Tweet

R.J. Nestor

Follow @rjnestor

22 Oct, 10 tweets, 5 min read

@RoamResearch

Everything valuable in @RoamResearch starts from this foundation, so elegantly stated by @Conaw:

https://twitter.com/Conaw/status/1315078546763603968?s=20

If you're new to Roam, or just need a refresher, here's a thread on what that means. 1/

1. "Content dictates form." This is a favorite quote of mine from composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim. Roam helps you discover the shape of your thoughts rather than imposing a shape on them. 2/

@RoamResearch

2. @RoamResearch has no "rules" (that I know of). But if you follow a few best practices, your simple input will yield surprising insight.
- Use [[pages]] to identify important topics
- Use indenting to structure ideas
- Use block references to "optimize" specific thoughts
3/

3. [[Pages]] are content + context. You can type any info on any page, but Roam's power is unleashed when you use pages as tags. If I type [[creativity]] anywhere in my Roam graph, it will show up in the Linked References on the [[creativity]] page. 4/

4. Indenting guarantees the RIGHT info shows up in those Linked References. If an idea is related to the one before it, hit Tab to indent underneath it. Linked References, queries, and mentions (portable linked references) are superpowers when you indent consistently. 5/

5. Block references are database optimization for your thoughts. Ideas can "live" in one place but be referenced in others. There are countless uses for this, including keeping tasks organized and developing content through multiple drafts. Block refs are Roam's secret sauce. 6/

@Conaw

6. As @Conaw says, anything beyond this just builds on that foundation. Roam is packed full of features but the content comes from YOU. Which, honestly, is probably the REAL hang up for many. But let me assure you: your ideas are worth developing. We need your contributions! 7/

@Conaw

7. Follow @Conaw, @roamhacker, @RoamStack, @RoamBrain, @RoamFM, @tracyplaces, @CatoMinor, @rroudt, @RobertHaisfield, @francis_miller, and—you know—me. Follow anyone who inspires and facilitates your Roam journey. 8/

8. If you're up for it, check out my upcoming course "Your Road to Roam" (courses.rjnestor.com/p/your-road-to…). It's designed to help you discover YOUR unique Roam workflow. 9/

@RoamResearch

Using @RoamResearch is believing you have something valuable to contribute. It's discovering how your ideas grow from the ideas of others and in turn nurture new ideas. YOU HAVE SOMETHING VALUABLE TO CONTRIBUTE. Let Roam help you discover WHAT. 10/

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

More from @rjnestor

R.J. Nestor

@rjnestor

19 Oct

@RoamResearch

When I first started using @RoamResearch, I struggled to find a good workflow for writing multiple drafts. This 10-minute video shows the solution that works for me. It combines tags/filters, versions, focus on block, and more!

The key to this writing workflow is differentiating "brainstorm" & "organize" passes from drafts.

I want brainstorm & organize passes to always be accessible. But I want drafts to be version-controlled.

@RoamResearch

@RoamResearch makes this simple. For early passes, I use separate blocks:

- [[pass]] [[1]] [[brainstorm]]
- <1st pass>
- [[pass]] [[2]] [[organize]]
- <2nd pass>

To write the 2nd pass, I open the 1st in the sidebar and "focus on block" with the 2nd. Clean and easy.

Read 6 tweets

R.J. Nestor

@rjnestor

9 Oct

@RoamResearch

If you log your meetings in @RoamResearch, you'll always have the right info at your fingertips. You'll bring greater value to clients and colleagues—and to yourself! It's like the "interactions" section in your CRM, only WAY better. Here's how I log interactions in Roam. 1/

First, the fundamentals involved. This method relies on Daily Notes, [[pages]] as tags, smart indenting, Linked References, and filters. I mention this because it's critical to recognize how Roam's features interact to facilitate your workflow. 2/

In my work, I wear many hats. I coach entrepreneurs, executives, and professionals. I teach actors to sing. I write music. I conduct a church choir. So I have a variety of meeting types that I track in Roam. 3/

Read 14 tweets

R.J. Nestor

@rjnestor

8 Oct

@RoamResearch

As a @RoamResearch [[true believer]] (philosophically since March, financially for a month), I obviously admire the work and the approach of @Conaw and his team. I get amazing personal value from Roam. But it's the Roam community that blows me away even more. 1/

The community around Roam is welcoming and non-toxic. Roamans agree with passion and disagree with grace—the opposite (or worse) is often the case in other corners of the web. While the name #roamcult is understandably offputting to some, the nature of Roamans is wholesome. 2/

@RoamResearch

If "ye shall know them by their fruits" is true (and I think it is), the @RoamResearch community demonstrates the deep worth of Roam itself. 3/

Read 5 tweets

R.J. Nestor

@rjnestor

4 May

@RoamResearch

The case for building your CRM in @RoamResearch. Here are three reasons, with examples, for why I moved my CRM from Notion to Roam. 1/

@RoamResearch

First, the bi-directional links in @RoamResearch are IDEAL for focusing on relationships. This is the killer feature: if I type, e.g., "Talked to [[Tom Smith]] about a [[collaboration with Roam Research]]," that will show up on Tom's page. 2/

Wherever I am, I can make a note (or a to-do, or whatever) that develops my relationship with Tom. When I need that information, it's in the [[Tom Smith]] linked references, and it's easy to filter to the info I need. 3/

Read 10 tweets

R.J. Nestor

@rjnestor

29 Apr

@RoamResearch

The case for GTD-style task management using @RoamResearch 1/

@RoamResearch

I've used Todoist, happily, for almost 6 years. 46,662 completed tasks later, I moved my task management into a custom-built system in @RoamResearch (complete with #@next, #@waiting, and all the requisite GTD labels). 2/

Why would I do that? Todoist is structured for tasks. Roam isn't, other than a general [[TODO]] page where every unfinished task is referenced. What benefits made this long-time Todoist user build a system in Roam from scratch? Other than my general nerdy-ness, that is... 3/

Read 14 tweets

Support us! We are indie developers!

This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!

Share this page!

R.J. Nestor

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

More from @rjnestor

R.J. Nestor

R.J. Nestor

R.J. Nestor

R.J. Nestor

R.J. Nestor

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Like this author's thread?