How I Write My Books
Visual Structures that Help You Think
Abstract
How do you turn messy ideas into a coherent book? In this session, Jorge shows how simple visual structures—maps, axes, and elemental distinctions—can externalize thinking and reveal relationships. Using the real framework he used to write Duly Noted, he’ll show how information architecture helps shape scope, sequence arguments, and keep readers oriented.
- See the visual framework behind Duly Noted and why it works.
- Learn simple structures (grids, facets, concept maps) to clarify ideas quickly.
- Take away a lightweight workflow to move from notes to outline to manuscript.
Speaker Bio
Jorge Arango
Jorge Arango is an information architect, author, and educator. For the past three decades, he has used architectural thinking to bring clarity and direction to UX design projects for clients ranging from non-profits to Fortune 500 companies. He’s the author of Duly Noted, Living in Information, and co-author of Information Architecture: for the Web and Beyond. Jorge also teaches in the graduate interaction design program at the California College of the Arts.
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Session Summary
This summary is based on Jorge Arango's presentation on his non-fiction book-writing process, drawing heavily from his experience authoring Living in Information and, most recently, Duly Noted: A Field Guide to Information Architecture for Your Notes.
The Core Thesis: Thinking with Things
Jorge Arango, an information architect and author, challenges the cliché that writing must be a "tortured" process, asserting that success is achieved through discipline, process, and appropriate tooling. The foundational insight of his approach is that "We think with things."
Jorge explains that the human mind is limited by the gray matter we are born with, but we can endlessly extend our cognitive abilities by leveraging the external world. External tools—such as notebooks, phones, or mind maps—act as "cognitive prosthetics" that extend memory and facilitate complex thinking. This means that to write effectively, one must configure their environment and tools to support the process, rather than relying solely on mental power.
The Three Distinct Stages of Non-Fiction Authoring
The presentation highlights that the authoring process is not monolithic; it requires different tools and mindsets across three distinct stages: Research, Structuring, and Writing Proper. Jorge posits that many authors struggle because they incorrectly view all three stages as "writing" and jump to a word processor (like Google Docs) too soon.
Stage 1: Research and Incubation
This initial phase is dedicated to gathering and investigating ideas to deepen one's grasp of a subject. While traditional bound notebooks are useful for quick capture, they are linear and challenging to randomly access or reorganize. Jorge notes that historical figures attempted to solve this with slips of paper and index cards (like Niklas Luhmann’s Zettelkasten), but modern digital tools (e.g., Obsidian, DevonThink) are far more efficient for storing, accessing, and linking ideas bottom-up. This process is the primary focus of his book, Duly Noted.
Stage 2: Structuring—Organizing the "Jigsaw Puzzle"
The most crucial phase for overcoming writer’s block is structuring, where the collected ideas—often scattered like "jigsaw puzzle pieces"—are organized into a coherent flow for the reader. Jorge advises against using a word processor here, favoring visual, non-linear tools like Tinderbox or Freeform that function as an infinite digital canvas.
Key Insight: Establishing Rhythm and Cadence
For Jorge, the structure must establish the rhythm and cadence of the book, which he defines not at the sentence level, but at the section and chapter level. Using a Freeform-style board, he organizes the book into a matrix where columns represent chapters and rows represent "beats," ensuring a consistent flow:
- Framing Questions: The core questions each chapter seeks to answer.
- Stories/Anecdotes: Engaging openings to make the subject relatable.
- Key Ideas: The concepts that need elaboration.
- Exercises: Practical applications (especially for a how-to book).
This structure, likened to Dmitry Mendeleev's Periodic Table of the Elements, serves a predictive function: the author can identify gaps, sections with low word count, or missing content before writing, addressing the uncertainty of the blank page. He found that by setting this structure, external, relevant anecdotes would "pop up" in his daily life because his mind was primed to look for them.
Stage 3: Writing Proper
Only after the structure is fully established does the author transition to a word processor. Tools like Scrivener or Ulysses are preferred over monolithic text editors because they allow the writer to work at different levels of granularity, set easy-to-track word count targets, and easily rearrange sections.
Jorge stressed a key workflow point: he does not copy ideas or outlines verbatim from his structuring tool into the word processor. Instead, he uses the notes as an outline and starts a fresh draft in a more conversational style.
Three Key Takeaways for Authors
Jorge concluded with three primary pieces of advice for aspiring authors:
- Configure Your Environment: Recognize that "We think with things" and intentionally select and organize tools to support your efforts.
- Structure Before Writing: Do not jump into the word processor. Spend extensive time designing the book’s flow and cadence to avoid being overwhelmed by the details.
- Switching Modalities Unlocks Your Mind: Regularly switching tools or environments (e.g., Freeform to Ulysses) can force a slight rethinking of the text, unlocking new ideas and overcoming mental blocks.
In the subsequent Q&A, Jorge confirmed that in the age of AI, the core process remains the same. AI should be used as a helpful third party for brainstorming, editing, or formulating clear focusing questions, but should not be used to write the content itself, because "writing is thinking." He also cautioned against the most common time-waster: "meta-work," which is spending too much time optimizing tools and workflows instead of focusing on the actual content.