**Created**:: [[2021-10-10 Sunday]] **Link**:: https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M **Duration**:: 8:06  # Summary In this video, the presenter outlines a step-by-step process for creating a single-page sketchnote summary of a book using Excalidraw, Obsidian, and the concept of progressive summarization by Thiago Forte. The method emphasizes organizing notes and sketches in a manner that maintains context while simplifying the information. The video aims to inspire viewers to internalize their learnings from books through an engaging sketchnoting process. # Key Takeaways - Use Obsidian to organize notes for each book in dedicated folders, creating separate files for literature notes, summaries, and sketchnotes. - Implement Thiago Forte's progressive summarization approach, which consists of multiple layers of summarization to enhance understanding and retention. - Incorporate sketches into your notes using Excalidraw to make the summarization process more engaging and memorable. # Content Hey, in this video I will walk you through my step-by-step approach for creating a single-page sketchnote summary of a book. If you're interested in giving this a try, you will find all the necessary resources in the video description. My workflow is built on Thiago Forte's progressive summarization concept. This process is relatively easy to execute and it balances well the compression of the text with maintaining context throughout the transformation. My objective is to create a book summary that is short, searchable, and when you pick it up a couple of years from today, it will hold enough context to remind you of the key points you have learned from reading that book. [* ](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M) Thiago defines five layers of summarization, plus layer 0, which is the original full text source. The layers are literature notes, highlighted notes, bold highlights, mini summary, and remix. I have replaced remix with "book on a page." What's magical about this layered workflow is that each step of the compression process is simple to execute and can be accomplished in a relatively short amount of time, spread across various other work, only doing as much or as little as the information deserves. This means that you can stop at any of the steps, and with the work you've invested until then, you have already created long-term value for yourself. Additionally, you may park a book midway through the process and continue to work on the summary a couple of weeks later, picking it up at the same point where you left it off with very limited overhead effort. [* ](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M) Now, let's look at the practical steps. In Obsidian, I create a folder for each book I read. I place the book in its own folder because during the summarization process, I will create many drawings in separate files, and having them organized in a folder is neater. I will create three files in the folder: literature notes, summary, and book on a page. I read on a Kindle; my layer 1 notes are text highlights and occasional personal notes. I found Thiago's advice to highlight every chapter title very helpful because, like this, the resulting Kindle clippings file will maintain the original structure of the book. This, along with the page number references in the Kindle clippings, will provide context later when processing my notes in Obsidian. [* ](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M) After I finish reading the book, I download my notes from Kindle. You have multiple options for this, but I prefer to simply connect my Kindle to my desktop computer and copy the "My Clippings" text file to my downloaded files folder. I rename it to "myclippings.md" and drop it into Obsidian. I then use a templater script to convert the clippings to markdown literature notes. My templater script prompts me with the list of books for which I have notes in the "myclippings.md." When I select the book, it processes the notes for that book and places the resulting markdown text on the system clipboard. I then have to open my literature notes file and paste the results into the file. Once I'm done, I go through the document and convert chapters to headings, and highlight with Ctrl + H parts that I find important. In the Kindle clippings file, when I modify a selection, Kindle saves the highlight again. Since I did not deal with this situation in my templater script, I need to occasionally delete repeated or incomplete highlights. [* ](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M) While highlighting text, I don't spend too much time deciding what to highlight; I just follow my gut. When I'm inspired by the text, I add quick sketches as well. I use the Excalidraw command palette action to create a new drawing and embed it into the current active file. Now, because I already have this sketch, I will instead create a reference to the existing drawing. Had I used the command palette action, I would have created a new drawing in the attachments folder under the folder for the book. Keep in mind that the location of the new drawings might be different for you, depending on your Obsidian settings. Note also that you can set up a hotkey for this action in settings. [* ](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M) One very cool feature of Excalidraw in Obsidian is the ability to handle links and hover previews. If you want, you can also add a block reference to your sketch pointing back to the page or location reference in your literature notes. This will allow you to navigate back to the original literature notes when looking at the final book summary on a page. During my second pass through the literature notes, I focus my attention on the highlighted text and mark with bold the keywords or fragments that I find particularly important. I also refine my sketches or add new ones. Once I'm done with highlighting, I use a second templater script to extract the highlighted text and the sketches from my literature notes to create the first version of my mini summary. Similarly to the first script, this places the result on the clipboard, which I need to paste into the summary document. I then work my way through this text, making edits and sometimes shifting around text to finalize my book summary. [* ](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M) When the mini summary is ready, I read it and look at my sketches. I copy all the sketches I've made during the process to a single Excalidraw drawing and play with organizing them. I remove unnecessary text and drawings until I feel satisfied with the result. The end result is this one-page summary you have already seen, sketching included. This process is somewhat time-consuming; it requires about the same amount of time as reading the book in the first place. I feel, however, that through reading, highlighting, summarizing, and drawing, I internalize the learnings much more. Additionally, the end mini summary and one-pager sketch will help me remember what I've taken from the book even many years into the future. I hope this video inspired you to create a sketchnote summary of the book you are currently reading. Thank you! [* ](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M) # YouTube Details ## YouTube Description ✏️ Sign up for the Visual Thinking Workshop: https://www.visual-thinking-workshop.com/ 🚀 Cohort 4 starts on May 27. 📔 We will be summarizing Decoding Greatness by Ron Friedman into a book-on-a-page If you find the plugin and/or my videos helpful, please say thanks by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/zsolt If you'd like to request a feature or report a bug, please raise it on GitHub: https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin If you want to connect, you can reach me (@zsviczian) in the Obsidian Members Group (OMG) on Discord or on Twitter. Links --------- Templater scripts: - My Clippings: https://github.com/SilentVoid13/Templater/discussions/296 - Extract highlights to create mini-summary draft: https://github.com/SilentVoid13/Templater/discussions/294 Article on Zsolt.blog: https://github.com/SilentVoid13/Templater/discussions/294 ## YouTube Transcript [hey in this video i will walk you](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=0) [through my step-by-step approach for](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=2) [creating a single page sketchnote](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=5) [summary of a book](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=8) [if you're interested to give this a try](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=10) [you will find all the necessary](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=13) [resources in the video description](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=14) [my workflow is built on thiago forte's](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=18) [progressive summarization concept](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=21) [this process is relatively easy to](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=24) [execute and it balances well the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=26) [compression of the text with maintaining](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=29) [context throughout the transformation](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=32) [my objective is to create a book summary](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=36) [that is short searchable and when you](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=40) [pick it up a couple of years from today](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=42) [it will hold enough context to remind](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=45) [you of the key points you have learned](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=48) [from reading that book](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=51) [thiago defines five layers of](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=54) [summarization plus layer 0 which is the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=56) [original full text source](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=60) [the layers are](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=63) [literature notes](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=64) [highlighted notes](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=66) [bold highlights](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=67) [mini summary](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=69) [and remix](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=71) [i have replaced remix with book on a](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=73) [page what's magical about this layered](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=76) [workflow is that each step of the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=78) [compression process is simple to execute](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=81) [and can be accomplished in relatively](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=84) [short amount of time](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=87) [spread across time in the course of](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=89) [other work and only doing as much or as](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=91) [little as the information deserves](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=94) [this means that you can stop at any of](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=98) [the steps](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=101) [and with the work you've invested until](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=102) [then you have already created long-term](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=104) [value for yourself](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=107) [also you may park a book midway through](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=109) [the process and continue to work on the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=112) [summary a couple of weeks later](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=114) [you'll be able to pick it up at the same](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=117) [point where you left it off](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=120) [with very limited overhead effort](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=123) [now let's look at the practical steps](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=128) [in obsidian i create a folder for each](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=130) [book i read i place the book in its own](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=133) [folder because during the summarization](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=136) [process i will create many drawings in](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=139) [separate files having them organized in](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=142) [a folder](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=145) [is neater](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=146) [i will create three files in the folder](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=148) [literature notes summary and book on a](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=151) [page](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=154) [i read on a kindle my layer 1 notes are](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=157) [text highlights and occasional personal](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=160) [notes](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=162) [i found thiago's advice to highlight](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=164) [every chapter title very helpful because](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=166) [like this the resulting kindle clippings](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=169) [file will maintain the original](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=172) [structure of the book](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=174) [this](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=176) [and the page number references in the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=177) [kindle clippings will provide context](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=179) [later when processing my notes in](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=182) [obsidian](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=185) [after i finish reading the book i](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=188) [download my notes from kindle you have](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=190) [multiple options for this](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=192) [i prefer to simply connect my kindle to](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=195) [my desktop computer and to copy the my](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=198) [clippings text file to my downloaded](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=201) [files folder](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=204) [renaming it to](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=206) [myclippings.md](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=208) [and dropping it into obsidian](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=210) [i then use a templater script to convert](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=212) [the clippings to markdown literature](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=216) [notes](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=219) [my templater script](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=221) [prompts me with the list of books for](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=223) [which i have notes in the my clippings](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=226) [md](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=229) [when i select the book it processes the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=231) [notes for that book and places the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=234) [resulting markdown text on the system](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=236) [clipboard](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=239) [i then have to open my literature notes](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=241) [file and paste the results into the file](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=243) [once i'm done i go through the document](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=248) [and convert chapters to headings and](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=251) [highlight with ctrl h parts that i find](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=254) [important](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=258) [in the kindle clippings file when i](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=260) [modify a selection kindle saves the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=262) [highlight again](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=265) [since i did not deal with this situation](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=267) [in my templator script i need to](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=270) [occasionally delete repeated or](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=272) [incomplete highlights](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=275) [while highlighting text](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=278) [i don't spend too much time deciding](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=280) [what to highlight i just follow my gut](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=282) [when i'm inspired by the text](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=285) [i add quick sketches as well](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=288) [i use the xcoli draw command palette](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=291) [action to create a new drawing and embed](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=294) [it into the current active file](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=298) [now because i already have this sketch i](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=302) [will instead create a reference to the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=305) [existing drawing](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=307) [had i used the command palette action i](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=310) [would have created a new drawing in the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=312) [attachments folder under the folder for](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=315) [the book](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=318) [keep in mind that the location of the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=319) [new drawings might be different for you](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=322) [depending on your obsidian settings](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=325) [note also that you can set up a hotkey](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=328) [for this action in settings](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=332) [one very cool feature of x colidro](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=336) [obsidian is the ability to handle links](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=338) [and hover previews](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=341) [if you want you can also add a block](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=344) [reference to your sketch pointing back](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=346) [to the page or location reference in](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=350) [your literature notes](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=352) [this will allow you to navigate back to](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=354) [the original literature notes when](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=357) [looking at the final book summary on a](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=359) [page](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=362) [during my second path through the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=364) [literature notes i focus my attention on](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=366) [the highlighted text and mark with bold](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=369) [the keywords or fragments that i find](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=372) [particularly important i also refine my](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=376) [sketches or add new ones](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=379) [once i'm done with highlighting i use a](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=382) [second templater script to extract the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=384) [highlighted text](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=388) [and the sketches from my literature](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=389) [notes to create the first version of my](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=392) [mini summary](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=394) [similarly to the first script this](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=396) [places the result on the clipboard which](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=399) [i need to paste into the summary](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=402) [document](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=404) [i then work my way through this text](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=405) [making edits sometimes shifting around](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=408) [text to finalize my book summary](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=411) [when the mini summary is ready i read it](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=415) [and look at my sketches](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=419) [i copy all the sketches i've made during](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=421) [the process to a single excladra drawing](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=424) [and play with organizing them](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=427) [i remove unnecessary text](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=430) [and drawings until i feel satisfied with](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=433) [the result](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=436) [the end result is this one pager summary](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=438) [you have already seen](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=442) [sketching included this process is](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=444) [somewhat time consuming it requires](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=446) [about the same amount of time as the](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=449) [reading of the book in the first place](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=452) [i feel however that reading highlighting](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=455) [summarizing and drawing i internalize](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=459) [the learnings much more](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=462) [also](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=464) [the end mini summary and one pager](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=465) [sketch will help me remember what i've](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=468) [taken from the book even many years](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=471) [in the future](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=474) [i hope this video inspired you to create](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=476) [a sketchnote summary of the book you are](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=479) [reading currently](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=482) [thank you](https://youtu.be/n3dbH2c3l0M?t=484)