diff --git a/mxml.c b/mxml.c
index 799c1f0..1458180 100755
--- a/mxml.c
+++ b/mxml.c
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@
    functions can be used:
 
    writer = mxml_open_file(file_name);
-     mxml_start_element(writer, name);
-     mxml_write_attribute(writer, name, value);
-     mxml_write_value(writer, value);
-     mxml_end_element(writer); 
+   mxml_start_element(writer, name);
+   mxml_write_attribute(writer, name, value);
+   mxml_write_value(writer, value);
+   mxml_end_element(writer); 
      ...
    mxml_close_file(writer);
 
@@ -482,6 +482,16 @@ int mxml_write_comment(MXML_WRITER *writer, const char *string)
    return TRUE;
 }
 
+int mxml_write_element(MXML_WRITER *writer, const char *name, const char *value)
+{
+   int i;
+
+   i = mxml_start_element(writer, name);
+   i += mxml_write_value(writer, value);
+   i += mxml_end_element(writer);
+   return i;
+}
+
 /*------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 char *mxml_close_buffer(MXML_WRITER *writer)
diff --git a/mxml.h b/mxml.h
index 25728d0..1a58e43 100755
--- a/mxml.h
+++ b/mxml.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ int mxml_start_element(MXML_WRITER *writer, const char *name);
 int mxml_start_element_noindent(MXML_WRITER *writer, const char *name);
 int mxml_end_element(MXML_WRITER *writer);
 int mxml_write_comment(MXML_WRITER *writer, const char *string);
+int mxml_write_element(MXML_WRITER *writer, const char *name, const char *value);
 int mxml_write_attribute(MXML_WRITER *writer, const char *name, const char *value);
 int mxml_write_value(MXML_WRITER *writer, const char *value);
 int mxml_write_empty_line(MXML_WRITER *writer);