The Konik Method: LLM Step-by-Step Process for Obsidian Vault

Overview

This process transforms highlighted quotes from Readwise imports into claim-based headers that can later be spun out into atomic notes/zettelkasten-style index cards. The goal is to convert passive highlights into actionable, searchable claims.

• Files contain highlights with ID numbers (format: ### id123456789 or loc 12345)
• Original highlights may have basic annotations but need conversion to claim statements

Step-by-Step Process

Phase 1: File Selection and Preparation

Step 1: Identify Target File

• Locate unprocessed Readwise import file
• Confirm file contains highlights with ID format: ### id[number]

Step 2: Initial File Assessment

• Scan through all highlights in the file
• Count total number of highlights requiring processing
• Identify any highlights that are already well-formatted vs. those needing work

Step 3: Process Each Highlight Header

For each highlight section in the format:

### id286148681
> [Quote content here]

Transform to:

### id286148681 [CLAIM STATEMENT]
> [Quote content here]

Header Transformation Rules:

• Convert the evidence/quote into a concise claim statement
• Use present tense, declarative statements
• Make claims specific and actionable
• Ensure claims are searchable (use keywords someone would search for)
• Keep claims under 10 words when possible
• Focus on the main takeaway, not peripheral details
• Ensure claims do not repeat, each should be unique
• If there is an annotation (outside of the > format), emphasize whatever the content of the annotation focused on.
• For one-word highlights with annotations that are definitions, include the word definition, for example "id888691383 definition: caravanserai is a roadside inn"

Step 4: Claim Statement Creation Guidelines

Examples of Good Transformations:

• Quote about nomads preserving milk → nomads make cheese to avoid wasting milk
• Quote about roses in vineyards → roses serve as canaries in coal mines for grapes
• Quote about Bronze Age tools → Bronze Age knives had practical purposes

Claim Statement Criteria:

• Answers "What is the main point here?"
• Uses keywords someone would search for
• Avoids vague language ("interesting," "some," "various")
• Can stand alone as a useful piece of information

Step 5: Quality Assessment for Each Claim

For each transformed header, ask:

• Is this claim useful for future reference?
• Would I find this in a search for the main keywords?
• Does this claim capture the essential information from the quote?
• Can this claim be understood without reading the quote?
• Does this claim emphasize what is unique about this quote?

Step 6: Prioritization and Triage

At the top of the file, organize claims with annotations into four main categories based on their content and tags (formatted as #bmf and #articleseed for example). Here are the key patterns:

• Questions - Annotations that seem to be pointing out confusion, look for ? style punctuation, or phrases like "I should research..."
• Article ideas - Look for tags like #addendum or #articleseed or phrases like "write an article about..."
• Cross-references - Look for tags like #xref or phrases like "cross-reference with..." or "relates to my article about..."
• Fiction/worldbuilding - Look for tags like #bmf or #storyidea or #storystem or phrases like "good inspiration for fiction about..."
• Vocabulary - Look for definitions, like "caravanserai (noun): a roadside inn..."

Don't tell me what I'm curious about. Do tell me what the full hightlight claim header was, not just the location. Batch them all together, I don't need you to break out each item into a subheader like "follow up." ONLY use the 4 sections I gave you.

please include a summary of what my question or idea was after the header, for example:

Format each section the following way:

[!help]+ Lingering Questions

• id1899 - Mesopotamians imported ship timber from distant Indian coasts Not the cedars of the Levant in Phoenicia?
• id941164150 fossil evidence illuminates evolutionary transitions Why didn't a teacher warn her to tell her to wear muted tone clothes in the desert?

[!info]+ Article Ideas

• L111 - monsoon winds enabled first global maritime trade networks Ought to do a worldbuilding mag article about this: too many authors take a eurocentric approach to maritime trade in fiction. Even in science fiction. So much napoleonic age of sail crap.

[!note]- Cross Reference

• L642 - social conflicts drove maritime migration to distant islands: This meshes with civilizations of africa and the horse the wheel and language.

[!tip]- Fiction & Worldbuilding

• L864 - founder status provided powerful motivation for exploration voyages: this point so good motivation for colonization story, and can be used to follow up on the article about colonization versus imperialism. It's also a nice metaphor for modern-day startup founders, and people who move to silicon valley.

[!info] Vocabulary

id888700143 dervishes: members of a Sufi religious order known for their mystical practices and whirling dances 🕊️💃

Step 7: Final File Review

• Ensure all headers follow the ### id[number] [claim] format. Prefer L1235 over "Location 1235" style, and keep id835926773 where possible.
• Verify quotes are properly formatted in blockquotes
• Verify annotations are duplicated at the top of the file and formatted in a callout quote box.
• Verify the first, last, and middle highlights have gotten a new header.

Quality Checkpoints

Header Quality Check

• Does the claim statement capture the essence of the quote?
• Is it searchable using likely keywords?
• Does it make sense without reading the quote?
• Is it specific enough to be useful?

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Over-summarizing: Don't just swap synonyms; create genuine claims
2. Vague headers: Avoid non-specific terms like "interesting fact about X"
3. Completionism: Every highlight needs a claim statement
4. Context loss: Ensure claims are understandable without the full quote
5. Keyword neglect: Use terms people would actually search for

Example Transformation

Before:

### id286148681
> Zandee did not know the nomads' language, so his friend Gulzar translated as Zandee asked how much they made from selling the cheese. "Nothing," Gulzar said. "They just do it so that the milk will not go stale. At most, they will barter it with a shopkeeper who may give them a pound of sugar or a dozen matchsticks."

After:

### id286148681 nomads make cheese to avoid wasting milk
> Zandee did not know the nomads' language, so his friend Gulzar translated as Zandee asked how much they made from selling the cheese. "Nothing," Gulzar said. "They just do it so that the milk will not go stale. At most, they will barter it with a shopkeeper who may give them a pound of sugar or a dozen matchsticks."

Success Metrics

A successfully processed file should have:

• Clear, searchable claim statements for major insights
• Proper metadata and citations
• Consistent formatting throughout
• Headers that could serve as future atomic note titles
• Preserved context and source attribution
• Organized annotations at top of the file to help direct attention to action items.