diff --git a/RELEASE.rst b/RELEASE.rst
index f4390f02..93524d9a 100644
--- a/RELEASE.rst
+++ b/RELEASE.rst
@@ -6,24 +6,36 @@ Introduction
 
 Example ``__version__``
 
-- 1.8.dev0     # development version of 1.8 (release candidate 1)
-- 1.8rc1       # 1.8 release candidate 1
-- 1.8rc2.dev0  # development version of 1.8 (release candidate 2)
+- 1.8rc0.dev0  # development version of 1.8 (first release candidate)
+- 1.8rc0       # 1.8 release candidate 1
+- 1.8rc1.dev0  # development version of 1.8 (second release candidate)
 - 1.8          # 1.8 release
-- 1.9.dev0     # development version of 1.9 (release candidate 1)
+- 1.9rc0.dev0  # development version of 1.9 (first release candidate)
 
 Test release candidates on numpy, scipy, matplotlib, scikit-image, and networkx.
 
 Process
 -------
 
-- Review and update ``doc/release_notes.rst``.
+- Set release variables::
+
+   export VERSION=<version number>
+   export PREVIOUS=<previous version number>
+   export ORG="numpy"
+   export REPO="numpydoc"
+   export LOG="doc/release/notes.rst"
+
+- Autogenerate release notes::
+
+   changelist ${ORG}/${REPO} v${PREVIOUS} main --version ${VERSION} --config pyproject.toml --format rst --out ${VERSION}.rst
+   changelist ${ORG}/${REPO} v${PREVIOUS} main --version ${VERSION} --config pyproject.toml --out ${VERSION}.md
+   cat ${VERSION}.rst | cat - ${LOG} > temp && mv temp ${LOG} && rm ${VERSION}.rst
 
 - Update ``__version__`` in ``numpydoc/_version.py``.
 
 - Commit changes::
 
-    git add numpydoc/_version.py doc/release_notes.rst
+    git add numpydoc/_version.py ${LOG}
     git commit -m 'Designate <version> release'
 
 - Add the version number (e.g., `v1.2.0`) as a tag in git::
@@ -39,16 +51,18 @@ Process
 
   where ``origin`` is the name of the ``github.com:numpy/numpydoc`` repository
 
-- Review the github release page::
+- Create release from tag::
+
+   - go to https://github.com/numpy/numpydoc/releases/new?tag=v${VERSION}
+   - add v${VERSION} for the `Release title`
+   - paste contents (or upload) of ${VERSION}.md in the `Describe this release section`
+   - if pre-release check the box labelled `Set as a pre-release`
 
-    https://github.com/numpy/numpydoc/releases
 
-- Publish on PyPi::
+- Update https://github.com/numpy/numpydoc/milestones::
 
-    git clean -fxd
-    pip install --upgrade build wheel twine
-    python -m build --sdist --wheel
-    twine upload -s dist/*
+   - close old milestone
+   - ensure new milestone exists (perhaps setting due date)
 
 - Update ``__version__`` in ``numpydoc/_version.py``.
 
diff --git a/doc/index.rst b/doc/index.rst
index 389e3cb1..240bb5b5 100644
--- a/doc/index.rst
+++ b/doc/index.rst
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ Sphinx, and adds the code description directives ``np:function``,
     install
     format
     validation
-    release_notes
+    release/index
     example
diff --git a/doc/release/index.rst b/doc/release/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ebd12250
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/release/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+Release notes
+=============
+
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 2
+
+   old
+
+.. note::
+
+   For release notes (sparsely) kept prior to 1.0.0, look at the `releases page
+   on GitHub <https://github.com/numpy/numpydoc/releases>`__.
diff --git a/doc/release_notes.rst b/doc/release/old.rst
similarity index 97%
rename from doc/release_notes.rst
rename to doc/release/old.rst
index 2f64f4cb..a75c129d 100644
--- a/doc/release_notes.rst
+++ b/doc/release/old.rst
@@ -1,22 +1,3 @@
-Release notes
-=============
-
-.. roughly following https://sphinx-gallery.github.io/dev/maintainers.html,
-.. 1.0.0 notes were generated by:
-.. 1. tagging PRs as enhancement/bug/removed
-.. 2. $ github_changelog_generator -u numpy -p numpydoc --since-tag=v0.9.2
-.. 3. $ pandoc CHANGELOG.md --wrap=none -o release_notes.rst
-.. 4. adding a manual addition (CSS note), tweaking heading levels, adding TOC
-
-.. contents:: Page contents
-   :local:
-   :depth: 2
-
-.. note::
-
-   For release notes (sparsely) kept prior to 1.0.0, look at the `releases page
-   on GitHub <https://github.com/numpy/numpydoc/releases>`__.
-
 1.6.0
 -----
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 7742516d..de570e34 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ test = [
 [project.scripts]
 validate-docstrings = 'numpydoc.hooks.validate_docstrings:main'
 
+[tool.changelist]
+title_template = "{version}"
+# Profiles that are excluded from the contributor list.
+ignored_user_logins = ["dependabot[bot]", "pre-commit-ci[bot]"]
+
 [tool.setuptools]
 include-package-data = false
 packages = [