If you’ve ever wanted to set up a personalized and creative digital reading journal on your iPad, this step-by-step Goodnotes tutorial is for you! Let’s face it–you spent enough on an iPad and Goodnotes, so this is a great way to set up your own reading journal for free, without having to purchase from a third party!
Whether you’re a digital planner newbie or a seasoned Goodnotes user, you’ll learn how to design a book journal that fits your exact style, and have every type of tracker and creative outlet you could want!
This video tutorial will cover:
- How to set up a new notebook in Goodnotes
- How to add pages and create various templates for pages
- Create basic book tracking pages
- Hyperlink pages in the notebook together
- How to personalize and decorate your digital planner
Getting Started with Goodnotes 6
Before you begin, make sure you have:
- Goodnotes 6 installed (Free version allows 3 notebooks; the $30 one-time purchase is well worth it)
- An Apple Pencil for writing and drawing
- Optional: custom covers, stickers, and scrapbook-style elements
Creating Your Digital Reading Journal
Step 1: Start a New Notebook
Go to your Goodnotes documents and tap “New Notebook.”
- Choose a cover: You can use built-in designs or import your own from Files or Pinterest.
- Customize the colors: Adjust the notebook’s color scheme, including accent and background shades.
- Choose layout & paper style: Select between portrait or landscape. Dotted paper is a popular choice for journaling.
Customizing Your Notebook Pages
Step 2: Set Up Your First Page
Use the pencil icon to bring up your toolbar and start decorating:
- Add text, drawings, stickers, and doodles
- Scroll direction: Switch between vertical and horizontal depending on your preference
- Customize your pen settings: Choose between dotted, dashed, and solid lines. Use “draw and hold” for straight lines and shapes.
Designing Your “Books Read” Page
Step 3: Create a Book Tracker
- Use the text tool to title your page (e.g., “2025 Books Read”)
- Add decorative highlighting, rectangles for book entries, and move elements with the lasso tool
- Once the layout is ready, copy and paste your design to add more trackers
- Want to use this layout again? Export it as a PDF and import it as a template in future journals
Linking Pages Inside Your Journal
Step 4: Add Internal Hyperlinks
Make your journal interactive!
- Insert a book cover image and write the title underneath
- Add a hyperlink from the title to another page (like a detailed review)
- Switch to view mode to test the clickable link
Making It Aesthetic: Stickers, Scrapbook Vibes & More
Step 5: Add Photos and Stickers
- Use the photo icon to insert book covers or aesthetic elements
- Split screen with Photos app for quick drag-and-drop
- For transparent backgrounds, copy the image instead of dragging it
- Use freehand crop to manually cut out parts of images
Step 6: Save Favorite Elements as Stickers
Turn your custom cut-outs into reusable Goodnotes Elements:
- Tap your item → “Add to Elements”
- Organize into collections for easy use (e.g., Paper Scraps, Book Covers)
That’s it! Now you have all the tools to create your dream digital reading journal in Goodnotes. Whether you want a minimalist log or a scrapbook-style spread, the options are endless.
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to subscribe to Gemini Pages for tons of iPad and Notion book tracking content. There’s a whole playlist of iPad book journaling! If you want to try out other apps instead of Goodnotes, you can check out this guide on the best apps for digital journaling.