Here's the rundown:

• While reading, write detailed notes in the margins and then fold the bottom corner of any page you've written on.
• After a week or two, come back to the book and transcribe the notes you're still impressed by onto 4×6 cards.
• Each card gets a category or theme in the top righthand corner (or you can use color-coded cards).
• Organize the cards by category (or by chapter if you're working on a book project). This way you can move them around as you please and connect random ideas (the basis of creativity).