Writing useful notes

A useful note makes sense when you return to it without the conversation that created it. Tell the agent what you want to preserve, who will read it, and how much rewriting is acceptable.

Turn this conversation into a note about the decision we made. Keep the reasons, alternatives we actually considered, and the next action. Preserve my wording in the quoted passage.

Start with the existing record

Ask the agent to search for a note that already covers the subject. Updating that note is often more useful than making another summary of the same material. Keep one main subject per note and split only when a subtopic has enough substance to stand on its own.

A decision note needs the decision and its reasons. An experience note needs what happened and why you want to remember it. A procedure needs the steps someone can follow. None of these needs a fixed number of headings or a generic introduction.

Define the editing boundary

Improve the structure and remove repetition. Keep all facts, equations, source links, and personal judgments. Do not add new claims or rewrite my diary.

Lifebase treats personal diary sections and monthly or yearly personal records as user-authored areas. Ask specifically for edits you want there. Elsewhere, the agent should still preserve your voice, existing meaningful content, and unrelated changes.

When correcting a fact, write the corrected information directly. A durable note usually needs the corrected account, not a transcript of every revision or an explanation of the agent’s process.

Link where it helps the reader

Use a link when it explains a relationship or lets the reader follow supporting context. Avoid adding a section of unrelated links simply to connect more notes. Source links should identify evidence; a link to another personal note has a different role.

Before finishing, read the note on its own. Check that the opening makes its purpose clear, facts and interpretations are distinguishable, and links and attachments still work. If the draft is intended for publication, check that it contains only material you intend to share, including any quoted or embedded content.

For source-driven notes, see Knowledge. For the distinction between your content and bundled product material, see Licenses.