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Getting started

MarkdownBooks turns one Markdown file into a finished book. You upload a .md file, choose the formats you want, and download the results from a private link. It is free and needs no account.

Make a book

1. Write your manuscript in a single .md file. Follow the manuscript standards so the file passes validation.
2. Upload it on the home page. Use .md files or a .zip, up to 20 MB.
3. Design your cover. Set the title, tagline, author, fonts, sizes and colors, with a live preview. You can also leave the cover off.
4. Choose template and format. PDF, EPUB, Word (DOCX) and HTML are available. Pick a template for each, or customize your own, and a page size (such as A4, A5, US Letter, 6 × 9 in, or 5.5 × 8.5 in; A4 is default). PDF can also be print-ready.
5. Download. The progress page updates by itself. When the status is Done, each file has its own download button.

What happens when you upload

Your file is checked before anything else. If it does not meet the standard you see a list of errors with line numbers, and no book is made. Fix the lines shown and upload again. Warnings do not stop a book. They tell you something will look different from what you might expect, and they appear on the progress page.

Tip: use the free manuscript checker to test a draft in your browser before uploading. It uses the same rules.

Your files are private

Each book has a random link. Anyone who has the link can download the files, so do not share it publicly. Files are deleted 24 hours after your book is ready. See Limits and privacy.

Where to go next

• Manuscript standards: what a valid file looks like.
• Markdown basics: the syntax you will use every day.
• Validation codes: what each error and warning means and how to fix it.
• Output formats: what you get in each format.

Something unclear? Tell us and we will improve this guide.