diff --git a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
index 690426d68ff..23a9f8c5683 100644
--- a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
+++ b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
@@ -1,15 +1,14 @@
 Thanks for submitting a PR, your contribution is really appreciated!
 
-Here's a quick checklist that should be present in PRs:
+Here's a quick checklist that should be present in PRs (you can delete this text from the final description, this is
+just a guideline):
 
-- [ ] Add a new news fragment into the changelog folder
-  * name it `$issue_id.$type` for example (588.bugfix)
-  * if you don't have an issue_id change it to the pr id after creating the pr
-  * ensure type is one of `removal`, `feature`, `bugfix`, `vendor`, `doc` or `trivial`
-  * Make sure to use full sentences with correct case and punctuation, for example: "Fix issue with non-ascii contents in doctest text files."
-- [ ] Target: for `bugfix`, `vendor`, `doc` or `trivial` fixes, target `master`; for removals or features target `features`;
-- [ ] Make sure to include reasonable tests for your change if necessary
+- [ ] Create a new changelog file in the `changelog` folder, with a name like `<ISSUE NUMBER>.<TYPE>.rst`. See [changelog/README.rst](/changelog/README.rst) for details.
+- [ ] Target the `master` branch for bug fixes, documentation updates and trivial changes.
+- [ ] Target the `features` branch for new features and removals/deprecations.
+- [ ] Include documentation when adding new features.
+- [ ] Include new tests or update existing tests when applicable.
 
-Unless your change is a trivial or a documentation fix (e.g.,  a typo or reword of a small section) please:
+Unless your change is trivial or a small documentation fix (e.g.,  a typo or reword of a small section) please:
 
-- [ ] Add yourself to `AUTHORS`, in alphabetical order;
+- [ ] Add yourself to `AUTHORS` in alphabetical order;
diff --git a/changelog/1810.bugfix b/changelog/1810.bugfix.rst
similarity index 100%
rename from changelog/1810.bugfix
rename to changelog/1810.bugfix.rst
diff --git a/changelog/3166.trivial b/changelog/3166.trivial.rst
similarity index 100%
rename from changelog/3166.trivial
rename to changelog/3166.trivial.rst
diff --git a/changelog/985.trivial b/changelog/985.trivial.rst
similarity index 100%
rename from changelog/985.trivial
rename to changelog/985.trivial.rst
diff --git a/changelog/README.rst b/changelog/README.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f00720de998
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/README.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+This directory contains "newsfragments" which are short that contain a small **ReST**-formatted
+text that will be added to the next ``CHANGELOG``.
+
+The ``CHANGELOG`` will be read by users, so this description should be aimed to pytest users
+instead of describing internal changes which are only relevant to the developers.
+
+Make sure to use full sentences with correct case and punctuation, for example: *Fix issue with non-ascii contents in doctest text files.*
+
+Each file should be named like ``<ISSUE>.<TYPE>.rst``, where
+``<ISSUE>`` is an issue number, and ``<TYPE>`` is one of:
+
+* ``feature``: new user facing features, like new command-line options and new behavior.
+* ``bugfix``: fixes a reported bug.
+* ``doc``: documentation improvement, like rewording an entire session or adding missing docs.
+* ``removal``: feature deprecation or removal.
+* ``vendor``: changes in packages vendored in pytest.
+* ``trivial``: fixing a small typo or internal change that might be noteworthy.
+
+So for example: ``123.feature.rst``, ``456.bugfix.rst``.
+
+If your PR fixes an issue, use that number here. If there is no issue,
+then after you submit the PR and get the PR number you can add a
+changelog using that instead.
+
+If you are not sure what issue type to use, don't hesitate to ask in your PR.
+
+Note that the ``towncrier`` tool will automatically
+reflow your text, so it will work best if you stick to a single paragraph, but multiple sentences and links are OK
+and encouraged. You can install ``towncrier`` and then run ``towncrier --draft``
+if you want to get a preview of how your change will look in the final release notes.