Split notes at 800 words or 3 topics — decomposition…
When a note exceeds 800 words or covers three distinct topics, decompose it into 2-4 separate atomic notes and rewrite the connections between them to reveal causal chains invisible in the original structure.
When This Fires
- During knowledge base review when you encounter long notes
- When a note feels relevant to multiple different contexts (it's probably compound)
- After capturing a dense meeting or reading session that produced a long note
- Any note that you've struggled to link precisely because "it's about several things"
Common Failure Mode
Splitting mechanically by paragraph rather than by idea. A note split at paragraph boundaries produces fragments, not atoms. The split points must be at idea boundaries — where one claim ends and a different claim begins, even if they occupy the same paragraph.
The Protocol
When a note exceeds 800 words or covers 3+ topics: (1) Read the note and identify the distinct ideas it contains (usually 2-4). (2) For each idea, create a new atomic note containing only that idea, written to be self-contained. (3) Write explicit links between the new notes: "A causes B," "C is evidence for D," "E contradicts F." (4) Delete the original compound note or convert it to a hub that links to its children. (5) The explicit links between decomposed notes are new knowledge — causal chains that were invisible inside the monolith.