I hear frequently from people who are new to Markdown. While it’s not a terribly complex syntax, it can be a little hard to grasp when you’re starting from scratch. This is especially true if you don’t already have a background in HTML coding. So I made a video to help out.

The video is available through Peachpit’s Learn By Video series. You can see a preview and purchase a copy through their website. As a friend of mine, you can use the coupon code MARKDOWN to get 40% off the list price when you check out. Because I like you.

Here’s my blurb about the video:

Markdown is the easiest way to create web content, and can be used to generate PDFs, Word and other documents with all the flexibility of CSS styling. The syntax is easy to learn and the various flavors of Markdown extend it to a point where it’s adaptable enough to handle most needs.

This course begins by explaining the basic syntax of Markdown, as defined by John Gruber and goes on to explore other versions of Markdown, including MultiMarkdown, GitHub Flavored Markdown, Kramdown and others. It finishes by showing how to turn your Markdown into web content and polished documents.

The video is wrapped in a unique interface that allows you to jump to any topic and also bookmark individual sections for later review. The unique “Watch and Work” mode shrinks the video into a small window to allow you to work alongside in Markdown as you view the video. Project files used in the lessons are included on the video so you can practice what you’ve learned.

I think beginners and people who feel like they could be doing more with Markdown will find it full of useful information. Take a look for yourself!