Taking smart notes creates a positive feedback loop in the writing process

Ideally, the writing process should be a self-motivating process so that it's easy to do the work and carry on.

For the process to be motivating like this, it needs a positive feedback loop in it.

Taking smart notes creates that loop. It does several things:

• by writing notes in one's own words, it enables better understanding
• better understanding leads to better and more efficient reading
• more efficient reading = reading more in volume = taking more notes = growing the zettelkasten system
• the bigger the system, the more connections there are and more ideas emerge from it + more options to connect new ideas to

All of this makes the whole process of writing easier: once you sit down to write a draft, you already have a lot of material and connections.

References: Ahrens, S. (2017). How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking — for Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers., ch 8