diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index cbb16d8..e0c0e16 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [package]
 name = "du-dust"
 description = "A more intuitive version of du"
-version = "0.8.0"
+version = "0.8.1-alpha.1"
 authors = ["bootandy <bootandy@gmail.com>", "nebkor <code@ardent.nebcorp.com>"]
 edition = "2018"
 readme = "README.md"
diff --git a/ci/how2publish.txt b/ci/how2publish.txt
index 482a68b..1c364bb 100644
--- a/ci/how2publish.txt
+++ b/ci/how2publish.txt
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # tag a commit and push (increment version in Cargo.toml first):
 #   git tag v0.4.5
 #   git push origin v0.4.5
+# pre release notation: "0.8.1-alpha.1"
 
 # cargo publish to put it in crates.io