Zettel as micro-essay
Writers like Ahrens, Doto and Kadavy — who introduced Luhmann's zettelkasten to a new generation — describe a zettel as one note that expresses a singular, complete thought.
Extending this definition, I see each zettel as a micro-essay: a complete and structured thought, which defines an idea, connects it to others, and states its meaning and relevance to the reader. Each note is evidence of [supports:: how I think about thinking][^1].
To [supports:: write the zettel], one must [supports:: (1C1) Read like a detective]. [supports:: The clues — each aspect of the zettel — must first be gathered then structured]. Thus, each new zettel to one's zettelkasten, [Prev:: further cements one's identity as writer].
| 💬 Question | Purpose |
|---|---|
| ❓ What is it? | Definition / Explanation (They Say from [source:: @Graff2014TheySaySay) |
| 🧩 How does it connect? | Ontology |
| 🔍 What does it mean? | Interpretation (I Say from @Graff2014TheySaySay) |
| 💡 Why does it matter? | Relevance |
| 🪞 What does this say about how I think? | Meta-cognition |
Prev:: Writers are made through writing and reading
[^1] Reflection described to ChatGPT during writing deliberate practice on 2025-07-16