How I Use Evernote as a Spark File

The author adapts Steven Johnson’s Spark File idea to Evernote and uses a notebook to collect hunches, article ideas, speech ideas, software features, and other fragments before they are forgotten. He values Evernote because the Web Clipper, shared notebooks, tags, audio notes, photos, OCR, and Penultimate integration make it easy to capture and revisit material.

Reading notes

#

• Steven Johnson describes The Spark File as a single document for capturing semi-random ideas in chronological order.
• The author keeps his own spark file in Evernote because he already uses it for research and finds its flexibility useful.
• The Evernote Web Clipper sends most clipped items to the Spark File unless he changes the destination notebook manually.
• He shares the Spark File with team members so they can add ideas that might become blog posts or other Productivityist content.
• Team members can add notes and tags such as blogcontent, coursecontent, ebookcontent, filmcontent, and audiocontent.
• Evernote works as a digital filing cabinet and fits well with Scrivener, which helps move ideas into content with less friction.
• He also uses Drafts on iPhone and iPad to send notes directly into Evernote, with an action he created for that purpose.
• He points to a two-part Agile Tortoise guide for using Drafts with Evernote.
• He mentions Brett Kelly’s Evernote Essentials as a recommended resource for learning Evernote.
• Evernote lets him create audio notes, so he can capture spoken thoughts or add verbal notes to written ones.
• He saves photos that spark ideas and relies on Evernote OCR to search text inside images.
• Penultimate sketches can also be moved into the Spark File after being created on the iPad.
• He reviews the Spark File with an Evernote reminder note titled “Spark File Review.”
• His usual review schedule is Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.
• When an idea becomes real or actionable, he deletes the corresponding note from the Spark File.
• He uses the notebook to store random thoughts and hunches, then reviews them later instead of trying to remember them while working.