To understand the principles of smart note-taking, read (or listen to) the book. If you want to learn how to put them into practice, take the course.
For ongoing support, join our community, which is included in the course. And for tailored advice and more, I offer limited coaching sessions for individuals or groups (slots will open up again soon).
The Course
This course guides you through applying Zettelkasten principles using the versatile Obsidian app. It is designed for writers and thinkers of all sorts: authors, researchers, students, and anyone managing extensive information. The course offers a comprehensive approach to enhancing your digital note-taking process.
Enrol now or learn more on the on the course page.
The Book
The book How to Take Smart Notes popularised the idea of the zettelkasten. It was written with students, academics, and nonfiction writers in mind. With over 200,000 copies sold and translations into multiple languages, it has reached a far wider audience than expected.
You can purchase a PDF or the audiobook on this site.
Live Sessions
Together with colleagues, I am planning to host online events for course attendees and others who share an interest in thinking, writing, and publishing. We will experiment with different formats, starting with Group Coaching and Q&As for course attendees. Soon, I will also reopen slots for 1:1 coaching sessions.
Join the mailing list to stay informed.
Hi, I'm Sönke Ahrens
After publishing How to Take Smart Notes, I was frequently asked to help others apply the principles of the Zettelkasten method in a digital format. Through coaching people from diverse backgrounds, I gained valuable insights into common questions and obstacles, and refined my own workflow in the process. I eventually chose Obsidian as my go-to note-taking app. Since one-on-one coaching can only reach so many people (and I found myself repeating the same core lessons), I created the online course How to Take Smart Notes With Obsidian to make this knowledge more widely accessible and affordable.
In the future, I will also host live sessions. Not all of them will be about note-taking.
For more information about me, visit my personal homepage.