Markdown to Book is an automation technique that converts manuscripts written in Markdown into InDesign booklet data.

By writing a document in Markdown¹, users can define the structure of a manuscript through simple syntax. If an editor delivers a manuscript written in Markdown to a designer, the communication required to clarify structural hierarchy can be reduced. This idea was implemented by AG Lab in Markdown to InDesign. That project proposes a processing method that uses InDesign’s GREP to convert Markdown syntax into predefined styles. But what if this process were executed automatically, in a single batch?

While Markdown to InDesign assumes efficiency within a professional production environment, Markdown to Book focuses on accessibility for small-scale publishing. Rather than functioning primarily as a communication tool between editor and designer, it is closer to a DIY approach—enabling a single individual to complete the entire process from A to Z. This automation technology runs as an InDesign script. With just a few clicks, users can convert a manuscript into print-ready data. Of course, this does not replace a professional publishing environment. Instead, it creates the conditions for someone who primarily handles text to independently complete its formal realization. In doing so, it connects the act of writing with the act of bookmaking.

Through this process, I hope Markdown to Book functions not only as a mechanical device, but also as an interface—something closer to an instrument.