diff --git a/AUTHORS.md b/AUTHORS.md
index 05748d1..9c74333 100644
--- a/AUTHORS.md
+++ b/AUTHORS.md
@@ -10,9 +10,10 @@
 
 ## Contributors
 
-- [Jan Freyberg](https://github.com/janfreyberg)
 - [Alkatar21](https://github.com/alkatar21)
 - [D.C. Hess](https://github.com/dchess)
+- [Jan Freyberg](https://github.com/janfreyberg)
 - [Mischa Lisovyi](https://github.com/mlisovyi)
+- [Matthew Price](https://github.com/pricemg)
 
-See the [changelog](https://github.com/realpython/codetiming/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md) for more details.
\ No newline at end of file
+See the [changelog](https://github.com/realpython/codetiming/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md) for more details.
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index aab8eca..fcc5098 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+
+- `inital_text` parameter which, when present, will use logger to log that timer has been started (by [Matthew Price](https://github.com/pricemg) in [#47])
+
 ## [1.3.2] - 2022-10-07
 
 ### Added
@@ -40,7 +44,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 
 ### Changed
 
-- `Timer.timers` changed from regular to `dict` to a custom dictionary supporting basic statistics for named timers ([#23]).
+- `Timer.timers` changed from regular `dict` to a custom dictionary supporting basic statistics for named timers ([#23]).
 
 
 ## [1.1.0] - 2020-01-15
@@ -81,3 +85,4 @@ Initial version of `codetiming`. Version 1.0.0 corresponds to the code in the tu
 [#35]: https://github.com/realpython/codetiming/pull/35
 [#38]: https://github.com/realpython/codetiming/pull/38
 [#46]: https://github.com/realpython/codetiming/pull/46
+[#47]: https://github.com/realpython/codetiming/pull/47
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8e87f74..9f765a1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ You can use `codetiming.Timer` in several different ways:
 `Timer` accepts the following arguments when it's created. All arguments are optional:
 
 - **`name`:** An optional name for your timer
-- **`text`:** The text shown when your timer ends. It should contain a `{}` placeholder that will be filled by the elapsed time in seconds (default: `"Elapsed time: {:.4f} seconds"`)
+- **`text`:** The text that's shown when your timer ends. It should contain a `{}` placeholder that will be filled by the elapsed time in seconds (default: `"Elapsed time: {:.4f} seconds"`)
+- **`initial_text`:** Show text when your timer starts. You may provide the string to be logged or `True` to show the default text `"Timer {name} started"` (default: `False`)
 - **`logger`:** A function/callable that takes a string argument and will report the elapsed time when the logger is stopped (default: `print()`)
 
 You can turn off explicit reporting of the elapsed time by setting `logger=None`.
@@ -81,13 +82,21 @@ t = Timer(text=lambda secs: f"{secs / 86400:.0f} days")
 
 This allows you to use third-party libraries like [`humanfriendly`](https://pypi.org/project/humanfriendly/) to do the text formatting:
 
-```
+```python
 from humanfriendly import format_timespan
 
 t1 = Timer(text=format_timespan)
 t2 = Timer(text=lambda secs: f"Elapsed time: {format_timespan(secs)}")
 ```
 
+You may include a text that should be logged when the timer starts by setting `initial_text`:
+
+```python
+t = Timer(initial_text="And so it begins ...")
+```
+
+You can also set `initial_text=True` to use a default initial text.
+
 
 ## Capturing the Elapsed Time
 
@@ -109,7 +118,7 @@ elapsed_time = t.last
 
 Named timers are made available in the class dictionary `Timer.timers`. The elapsed time will accumulate if the same name or same timer is used several times. Consider the following example:
 
-```python
+```pycon
 >>> import logging
 >>> from codetiming import Timer
 
@@ -133,7 +142,7 @@ The example shows how you can redirect the timer output to the logging module. N
 
 You can also get simple statistics about your named timers. Continuing from the example above:
 
-```python
+```pycon
 >>> Timer.timers.max("example")
 3.5836678670002584
 
diff --git a/codetiming/_timer.py b/codetiming/_timer.py
index 94b426d..4b218af 100644
--- a/codetiming/_timer.py
+++ b/codetiming/_timer.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class Timer(ContextDecorator):
     _start_time: Optional[float] = field(default=None, init=False, repr=False)
     name: Optional[str] = None
     text: Union[str, Callable[[float], str]] = "Elapsed time: {:0.4f} seconds"
+    initial_text: Union[bool, str] = False
     logger: Optional[Callable[[str], None]] = print
     last: float = field(default=math.nan, init=False, repr=False)
 
@@ -35,6 +36,16 @@ def start(self) -> None:
         if self._start_time is not None:
             raise TimerError("Timer is running. Use .stop() to stop it")
 
+        # Log initial text when timer starts
+        if self.logger and self.initial_text:
+            if isinstance(self.initial_text, str):
+                initial_text = self.initial_text.format(name=self.name)
+            elif self.name:
+                initial_text = "Timer {name} started".format(name=self.name)
+            else:
+                initial_text = "Timer started"
+            self.logger(initial_text)
+
         self._start_time = time.perf_counter()
 
     def stop(self) -> float:
diff --git a/tests/test_codetiming.py b/tests/test_codetiming.py
index fb1c054..c9502c8 100644
--- a/tests/test_codetiming.py
+++ b/tests/test_codetiming.py
@@ -14,39 +14,57 @@
 from codetiming import Timer, TimerError
 
 #
-# Test functions
+# Constants, functions, and classes used by tests
 #
 TIME_PREFIX = "Wasted time:"
 TIME_MESSAGE = f"{TIME_PREFIX} {{:.4f}} seconds"
 RE_TIME_MESSAGE = re.compile(TIME_PREFIX + r" 0\.\d{4} seconds")
+RE_TIME_MESSAGE_INITIAL_TEXT_TRUE = re.compile(
+    f"Timer started\n{TIME_PREFIX}" + r" 0\.\d{4} seconds"
+)
+RE_TIME_MESSAGE_INITIAL_TEXT_CUSTOM = re.compile(
+    f"Starting the party\n{TIME_PREFIX}" + r" 0\.\d{4} seconds"
+)
 
 
 def waste_time(num=1000):
-    """Just waste a little bit of time"""
+    """Just waste a little bit of time."""
     sum(n**2 for n in range(num))
 
 
 @Timer(text=TIME_MESSAGE)
 def decorated_timewaste(num=1000):
-    """Just waste a little bit of time"""
+    """Just waste a little bit of time."""
+    sum(n**2 for n in range(num))
+
+
+@Timer(text=TIME_MESSAGE, initial_text=True)
+def decorated_timewaste_initial_text_true(num=1000):
+    """Just waste a little bit of time."""
+    sum(n**2 for n in range(num))
+
+
+@Timer(text=TIME_MESSAGE, initial_text="Starting the party")
+def decorated_timewaste_initial_text_custom(num=1000):
+    """Just waste a little bit of time."""
     sum(n**2 for n in range(num))
 
 
 @Timer(name="accumulator", text=TIME_MESSAGE)
 def accumulated_timewaste(num=1000):
-    """Just waste a little bit of time"""
+    """Just waste a little bit of time."""
     sum(n**2 for n in range(num))
 
 
 class CustomLogger:
-    """Simple class used to test custom logging capabilities in Timer"""
+    """Simple class used to test custom logging capabilities in Timer."""
 
     def __init__(self):
-        """Store log messages in the .messages attribute"""
+        """Store log messages in the .messages attribute."""
         self.messages = ""
 
     def __call__(self, message):
-        """Add a log message to the .messages attribute"""
+        """Add a log message to the .messages attribute."""
         self.messages += message
 
 
@@ -54,8 +72,9 @@ def __call__(self, message):
 # Tests
 #
 def test_timer_as_decorator(capsys):
-    """Test that decorated function prints timing information"""
+    """Test that decorated function prints timing information."""
     decorated_timewaste()
+
     stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
     assert RE_TIME_MESSAGE.match(stdout)
     assert stdout.count("\n") == 1
@@ -63,9 +82,10 @@ def test_timer_as_decorator(capsys):
 
 
 def test_timer_as_context_manager(capsys):
-    """Test that timed context prints timing information"""
+    """Test that timed context prints timing information."""
     with Timer(text=TIME_MESSAGE):
         waste_time()
+
     stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
     assert RE_TIME_MESSAGE.match(stdout)
     assert stdout.count("\n") == 1
@@ -73,11 +93,12 @@ def test_timer_as_context_manager(capsys):
 
 
 def test_explicit_timer(capsys):
-    """Test that timed section prints timing information"""
+    """Test that timed section prints timing information."""
     t = Timer(text=TIME_MESSAGE)
     t.start()
     waste_time()
     t.stop()
+
     stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
     assert RE_TIME_MESSAGE.match(stdout)
     assert stdout.count("\n") == 1
@@ -85,14 +106,14 @@ def test_explicit_timer(capsys):
 
 
 def test_error_if_timer_not_running():
-    """Test that timer raises error if it is stopped before started"""
+    """Test that timer raises error if it is stopped before started."""
     t = Timer(text=TIME_MESSAGE)
     with pytest.raises(TimerError):
         t.stop()
 
 
 def test_access_timer_object_in_context(capsys):
-    """Test that we can access the timer object inside a context"""
+    """Test that we can access the timer object inside a context."""
     with Timer(text=TIME_MESSAGE) as t:
         assert isinstance(t, Timer)
         assert t.text.startswith(TIME_PREFIX)
@@ -100,7 +121,7 @@ def test_access_timer_object_in_context(capsys):
 
 
 def test_custom_logger():
-    """Test that we can use a custom logger"""
+    """Test that we can use a custom logger."""
     logger = CustomLogger()
     with Timer(text=TIME_MESSAGE, logger=logger):
         waste_time()
@@ -108,7 +129,7 @@ def test_custom_logger():
 
 
 def test_timer_without_text(capsys):
-    """Test that timer with logger=None does not print anything"""
+    """Test that timer with logger=None does not print anything."""
     with Timer(logger=None):
         waste_time()
 
@@ -118,7 +139,7 @@ def test_timer_without_text(capsys):
 
 
 def test_accumulated_decorator(capsys):
-    """Test that decorated timer can accumulate"""
+    """Test that decorated timer can accumulate."""
     accumulated_timewaste()
     accumulated_timewaste()
 
@@ -131,7 +152,7 @@ def test_accumulated_decorator(capsys):
 
 
 def test_accumulated_context_manager(capsys):
-    """Test that context manager timer can accumulate"""
+    """Test that context manager timer can accumulate."""
     t = Timer(name="accumulator", text=TIME_MESSAGE)
     with t:
         waste_time()
@@ -147,7 +168,7 @@ def test_accumulated_context_manager(capsys):
 
 
 def test_accumulated_explicit_timer(capsys):
-    """Test that explicit timer can accumulate"""
+    """Test that explicit timer can accumulate."""
     t = Timer(name="accumulated_explicit_timer", text=TIME_MESSAGE)
     total = 0
     t.start()
@@ -167,7 +188,7 @@ def test_accumulated_explicit_timer(capsys):
 
 
 def test_error_if_restarting_running_timer():
-    """Test that restarting a running timer raises an error"""
+    """Test that restarting a running timer raises an error."""
     t = Timer(text=TIME_MESSAGE)
     t.start()
     with pytest.raises(TimerError):
@@ -175,13 +196,13 @@ def test_error_if_restarting_running_timer():
 
 
 def test_last_starts_as_nan():
-    """Test that .last attribute is initialized as nan"""
+    """Test that .last attribute is initialized as nan."""
     t = Timer()
     assert math.isnan(t.last)
 
 
 def test_timer_sets_last():
-    """Test that .last attribute is properly set"""
+    """Test that .last attribute is properly set."""
     with Timer() as t:
         time.sleep(0.02)
 
@@ -189,46 +210,50 @@ def test_timer_sets_last():
 
 
 def test_using_name_in_text_without_explicit_timer(capsys):
-    """Test that the name of the timer can be referenced in the text"""
+    """Test that the name of the timer can be referenced in the text."""
     name = "NamedTimer"
     with Timer(name=name, text="{name}: {:.2f}"):
         waste_time()
 
     stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
     assert re.match(f"{name}: " + r"0\.\d{2}", stdout)
+    assert stderr == ""
 
 
 def test_using_name_in_text_with_explicit_timer(capsys):
-    """Test that the name of the timer and the seconds attribute can be referenced in the text"""
+    """Test that timer name and seconds attribute can be referenced in the text."""
     name = "NamedTimer"
     with Timer(name=name, text="{name}: {seconds:.2f}"):
         waste_time()
 
     stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
     assert re.match(f"{name}: " + r"0\.\d{2}", stdout.strip())
+    assert stderr == ""
 
 
 def test_using_minutes_attribute_in_text(capsys):
-    """Test that timer can report its duration in minutes"""
+    """Test that timer can report its duration in minutes."""
     with Timer(text="{minutes:.1f} minutes"):
         waste_time()
 
     stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
     assert stdout.strip() == "0.0 minutes"
+    assert stderr == ""
 
 
 def test_using_milliseconds_attribute_in_text(capsys):
-    """Test that timer can report its duration in milliseconds"""
+    """Test that timer can report its duration in milliseconds."""
     with Timer(text="{milliseconds:.0f} {seconds:.3f}"):
         waste_time()
 
     stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
     milliseconds, _, seconds = stdout.partition(" ")
     assert int(milliseconds) == round(float(seconds) * 1000)
+    assert stderr == ""
 
 
 def test_text_formatting_function(capsys):
-    """Test that text can be formatted by a separate function"""
+    """Test that text can be formatted by a separate function."""
 
     def format_text(seconds):
         """Function that returns a formatted text"""
@@ -243,10 +268,10 @@ def format_text(seconds):
 
 
 def test_text_formatting_class(capsys):
-    """Test that text can be formatted by a separate class"""
+    """Test that text can be formatted by a separate class."""
 
     class TextFormatter:
-        """Class that behaves like a formatted text"""
+        """Class that behaves like a formatted text."""
 
         def __init__(self, seconds):
             """Initialize with number of seconds"""
@@ -263,20 +288,9 @@ def __str__(self):
     assert stdout.strip() == "Class: 1"
     assert not stderr.strip()
 
-    def format_text(seconds):
-        """Callable that returns a formatted text"""
-        return f"Callable: {seconds + 1:.0f}"
-
-    with Timer(text=format_text):
-        waste_time()
-
-    stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
-    assert stdout.strip() == "Callable: 1"
-    assert not stderr.strip()
-
 
 def test_timers_cleared():
-    """Test that timers can be cleared"""
+    """Test that timers can be cleared."""
     with Timer(name="timer_to_be_cleared"):
         waste_time()
 
@@ -286,7 +300,7 @@ def test_timers_cleared():
 
 
 def test_running_cleared_timers():
-    """Test that timers can still be run after they're cleared"""
+    """Test that timers can still be run after they're cleared."""
     t = Timer(name="timer_to_be_cleared")
     Timer.timers.clear()
 
@@ -299,7 +313,7 @@ def test_running_cleared_timers():
 
 
 def test_timers_stats():
-    """Test that we can get basic statistics from timers"""
+    """Test that we can get basic statistics from timers."""
     name = "timer_with_stats"
     t = Timer(name=name)
     for num in range(5, 10):
@@ -315,7 +329,7 @@ def test_timers_stats():
 
 
 def test_stats_missing_timers():
-    """Test that getting statistics from non-existent timers raises exception"""
+    """Test that getting statistics from non-existent timers raises exception."""
     with pytest.raises(KeyError):
         Timer.timers.count("non_existent_timer")
 
@@ -324,6 +338,102 @@ def test_stats_missing_timers():
 
 
 def test_setting_timers_exception():
-    """Test that setting .timers items raises exception"""
+    """Test that setting .timers items raises exception."""
     with pytest.raises(TypeError):
         Timer.timers["set_timer"] = 1.23
+
+
+def test_timer_as_decorator_with_initial_text_true(capsys):
+    """Test that decorated function prints at start with default initial text."""
+    decorated_timewaste_initial_text_true()
+
+    stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert RE_TIME_MESSAGE_INITIAL_TEXT_TRUE.match(stdout)
+    assert stdout.count("\n") == 2
+    assert stderr == ""
+
+
+def test_timer_as_context_manager_with_initial_text_true(capsys):
+    """Test that timed context prints at start with default initial text."""
+    with Timer(text=TIME_MESSAGE, initial_text=True):
+        waste_time()
+
+    stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert RE_TIME_MESSAGE_INITIAL_TEXT_TRUE.match(stdout)
+    assert stdout.count("\n") == 2
+    assert stderr == ""
+
+
+def test_explicit_timer_with_initial_text_true(capsys):
+    """Test that timed section prints at start with default initial text."""
+    t = Timer(text=TIME_MESSAGE, initial_text=True)
+    t.start()
+    waste_time()
+    t.stop()
+
+    stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert RE_TIME_MESSAGE_INITIAL_TEXT_TRUE.match(stdout)
+    assert stdout.count("\n") == 2
+    assert stderr == ""
+
+
+def test_timer_as_decorator_with_initial_text_custom(capsys):
+    """Test that decorated function prints at start with custom initial text."""
+    decorated_timewaste_initial_text_custom()
+
+    stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert RE_TIME_MESSAGE_INITIAL_TEXT_CUSTOM.match(stdout)
+    assert stdout.count("\n") == 2
+    assert stderr == ""
+
+
+def test_timer_as_context_manager_with_initial_text_custom(capsys):
+    """Test that timed context prints at start with custom initial text."""
+    with Timer(text=TIME_MESSAGE, initial_text="Starting the party"):
+        waste_time()
+
+    stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert RE_TIME_MESSAGE_INITIAL_TEXT_CUSTOM.match(stdout)
+    assert stdout.count("\n") == 2
+    assert stderr == ""
+
+
+def test_explicit_timer_with_initial_text_custom(capsys):
+    """Test that timed section prints at start with custom initial text."""
+    t = Timer(text=TIME_MESSAGE, initial_text="Starting the party")
+    t.start()
+    waste_time()
+    t.stop()
+
+    stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert RE_TIME_MESSAGE_INITIAL_TEXT_CUSTOM.match(stdout)
+    assert stdout.count("\n") == 2
+    assert stderr == ""
+
+
+def test_explicit_timer_with_initial_text_true_with_name(capsys):
+    """Test with default initial text referencing timer name."""
+    t = Timer(name="named", text=TIME_MESSAGE, initial_text=True)
+    t.start()
+    waste_time()
+    t.stop()
+
+    stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert re.match(
+        f"Timer named started\n{TIME_PREFIX}" + r" 0\.\d{4} seconds", stdout
+    )
+    assert stdout.count("\n") == 2
+    assert stderr == ""
+
+
+def test_explicit_timer_with_initial_text_with_name(capsys):
+    """Test with custom initial text referencing timer name."""
+    t = Timer(name="the party", text=TIME_MESSAGE, initial_text="Starting {name}")
+    t.start()
+    waste_time()
+    t.stop()
+
+    stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert RE_TIME_MESSAGE_INITIAL_TEXT_CUSTOM.match(stdout)
+    assert stdout.count("\n") == 2
+    assert stderr == ""