My custom GoodNotes template for nested note-taking

As I mentioned in my list of recommended apps, I use GoodNotes on my iPad for most of my note-taking. It’s a fantastic app with plenty of built-in templates, which I’ve relied on for years. But one of its best features is the ability to import custom templates. After sticking with the default options for so long, I decided it was time to create a template tailored to my personal note-taking style.

I’m not sure if there’s an official name for how I take notes, but if I had to describe it, I’d call it nested note-taking. It’s inspired by modern programming notations, Reddit’s nested comment structure, and Workflowy’s organizational approach. To make this style cleaner and faster to use, I designed a template that includes vertical lines to mark where each “nest level” begins. These lines are also color-coded, making it easier to stay oriented even if you’re zoomed in or scrolling around the page.

To give you a better idea of how this works in practice, I’ll soon include a PDF example of how I take notes using this template (stay tuned!).

For reference, I typically use a 0.35mm pen in GoodNotes, and the line spacing in my template might feel a bit tight if you prefer thicker pens or if your handwriting tends to be larger.

If this sounds like a system you’d enjoy, feel free to try the template for yourself! Or perhaps it’ll inspire you to design one that better suits your own note-taking style. Either way, happy note-taking!