✨April and June 2021 Editorial Calendar Template✨

How to write an editorial calendar and take control of your content and business.

What is an Editorial Calendar?

An editorial calendar is what successful writers and editors use to plan out their month. It is also what the professional editing world uses to schedule, track, and manage assignments, publication dates, and trends.

It is an absolute life saver for anyone who wants to be a boss in their own business and work smarter not harder.

When I first started out writing and publishing about 5 years back, I went into the world without an editorial calendar to guide my writing. I wrote when I wanted. Worked on whatever projects I wanted to when I wanted to. Submitted work out without thinking about my intention. And in general, I failed at being a successful writer for so long.

Then I started thinking about my writing practice like a professional, like someone who knew that writing was their job and career. Because that is who I was and am, after all.

After trial and error and more failing, I finally got into a system and habit that works for me. My editorial calendar is what keeps me publishing, keeps me paid, and keeps me growing as a writer.

✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺

How I Set Mine Up

Personally, I like to start my editorial calendars a month in advance. I used to do things 3 to 5 months in advance, but then I realized that by the time the months came around, focuses and interests had changed since originally making the calendar. So I ended up writing old or stale content instead of focusing on what my readers wanted and what I was interested in.

The main focuses that are important when breaking down or setting up an editorial calendar is what is your intent or mission behind the work that you are doing. Figure out first what your intent is, then build your editorial calendar around that.

For example, my intentions during March and April are finishing my book, upping my earnings on Medium, and getting people informed about my products. So, my editorial calendar is packed filled with content surrounding my products and strategies on getting more engagement and growing my following.

✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺

Free Template

Though my editorial calendar looks different than the free editorial calendar template that you can download, I included on it what is important to keep in mind and keep track of.

For example, there’s a spot for you to set your daily and weekly intentions so that you stay focused and engaged throughout the month. There is also a place to keep track of where you’re submitting your pieces, where and what you are publishing, and what you are working on.

You can easily create your own editorial calendar on Canva or another service. Or you can use a scarp piece of paper as an editorial calendar. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you stick to it and let it guide you as you grow into your career.

☛ Download a free PDF of the editorial weekly calendars for both April and June off of my site. No signup required!

⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡

Editorial Calendar-Controlling Your Career

I’m a huge supporter and fan of editorial calendars. Like I have said before, they’ve helped save my career and put money in my cats’ food bowls.

But not everyone is going to want to put constraints on their art. I get that. Art feels like it stops being art when you try and schedule and direct it. What’s the fun in controlled chaos, am I right?

What I will say is that letting your art or muse drive the ship makes for a haphazard, though fun drive. An editorial calendar can still be that. An editorial calendar can be as loose and wild as you want it as long as you know that what lies ahead is what you want.

Aigner Loren Wilson is a 6X Top Writer. Her work has appeared in P.S. I Love You, Arsenika, Illumination, and more. She is releasing a poetry collection, to be haunted, in the summer of 2021. For access to her Medium Writers’ Club, signup to her writing group.