diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index 88ec062..00c61b5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 name: publish
 on:
-    workflow_dispatch:
-    push:
-        branches:
-            - publish
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - publish
 jobs:
-    publish:
-        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-        environment: publish
-        steps:
-            - uses: actions/checkout@v2
-            - run: yarn
-            - run: yarn build
-            - run: yarn publish
-              env:
-                  NPM_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_AUTH_TOKEN }}
+  publish:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    environment: publish
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - run: yarn
+      - run: yarn build
+      - run: yarn publish
+        env:
+          NPM_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_AUTH_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.prettierrc b/.prettierrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d23a980
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.prettierrc
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+{
+    "singleQuote": true,
+    "jsxSingleQuote": false,
+    "printWidth": 120,
+    "proseWrap": "preserve",
+    "trailingComma": "es5",
+    "endOfLine": "lf",
+    "tabWidth": 4,
+    "useTabs": false,
+    "semi": true,
+    "overrides": [
+        {
+            "files": ["*.yml", "*.yaml"],
+            "options": {
+                "singleQuote": false,
+                "tabWidth": 2
+            }
+        }
+    ]
+}
diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index edf18ae..51d8e6d 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -9,12 +9,7 @@
     },
     "prettier.enable": true,
     "prettier.tabWidth": 4,
-    "eslint.validate": [
-        "javascript",
-        "javascriptreact",
-        "typescript",
-        "typescriptreact"
-    ],
+    "eslint.validate": ["javascript", "javascriptreact", "typescript", "typescriptreact"],
     "eslint.packageManager": "yarn",
     "css.validate": true,
     "scss.validate": true,
diff --git a/src/index.css b/src/index.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e43b07d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/index.css
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+.unstyled-textarea-autosize {
+    cursor: text;
+}
+
+.unstyled-textarea-autosize:empty::before {
+    content: attr(data-placeholder);
+    opacity: 0.75;
+}
diff --git a/src/index.tsx b/src/index.tsx
index 917cf1e..b5c4f3f 100644
--- a/src/index.tsx
+++ b/src/index.tsx
@@ -1,17 +1,12 @@
-import React, {
-    ComponentProps,
-    FormEvent,
-    forwardRef,
-    KeyboardEvent,
-    useCallback,
-    useEffect,
-} from "react";
-import { useRefWithForwarding } from "use-ref-with-forwarding";
-
-export type UnstyledTextareaAutosizeProps = ComponentProps<"div"> & {
+import React, { ComponentProps, FormEvent, forwardRef, KeyboardEvent, useCallback, useEffect } from 'react';
+import { useRefWithForwarding } from 'use-ref-with-forwarding';
+import './index.css';
+
+export type UnstyledTextareaAutosizeProps = ComponentProps<'div'> & {
     readOnly?: boolean;
     value?: string;
     initialValue?: string;
+    placeholder?: string;
     onValueChange?: (value: string) => void;
 };
 
@@ -19,11 +14,11 @@ export type UnstyledTextareaAutosizeElement = HTMLDivElement & {
     value: string;
 };
 
-const INVALID_CTRL_KEYS = ["b", "i", "u"];
+const INVALID_CTRL_KEYS = ['b', 'i', 'u'];
 
 function initElement(element: UnstyledTextareaAutosizeElement | null) {
     if (element) {
-        Object.defineProperty(element, "value", {
+        Object.defineProperty(element, 'value', {
             get: function () {
                 return element.innerText;
             },
@@ -38,13 +33,11 @@ function isElementInitialized(
     element: UnstyledTextareaAutosizeElement | null
 ): element is UnstyledTextareaAutosizeElement {
     if (!element) {
-        console.error("unstyled-textarea-autosize: unexpected null ref");
+        console.error('unstyled-textarea-autosize: unexpected null ref');
         return false;
     }
-    if (Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(element, "value") === undefined) {
-        console.error(
-            "unstyled-textarea-autosize: value property not configured"
-        );
+    if (Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(element, 'value') === undefined) {
+        console.error('unstyled-textarea-autosize: value property not configured');
         return false;
     }
     return true;
@@ -54,24 +47,13 @@ export const UnstyledTextareaAutosize = forwardRef<
     UnstyledTextareaAutosizeElement | null,
     UnstyledTextareaAutosizeProps
 >(function UnstyledTextareaAutosize(
-    {
-        readOnly,
-        value,
-        initialValue,
-        onValueChange,
-        onInput,
-        onKeyDown,
-        ...props
-    },
+    { readOnly, value, initialValue, placeholder, className, onValueChange, onInput, onKeyDown, ...props },
     outerRef
 ) {
     // initialize dom element with the value property
 
     // reference to the root element
-    const ref = useRefWithForwarding<UnstyledTextareaAutosizeElement | null>(
-        null,
-        [initElement, outerRef]
-    );
+    const ref = useRefWithForwarding<UnstyledTextareaAutosizeElement | null>(null, [initElement, outerRef]);
 
     // update the text when the value changes (controlled mode)
     useEffect(() => {
@@ -122,14 +104,12 @@ export const UnstyledTextareaAutosize = forwardRef<
 
             // propagate the value change
             const newValue = ref.current.value;
-            if (newValue !== value && onValueChange) {
-                onValueChange(newValue);
+            if (newValue !== value) {
+                onValueChange?.(newValue);
             }
 
             // call outer onInput handler for full transparency
-            if (onInput) {
-                onInput(event);
-            }
+            onInput?.(event);
         },
         [ref, value, onValueChange, onInput]
     );
@@ -143,22 +123,18 @@ export const UnstyledTextareaAutosize = forwardRef<
             }
 
             // block formatting shortcuts
-            if (
-                (event.ctrlKey || event.metaKey) &&
-                INVALID_CTRL_KEYS.includes(event.key)
-            ) {
+            if ((event.ctrlKey || event.metaKey) && INVALID_CTRL_KEYS.includes(event.key)) {
                 event.preventDefault();
             }
 
-            // blur on escape
-            if (event.key === "Escape") {
+            // blur on escape and unselect all text
+            if (event.key === 'Escape') {
                 ref.current.blur();
+                getSelection()?.removeAllRanges();
             }
 
             // call outer onKeyDown handler for full transparency
-            if (onKeyDown) {
-                onKeyDown(event);
-            }
+            onKeyDown?.(event);
         },
         [ref, onKeyDown]
     );
@@ -168,6 +144,8 @@ export const UnstyledTextareaAutosize = forwardRef<
         <div
             {...props}
             ref={ref}
+            data-placeholder={placeholder}
+            className={`${className ?? ''} unstyled-textarea-autosize`}
             contentEditable={!readOnly}
             onInput={onInternalInput}
             onKeyDown={onInternalKeyDown}