As writers, think of how you can apply the presented information to your writing or your writing business. Don’t write everything down; instead, focus on what is immediately relevant to you at your current business stage or writing level. Before you write something down, listen actively to the information, think about it for a few seconds, then write it in your own words. Interpret what you’re hearing or reading through the lens of your needs, current situation, and short-term goals—up to twelve months.
Use a shorthand if possible to increase your note-taking speed and efficiency, but above all, be sure to organize your notes, implement clean and simple file hierarchies, and uniformly name and date your files.
Pro Tip: When organizing your notes, try to follow the three-click rule: Ensure you can reach any information you need in three clicks or fewer.
Note-taking can be one of the most important learning tools to leverage when leveling up your writing and your publishing business. Keep an open mind, embrace the role of student as you learn from speakers and instructors, and achieve growth through education. Finally, don’t forget to have a post-event plan in place to review your notes and actively apply the knowledge you’ve gained.
Audrey Hughey
Audrey Hughey designs planners, writes fiction, and works diligently to help her fellow authors. Although she currently writes horror and thrillers, she’s as eclectic in her writing tastes as in her reading. When she’s not submerged in the worlds of fiction and nonfiction, she’s caring for her family, enjoying nature, or finding more ways to bring a little more light into the world.
