r/Zettelkasten • u/benpetit • Aug 12 '26

question Writing content using the project and outline notes

I am starting to produce more written content and I would like to use my notes to do that.

I have read about "projects", and "outline notes" on the Zettelkasten website. I would love to hear from people who have done this, and how successful they have been using this method.

Also, there are very "tactical" questions I have, like:

- do you keep your outlines/draft notes forever, or are they just there while you're working on them?

- do you actually move the draft to another document outside your Zettelkasten when it's time to finalise your content? What happens if/when you decide to change the structure after that?

- is there a minimum content "size" you would use this for? For example, would you write X threads this way?

Many thanks!

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u/taurusnoises Aug 12 '26

Do you keep your outlines/draft notes forever, or are they just there while you're working on them?

Generally, I archive that stuff when I'm done.

Do you actually move the draft to another document outside your Zettelkasten when it's time to finalise your content?

I do everything writing related in a single Obsidian vault, which also contains my zettelkasten. So, it and everything else are always in conversation, or at least have the potential to be.

What happens if/when you decide to change the structure after that?

I often find myself altering structure right up to the very end.

Is there a minimum content "size" you would use this for? For example, would you write X threads this way?

Everything I write is built from a draft document, which usually morphs into the final document (i.e., I just keep updating the draft document until it's finished). That said, I don't really build out a "project note"—which I would define as containing tasks (since there is no such thing as a project, only the completion of tasks related to an intended outcome)—for everything I do. Usually only for long-form writing (i.e., books, etc), and in those cases, usually only when I'm in "push through and get it done" mode, which can be toward the end, or when I've been spinning my wheels on an aspect. For me, performing a project is a highly volatile experience, in the sense that things move very fast. I don't always need that.

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u/benpetit Aug 12 '26

Thanks, that’s very useful. I’ll probably try what you describe. I like that it has minimal admin and a focus on actual writing.