I like to read. But, I like remembering what I read even more. The question is how can I retain more of what I read?

Here’s my secret.

I don’t try. Because I have developed a good system to capture what I think is important, I release myself from trying to remember everything. I am confident I can easily go back and retrieve the memorable parts so I am free to enjoy the book as I move through it.

Here’s my tools.

Two tools are necessary to get started. You need something to mark up a page (pen, pencil or highlighter) and an Evernote account. I hope this is not the first you have heard of Evernote. But if it is, think of Evernote as a digital brain. It is a program that allows you to store all sorts of information you might want to access later.

Here’s how it works.

I always read with a pen or a highlighter. When I encounter something significant or something I might want to remember I mark it (circle, highlight, underline etc.). Sometimes, I might make a note or a comment in the margin. I also dog ear the corner of the page that contains the mark* After I make my mark, I just keep right on moving. I continue this process over time until I finish the book. Once I am done I begin phase 2. I open my Evernote app on my iPhone and create a new Notebook with the name of the book. Next, in the notebook I create note files that correspond to sections of the book. Sometimes I do it according to chapters, other times if I haven’t made many marks I might use larger sections. Finally, I leaf back through all of the dog eared pages and using the document camera in Evernote I snap a picture of the page with my marks on it and save it in the note file. (Keep in mind you are limited in the size of individual note files. You can only put a few pictures in each, especially if you only have a free account.) If you are reading on a Kindle app on iPad this process is even simpler. You can use the highlighting feature in the app and then take a screenshot of the page by pushing the home and lock button at the same time. Afterwards just import the picture into your Evernote file. If it is easier for you to do this after you finish reading for the day that’s cool too. Sometimes that is even easier. The power of Evernote is that it recognizes the words in the picture you took and indexes the notes in the notebook. That means you are able to search for any of the words that appear in the picture.

Here’s the power of your note files

You can ratchet up the power of Evernote by installing their free web clipper. This browser plug in allows you to clip content you come across on a web page and save it into Evernote. If also gives you an option to search through your Evernote account when you do a web search (like in Google). As you build your book notes, you will find relevant information in them even when you are searching the web with Google. Without a system like this all that good info might remain hidden on your shelf. So there you have it. Set up your system and be on merrily on your way knowing that everything you read will be easy to find in the future. If you have a good system of your own. I’d love to hear about it. Tell us in the comments section below. *If you struggle with writing in your books I understand. But, try to get over it. I love my books too but they are meant to be enjoyed and consumed.