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Markdown Basics
WriteRoom uses Markdown to format your documents.
Markdown formats text with plain characters, like **bold** for bold. WriteRoom colors the markup as you type, has commands to write it for you, and hides the formatting characters until your caret reaches them.
markdown
# A Heading
Some **bold text** and a [link](https://www.hogbaysoftware.com).When you're done, export a Word document, a web page, or rich text.
How Much Markdown?
You don't need to learn it all.
If you're writing fiction, you might prefer just plain text. Or you might use headings for chapters and scenes, so you can fold them and jump between them.
If you're writing for the web, learn headings, emphasis, and links. Many website tools build pages from Markdown.
If you're writing technical documents, Markdown has you covered: lists and code, tables, footnotes, and math and diagrams.
The Format Menu
Use the Format menu to learn and apply Markdown.
Select some text and choose Format > Bold (Command-B), and WriteRoom types the ** for you. Choose it again to remove them. Headings, lists, links, and tables work the same way.
Why Markdown?
A Markdown document is an ordinary text file. It opens in any text editor, on any computer, years from now.
Markdown is also how writing moves between apps today: notes apps, websites, and publishing tools. Earlier versions of WriteRoom edited rich text, which works in far fewer places. To bring yours along, see Rich Text Documents.
Next I suggest you read Headings for Structure.