diff --git a/RELEASING.md b/RELEASING.md
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--- a/RELEASING.md
+++ b/RELEASING.md
@@ -4,7 +4,30 @@
 <!-- toc -->
 </div>
 
-Guidance for release managers and maintainers.
+Tips for hledger release managers and maintainers.
+
+## 2021-12 
+
+Starting over, again:
+
+- All the stuff below this section needs review and cleanup already; consider it old.
+- Don't try to write down, let alone automate, every step of releasing; it's too much and too unstable.
+- Practice releasing as often as possible.
+- Keep making things a little better each time through. Simpler, more reliable, easier, faster, cheaper, higher quality.
+- The different aspects of releasing have complex interdependencies and sequencing constraints.
+  Chunk and separate them as far as possible:
+  - **Software** - selecting changes, packages, release dates; coordinating contributions; ensuring release readiness
+  - **Branch Management** - coordinating main and release branch, local and remote repos, CI branches
+  - **Version Bumping** - choosing and applying new version numbers and related things like tags, github releases, urls, everywhere needed
+  - **Docs** - command help, manuals, changelogs, release notes, github release notes, install page, announcements, process docs
+  - **Testing** - local testing, CI testing, extra release-specific testing
+  - **Artifacts** - generating binaries, zip files, github releases etc.
+  - **Publishing** - uploading, pushing, making visible, finalising
+  - **Announcing** - various announcement stages and channels
+
+  
+
+## Review/consolidate:
 
 ## Terminology