diff --git a/scripts/create-plugin.js b/scripts/create-plugin.js
index 237d8c15b..b782ece2b 100755
--- a/scripts/create-plugin.js
+++ b/scripts/create-plugin.js
@@ -64,6 +64,31 @@ fs.writeFileSync('tsconfig.json', JSON.stringify(tsconfig, null, 2))
 console.log('📄 adding empty toolkit config')
 fs.writeFileSync('.toolkitrc.yml', 'version: 2\n')
 
+console.log('📖 adding simple README')
+fs.writeFileSync(
+  'readme.md',
+  `#dotcom-tool-kit/${name}
+
+## Installation & Usage
+
+With Tool Kit [already set up](https://github.com/financial-times/dotcom-tool-kit#installing-and-using-tool-kit), install this plugin as a dev dependency:
+
+\`\`\`sh
+npm install --save-dev @dotcom-tool-kit/${name}
+\`\`\`
+
+And add it to your repo's \`.toolkitrc.yml\`:
+
+\`\`\`yml
+plugins:
+  - '@dotcom-tool-kit/${name}'
+\`\`\`
+
+<!-- begin autogenerated docs -->
+<!-- end autogenerated docs -->
+`
+)
+
 console.log('🔗 adding reference to root tsconfig')
 const rootTsconfig = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('../../tsconfig.json'))
 rootTsconfig.references.push({ path: directory })