Books · systems · stories
Make a chapter map in your own words
A one-page map can connect a book’s structure to the question you brought to it.
Begin with the reader’s question
Write the question you are bringing to the book at the top of a blank page. Then look at the contents and identify the sections that appear most relevant. Treat the map as a plan to test while reading, rather than a claim about chapters you have not examined.
Use a short label for each section in your own words. Keep page or chapter references nearby. A map is a navigation aid; it does not need to reproduce the table of contents or summarize every argument.
Add relationships as you discover them
After a reading session, connect the idea you just studied to an earlier one. Label the relationship: prerequisite, example, exception, question or application. If you cannot explain the connection, mark it as uncertain and return to the source.
Keep the map small. When a branch becomes crowded, move the detail to a separate note and leave a reference. The useful overview is the one you can still understand when you reopen it after a week away.
Use the map to choose a next session
Circle one unresolved connection and choose a reading task that could clarify it. Decide what you expect to learn and what source location you will revisit. This turns a growing set of notes into a manageable next step.
Keep your map for personal study and avoid redistributing substantial book text or protected illustrations. The original companion worksheets here are designed to hold your own questions and observations. You can use the free starter to begin, whether you are reading one of Todd’s books or a source from another author.
Original companion article by Todd Michael Gori, prepared with AI-assisted tooling and editorial review.
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