diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index b4ba24455f..eb1438682a 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -81,27 +81,56 @@ to [run the E2E test](./LOCAL_TESTING.md).
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+## Releases
 
-## Creating a Release Candidate
-Creating a release candidate for testing is a straightforward process. Here are the steps to follow:
+To start a new major release, begin by creating and pushing a `release/` branch based on `develop`.
 
-### Steps
- - Step 1. Create the release candidate tag with the following format (e.g., vx.x.x-rc) ex. v11.0.0-rc.
- - Step 2. Once a RC branch is created the automation will kickoff to build and upload the release and its binaries.
+<details>
+<summary>Example Commands</summary>
+
+```bash
+git fetch
+git checkout -b release/v15 origin/develop
+git push origin release/v15
+```
+
+</details>
+
+Most changes should first be merged into `develop` then backported to the release branch via a PR.
+
+<details>
+<summary>Example Commands to Backport a Change</summary>
+
+```bash
+git fetch
+git checkout -b my-backport-branch origin/release/v15
+git cherry-pick <commit SHA from develop>
+git push origin my-backport-branch
+```
+
+</details>
+
+### Creating a Release Candidate
+You can use github actions to create a release candidate:
+1) Create the release candidate tag with the following format (e.g., vx.x.x-rc) ex. v11.0.0-rc.
+2) Push the tag and the automation will take care of the rest
+
+You may create the RC tag directly off `develop` if a release branch has not been created yet. You should use the release branch if it exists and has diverged from develop.
 
 By following these steps, you can efficiently create a release candidate for QA and validation. In the future we will make this automatically deploy to a testnet when a -rc branch is created. 
 Currently, raising the proposal to deploy to testnet is a manual process via GovOps repo. 
 
-## Creating a Release / Hotfix Release
+### Creating a Release / Hotfix Release
 
-To create a release simply execute the publish-release workflow and follow the steps below.
+To create a release simply execute the publish-release workflow and follow these steps:
 
-### Steps
- - Step 1. Go to this pipeline: https://github.com/zeta-chain/node/actions/workflows/publish-release.yml
- - Step 2. Select the dropdown branch / tag you want to create the release with.
- - Step 3. In the version input, include the version of your release. Note. The major version must match what is in the upgrade handler.
- - Step 4. Select if you want to skip the tests by checking the checkbox for skip tests.
- - Step 5. Once the testing steps pass it will create a Github Issue. This Github Issue needes to be approved by one of the approvers: kingpinXD,lumtis,brewmaster012
+1) Go to this pipeline: https://github.com/zeta-chain/node/actions/workflows/publish-release.yml
+2) Select the release branch.
+3) In the version input, include the version of your release.
+  - The major version must match what is in the upgrade handler
+  - The version should look like this: `v15.0.0`
+4) Select if you want to skip the tests by checking the checkbox for skip tests.
+5) Once the testing steps pass it will create a Github Issue. This Github Issue needes to be approved by one of the approvers: kingpinXD,lumtis,brewmaster012
 
 Once the release is approved the pipeline will continue and will publish the releases with the title / version you specified in the user input.