Effective notes distinguish between what the author says and how the reader interprets it. Group excerpts by topic and add one sentence that summarizes each group in your own words. The three themes do not need to be the first three chapters; they may be three central questions, arguments, stages, conflicts, or principles that explain the material together.

For fiction, consider character, conflict, and change. For nonfiction, consider problem, argument, and method. For practical books, consider principles, steps, and application. If a book contains too much information for one map, create one map per chapter and then build a book-level overview from the chapter summaries. Verify every quotation, number, and specialist term.