diff --git a/releasing/README.md b/releasing/README.md
index 298e2aee5..3f95f90ac 100644
--- a/releasing/README.md
+++ b/releasing/README.md
@@ -4,11 +4,187 @@
 [`cloud-build-local`]: https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-build-local
 [Google Cloud Build]: https://cloud.google.com/cloud-build
 [semver]: https://semver.org
+[Go modules]: https://github.com/golang/go/wiki/Modules
 
-Scripts and configuration files for publishing a
-`kustomize` release on the [release page].
+This document describes how to perform a [semver] release
+of one of the [Go modules] in this repository.
 
-## Build a release locally
+These modules release independently.
+
+## Module summaries
+
+[`sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kustomize`]: #sigsk8siokustomizekustomize
+[`sigs.k8s.io/kustomize`]: #sigsk8siokustomize
+[`sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pluginator`]: #sigsk8siokustomizepluginator
+[kustomize/v3.2.1]: https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/kustomize/releases/tag/kustomize%2Fv3.2.1
+[pluginator/v1.0.0]: https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/kustomize/releases/tag/pluginator%2Fv1.0.0
+
+| Module Description | Module Prefix | Tag | Branch Name | 
+| ---                | ------        | --- | ---         |
+| kustomize executable  | [`sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kustomize`]  | _kustomize/v{major}.{minor}.{patch}_  | _release-kustomize-v{major}.{minor}_  |
+| kustomize Go API      | [`sigs.k8s.io/kustomize`]            | _v{major}.{minor}.{patch}_            | _release-api-v{major}.{minor}_        |
+| pluginator executable | [`sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pluginator`] | _pluginator/v{major}.{minor}.{patch}_ | _release-pluginator-v{major}.{minor}_ |
+
+
+### sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kustomize
+
+The `kustomize` program, a CLI for performing
+k8s-aware structured edits to YAML in k8s resource
+files.
+
+#### Packages
+
+There's only one package in this module.  It's called `main`,
+and it holds the _kustomize_ executable.
+
+
+#### Release artifacts
+
+Executable files appear for various operating
+systems on the [release page].  The tag
+appears in the URL, e.g. [kustomize/v3.2.1].
+
+See the [installation instructions](../docs/INSTALL.md)
+to perform an install.
+
+
+### sigs.k8s.io/kustomize
+
+This is the kustomize Go API.
+
+#### Packages
+
+The packages in this module are used by API clients,
+like the `kustomize` program itself, and programs
+in other repositories, e.g. `kubectl`.
+
+They include methods to read, edit and emit
+modified YAML.
+
+Go consumers of this API will have a `go.mod` file
+_requiring_ this module at a particular tag, e.g.
+
+```
+require sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v4 v4.0.1
+```
+
+#### Release artifacts
+
+Source code tar balls and zip files (no executables)
+appear on the [release page].
+
+### sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/pluginator
+
+The `pluginator` program, a code generator that
+converts Go plugins to conventional statically
+linkable library code.
+
+#### Packages
+
+There's only one package in this module.  It's called `main`,
+and it holds the _pluginator_ executable.
+
+At the time of writing this binary is only of
+interest to someone writing a new builtin
+transformer or generator.  See the [plugin
+documentation](../docs/plugins).
+
+Its dependence on the API is primarily for
+plugin-related constants, not logic, and will
+only change if there's some change in how
+plugins are constructed (presumably
+infrequently).
+
+#### Release artifacts
+
+Executables appear on the [release page].
+The tag appears in the URL, e.g. [pluginator/v1.0.0].
+
+## Release procedure
+
+At any given moment, the repository's master branch is
+passing all its tests and contains code one could release.
+
+### get up to date
+
+```
+git fetch upstream
+git checkout master
+git rebase upstream/master
+```
+
+### select a module to release
+
+```
+module="api" # The API
+module="kustomize" # The kustomize executable
+module="pluginator" # The pluginator executable
+```
+
+### determine the version
+
+Go's [semver]-compatible version tags take the form `v{major}.{minor}.{patch}`:
+
+| major | minor | patch |
+| :---:   | :---:  | :---: |
+| API change | enhancements | bug fixes |
+| manual update | OK to auto-update | OK to auto-update |
+
+ - If there are only bug fixes or refactors, increment `patch` from whatever it is now.
+ - If there are new features, increment  `minor`.
+ - If there's an API change (either the Go API or the CLI behavior
+   with respect to CLI arguments and flags), increment `major`.
+
+```
+major=1
+minor=2
+patch=3
+```
+
+### create the release branch
+
+Every module release occurs on it's own git branch.
+
+The branch name doesn't include the patch number,
+since the branch accumulates patch releases.
+
+> TODO: define procedure for doing a cherrypick (committing a patch) to a
+> release branch that already exists.
+
+```
+branch="release-${module}-v${major}.${minor}
+git checkout -b $branch
+```
+
+
+### remove API replacements from go.mod
+
+Only do this if releasing one of the executables.
+
+In this repository, an executable in development
+on the master branch typically depends on the API
+also in development on the master branch.  This is
+achieved via a `replace` directive in the
+executable's `go.mod` file.
+
+A _released_ executable, however, must depend on a
+specific release of the API.  For this reason,
+it's typical, but not required, to release an
+executable immediately after releasing the API,
+updating the API version that the executable
+requires.
+
+```
+# Update the following as needed, obviously.
+
+if [ "$module" != "api" ]; then
+  go mod edit -dropreplace=sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v3    $module/go.mod
+  go mod edit -require=sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v4@v4.0.1 $module/go.mod
+  git commit -a -m "Drop API module replacement"
+fi
+```
+
+### optionally build a release locally
 
 Install [`cloud-build-local`], then run
 
@@ -16,32 +192,29 @@ Install [`cloud-build-local`], then run
 ./releasing/localbuild.sh
 ```
 
-## Do a real (cloud) release
+This should create release artifacts in a local directory.
+
+### push the release branch
 
-Get on an up-to-date master branch:
 ```
-git fetch upstream
-git checkout master
-git rebase upstream/master
+git push -f upstream $branch
 ```
 
-### review tags
+### optionally review tags
 
 ```
 git tag -l
 git ls-remote --tags upstream
 ```
 
-### define the new tag
-
-Define the version per [semver] principles; it must start with `v`:
+### define the release tag
 
 ```
-# To push a kustomize binary
-version=kustomize/v3.2.1
-
-# To push a pluginator binary - triggers a different script
-version=pluginator/v1.0.1
+tag="v${major}.v${minor}.${patch}
+if [ "$module" != "api" ]; then
+  # must prefix the tag with submodule name
+  tag="${module}/${tag}"
+fi
 ```
 
 ### if replacing a release...
@@ -51,7 +224,7 @@ Must delete the tag before re-pushing it.
 Delete the tag locally:
 
 ```
-git tag --delete $version
+git tag --delete $tag
 ```
 
 Delete it upstream:
@@ -60,7 +233,7 @@ Delete it upstream:
 git remote set-url --push upstream git@github.com:kubernetes-sigs/kustomize.git
 
 # The empty space before the colon effectively means delete the tag.
-git push upstream :refs/tags/$version
+git push upstream :refs/tags/$tag
 
 # Enable push protection:
 git remote set-url --push upstream no_push
@@ -70,23 +243,25 @@ Optionally visit the [release page] and delete
 (what has now become) the _draft_ release for that
 version.
 
-### tag locally
+### tag the local repository
 
 ```
-git tag -a $version -m "Release $version"
+git tag -a $tag -m "Release $tag on branch $branch"
 ```
 
-### trigger the cloud build
+### trigger the cloud build by pushing the tag
+
 Push the tag:
+
 ```
 git remote set-url --push upstream git@github.com:kubernetes-sigs/kustomize.git
-git push upstream $version
+git push upstream $tag
 git remote set-url --push upstream no_push
 ```
 
 This triggers a job in [Google Cloud Build] to
 put a new release on the [release page].
 
-###  Update release notes
+###  update release notes
 
 Visit the [release page] and edit the release notes as desired.