diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index cdfc4d4..3ae2c4b 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -13845,6 +13845,131 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-vFwSUfQvqybiICwZY5+DAWIPLKsWO31Q91JSKl3UYv+K5c2QRPzn0qzec6QPu1Qc9eHYItiP3NdJqNVqetYAww==",
       "optional": true
     },
+    "showdown": {
+      "version": "1.9.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/showdown/-/showdown-1.9.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-9cGuS382HcvExtf5AHk7Cb4pAeQQ+h0eTr33V1mu+crYWV4KvWAw6el92bDrqGEk5d46Ai/fhbEUwqJ/mTCNEA==",
+      "requires": {
+        "yargs": "^14.2"
+      },
+      "dependencies": {
+        "ansi-regex": {
+          "version": "4.1.0",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/ansi-regex/-/ansi-regex-4.1.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-1apePfXM1UOSqw0o9IiFAovVz9M5S1Dg+4TrDwfMewQ6p/rmMueb7tWZjQ1rx4Loy1ArBggoqGpfqqdI4rondg=="
+        },
+        "camelcase": {
+          "version": "5.3.1",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/camelcase/-/camelcase-5.3.1.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-L28STB170nwWS63UjtlEOE3dldQApaJXZkOI1uMFfzf3rRuPegHaHesyee+YxQ+W6SvRDQV6UrdOdRiR153wJg=="
+        },
+        "cliui": {
+          "version": "5.0.0",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/cliui/-/cliui-5.0.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-PYeGSEmmHM6zvoef2w8TPzlrnNpXIjTipYK780YswmIP9vjxmd6Y2a3CB2Ks6/AU8NHjZugXvo8w3oWM2qnwXA==",
+          "requires": {
+            "string-width": "^3.1.0",
+            "strip-ansi": "^5.2.0",
+            "wrap-ansi": "^5.1.0"
+          }
+        },
+        "emoji-regex": {
+          "version": "7.0.3",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/emoji-regex/-/emoji-regex-7.0.3.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-CwBLREIQ7LvYFB0WyRvwhq5N5qPhc6PMjD6bYggFlI5YyDgl+0vxq5VHbMOFqLg7hfWzmu8T5Z1QofhmTIhItA=="
+        },
+        "find-up": {
+          "version": "3.0.0",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/find-up/-/find-up-3.0.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-1yD6RmLI1XBfxugvORwlck6f75tYL+iR0jqwsOrOxMZyGYqUuDhJ0l4AXdO1iX/FTs9cBAMEk1gWSEx1kSbylg==",
+          "requires": {
+            "locate-path": "^3.0.0"
+          }
+        },
+        "is-fullwidth-code-point": {
+          "version": "2.0.0",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/is-fullwidth-code-point/-/is-fullwidth-code-point-2.0.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha1-o7MKXE8ZkYMWeqq5O+764937ZU8="
+        },
+        "locate-path": {
+          "version": "3.0.0",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/locate-path/-/locate-path-3.0.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-7AO748wWnIhNqAuaty2ZWHkQHRSNfPVIsPIfwEOWO22AmaoVrWavlOcMR5nzTLNYvp36X220/maaRsrec1G65A==",
+          "requires": {
+            "p-locate": "^3.0.0",
+            "path-exists": "^3.0.0"
+          }
+        },
+        "p-locate": {
+          "version": "3.0.0",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/p-locate/-/p-locate-3.0.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-x+12w/To+4GFfgJhBEpiDcLozRJGegY+Ei7/z0tSLkMmxGZNybVMSfWj9aJn8Z5Fc7dBUNJOOVgPv2H7IwulSQ==",
+          "requires": {
+            "p-limit": "^2.0.0"
+          }
+        },
+        "path-exists": {
+          "version": "3.0.0",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/path-exists/-/path-exists-3.0.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha1-zg6+ql94yxiSXqfYENe1mwEP1RU="
+        },
+        "string-width": {
+          "version": "3.1.0",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/string-width/-/string-width-3.1.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-vafcv6KjVZKSgz06oM/H6GDBrAtz8vdhQakGjFIvNrHA6y3HCF1CInLy+QLq8dTJPQ1b+KDUqDFctkdRW44e1w==",
+          "requires": {
+            "emoji-regex": "^7.0.1",
+            "is-fullwidth-code-point": "^2.0.0",
+            "strip-ansi": "^5.1.0"
+          }
+        },
+        "strip-ansi": {
+          "version": "5.2.0",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/strip-ansi/-/strip-ansi-5.2.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-DuRs1gKbBqsMKIZlrffwlug8MHkcnpjs5VPmL1PAh+mA30U0DTotfDZ0d2UUsXpPmPmMMJ6W773MaA3J+lbiWA==",
+          "requires": {
+            "ansi-regex": "^4.1.0"
+          }
+        },
+        "wrap-ansi": {
+          "version": "5.1.0",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/wrap-ansi/-/wrap-ansi-5.1.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-QC1/iN/2/RPVJ5jYK8BGttj5z83LmSKmvbvrXPNCLZSEb32KKVDJDl/MOt2N01qU2H/FkzEa9PKto1BqDjtd7Q==",
+          "requires": {
+            "ansi-styles": "^3.2.0",
+            "string-width": "^3.0.0",
+            "strip-ansi": "^5.0.0"
+          }
+        },
+        "yargs": {
+          "version": "14.2.3",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/yargs/-/yargs-14.2.3.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-ZbotRWhF+lkjijC/VhmOT9wSgyBQ7+zr13+YLkhfsSiTriYsMzkTUFP18pFhWwBeMa5gUc1MzbhrO6/VB7c9Xg==",
+          "requires": {
+            "cliui": "^5.0.0",
+            "decamelize": "^1.2.0",
+            "find-up": "^3.0.0",
+            "get-caller-file": "^2.0.1",
+            "require-directory": "^2.1.1",
+            "require-main-filename": "^2.0.0",
+            "set-blocking": "^2.0.0",
+            "string-width": "^3.0.0",
+            "which-module": "^2.0.0",
+            "y18n": "^4.0.0",
+            "yargs-parser": "^15.0.1"
+          }
+        },
+        "yargs-parser": {
+          "version": "15.0.1",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/yargs-parser/-/yargs-parser-15.0.1.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-0OAMV2mAZQrs3FkNpDQcBk1x5HXb8X4twADss4S0Iuk+2dGnLOE/fRHrsYm542GduMveyA77OF4wrNJuanRCWw==",
+          "requires": {
+            "camelcase": "^5.0.0",
+            "decamelize": "^1.2.0"
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
     "side-channel": {
       "version": "1.0.4",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/side-channel/-/side-channel-1.0.4.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f297e71..d8a2d6d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
     "react-dom": "^17.0.2",
     "react-scripts": "4.0.3",
     "react-textarea-autosize": "^8.3.2",
+    "showdown": "^1.9.1",
     "web-vitals": "^1.1.1"
   },
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/src/App.js b/src/App.js
index 8034e3c..4b8c64c 100644
--- a/src/App.js
+++ b/src/App.js
@@ -16,19 +16,13 @@ class App extends Component {
   };
 
   handleChange = (event) => {
-    // console.log(event.target.value);
     this.setState({ [event.target.name]: event.target.value });
   };
 
   handleSubmit = () => {
-    console.log(this.state);
     this.setState({ show: true });
   };
 
-  // todo:
-  // - setup datetime picker (material ui)
-  // - format look nice, styling
-  // - how to do newline in formatted text
   render() {
     return (
       <div className="App">
diff --git a/src/components/FormatText.js b/src/components/FormatText.js
index 287a384..74a02eb 100644
--- a/src/components/FormatText.js
+++ b/src/components/FormatText.js
@@ -1,38 +1,22 @@
 import React from "react";
 import TextareaAutosize from "react-textarea-autosize";
+import { Converter } from "showdown";
+
+const converter = new Converter();
 
 export default class FormatText extends React.Component {
   render() {
-    //     const str = `<short>${this.props.abstract}
-    // </short>`;
-    const str = `<eventitem date="${this.props.date}" time="${this.props.time}" room="Online" title="${this.props.name}">
+    const str = `<eventitem date="${this.props.date}" time="${
+      this.props.time
+    }" room="Online" title="${this.props.name}">
     <short>
-      ${this.props.abstract}
+      ${converter.makeHtml(this.props.abstract)}
     </short>
     <abstract>
-      ${this.props.description}
+      ${converter.makeHtml(this.props.description)}
     </abstract>
   </eventitem>`;
-    // return (
-    //   <div>
-    //     <h1>Formatted Text:</h1>
-    //     <div>
-    //       &lt;eventitem date="{this.props.name}" time="
-    //       {this.props.name}" room="Online" title="
-    //       {this.props.name}"&gt;
-    //     </div>
-    //     <div>&lt;short&gt;{this.props.abstract}&lt;/short&gt;</div>
-    //     <div>&lt;abstract&gt;{this.props.description}&lt;/abstract&gt;</div>
-    //     <div>&lt;/eventitem&gt;</div>
-    //   </div>
-    // );
     return (
-      //   <pre>
-      //     {/* <code> */}
-      //     <short>{this.props.abstract}</short>
-      //     &lt;short&gt;{this.props.abstract}&lt;/short&gt;
-      //     {/* </code> */}
-      //   </pre>
       <div className="formatted-text">
         <h2>formatted text:</h2>
         <TextareaAutosize
@@ -42,7 +26,6 @@ export default class FormatText extends React.Component {
           value={str}
         />
       </div>
-      // document.getElementById("element")
     );
   }
 }