diff --git a/pkg/cli/cmd.go b/pkg/cli/cmd.go
index a00d1f5..6fc3db4 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/cmd.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/cmd.go
@@ -35,6 +35,23 @@ func Execute() error {
 	return rootCmd.Execute()
 }
 
+// InputFromArgsOrEditor returns either the provided input from the args slice
+// (joined with spaces), or if len(args) is 0, opens an editor and returns
+// whatever input was provided there. placeholder is a string which populates
+// the editor and gets stripped from the final output.
+func InputFromArgsOrEditor(args []string, placeholder string) (message string) {
+	var err error
+	if len(args) == 0 {
+		message, err = InputFromEditor(placeholder, "message.*.md")
+		if err != nil {
+			Fatal("Failed to get input: %v\n", err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		message = strings.Trim(strings.Join(args, " "), " \t\n")
+	}
+	return
+}
+
 var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "lmcli",
 	Short: "Interact with Large Language Models",
@@ -149,7 +166,7 @@ var lsCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 var rmCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "rm [conversation]",
+	Use:   "rm <conversation>",
 	Short: "Remove a conversation",
 	Long:  `Removes a conversation by its short name.`,
 	Args: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
@@ -183,7 +200,7 @@ var rmCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 var viewCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "view [conversation]",
+	Use:   "view <conversation>",
 	Short: "View messages in a conversation",
 	Long:  `Finds a conversation by its short name and displays its contents.`,
 	Args: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
@@ -217,7 +234,7 @@ var viewCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 var replyCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "reply",
+	Use:   "reply <conversation> [message]",
 	Short: "Send a reply to a conversation",
 	Long:  `Sends a reply to conversation and writes the response to stdout.`,
 	Args: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
@@ -239,7 +256,7 @@ var replyCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			Fatal("Could not retrieve messages for conversation: %s\n", conversation.Title)
 		}
 
-		messageContents, err := InputFromEditor("# How would you like to reply?\n", "reply.*.md")
+		messageContents := InputFromArgsOrEditor(args[1:], "# How would you like to reply?\n")
 		if messageContents == "" {
 			Fatal("No reply was provided.\n")
 		}
@@ -294,22 +311,18 @@ var replyCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 var newCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "new",
+	Use:   "new [message]",
 	Short: "Start a new conversation",
 	Long:  `Start a new conversation with the Large Language Model.`,
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		messageContents, err := InputFromEditor("# What would you like to say?\n", "message.*.md")
-		if err != nil {
-			Fatal("Failed to get input: %v\n", err)
-		}
-
+		messageContents := InputFromArgsOrEditor(args, "# What would you like to say?\n")
 		if messageContents == "" {
 			Fatal("No message was provided.\n")
 		}
 
 		// TODO: set title if --title provided, otherwise defer for later(?)
 		conversation := Conversation{}
-		err = store.SaveConversation(&conversation)
+		err := store.SaveConversation(&conversation)
 		if err != nil {
 			Fatal("Could not save new conversation: %v\n", err)
 		}
@@ -365,6 +378,7 @@ var newCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		if err != nil {
 			Warn("Could not generate title for conversation: %v\n", err)
 		}
+
 		err = store.SaveConversation(&conversation)
 		if err != nil {
 			Warn("Could not save conversation after generating title: %v\n", err)
@@ -373,12 +387,12 @@ var newCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 var promptCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "prompt",
+	Use:   "prompt [message]",
 	Short: "Do a one-shot prompt",
 	Long:  `Prompt the Large Language Model and get a response.`,
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		message := strings.Join(args, " ")
-		if len(strings.Trim(message, " \t\n")) == 0 {
+		message := InputFromArgsOrEditor(args, "# What would you like to say?\n")
+		if message == "" {
 			Fatal("No message was provided.\n")
 		}