diff --git a/bin/cleaver b/bin/cleaver
index 3e3898c..93fbbd8 100755
--- a/bin/cleaver
+++ b/bin/cleaver
@@ -9,14 +9,14 @@ var Cleaver;
  * Helper function to use the cleaver API to create and save a new
  * presentation
  */
-function createAndSave(file) {
+function createAndSave(file, options) {
   fs.readFile(file, 'utf-8', function (err, contents) {
-    var presentation = new Cleaver(contents, path.resolve(path.dirname(file)));
+    var presentation = new Cleaver(contents, options, path.resolve(path.dirname(file)));
     var promise = presentation.run();
 
     promise
       .then(function (product) {
-        var outputFile = presentation.metadata.output || path.basename(file, '.md') + '-cleaver.html';
+        var outputFile = presentation.options.output || path.basename(file, '.md') + '-cleaver.html';
         fs.writeFile(outputFile, product);
       })
       .fail(function (err) {
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ program
   .description('Watch for changes on markdown file')
   .action(function () {
     var file = program.args[0];
-    createAndSave(file);
+    createAndSave(file, parsedOpts);
 
     console.log('Watching for changes on ' + file + '. Ctrl-C to abort.');
     fs.watchFile(file, { persistent: true, interval: 100 }, function () {
@@ -48,11 +48,43 @@ program
   });
 
 program
+  .option('--title <title>', 'The title of the rendered document ' +
+          '(default: Untitled')
+  // TODO: author options
+  .option('--theme <theme>', 'An theme to load')
+  .option('--style <css>', 'A particular stylesheet to load')
+  .option('--output <filename>', 'The filename of the rendered document ' +
+          '(default: [INPUT]-cleaver.html)')
+  .option('--controls', 'Whether or not to include simple navigation ' +
+          'controls in your presentation (default: true)')
+  .option('--progress', 'Option to display a small progress bar at the top ' +
+          'of your presentation (default: true)')
+  .option('--encoding <encoding>', 'Content encoding used for the rendered ' +
+          'document (default: utf-8)')
+  .option('--template <path>', 'URL or path to a mustache template used for ' +
+          'individual slides')
+  .option('--layout <path>', 'URL or path to a mustache template used to ' +
+          'render the entire presentation')
   .option('--debug', 'Enable debug output');
 
 program.parse(process.argv);
 
+// TODO: a lot of code duplication here
+var parsedOpts = {
+  title: program.title,
+  theme: program.theme,
+  style: program.style,
+  output: program.output,
+  controls: program.controls,
+  progress: program.progress,
+  encoding: program.encoding,
+  template: program.template,
+  layout: program.layout,
+  debug: program.debug
+};
+
 if (!program.args.length) {
+  // TODO: custom help screen
   program.help();
 } else {
   /**
@@ -71,5 +103,5 @@ if (!program.args.length) {
   // Load cleaver with the new ENV for debugging
   // TODO: This seems a little janky, maybe handle this in lib/
   Cleaver = require('../');
-  createAndSave(program.args[0]);
+  createAndSave(program.args[0], parsedOpts);
 }
diff --git a/docs/options.md b/docs/options.md
index 4f34f19..08fdcef 100644
--- a/docs/options.md
+++ b/docs/options.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ YAML format. A typical option setup resembles the following.
 
 ### title
 
-The title of the slidshow.
+The title of the rendered document.
 
 **Default**: Untitled
 
@@ -90,13 +90,13 @@ Content encoding to use on the rendered document.
 
 ### template
 
-URL or absolute/relative path to a mustache template used to render the slides.
+URL or path to a mustache template used to render the slides.
 See [default.mustache](https://github.com/jdan/cleaver/blob/master/templates/default.mustache)
 for inspiration.
 
 ### layout
 
-URL or absolute/relative path to a mustache template used to render the entire
+URL or path to a mustache template used to render the entire
 slideshow. See
 [layout.mustache](https://github.com/jdan/cleaver/blob/master/templates/layout.mustache)
 for inspiration.
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 7c7b74d..25a552b 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -13,12 +13,19 @@ var helper;
  * include external dependencies (stylesheets, scripts, etc)
  *
  * @param {string} document The input document
+ * @param {!Object} options Optional settings object to overwrite the options
+ *     listed in the cleaver document
  * @param {!string} includePath Optional resource path (default: '.')
  * @constructor
  */
-function Cleaver(document, includePath) {
+function Cleaver(document, options, includePath) {
   this.document = document.toString();
+  this.options = options || {};
   this.path = path.resolve(includePath || '.');
+  /**
+   * Require helper using `this.path` as a context for where to locate any
+   * specified assets
+   */
   helper = require('./helper')(this.path);
 
   this.templates = {
@@ -37,7 +44,6 @@ function Cleaver(document, includePath) {
     style: []
   };
 
-  this.metadata = null;
   this.slides = [];
   this.override = false;
 
@@ -68,16 +74,21 @@ Cleaver.prototype.loadDocument = function () {
 
 
 /**
- * Parses the metadata and renders the slides.
+ * Parses the options and renders the slides.
  *
  * @return {Promise}
  */
 Cleaver.prototype.renderSlides = function () {
   var slices = this.slice(this.document);
-  var i;
+  var i, options;
 
-  this.metadata = yaml.safeLoad(slices[0].content) || {};
-  debug('parsed metadata');
+  options = yaml.safeLoad(slices[0].content) || {};
+  // Load any options that are not already present from the constructor
+  for (i in options) {
+    this.options[i] = this.options[i] || options[i];
+  }
+
+  debug('parsed options');
 
   for (i = 1; i < slices.length; i++) {
     this.slides.push({
@@ -89,16 +100,16 @@ Cleaver.prototype.renderSlides = function () {
   }
 
   // insert an author slide (if necessary) at the end
-  if (this.metadata.author) {
-    if (this.metadata.author.twitter &&
-        !this.metadata.author.twitter.match(/^@/)) {
-      this.metadata.author.twitter = '@' + this.metadata.author.twitter;
+  if (this.options.author) {
+    var twitter = this.options.author.twitter;
+    if (twitter && !twitter.match(/^@/)) {
+      this.options.author.twitter = '@' + this.options.author.twitter;
     }
 
     this.slides.push({
       id: i,
       hidden: true,
-      content: this.renderAuthorSlide(this.metadata.author)
+      content: this.renderAuthorSlide(this.options.author)
     });
   }
 
@@ -107,7 +118,7 @@ Cleaver.prototype.renderSlides = function () {
 
 
 /**
- * Populates `slides` and some extra loaded content, based on the metadata
+ * Populates `slides` and some extra loaded content, based on the options
  * listed in the document.
  *
  * @return {Promise}
@@ -116,24 +127,24 @@ Cleaver.prototype.populateResources = function () {
   var promises = [];
 
   // maybe load an external stylesheet
-  if (this.metadata.style) {
-    promises.push(helper.populateSingle(this.metadata.style, this.external, 'style')
+  if (this.options.style) {
+    promises.push(helper.populateSingle(this.options.style, this.external, 'style')
       .then(function () {
         debug('loaded user stylesheet');
       }));
   }
 
   // maybe load an external template
-  if (this.metadata.template) {
-    promises.push(helper.populateSingle(this.metadata.template, this.templates, 'slides')
+  if (this.options.template) {
+    promises.push(helper.populateSingle(this.options.template, this.templates, 'slides')
       .then(function () {
         debug('loaded user template');
       }));
   }
 
   // maybe load an external layout
-  if (this.metadata.layout) {
-    promises.push(helper.populateSingle(this.metadata.layout, this.templates, 'layout')
+  if (this.options.layout) {
+    promises.push(helper.populateSingle(this.options.layout, this.templates, 'layout')
       .then(function () {
         debug('loaded user layout');
       }));
@@ -150,8 +161,8 @@ Cleaver.prototype.populateResources = function () {
  */
 Cleaver.prototype.populateThemeResources = function () {
   // maybe load a theme
-  if (this.metadata.theme) {
-    return helper.loadTheme(this.metadata.theme, this).then(function () {
+  if (this.options.theme) {
+    return helper.loadTheme(this.options.theme, this).then(function () {
       debug('loaded theme');
     });
   }
@@ -179,8 +190,8 @@ Cleaver.prototype.loadStaticAssets = function () {
  * @return {Promise}
  */
 Cleaver.prototype.renderSlideshow = function () {
-  var putControls = this.metadata.controls || (this.metadata.controls === undefined);
-  var putProgress = this.metadata.progress || (this.metadata.progress === undefined);
+  var putControls = this.options.controls || (this.options.controls === undefined);
+  var putProgress = this.options.progress || (this.options.progress === undefined);
   var style, script, output;
 
   // Render the slides in a template (maybe as specified by the user)
@@ -193,8 +204,8 @@ Cleaver.prototype.renderSlideshow = function () {
   debug('rendered slides');
 
   // TODO: handle defaults gracefully
-  var title = this.metadata.title || 'Untitled';
-  var encoding = this.metadata.encoding || 'utf-8';
+  var title = this.options.title || 'Untitled';
+  var encoding = this.options.encoding || 'utf-8';
 
   if (this.override && this.external.loaded.style) {
     style = this.external.loaded.style && this.external.loaded.style.join('\n');
@@ -221,9 +232,9 @@ Cleaver.prototype.renderSlideshow = function () {
     title: title,
     encoding: encoding,
     style: style,
-    author: this.metadata.author,
+    author: this.options.author,
     script: script,
-    metadata: this.metadata
+    options: this.options
   };
 
   /* Return the rendered slideshow */
@@ -249,7 +260,7 @@ Cleaver.prototype.renderSlide = function (content) {
 /**
  * Renders the author slide.
  *
- * @param {string} content The author field of the slideshow metadata
+ * @param {string} content The author field of the slideshow options
  * @return {string} The formatted author slide
  */
 Cleaver.prototype.renderAuthorSlide = function (content) {
@@ -282,7 +293,7 @@ Cleaver.prototype.slice = function(document) {
 
       continue;
     } else {
-      /* If we leave out metadata, add an empty slide at the beginning */
+      /* If we leave out options, add an empty slide at the beginning */
       if (i === 0) {
         slices.push({ content: '' });
       }
@@ -319,7 +330,7 @@ Cleaver.prototype.slice = function(document) {
 Cleaver.prototype.run = function () {
   var self = this;
 
-  // Load document -> Parse Metadata / Render Slides -> Populate Resources
+  // Load document -> Parse options / Render Slides -> Populate Resources
   var documentChain = this.loadDocument()
     .then(self.renderSlides.bind(self))
     .then(self.populateThemeResources.bind(self))