diff --git a/cmd/list.go b/cmd/list.go
index 37d668b..465525f 100644
--- a/cmd/list.go
+++ b/cmd/list.go
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
-	"unicode/utf8"
 
 	"github.com/mickael-menu/zk/adapter/sqlite"
 	"github.com/mickael-menu/zk/core/note"
@@ -16,18 +14,18 @@ import (
 
 // List displays notes matching a set of criteria.
 type List struct {
-	Path           []string `arg optional placeholder:"GLOB"`
-	Format         string   `help:"Pretty prints the list using the given format" short:"f" placeholder:"TEMPLATE"`
-	Match          string   `help:"Terms to search for in the notes" short:"m" placeholder:"TERMS"`
-	Limit          int      `help:"Limit the number of results" short:"n" placeholder:"MAX"`
-	Created        string   `help:"Show only the notes created on the given date" placeholder:"DATE"`
-	CreatedBefore  string   `help:"Show only the notes created before the given date" placeholder:"DATE"`
-	CreatedAfter   string   `help:"Show only the notes created after the given date" placeholder:"DATE"`
-	Modified       string   `help:"Show only the notes modified on the given date" placeholder:"DATE"`
-	ModifiedBefore string   `help:"Show only the notes modified before the given date" placeholder:"DATE"`
-	ModifiedAfter  string   `help:"Show only the notes modified after the given date" placeholder:"DATE"`
-	Exclude        []string `help:"Excludes notes matching the given file path pattern from the list" short:"x" placeholder:"GLOB"`
-	Sort           []string `help:"Sort the notes by the given criterion" short:"s" placeholder:"CRITERION"`
+	Path           []string `arg optional placeholder:"<glob>"`
+	Format         string   `help:"Pretty prints the list using the given format" short:"f" placeholder:"<template>"`
+	Match          string   `help:"Terms to search for in the notes" short:"m" placeholder:"<query>"`
+	Limit          int      `help:"Limit the number of results" short:"n" placeholder:"<count>"`
+	Created        string   `help:"Show only the notes created on the given date" placeholder:"<date>"`
+	CreatedBefore  string   `help:"Show only the notes created before the given date" placeholder:"<date>"`
+	CreatedAfter   string   `help:"Show only the notes created after the given date" placeholder:"<date>"`
+	Modified       string   `help:"Show only the notes modified on the given date" placeholder:"<date>"`
+	ModifiedBefore string   `help:"Show only the notes modified before the given date" placeholder:"<date>"`
+	ModifiedAfter  string   `help:"Show only the notes modified after the given date" placeholder:"<date>"`
+	Exclude        []string `help:"Excludes notes matching the given file path pattern from the list" short:"x" placeholder:"<glob>"`
+	Sort           []string `help:"Sort the notes by the given criterion" short:"s" placeholder:"<term>"`
 }
 
 func (cmd *List) Run(container *Container) error {
@@ -153,7 +151,7 @@ func (cmd *List) ListOpts(zk *zk.Zk) (*note.ListOpts, error) {
 		})
 	}
 
-	sorters, err := sorters(cmd.Sort)
+	sorters, err := note.SortersFromStrings(cmd.Sort)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -188,65 +186,3 @@ func parseDate(date string) (time.Time, error) {
 	// FIXME: support years
 	return naturaldate.Parse(date, time.Now().UTC(), naturaldate.WithDirection(naturaldate.Past))
 }
-
-func sorters(terms []string) ([]note.Sorter, error) {
-	sorters := make([]note.Sorter, 0)
-	for _, term := range terms {
-		orderSymbol, _ := utf8.DecodeLastRuneInString(term)
-		term = strings.TrimRight(term, "+-")
-
-		sorter, err := sorter(term)
-		if err != nil {
-			return sorters, err
-		}
-
-		switch orderSymbol {
-		case '+':
-			sorter.Ascending = true
-		case '-':
-			sorter.Ascending = false
-		}
-
-		sorters = append(sorters, sorter)
-	}
-
-	return sorters, nil
-}
-
-func sorter(term string) (sorter note.Sorter, err error) {
-	switch {
-	case strings.HasPrefix("created", term):
-		sorter = note.Sorter{Field: note.SortCreated, Ascending: false}
-	case strings.HasPrefix("modified", term):
-		sorter = note.Sorter{Field: note.SortModified, Ascending: false}
-	case strings.HasPrefix("path", term):
-		sorter = note.Sorter{Field: note.SortPath, Ascending: true}
-	case strings.HasPrefix("title", term):
-		sorter = note.Sorter{Field: note.SortTitle, Ascending: true}
-	case strings.HasPrefix("random", term):
-		sorter = note.Sorter{Field: note.SortRandom, Ascending: true}
-	case strings.HasPrefix("word-count", term) || term == "wc":
-		sorter = note.Sorter{Field: note.SortWordCount, Ascending: true}
-	default:
-		err = fmt.Errorf("%s: unknown sorting term", term)
-	}
-	return
-}
-
-func sortAscending(symbol rune, term string) bool {
-	switch term {
-	case "created":
-		return false
-	case "modified":
-		return false
-	case "path":
-		return true
-	case "title":
-		return true
-	case "random":
-		return true
-	case "word-count":
-		return true
-	}
-	return true
-}
diff --git a/cmd/new.go b/cmd/new.go
index f3d3a1e..6913b46 100644
--- a/cmd/new.go
+++ b/cmd/new.go
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ import (
 type New struct {
 	Directory string            `arg optional type:"path" default:"." help:"Directory in which to create the note"`
 	PrintPath bool              `help:"Prints the path of the created note to stdin instead of editing it"`
-	Title     string            `short:"t" help:"Title of the new note" placeholder:"TITLE"`
-	Template  string            `type:"path" help:"Custom template to use to render the note" placeholder:"PATH"`
+	Title     string            `short:"t" help:"Title of the new note" placeholder:"<title>"`
+	Template  string            `type:"path" help:"Custom template to use to render the note" placeholder:"<path>"`
 	Extra     map[string]string `help:"Extra variables passed to the templates"`
 }
 
diff --git a/core/note/find.go b/core/note/find.go
index fb485f9..01957d0 100644
--- a/core/note/find.go
+++ b/core/note/find.go
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 package note
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
+	"unicode/utf8"
 )
 
 // Finder retrieves notes matching the given options.
@@ -87,3 +90,53 @@ const (
 	// Sort by the number of words in the note bodies.
 	SortWordCount
 )
+
+// SorterFromString returns a Sorter from its string representation.
+//
+// If the input str has for suffix `+`, then the order will be ascending, while
+// descending for `-`. If no suffix is given, then the default order for the
+// sorting field will be used.
+func SorterFromString(str string) (Sorter, error) {
+	orderSymbol, _ := utf8.DecodeLastRuneInString(str)
+	str = strings.TrimRight(str, "+-")
+
+	var sorter Sorter
+	switch str {
+	case "created", "c":
+		sorter = Sorter{Field: SortCreated, Ascending: false}
+	case "modified", "m":
+		sorter = Sorter{Field: SortModified, Ascending: false}
+	case "path", "p":
+		sorter = Sorter{Field: SortPath, Ascending: true}
+	case "title", "t":
+		sorter = Sorter{Field: SortTitle, Ascending: true}
+	case "random", "r":
+		sorter = Sorter{Field: SortRandom, Ascending: true}
+	case "word-count", "wc":
+		sorter = Sorter{Field: SortWordCount, Ascending: true}
+	default:
+		return sorter, fmt.Errorf("%s: unknown sorting term", str)
+	}
+
+	switch orderSymbol {
+	case '+':
+		sorter.Ascending = true
+	case '-':
+		sorter.Ascending = false
+	}
+
+	return sorter, nil
+}
+
+// SortersFromStrings returns a list of Sorter from their string representation.
+func SortersFromStrings(strs []string) ([]Sorter, error) {
+	sorters := make([]Sorter, 0)
+	for _, str := range strs {
+		sorter, err := SorterFromString(str)
+		if err != nil {
+			return sorters, err
+		}
+		sorters = append(sorters, sorter)
+	}
+	return sorters, nil
+}
diff --git a/core/note/find_test.go b/core/note/find_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..647604a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/note/find_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+package note
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/mickael-menu/zk/util/test/assert"
+)
+
+func TestSorterFromString(t *testing.T) {
+	test := func(str string, expectedField SortField, expectedAscending bool) {
+		actual, err := SorterFromString(str)
+		assert.Nil(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, actual, Sorter{Field: expectedField, Ascending: expectedAscending})
+	}
+
+	test("c", SortCreated, false)
+	test("c+", SortCreated, true)
+	test("created", SortCreated, false)
+	test("created-", SortCreated, false)
+	test("created+", SortCreated, true)
+
+	test("m", SortModified, false)
+	test("modified", SortModified, false)
+	test("modified+", SortModified, true)
+
+	test("p", SortPath, true)
+	test("path", SortPath, true)
+	test("path-", SortPath, false)
+
+	test("t", SortTitle, true)
+	test("title", SortTitle, true)
+	test("title-", SortTitle, false)
+
+	test("r", SortRandom, true)
+	test("random", SortRandom, true)
+	test("random-", SortRandom, false)
+
+	test("wc", SortWordCount, true)
+	test("word-count", SortWordCount, true)
+	test("word-count-", SortWordCount, false)
+
+	_, err := SorterFromString("foobar")
+	assert.Err(t, err, "foobar: unknown sorting term")
+}
+
+func TestSortersFromStrings(t *testing.T) {
+	test := func(strs []string, expected []Sorter) {
+		actual, err := SortersFromStrings(strs)
+		assert.Nil(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, actual, expected)
+	}
+
+	test([]string{}, []Sorter{})
+
+	test([]string{"created"}, []Sorter{
+		{Field: SortCreated, Ascending: false},
+	})
+
+	test([]string{"c+", "title"}, []Sorter{
+		{Field: SortCreated, Ascending: true},
+		{Field: SortTitle, Ascending: true},
+	})
+
+	_, err := SortersFromStrings([]string{"c", "foobar"})
+	assert.Err(t, err, "foobar: unknown sorting term")
+}