Old form handling required html code to be entered. Want a simpler text entry method to use.

I have some basic text entry forms that we're built using a cold fusion server and backend database. The user had to enter html code to get basic things like line feed and bolding.  (Not what they want to do).
Is there a tool or methodology that would capture true text entries with formatting? 

the code has been working for many years, but it's now burdensome to the new users without HTML knowledge or desire to do so.  Thanks for any insight you can provide.