diff --git a/functions.js b/functions.js
index e55233b..fa68f74 100644
--- a/functions.js
+++ b/functions.js
@@ -31,13 +31,19 @@ class Seance {
     */
   }
 
-    async fetchFromMedium (mediumUrl) {
+    async fetchFromMedium (mediumUrl, options = {
+        json: null,
+      }) {
       console.info(`Fetching: ${mediumUrl}`);
       var output = path.join(process.env.PWD, 'content')
 
       var json
 
-      json = await this.fetchMediumJSON(mediumUrl)
+      if (!options.json) {
+        json = await this.fetchMediumJSON(mediumUrl)
+      } else {
+        json = options.json
+      }
 
       // use mediumexporter's getPost function to fetch a Medium post
       const post = await getPost(mediumUrl, {
@@ -264,8 +270,10 @@ class Seance {
       mediumUrl= `${mediumUrl}?format=json`
       const response = await fetch(mediumUrl)
       text = await response.text()
+    } else if (fs.existsSync(mediumUrl)) {
+      text = fs.readFileSync(mediumUrl).toString()
     } else {
-      throw { error: 'URL must be a Medium URL' }
+      throw { error: 'URL must be a Medium URL or existing JSON file' }
     }
 
     json = await JSON.parse(text.substr(text.indexOf('{')))