diff --git a/CHANGES.markdown b/CHANGES.markdown
--- a/CHANGES.markdown
+++ b/CHANGES.markdown
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+1.3.1 (13 July 2016)
+--------------------
+
+- add `simpleGraphDiagram` function
+
 1.3.0.1 (6 June 2016)
 ---------------------
 
diff --git a/diagrams-graphviz.cabal b/diagrams-graphviz.cabal
--- a/diagrams-graphviz.cabal
+++ b/diagrams-graphviz.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                diagrams-graphviz
-version:             1.3.0.1
+version:             1.3.1
 synopsis:            Graph layout and drawing with GrahpViz and diagrams
 description:         Use GraphViz and diagrams together, with each doing what
                      it does best: GraphViz for laying out graphs, and diagrams
diff --git a/src/Diagrams/TwoD/GraphViz.hs b/src/Diagrams/TwoD/GraphViz.hs
--- a/src/Diagrams/TwoD/GraphViz.hs
+++ b/src/Diagrams/TwoD/GraphViz.hs
@@ -17,24 +17,40 @@
 -- not let GraphViz do what it is good at, and use a dedicated drawing
 -- library for the actual drawing?
 --
--- Here is some example code to lay out and draw a simple directed
--- graph hierarchically:
+-- In all the following examples we will make use of this example graph:
 --
+-- > hex = mkGraph [0..19]
+-- >         (   [ (v, (v+1)`mod`6, ()) | v <- [0..5] ]
+-- >          ++ [ (v, v+k, ()) | v <- [0..5], k <- [6,12] ]
+-- >          ++ [ (2,18,()), (2,19,()), (15,18,()), (15,19,()), (18,3,()), (19,3,()) ]
+-- >         )
+--
+-- The easiest thing to do is to just use the provided
+-- 'simpleGraphDiagram' function to create a default diagram quickly:
+--
 -- > {-# LANGUAGE NoMonomorphismRestriction #-}
 -- >
 -- > import           Diagrams.Backend.Rasterific.CmdLine
 -- > import           Diagrams.Prelude
 -- > import           Diagrams.TwoD.GraphViz
 -- >
+-- > main = theGraph >>= defaultMain
+-- >   where
+-- >     theGraph :: IO (Diagram B)
+-- >     theGraph = simpleGraphDiagram Dot hex
+--
+-- Here is how we would produce a similar image, but with more control
+-- over the specific ways that things are drawn:
+--
+-- > {-# LANGUAGE NoMonomorphismRestriction #-}
+-- >
+-- > import           Diagrams.Backend.Rasterific.CmdLine
+-- > import           Diagrams.Prelude
+-- > import           Diagrams.TwoD.GraphViz
+-- >
 -- > import           Data.GraphViz
 -- > import           Data.GraphViz.Commands
 -- >
--- > hex = mkGraph [0..19]
--- >         (   [ (v, (v+1)`mod`6, ()) | v <- [0..5] ]
--- >          ++ [ (v, v+k, ()) | v <- [0..5], k <- [6,12] ]
--- >          ++ [ (2,18,()), (2,19,()), (15,18,()), (15,19,()), (18,3,()), (19,3,()) ]
--- >         )
--- >
 -- > graphvizExample1 = do
 -- >   hex' <- layoutGraph Dot hex
 -- >   let hexDrawing :: Diagram B
@@ -66,12 +82,6 @@
 -- > import           Data.GraphViz.Attributes.Complete
 -- > import           Data.GraphViz.Commands
 -- >
--- > hex = mkGraph [0..19]
--- >         (   [ (v, (v+1)`mod`6, ()) | v <- [0..5] ]
--- >          ++ [ (v, v+k, ()) | v <- [0..5], k <- [6,12] ]
--- >          ++ [ (2,18,()), (2,19,()), (15,18,()), (15,19,()), (18,3,()), (19,3,()) ]
--- >         )
--- >
 -- > main = do
 -- >   let params :: GraphvizParams Int v e () v
 -- >       params = defaultDiaParams
@@ -99,6 +109,7 @@
 
   , drawGraph
   , getGraph
+  , simpleGraphDiagram
   ) where
 
 import           Diagrams.Prelude
@@ -239,3 +250,26 @@
   = augmentGraph gr . parseDG <$> graphvizWithHandle command asDot DotOutput hGetDot
   where
     parseDG = (`asTypeOf` asDot) . fromGeneralised
+
+
+-- | Just draw the nodes of the graph as circles and the edges as
+--   arrows between them.
+simpleGraphDiagram :: (Ord v, Renderable (Path V2 Double) b)
+     => GraphvizCommand -> Gr v e -> IO (QDiagram b V2 Double Any)
+simpleGraphDiagram layoutCmd gr = do
+  gr' <- layoutGraph layoutCmd gr
+  let nodes = G.labNodes gr'
+      vmap = M.fromList [ (i, pointToP2 pt)
+                        | (i,(attrs,_)) <- nodes, Pos (PointPos pt) <- attrs ]
+      edgeLengths = [ (fromJust $ M.lookup i vmap) `distance` (fromJust $ M.lookup j vmap)
+                    | (i, j, _) <- G.labEdges gr'
+                    ]
+      nodeRadius = minimum edgeLengths / 4
+      drawing = drawGraph
+                     (const $ place (circle nodeRadius))
+                     (\_ p₁ _ p₂ _ p -> arrowBetween' (opts p) p₁ p₂)
+                     gr'
+      opts p = with & gaps .~ local nodeRadius
+                    & arrowShaft .~ (unLoc . head $ pathTrails p)
+                    & headLength .~ local nodeRadius
+  return drawing