diff --git a/node/src/documents.rs b/node/src/documents.rs
index d84d1448e4..769bc4a034 100644
--- a/node/src/documents.rs
+++ b/node/src/documents.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ pub fn create(mut cx: FunctionContext) -> JsResult<JsString> {
     let path = not_empty_or_none(&cx.argument::<JsString>(0)?.value(&mut cx));
     let format = not_empty_or_none(&cx.argument::<JsString>(1)?.value(&mut cx));
 
-    let result = RUNTIME.block_on(async { DOCUMENTS.create(path, format).await });
+    let result = RUNTIME.block_on(async { DOCUMENTS.create(path, None, format).await });
     to_json_or_throw(cx, result)
 }
 
diff --git a/rust/stencila/src/documents.rs b/rust/stencila/src/documents.rs
index 64c857fd73..2469cf2883 100644
--- a/rust/stencila/src/documents.rs
+++ b/rust/stencila/src/documents.rs
@@ -506,6 +506,22 @@ impl Document {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Create a new document, optionally with content.
+    pub async fn create<P: AsRef<Path>>(
+        path: Option<P>,
+        content: Option<String>,
+        format: Option<String>,
+    ) -> Result<Document> {
+        let path = path.map(|path| PathBuf::from(path.as_ref()));
+
+        let mut document = Document::new(path, format);
+        if let Some(content) = content {
+            document.load(content, None).await?;
+        }
+
+        Ok(document)
+    }
+
     /// Open a document from an existing file.
     ///
     /// # Arguments
@@ -1693,11 +1709,14 @@ impl Documents {
         Ok(paths)
     }
 
-    /// Create a new empty document
-    pub async fn create(&self, path: Option<String>, format: Option<String>) -> Result<Document> {
-        let path = path.map(PathBuf::from);
-
-        let document = Document::new(path, format);
+    /// Create a new document
+    pub async fn create<P: AsRef<Path>>(
+        &self,
+        path: Option<P>,
+        content: Option<String>,
+        format: Option<String>,
+    ) -> Result<Document> {
+        let document = Document::create(path, content, format).await?;
         let document_id = document.id.clone();
         let document_repr = document.repr();
         let handler = DocumentHandler::new(document, false);
diff --git a/rust/stencila/src/rpc.rs b/rust/stencila/src/rpc.rs
index 63f107ed6e..47e1d23a35 100644
--- a/rust/stencila/src/rpc.rs
+++ b/rust/stencila/src/rpc.rs
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ impl Request {
             "sessions.subscribe" => sessions_subscribe(&self.params, client).await,
             "sessions.unsubscribe" => sessions_unsubscribe(&self.params, client).await,
             "kernels.languages" => kernels_languages(&self.params).await,
+            "documents.create" => documents_create(&self.params).await,
             "documents.open" => documents_open(&self.params).await,
             "documents.close" => documents_close(&self.params).await,
             "documents.patch" => documents_patch(&self.params).await,
@@ -282,6 +283,15 @@ async fn kernels_languages(params: &Params) -> Result<(serde_json::Value, Subscr
     Ok((json!(kernels), Subscription::None))
 }
 
+async fn documents_create(params: &Params) -> Result<(serde_json::Value, Subscription)> {
+    let path = optional_string(params, "path")?;
+    let content = optional_string(params, "content")?;
+    let format = optional_string(params, "format")?;
+
+    let document = DOCUMENTS.create(path, content, format).await?;
+    Ok((json!(document), Subscription::None))
+}
+
 async fn documents_open(params: &Params) -> Result<(serde_json::Value, Subscription)> {
     let path = required_string(params, "path")?;
 
diff --git a/web/src/documents.ts b/web/src/documents.ts
index 36ce332180..0092824729 100644
--- a/web/src/documents.ts
+++ b/web/src/documents.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,21 @@ export interface ContentChangeEvent extends CustomEvent {
   detail: ViewUpdate | string
 }
 
+/**
+ * Create a new document
+ * 
+ * Optionally pass the content, in some format, for the new document.
+ */
+export async function create(
+  client: Client,
+  content?: string,
+  format?: string
+): Promise<Document> {
+  return client.call('documents.create', {
+    content, format,
+  }) as Promise<Document>
+}
+
 /**
  * Open a document
  *
@@ -425,15 +440,15 @@ async function onContentChange(
  */
 export interface ValidatorChangeEvent extends CustomEvent {
   detail:
-    | {
-        type: 'property'
-        name: string
-        value: string
-      }
-    | {
-        type: 'validator'
-        value: Exclude<ValidatorTypes['type'], 'Validator'>
-      }
+  | {
+    type: 'property'
+    name: string
+    value: string
+  }
+  | {
+    type: 'validator'
+    value: Exclude<ValidatorTypes['type'], 'Validator'>
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -450,16 +465,16 @@ async function onValidatorChange(
   const [address, value]: [Address, JsonValue] =
     event.detail.type === 'property'
       ? // The new validator property value
+      [
         [
-          [
-            // ...except for `default` which is actually a property of the parent parameter
-            ...(event.detail.name === 'default' ? [] : ['validator']),
-            event.detail.name,
-          ],
-          event.detail.value,
-        ]
+          // ...except for `default` which is actually a property of the parent parameter
+          ...(event.detail.name === 'default' ? [] : ['validator']),
+          event.detail.name,
+        ],
+        event.detail.value,
+      ]
       : // The new validator as an object with `type`
-        [['validator'], { type: event.detail.value }]
+      [['validator'], { type: event.detail.value }]
 
   const op: Operation = {
     type: 'Replace',