diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 89bf73b..766eb76 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ The format is based on `Keep a Changelog <https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/>`
 
 [unreleased]
 ------------
+- Rather than opening text editor for commit message, allow user to provide custom message as command line arg; changes name of command line arg to 'commit_message' from 'custom_message' (@kcranston, #466)
 - Remove docs build on python 3.6 - sphinx template no longer supports 3.6, add build for 3.9 (@lwasser, #481)
 - Cleanup old requirements and directories (@lwasser, #415)
 - Update documentation to discuss using extra_files to modify gitignore and readme (@lwasser, #178)
diff --git a/abcclassroom/__main__.py b/abcclassroom/__main__.py
index 790a8d2..9c3fdbf 100644
--- a/abcclassroom/__main__.py
+++ b/abcclassroom/__main__.py
@@ -136,11 +136,10 @@ def new_template():
         course_materials/release directory""",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
-        "--custom-message",
-        action="store_true",
-        help="""Use a custom commit message for git. Will open the default
-        git text editor for entry (if not set, uses default message 'Initial
-        commit').""",
+        "--commit-message",
+        default="Initial commit",
+        help="""Enter a commit message for git. If not set, uses default
+        message 'Initial commit').""",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--github",
@@ -159,7 +158,6 @@ def new_template():
         (Default = fail).""",
     )
     args = parser.parse_args()
-
     template.new_update_template(args)
 
 
@@ -220,9 +218,14 @@ def update_template():
         directory); merge = overwrite existing files add new files
         (Default = merge).""",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--commit-message",
+        default="Updating assignment",
+        help="""Enter a commit message for git. If not set, uses default
+        message 'Updating assignment').""",
+    )
     args = parser.parse_args()
     # now set the additional args (so that it matches the keys in add_template
     # and we can use the same implementation methods)
     setattr(args, "github", True)
-    setattr(args, "custom_message", True)
     template.new_update_template(args)
diff --git a/abcclassroom/git.py b/abcclassroom/git.py
index 0cf8853..ded107b 100644
--- a/abcclassroom/git.py
+++ b/abcclassroom/git.py
@@ -7,9 +7,6 @@
 # methods that involve the GitHub API
 
 import subprocess
-import sys
-
-from .utils import input_editor
 
 
 def check_git_ssh():
@@ -134,22 +131,6 @@ def repo_changed(directory):
     return bool(ret.stdout)
 
 
-def get_commit_message():
-    default_message = """
-    # Please enter the commit message for your changes. Lines starting
-    # with '#' will be ignored, and an empty message aborts the commit.
-    # This message will be used as commit and Pull Request message."""
-    message = input_editor(default_message)
-    message = "\n".join(
-        [
-            line
-            for line in message.split("\n")
-            if not line.strip().startswith("#")
-        ]
-    )
-    return message
-
-
 def commit_all_changes(directory, msg=None):
     """Run git add, git commit on a given directory. Checks git status
     first and does nothing if no changes.
@@ -163,7 +144,7 @@ def commit_all_changes(directory, msg=None):
         print("No changes in repository {}; doing nothing".format(directory))
 
 
-def init_and_commit(directory, custom_message=False):
+def init_and_commit(directory, commit_message):
     """Run git init, git add, git commit on given directory. Checks git status
     first and does nothing if no changes are detected.
 
@@ -187,13 +168,7 @@ def init_and_commit(directory, custom_message=False):
     git_init(directory)
     _master_branch_to_main(directory)
     if repo_changed(directory):
-        message = "Initial commit"
-        if custom_message:
-            message = get_commit_message()
-            if not message:
-                print("Empty commit message, exiting.")
-                sys.exit(1)  # sys is undefined - ask karen about this
-        commit_all_changes(directory, message)
+        commit_all_changes(directory, commit_message)
     else:
         print("No changes to local repository.")
 
diff --git a/abcclassroom/template.py b/abcclassroom/template.py
index 56a8885..35978aa 100644
--- a/abcclassroom/template.py
+++ b/abcclassroom/template.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def new_update_template(args):
         create_template(
             mode=args.mode,
             push_to_github=args.github,
-            custom_message=args.custom_message,
+            commit_message=args.commit_message,
             assignment_name=args.assignment,
         )
     except FileNotFoundError as fnfe:
@@ -46,7 +46,10 @@ def new_update_template(args):
 
 
 def create_template(
-    assignment_name, mode="fail", push_to_github=False, custom_message=False
+    assignment_name,
+    mode="fail",
+    push_to_github=False,
+    commit_message="Initial commit",
 ):
     """
     Classroom package function that creates or updates an assignment template
@@ -70,8 +73,10 @@ def create_template(
     push_to_github : boolean
         True if you want to push to GH
     mode : merge, fail
-    custom message : boolean (default = False)
-        True if you want to push to github.
+    commit_message : string
+        Sets a custom git commit message. For new templates, default is
+        "Initial commit" and for updating templates, default is
+        "Updating assignment"
     assignment_name : string
         name of the assignment
     """
@@ -97,7 +102,7 @@ def create_template(
     except FileNotFoundError as e:
         print(e)
         raise FileNotFoundError(
-            "Oops, it looks like the assignment - {} - does not exist"
+            "Oops, it looks like the assignment - {} - does not exist "
             "in the location that I expected it: \n{}. \nDid "
             "you spell the assignment name correctly and is there a "
             "directory at this path?".format(assignment_name, release_path)
@@ -112,7 +117,7 @@ def create_template(
     )
 
     # Create the local git repository and commit changes
-    abcgit.init_and_commit(template_repo_path, custom_message)
+    abcgit.init_and_commit(template_repo_path, commit_message)
 
     # Create / append assignment entry in config - this should only happen if
     # the assignment above exists...
diff --git a/abcclassroom/tests/test_assignment_template.py b/abcclassroom/tests/test_assignment_template.py
index b49681c..665f4ca 100644
--- a/abcclassroom/tests/test_assignment_template.py
+++ b/abcclassroom/tests/test_assignment_template.py
@@ -20,9 +20,7 @@ def test_create_template(course_structure_assignment):
     course_dir = Path(config["course_directory"])
     templates_dir = Path(config["template_dir"])
 
-    abctemplate.create_template(
-        assignment_name, push_to_github=False, custom_message=False
-    )
+    abctemplate.create_template(assignment_name, push_to_github=False)
 
     expected_template_dir = Path(
         course_dir, templates_dir, "{}-template".format(assignment_name)
@@ -40,9 +38,32 @@ def test_create_template_no_assignment(sample_course_structure):
     with pytest.raises(
         FileNotFoundError, match="Oops, it looks like the assignment"
     ):
-        abctemplate.create_template(
-            "assignment_test", push_to_github=False, custom_message=False
-        )
+        abctemplate.create_template("assignment_test", push_to_github=False)
+
+
+def test_create_custom_commit_message(course_structure_assignment):
+    """
+    Test that top-level create_template uses a custom commit message
+    if provided.
+    """
+    config, assignment_name, release_path = course_structure_assignment
+    course_dir = Path(config["course_directory"])
+    templates_dir = Path(config["template_dir"])
+
+    abctemplate.create_template(
+        assignment_name,
+        mode="delete",
+        push_to_github=False,
+        commit_message="Custom commit message",
+    )
+
+    expected_template_dir = Path(
+        course_dir, templates_dir, "{}-template".format(assignment_name)
+    )
+    assert expected_template_dir.exists()
+
+    git_return = abcgit._call_git("log", directory=expected_template_dir)
+    assert "Custom commit" in git_return.stdout
 
 
 def test_create_template_dir(course_structure_assignment):
@@ -132,7 +153,7 @@ def test_create_template_dir_move_git_dir(course_structure_assignment):
     # create a file in the template dir, init a git repo and commit
     testfile = Path(template_path, "file1.txt")
     testfile.touch()
-    abcgit.init_and_commit(template_path, False)
+    abcgit.init_and_commit(template_path, "commit message")
     assert Path(template_path, ".git").exists()
 
     template_path = abctemplate.create_template_dir(
diff --git a/abcclassroom/tests/test_git.py b/abcclassroom/tests/test_git.py
index 023dd14..93053e6 100644
--- a/abcclassroom/tests/test_git.py
+++ b/abcclassroom/tests/test_git.py
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ def test_init_and_commit(default_config, tmp_path):
     repo_dir.mkdir()
     a_file = Path(repo_dir, "testfile.txt")
     a_file.write_text("Some text")
-    abcgit.init_and_commit(repo_dir)
+    commit_message = "changing some things"
+    abcgit.init_and_commit(repo_dir, commit_message)
     assert Path(repo_dir, ".git").exists()
     git_return = abcgit._call_git("log", directory=repo_dir)
     assert git_return.stdout.startswith("commit")
diff --git a/docs/api/abcclassroom.auth.rst b/docs/api/abcclassroom.auth.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1da142c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/api/abcclassroom.auth.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+.. automodule:: abcclassroom.auth
+   :members:
+   :undoc-members:
+   :show-inheritance:
diff --git a/docs/api/abcclassroom.git.rst b/docs/api/abcclassroom.git.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3e199a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/api/abcclassroom.git.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+.. automodule:: abcclassroom.git
+   :members:
+   :undoc-members:
+   :show-inheritance:
diff --git a/docs/api/abcclassroom.rst b/docs/api/abcclassroom.rst
index b9b9909..97724cc 100644
--- a/docs/api/abcclassroom.rst
+++ b/docs/api/abcclassroom.rst
@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@ Submodules
 .. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 4
 
+   abcclassroom.auth
    abcclassroom.clone
    abcclassroom.config
    abcclassroom.feedback
+   abcclassroom.git
    abcclassroom.github
    abcclassroom.quickstart
    abcclassroom.roster
diff --git a/docs/manage-assignments/new_assignment.rst b/docs/manage-assignments/new_assignment.rst
index be205e5..fc6fce7 100644
--- a/docs/manage-assignments/new_assignment.rst
+++ b/docs/manage-assignments/new_assignment.rst
@@ -113,23 +113,13 @@ A few notes about how this works:
 Text Editors and Git Commit Messages
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 The default commit message used when you run
-``abc-new-template <assignment-name>`` is **initial commit**. A text editor
-will not open in this case.
+``abc-new-template <assignment-name>`` is "Initial commit". For 
+``abc-update-template`` the default message is "Updating assignment". 
 
-When you run ``abc-update-template`` the text editor that is specified in your
-system configuration settings will open up. If you do not have a text editor
-specified, VIM will open as a default.
+If you want to provide a custom commit message, use the ``--commit-message`` 
+flag with either script, and provide a message after the flag, e.g.::
 
-If you wish to use nano instead you can run the following in your terminal::
-
-  export EDITOR=nano
-
-.. note::
-  Right now if you try to use an editor like atom that launches outside of the
-  terminal, abc-classroom will currently fail and return a message saying
-  **empty commit message** . This may be fixed in the future but for now we
-  suggest that you use a terminal based editor for your default when using
-  abc-classroom.
+  abc-update-template assignment1 --commit-message "adding new notebook"
 
 
 
@@ -153,8 +143,7 @@ Run ``abc-new-template -h`` to see the options. The output is reproduced below::
 
     optional arguments:
       -h, --help            show this help message and exit
-      --custom-message      Use a custom commit message for git. Will open the
-                            default git text editor for entry (if not set, uses
+      --commit-message      Provide a custom commit message for git (if not set, uses
                             default message 'Initial commit').
       --github              Also perform the GitHub operations (create remote repo
                             on GitHub and push to remote (by default, only does
@@ -201,6 +190,8 @@ is reproduced here::
 
     optional arguments:
       -h, --help            show this help message and exit
+      --commit-message      Provide a custom commit message for git (if not set, uses
+                            default message 'Updating assignment').
       --mode {delete,merge}
                             What to do with existing contents of template
                             directory. Choices are: delete = remove contents