diff --git a/.emacs b/.emacs
index c689830..0967339 100644
--- a/.emacs
+++ b/.emacs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ;; GETTING STARTED
 
-;; INITIALIZE MELPA PACKAGES
+;; INITIALIZE MELPA
 ;; Keep this on top
 ;; https://melpa.org/#/getting-started
 (require 'package)
@@ -12,14 +12,11 @@
   ;; For important compatibility libraries like cl-lib
   (add-to-list 'package-archives '("gnu" . "http://elpa.gnu.org/packages/")))
 (package-initialize)
- 
+
 ;; setting the default directory for extra packages
 (add-to-list 'load-path "~/.emacs.d/lisp/")
 
 ;; SOME BASIC PREFERENCES
-;; Eliminates initial splash screen
-(setq inhibit-startup-message t
-      inhibit-startup-echo-area-message t)
 ;; turns off the menus at top
 (menu-bar-mode -1)
 (tool-bar-mode -1)
@@ -43,9 +40,7 @@
 (autoload 'markdown-mode "markdown-mode" "Major mode for editing Markdown files" t)
 (add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.markdown\\'" . markdown-mode))
 (add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.md\\'" . markdown-mode))
-;; Turn on Flyspell (no need for lazy-mode, it seems; perhaps delete that)
-;;(require 'flyspell-lazy)
-;;(flyspell-lazy-mode 1)
+;; Turn on Flyspell
 (dolist (hook '(text-mode-hook))
   (add-hook hook (lambda ()
                    (flyspell-mode 1)
@@ -140,3 +135,17 @@
    )
 )
 (put 'downcase-region 'disabled nil)
+(custom-set-variables
+ ;; custom-set-variables was added by Custom.
+ ;; If you edit it by hand, you could mess it up, so be careful.
+ ;; Your init file should contain only one such instance.
+ ;; If there is more than one, they won't work right.
+ '(package-selected-packages
+   (quote
+    (wc-mode markdown-preview-mode markdown-mode+ markdown-mode pandoc-mode ox-reveal))))
+(custom-set-faces
+ ;; custom-set-faces was added by Custom.
+ ;; If you edit it by hand, you could mess it up, so be careful.
+ ;; Your init file should contain only one such instance.
+ ;; If there is more than one, they won't work right.
+ )
diff --git a/.scripts/install-arch.sh b/.scripts/install-arch.sh
index 8201603..090a605 100644
--- a/.scripts/install-arch.sh
+++ b/.scripts/install-arch.sh
@@ -13,10 +13,7 @@ sudo apt-get -y install xdg-open
 
 # emacs MAKE ARCH-COMPATIBLE
 sudo apt-get -y install emacs-gtk
-sudo apt-get -y install elpa-markdown-mode
-mkdir -p ~/.emacs.d/ && mkdir -p ~/.emacs.d/lisp/
-cd ~/.emacs.d/lisp/
-    && git clone git://github.com/bnbeckwith/wc-mode.git
+emacs --script install-emacs.el
 
 # pandoc MAKE ARCH-COMPATIBLE
 sudo apt-get -y install pandoc
diff --git a/.scripts/install-deb.sh b/.scripts/install-deb.sh
index 435131b..8bfe87b 100644
--- a/.scripts/install-deb.sh
+++ b/.scripts/install-deb.sh
@@ -13,10 +13,7 @@ sudo apt-get -y install xdg-open
 
 # emacs
 sudo apt-get -y install emacs-gtk
-sudo apt-get -y install elpa-markdown-mode
-mkdir -p ~/.emacs.d/ && mkdir -p ~/.emacs.d/lisp/
-cd ~/.emacs.d/lisp/
-    && git clone git://github.com/bnbeckwith/wc-mode.git
+emacs --script install-emacs.el
 
 # pandoc
 sudo apt-get -y install pandoc
diff --git a/.scripts/install-emacs.el b/.scripts/install-emacs.el
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..79f2ce5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.scripts/install-emacs.el
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+;; elisp script for installing emacs packages via MELPA
+(package-refresh-contents)
+(package-install markdown-mode)
+(package-install wc-mode)