diff --git a/plugins/github/github.plugin.zsh b/plugins/github/github.plugin.zsh
index e5f59097..fc51b173 100644
--- a/plugins/github/github.plugin.zsh
+++ b/plugins/github/github.plugin.zsh
@@ -9,19 +9,13 @@ fi
 
 # https://github.com/dbb 
 
-# These are taken directly from the instructions you see after you create a new
-# repo. As the names imply, new_gh() assumes you're starting from scratch in a
-# directory named after the repo (this name is the only argument it takes), and
-# exist_gh() assumes that you've already initialized git in the given directory
-# (again, the only argument).
-# set up a new repo
 
-new_gh() { # [NAME_OF_REPO]
+# empty_gh [NAME_OF_REPO]
+#
+# Use this when creating a new repo from scratch.
+empty_gh() { # [NAME_OF_REPO]
     repo = $1
-
-    name=$(  igit config user.name )
-    email=$( git config user.email )
-    user=$(  git config github.user )
+    ghuser=$(  git config github.user )
 
     mkdir "$repo"
     cd "$repo"
@@ -29,17 +23,37 @@ new_gh() { # [NAME_OF_REPO]
     touch README
     git add README
     git commit -m 'Initial commit.'
-    git remote add origin git@github.com:${user}/${name}.git
+    git remote add origin git@github.com:${ghuser}/${repo}.git
     git push -u origin master
 }
 
+# new_gh [DIRECTORY]
+#
+# Use this when you have a directory that is not yet set up for git.
+# This function will add all non-hidden files to git.
+new_gh() { # [DIRECTORY]
+    cd "$1"
+    ghuser=$( git config github.user )
+
+    git init
+    # add all non-dot files
+    print '.*'"\n"'*~' >> .gitignore
+    git add ^.*
+    git commit -m 'Initial commit.'
+    git remote add origin git@github.com:${ghuser}/${repo}.git
+    git push -u origin master
+}
+
+# exist_gh [DIRECTORY]
+#
+# Use this when you have a git repo that's ready to go and you want to add it
+# to your GitHub.
 exist_gh() { # [DIRECTORY]
     cd "$1"
     name=$( git config user.name )
-    email=$( git config user.email )
-    user=$( git config github.user )
+    ghuser=$( git config github.user )
 
-    git remote add origin git@github.com:${user}/${name}.git
+    git remote add origin git@github.com:${ghuser}/${repo}.git
     git push -u origin master
 }