diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3620b79..ca3e70b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ captureException(err, { operation: "start-checkout" });
 trackEvent("clicked_upgrade");
 ```
 
-**Backend** — one preloaded file, requests traced automatically:
+**Backend** — one preloaded file, created in your own app next to its entry
+point, requests traced automatically:
 
 ```js
 // instrument.cjs — run with: node --require ./instrument.cjs server.js
diff --git a/docs/GETTING-STARTED.md b/docs/GETTING-STARTED.md
index 3c1b367..120ee2a 100644
--- a/docs/GETTING-STARTED.md
+++ b/docs/GETTING-STARTED.md
@@ -90,8 +90,10 @@ step 2):
 npm install @autter/runtime-node
 ```
 
-Create `instrument.cjs` in your app's root, next to its entry point — it
-must load **before** your app:
+In **your application's repository** — a separate codebase from the
+`autter-runtime` repo you cloned in step 2 — create `instrument.cjs` next to
+the entry point of the service you are instrumenting (one file per service in
+a monorepo). It must load **before** your app:
 
 ```js
 const { initAutterServer } = require("@autter/runtime-node");