diff --git a/core/handlers/create_note_handler.go b/core/handlers/create_note_handler.go
index 4225430..5509d11 100644
--- a/core/handlers/create_note_handler.go
+++ b/core/handlers/create_note_handler.go
@@ -30,15 +30,11 @@ func (h *CreateNoteHandler) Handle(ctx context.Context, raw json.RawMessage) (an
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	data, err := template.GenerateTemplate(cmd.TemplatePath)
+	data, err := template.RenderTemplate(cmd.TemplatePath, cmd.Title)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if data == nil {
-		data = []byte("---\ntitle: " + cmd.Title + "\ntags: []\n---\n")
-	}
-
 	tags, err := frontmatter.ParseTags(data)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/core/template/templater.go b/core/template/templater.go
index 40576a7..443f5aa 100644
--- a/core/template/templater.go
+++ b/core/template/templater.go
@@ -1,17 +1,42 @@
+package templatepackage template
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+)
+
 package template
 
 import (
 	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
 )
 
-
-func GenerateTemplate(templatePath string) ([]byte, error) {
-	if templatePath == "" {
-		return nil, nil
-	}
-	data, err := os.ReadFile(templatePath)
+func RenderTemplate(templatePath string, title string, slug string) ([]byte, error) {
+	tmpl, err := readTemplate(templatePath, title)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return data, nil
+
+	r := strings.NewReplacer(
+		"{{title}}", title,
+		"{{date}}", time.Now().Format("2006-01-02"),
+		"{{slug}}", slug,
+	)
+
+	return []byte(r.Replace(string(tmpl))), nil
 }
+
+func readTemplate(templatePath string, title string) ([]byte, error) {
+	if _, err := os.Stat(templatePath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return createDefaultTemplate(title), nil
+	}
+	return os.ReadFile(templatePath)
+}
+
+func createDefaultTemplate(title string) []byte {
+	return []byte("---\ntitle: " + title + "\ndate: " + time.Now().Format("2006-01-02") + "\n---\n")
+}
+