How Planning Ahead Helps Content Producers at Associated Content

Associated Content writers need to plan their own editorial content at AC.

Planning your own editorial calendar is part of being a freelance writer. The tricky part of the planning an editorial calendar for Associated Content is that the writer must be flexible.

Flexibility is important for planning the editorial content because the needs of web users are always in flux. Here are some useful ways that you can approach your own content.

How Planning Ahead Helps Content Producers at Associated Content

1. Think like an Editor

Thinking like an editor means thinking like a print editor, for a magazine for example. An arts magazine I subscribe has a May cut-off for December holiday related themes. To get an idea of how editorial calendars work, browse through the submission guidelines for magazines in a writing market book, in the magazine itself, or online.

The submission deadlines for editorial seem very far in advance. It takes some mental gymnastics to get into the mindset of thinking like an editor, and thinking ahead with content.

For example, I just wrote a Halloween-themed article for publication in September. While this is far in advance, I know Halloween content is very popular, in print, and on the web. By writing a Halloween-themed article now, and maybe one every couple of weeks, I will have a nice batch of Halloween articles to publish in early October.

2. Think Like and Advertiser

Print editorial calendars exist for editorial and marketing reasons. So you also need to:

Advertisers in all media have an indirect, but very loud voice when it comes to editorial direction. Advertising drives which content people will be seeking, and which topics need to be beefed up with more content.

For example, any new product or technological innovation or gadget will spark interest. The advertiser may want to sell a product and use advertising to do so. IN turn, the consumer is exposed to the new products and will seek non-advertising content about the product, how to to use it , opinions about if it is good or not. That is where the web writer comes in.

3. Think Like the Consumer