diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2c2602e..72b418b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,34 +4,37 @@ Keep track of what you're doing when you do it and forget trying to write summar
 
 ![demo](./demo.gif)
 
-## Usage
+## Installation
 
-To write or edit today's file, run `daylog` and today's log will be opened in `$EDITOR`.
+### Homebrew
+```
+brew tap notnmeyer/daylog-cli
+brew install daylog
+```
 
-To view today's file, run `daylog show`.
+### Releases
+Grab a release directly from the [releases page]()
 
-To interact with a past or future log supply a date (`daylog show -- 2023/01/07`), or a more casual realtive reference, "tomorrow", "yesterday", "1 day ago", etc.
+### From source
+`go build -o ~/bin/daylog main.go`, substituting `~/bin/daylog` for a different path if you prefer.
 
-### Log storage
+## Usage
 
-Logs are stored in `$XDG_DATA_HOME/daylog`. Use `daylog info` to print the exact directory.
+To write or edit today's log, run `daylog` and today's log will be opened in `$EDITOR`.
 
-## Installation
+To view today's log, run `daylog show`.
 
-### Install a prebuilt binary
+To interact with a past or future log supply a date (`daylog show -- 2023/01/07`), or a more casual realtive reference, "tomorrow", "yesterday", "1 day ago", etc.
 
-Via Homebrew,
+You can pipe updates as well, `echo "- ate a burrito" | daylog`.
 
-```
-brew tap notnmeyer/daylog-cli
-brew install daylog
-```
+For other commands and options see, `daylog --help`.
 
-Or grab a release directly from the [releases page]()
+### Log storage
 
-### From source
+Logs are stored in `$XDG_DATA_HOME/daylog`. Use `daylog info` to print the exact directory.
 
-1. Build the project with, `go build -o ~/bin/daylog main.go`, substituting `~/bin/daylog` for a different path if you prefer.
+---
 
 [^1]: DayLog ah ahh ahhhhhh, fighter of the night log ah ahh ahhhhh.
 
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index cfe8ed8..51847d5 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"io"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/fang"
 	"github.com/notnmeyer/daylog-cli/internal/daylog"
@@ -32,17 +34,25 @@ var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
-		showPrevious, err := cmd.PersistentFlags().GetBool("prev")
+		if err := applyPrevFlag(cmd, dl); err != nil {
+			log.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		piped, err := stdinIsPiped()
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatalf("%s", err.Error())
+			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
-		if showPrevious {
-			prev, err := file.PreviousLog(dl.ProjectPath, file.LogProvider{})
+		if piped {
+			content, err := io.ReadAll(os.Stdin)
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Fatal(err)
 			}
-			dl.Path = filepath.Join(dl.ProjectPath, prev, "log.md")
+			formatted := formatStdinContent(string(content))
+			if err := dl.Append(formatted); err != nil {
+				log.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			return
 		}
 
 		if err := dl.Edit(); err != nil {
@@ -71,3 +81,38 @@ func init() {
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&config.Project, "project", "p", "default", "The daylog project to use")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Bool("prev", false, "Operate on the most recent log that isn't today's")
 }
+
+func applyPrevFlag(cmd *cobra.Command, dl *daylog.DayLog) error {
+	showPrevious, err := cmd.PersistentFlags().GetBool("prev")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if showPrevious {
+		prev, err := file.PreviousLog(dl.ProjectPath, file.LogProvider{})
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		dl.Path = filepath.Join(dl.ProjectPath, prev, "log.md")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func formatStdinContent(content string) string {
+	// if a string like "hello\nworld" is piped, the markdown formatter (the default) will smash
+	// it together like "helloworld". so if there are \n's just make it a code block so the line
+	// breaks render correctly.
+	content = strings.TrimRight(content, "\n")
+	if strings.Contains(content, "\n") {
+		return "```\n" + content + "\n```"
+	}
+	return content
+}
+
+func stdinIsPiped() (bool, error) {
+	stat, err := os.Stdin.Stat()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	// terminals set ModeCharDevice. pipes don't. so if the bit is zero, we have piped input
+	return (stat.Mode() & os.ModeCharDevice) == 0, nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/root_test.go b/cmd/root_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a8e4391
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/root_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+package cmd
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestFormatStdinContent(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		input    string
+		expected string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:     "single line",
+			input:    "hello world",
+			expected: "hello world",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "single line with trailing newline",
+			input:    "hello world\n",
+			expected: "hello world",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "multi-line becomes code block",
+			input:    "hello\nworld",
+			expected: "```\nhello\nworld\n```",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "multi-line with trailing newline becomes code block",
+			input:    "hello\nworld\n",
+			expected: "```\nhello\nworld\n```",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "empty string",
+			input:    "",
+			expected: "",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			result := formatStdinContent(tt.input)
+			if result != tt.expected {
+				t.Errorf("formatStdinContent(%q) = %q, want %q", tt.input, result, tt.expected)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/daylog/daylog.go b/internal/daylog/daylog.go
index 26d428d..b237472 100644
--- a/internal/daylog/daylog.go
+++ b/internal/daylog/daylog.go
@@ -50,6 +50,38 @@ func New(args []string, project string) (*DayLog, error) {
 	}, nil
 }
 
+// append content to the log for the specified date
+func (d *DayLog) Append(content string) error {
+	if err := createIfMissing(d); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	existing, err := os.ReadFile(d.Path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if len(existing) > 0 && existing[len(existing)-1] != '\n' {
+		existing = append(existing, '\n')
+	}
+
+	content = strings.TrimRight(content, "\n") + "\n"
+
+	if err := os.WriteFile(d.Path, append(existing, []byte(content)...), 0644); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if d.gitEnabled() {
+		msg := fmt.Sprintf("update log for %d/%d/%d\n", d.Date.Year(), int(d.Date.Month()), d.Date.Day())
+		output, err := git.AddAndCommit(d.ProjectPath, d.Path, msg)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%s: %s", err, output.Stderr.String())
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // edit the log for the specified date
 func (d *DayLog) Edit() error {
 	if err := createIfMissing(d); err != nil {
@@ -195,7 +227,7 @@ func createIfMissing(d *DayLog) error {
 	}
 
 	year, month, day := d.Date.Year(), int(d.Date.Month()), d.Date.Day()
-	header := fmt.Sprintf("# %d/%02d/%02d", year, month, day)
+	header := fmt.Sprintf("# %d/%02d/%02d\n\n", year, month, day)
 	_, err = file.WriteString(header)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/internal/daylog/daylog_test.go b/internal/daylog/daylog_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..47dfd06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/daylog/daylog_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+package daylog
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func testDayLog(t *testing.T) *DayLog {
+	t.Helper()
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	date := time.Date(2025, 12, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	return &DayLog{
+		Path:        filepath.Join(dir, "log.md"),
+		ProjectPath: dir,
+		Date:        &date,
+	}
+}
+
+func readFile(t *testing.T, path string) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	b, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("reading file: %v", err)
+	}
+	return string(b)
+}
+
+func TestAppend(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name          string
+		existing      *string // nil means file doesn't exist yet
+		content       string
+		expectedFinal string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:          "new file gets header then content",
+			existing:      nil,
+			content:       "hello world",
+			expectedFinal: "# 2025/12/02\n\nhello world\n",
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "existing file with trailing newline",
+			existing:      strPtr("# 2025/12/02\n\nexisting entry\n"),
+			content:       "new entry",
+			expectedFinal: "# 2025/12/02\n\nexisting entry\nnew entry\n",
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "existing file without trailing newline",
+			existing:      strPtr("# 2025/12/02\n\nexisting entry"),
+			content:       "new entry",
+			expectedFinal: "# 2025/12/02\n\nexisting entry\nnew entry\n",
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "trailing newlines in content are normalized to one",
+			existing:      strPtr("# 2025/12/02\n\n"),
+			content:       "hello\n\n",
+			expectedFinal: "# 2025/12/02\n\nhello\n",
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "multi-line content (code block) appended intact",
+			existing:      strPtr("# 2025/12/02\n\n"),
+			content:       "```\nline one\nline two\n```",
+			expectedFinal: "# 2025/12/02\n\n```\nline one\nline two\n```\n",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			dl := testDayLog(t)
+
+			if tt.existing != nil {
+				if err := os.WriteFile(dl.Path, []byte(*tt.existing), 0644); err != nil {
+					t.Fatalf("writing existing file: %v", err)
+				}
+			}
+
+			if err := dl.Append(tt.content); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("Append() error = %v", err)
+			}
+
+			got := readFile(t, dl.Path)
+			if got != tt.expectedFinal {
+				t.Errorf("file contents =\n%q\nwant\n%q", got, tt.expectedFinal)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func strPtr(s string) *string { return &s }