Learning fast to edit

(English) This is an essay. It expresses the opinions and ideas of some Wikimedians but may not have wide support. This is not policy on Meta, but it may be a policy or guideline on other Wikimedia projects. Feel free to update this page as needed, or use the discussion page to propose major changes.

Editing a page shouldn't be overwhelming

The best way to learn how to edit is to take it in small steps. At first, the task of organizing your thoughts can seem complicated, but it's best to start with the simple, everyday formatting elements you use. Such as:

• Creating bullets is as easy as adding asterisks - one astersisk before the word 'Creating' for this bullet
  • And sub bullets --using two asterisks before the word "And' for this bullet
• Creating numbered lists like the list below --by adding the '#" sign before each line

1. Item one
2. Item two
3. Item three

• Italicizing words or phrases --just add two single quote marks before and after a word or phrase
• Bolding words and phrases --just add three single quote marks before and after the word or phrase
• Adding a link to another wiki page
  • As I have done here to this Help:Wikitext_examples page --add two square brackets before and after the name of the wiki page.

You may also, try these:

• Add a blockquote such as CNN reporter Joe Schmo today said that:

candidates are all rushing to the internet but in trying to differentiate themselves, the presidential hopefuls
are all looking very similar, like all those boxes of cereal on the shelves of a grocery store saying. 'pick me, pick me!'

• Underline words like this --using a simple html tag. Use the letter u surrounded by 'pointy brackets' before the word you want to underline; then after the word, using pointy brackets surrounding /u
• Create a horizontal line when it is preferable to a section heading. Typing four dashes (----) without the brackets, does it.

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Adding formatting

Let's get into things like:

• Creating Borders for a table