diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 0e3df99..2631ec3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
 name: release
 
+# Two ways to cut a release:
+#   1. Merge a PR that bumps VERSION. This workflow tags the merge commit
+#      v<VERSION> and builds it. If .github/release-notes/v<VERSION>.md exists,
+#      it becomes the release body instead of the generated changelog.
+#   2. Push a v* tag by hand, as before.
 on:
   push:
+    branches: [main]
+    paths: [VERSION]
     tags:
       - "v*"
 
@@ -16,7 +23,38 @@ jobs:
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
+      # A tag pushed with GITHUB_TOKEN doesn't start another workflow run, so
+      # tag and build in this job rather than waiting for the tag trigger.
+      - name: tag VERSION bump
+        id: tag
+        if: github.ref_type == 'branch'
+        run: |
+          version=$(tr -d '[:space:]' < VERSION)
+          if ! [[ "$version" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+(-[0-9A-Za-z.-]+)?$ ]]; then
+            echo "VERSION must be semver like 0.3.0, got '$version'"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          tag="v$version"
+          if git rev-parse -q --verify "refs/tags/$tag" >/dev/null; then
+            echo "$tag already exists; nothing to release."
+            echo "skip=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          git tag "$tag"
+          git push origin "$tag"
+          echo "tag=$tag" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+      - name: release notes
+        id: notes
+        if: steps.tag.outputs.skip != 'true'
+        run: |
+          notes=".github/release-notes/${{ steps.tag.outputs.tag || github.ref_name }}.md"
+          if [ -f "$notes" ]; then
+            echo "args=--release-notes $notes" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          fi
+
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+        if: steps.tag.outputs.skip != 'true'
         with:
           go-version: "1.24"
           cache: true
@@ -35,10 +73,11 @@ jobs:
       #     owner: HasData
 
       - uses: goreleaser/goreleaser-action@v6
+        if: steps.tag.outputs.skip != 'true'
         with:
           distribution: goreleaser
           version: latest
-          args: release --clean
+          args: release --clean ${{ steps.notes.outputs.args }}
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           # HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN: ${{ steps.app_token.outputs.token }}
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0da2dab..2081e8e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -190,6 +190,8 @@ go build ./...
 go test ./...
 ```
 
+Releasing: bump `VERSION` in a PR. Merging it tags `v<VERSION>` and publishes the release; add `.github/release-notes/v<VERSION>.md` to write the release body yourself. Pushing a `v*` tag by hand still works.
+
 ## Resources
 
 - **HasData docs** — <https://docs.hasdata.com>
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ee1372d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0.2.2