Markdown is simple text syntax that instantly formats your document without requiring you to lift your fingers off the keyboard to click a toolbar. If you are a writer migrating away from Word/Google Docs to a minimalist environment like Thooval, you only need to learn a handful of commands.
Bookmark this page. Once you memorize these 6 elements, you will draft twice as fast.
1. Headings
Use hashes (`#`) followed by a space to create a heading. The number of hashes dictates the heading level (H1 down to H6).
# The Title of Your Novel (H1) ## Chapter Title (H2) ### A Sub-section (H3)
2. Emphasis (Bold & Italics)
Surround words with asterisks to add emphasis. One asterisk for italics, two for bold.
*This text is italicized.* **This text is bolded.** ***This text is bold and italicized!***
3. Lists
You can create bulleted or numbered lists just as naturally as you would type them.
**Bulleted List:** - Item one - Item two - Item three **Numbered List:** 1. First point 2. Second point 3. Third point
4. Links
To create a hyperlink without relying on a popup menu, wrap the linked text in brackets `[]` and the URL immediately after in parentheses `()`.
I write using [Thooval](https://akhil-k-thomas.github.io/thooval). This leads to an incredibly fast [blog](index.html).
5. Blockquotes
If you are quoting another author or a book excerpt, use the "greater than" symbol (`>`).
> "The scariest moment is always just before you start." > — Stephen King
6. Images
Images work exactly like links, but with an exclamation mark `!` in front. The text inside the brackets becomes the "alt text" (for screen readers and SEO).
That is literally it.
There are more Markdown commands (like tables, task lists, and inline code blocks), but as a prose writer, you almost never need them.
The beauty of Markdown is invisible frictionlessness. Try pasting the examples above into a dedicated editor like Thooval to see how cleanly plain text turns into perfectly formatted prose.