diff --git a/lib/release/base.rb b/lib/release/base.rb
index db1738e..47c3156 100644
--- a/lib/release/base.rb
+++ b/lib/release/base.rb
@@ -26,17 +26,25 @@ module Release
     end
 
     private
-    
+
       def validate_version_format (version)
-        error "invalid version number format: #{version}"  unless version =~ /\d+\.\d+\.\d+/
+        error "Invalid version number format. Try using MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH."  unless version =~ /\d+\.\d+\.\d+/
       end
 
       def validate_version_is_new (version)
-        error "version already exists: #{git_local_list_tags.join(' ')}" if git_local_list_tags.include? "v#{version}"
+        error "Version already exists: #{git_local_list_tags.join(' ')}" if git_local_list_tags.include? "v#{version}"
+      end
+
+      def validate_version_exists (version)
+        error "Version does not exist: #{git_local_list_tags.join(' ')}" unless git_local_list_tags.include? "v#{version}"
       end
 
       def validate_current_branch_master
-        error "invalid starting branch: #{current_branch}"  unless standard_branches.include? current_branch
+        error "Invalid starting branch: #{current_branch}.  Try switching to #{standard_branches.join(' ')}."  unless standard_branches.include? current_branch
+      end
+
+      def validate_release_branch_does_not_exist (branch)
+        error "Version branch already exists: #{branch}" if remote_branch(branch) != ""
       end
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/release/init.rb b/lib/release/init.rb
index b50d82d..673ded7 100644
--- a/lib/release/init.rb
+++ b/lib/release/init.rb
@@ -15,11 +15,12 @@ module Release
       subcommand, version, *extras = *argv
 
       validate_version_format version
-      validate_version_is_new version
+      
       validate_current_branch_master
-
       git_pull current_branch
 
+      validate_version_is_new version
+
       git_local_tag version
 
       git_push_tags
diff --git a/lib/release/major.rb b/lib/release/major.rb
index 62ba5e8..c887a9f 100644
--- a/lib/release/major.rb
+++ b/lib/release/major.rb
@@ -1,35 +1,16 @@
-require_relative './base'
+require_relative './new_version'
 
 module Release
 
-  class Major < Release::Base
-    def valid?
-      argv.size > 1
-    end
-
-    def help
-      "release major version"
-    end
-
-    def execute
-      subcommand, version, *extras = *argv
-
-      error "invalid version: #{version}"  unless version =~ /\d+\.\d+\.\d+/
-      error "unknown version: #{git_local_list_tags.join(' ')}" unless git_local_list_tags.include? "v#{version}"
-      error "invalid base branch: #{current_branch}"  unless standard_branches.include? current_branch
-
-      major_branch = major(version)
-
-      git_pull current_branch
-
-      git_local_branch_create major_branch, "v#{version}"
-
-      git_push major_branch
-    end
+  class Major < Release::NewVersion
 
     private
 
-    def major (version)
+    def subcommand_name
+      "major"
+    end
+
+    def increment_version (version)
       numbers = version.split('.').map { |x| x.to_i }
       "#{numbers[0]+1}.0.0"
     end
diff --git a/lib/release/minor.rb b/lib/release/minor.rb
index 608a65f..a0f6743 100644
--- a/lib/release/minor.rb
+++ b/lib/release/minor.rb
@@ -1,35 +1,16 @@
-require_relative './base'
+require_relative './new_version'
 
 module Release
 
-  class Minor < Release::Base
-    def valid?
-      argv.size > 1
-    end
-
-    def help
-      "release minor version"
-    end
-
-    def execute
-      subcommand, version, *extras = *argv
-
-      error "invalid version: #{version}"  unless version =~ /\d+\.\d+\.\d+/
-      error "unknown version: #{git_local_list_tags.join(' ')}" unless git_local_list_tags.include? "v#{version}"
-      error "invalid base branch: #{current_branch}"  unless standard_branches.include? current_branch
-
-      minor_branch = minor(version)
-
-      git_pull current_branch
-
-      git_local_branch_create minor_branch, "v#{version}"
-
-      git_push minor_branch
-    end
+  class Minor < Release::NewVersion
 
     private
 
-    def minor (version)
+    def subcommand_name
+      "minor"
+    end
+    
+    def increment_version (version)
       numbers = version.split('.').map { |x| x.to_i }
       "#{numbers[0]}.#{numbers[1]+1}.0"
     end
diff --git a/lib/release/new_version.rb b/lib/release/new_version.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc46995
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/release/new_version.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+require_relative './base'
+
+module Release
+
+  class NewVersion < Release::Base
+    def valid?
+      argv.size > 1
+    end
+
+    def help
+      "release #{subcommand_name} version"
+    end
+
+    def execute
+      subcommand, version, *extras = *argv
+
+      validate_version_format version
+
+      validate_current_branch_master
+      git_pull current_branch
+
+      validate_version_exists version
+
+      new_branch = increment_version(version)
+      validate_release_branch_does_not_exist(new_branch)
+
+      git_local_branch_create new_branch, "v#{version}"
+
+      git_push new_branch
+    end
+
+    private
+
+    def subcommand_name
+      error "override"
+    end
+
+    def increment_version (version)
+      error "override"
+    end
+
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/lib/release/patch.rb b/lib/release/patch.rb
index 8f2c022..7e6454f 100644
--- a/lib/release/patch.rb
+++ b/lib/release/patch.rb
@@ -1,35 +1,16 @@
-require_relative './base'
+require_relative './new_version'
 
 module Release
 
-  class Patch < Release::Base
-    def valid?
-      argv.size > 1
-    end
-
-    def help
-      "release patch version"
-    end
-
-    def execute
-      subcommand, version, *extras = *argv
-
-      error "invalid version: #{version}"  unless version =~ /\d+\.\d+\.\d+/
-      error "unknown version: #{git_local_list_tags.join(' ')}" unless git_local_list_tags.include? "v#{version}"
-      error "invalid base branch: #{current_branch}"  unless standard_branches.include? current_branch
-
-      patch_branch = patch(version)
-
-      git_pull current_branch
-
-      git_local_branch_create patch_branch, "v#{version}"
-
-      git_push patch_branch
-    end
+  class Patch < Release::NewVersion
 
     private
 
-    def patch (version)
+    def subcommand_name
+      "patch"
+    end
+
+    def increment_version (version)
       numbers = version.split('.').map { |x| x.to_i }
       "#{numbers[0]}.#{numbers[1]}.#{numbers[2]+1}"
     end