You will need to learn the basics of the LaTeX system: how to break paragraphs, how to format tables and math, and so on. Here are some useful resources for this basic skill.
The LaTeX Wikibook is a free, comprehensive online resource.
The Wikipedia article on LaTex describes the system in general and has links to numerous online resources, including free downloads of all the software for Microsoft, Macintosh, and Linux platforms.
Kopka, Helmut, and Patrick W. Daly. Guide to LaTeX, fourth edition. Addison-Wesley, 2004, ISBN 0-321-17385-6.