diff --git a/.github/changelog-configuration.json b/.github/changelog-configuration.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4cd4a5988
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/changelog-configuration.json
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+{ 
+  "categories": [
+    {
+      "title": "## What's Added",
+      "labels": ["feat"],
+    },
+    {
+      "title": "## What's Fixed",
+      "labels": ["fix"],
+    },
+    {
+      "title": "## What's Updated",
+      "labels": ["update"],
+    },
+    {
+      "title": "## Uncategorized",
+      "labels": [],
+    },
+  ],
+  "template": "#{{CHANGELOG}}",
+  "pr_template": "* #{{TITLE}} by @#{{AUTHOR}} in ##{{NUMBER}}" 
+}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_release.yaml b/.github/workflows/build_release.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..22cb10cf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_release.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch: 
+    inputs:
+      version:
+        description: "Release version (e.g., 1.1.0)"
+        required: true
+        type: string
+
+name: Build Release
+
+jobs: 
+  build-release:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Get current date 
+        id: date
+        run: | 
+          echo "date=$(date +'%Y-%m-%d')" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Build Assets
+        run: git ls-files | zip LME-${{ inputs.version }}.zip -@
+
+      - name: Build Changelog
+        id: release
+        uses: mikepenz/release-changelog-builder-action@v4.1.1
+        with: 
+          toTag: "release-${{ inputs.version }}"
+          configuration: ".github/changelog-configuration.json"
+          failOnError: true
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Create Draft Release 
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v0.1.15
+        with:
+          name: LME v${{ inputs.version }}
+          tag_name: v${{ inputs.version }}
+          body: | 
+            ## [${{ inputs.version }}] - Timberrrrr! - ${{ env.date }}
+            ${{ steps.release.outputs.changelog }}
+          files: LME-${{ inputs.version }}.zip
+          draft: true
+          prerelease: false
+          discussion_category_name: "Announcements"
+          generate_release_notes: false
+          fail_on_unmatched_files: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index baea7ae24..f408faa2d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ on:
         - main
       tags:
         - 'v[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+*'  # match basic semver tags
-    pull_request:
-      branches:
+    pull_request:  
+      branches: 
          - main
          - 'release-*'
   
@@ -62,25 +62,4 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           semgrep --config "p/r2c" .
 
-  release:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')
-    needs: [lint, semgrep-scan]
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@3df4ab11eba7bda6032a0b82a6bb43b11571feac # v4.0.0
-
-      - name: Set up tag name
-        id: tag
-        run: echo "::set-output name=tag::${GITHUB_REF##*/}"
-
-      - name: Build
-        run: git ls-files | zip release-${{ steps.tag.outputs.tag }}.zip -@
-
-      - name: Release
-        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@de2c0eb89ae2a093876385947365aca7b0e5f844 # v0.1.15
-        with:
-          files: release-${{ steps.tag.outputs.tag }}.zip
-          draft: true
-          generate_release_notes: true
-          fail_on_unmatched_files: true
+