1 Why learn basic HTML & CSS?

You might be wondering, “Why should I learn how to code? I’m a writer!”

Yes, you are a writer, but these days, writers—especially digital writers—do far more than write.

Imagine you have been asked to help overhaul the copy on your company’s webpage. If you work for a large company, you may be able to hand off your new copy to a web designer or publisher to input into the content management system (CMS), or perhaps an outside firm has been hired to handle that.

In many cases, though, you’ll be asked to update the website yourself. And while a digital writer shouldn’t be expected to design an entire website, knowing basic HTML and CSS can help you tackle the job with confidence.

Don’t worry—coding isn’t as scary as you might think. Both HTML and CSS, like any other language, have syntax. Once you understand the basic syntax of HTML, you’ll be able to create headers, body texts, lists, tables, and links. And with basic CSS syntax, you can adjust fonts, font sizes, and font families.

Ready to learn? Let’s dive in!