Editorial Calendars: Why You Need To Create One and How to Do It

Photo by Joe Lanman
Image via Creative Commons

Last week when I interviewed L.K. Whitney about her new blog Magic City Made, she said one of the most valuable lessons she'd learned from her previous blogs was the importance of having an editorial calendar. I decided to not only pass on Whitney's wisdom to you all but to actually follow it too. 


Since I started this blog back in August, I've really been struggling to find my way. I put so much of my creative energy into Georgia Mae that I'm often too exhausted to give this site the attention it deserves. But I realized that I could stay on top of things if I had a plan. 


Developing an editorial calendar for this blog was harder than I thought. Even though I've been blogging for years, Georgia Mae began as a personal blog where I would really just write about whatever was on my mind or going on in my life and things going on in the news or in pop culture that inspired (or angered) me. But that's not why I created this new blog. 


So that's step one to creating an editorial calendar: Be mindful of your mission. Remember why you started your blog and then develop categories that fulfill that purpose. 


According to my Welcome page, "The purpose of this blog is three-fold: 1) to chronicle my attempt to make my writing dreams come true while working a full-time job (I’m a high school English teacher) and in the most unlikeliest of places (I live in the Deep South),  2) to explore my attempt to be fit and fabulous while I’m making those dreams come true, and 3) to share stories, advice, and ideas to help other authors, bloggers, and journalists make their writing dreams come true as well."


With that in mind I decided on the following editorial calendar:

• Monday Motivation -- quotes from famous writers or personal stories that aim to offer encouragement to my fellow writers and bloggers
• Tuesday and/or Thursday -- This will be my time to show off how I'm trying to be "fit and fabulous" on a writer's budget
• Wednesday -- Writer Wisdom. These posts will offer practical advice for writers and bloggers, tips gathered from either my own experience or from other writers and bloggers
• Friday or Saturday -- Weekend Links: Interesting articles I think you writer-types and blogging babes should read

I fully expect this calendar to change as I and the blog evolve, but I feel confident this will get me on the right track. 


Why should you bother making an editorial calendar? The gals over at Independent Fashion Bloggers agree that using an editorial calendar is one of the best ways to increase blog traffic. It can keep you motivated. Now that I have my editorial calendar I know what kind of content I need to work to generate for this blog. 


Editorial calendars are especially important for those of you who write niche blogs. Consider different elements or facets of your niche and use those to help you create your editorial calendar. You'll then know that each week you need to develop interesting content related to these specific topics. 


Taylor Davies writes that having a "featured type of post is also a great way to hook readers, and keep them coming back to see your new twist on that feature each week." For example Eat, Sleep, Denim, a blog for which Davies writes, features every Wednesday a blogger with great denim style. 


And for you current and aspiring fashion bloggers, here, from IFB, is the editorial calendar for Eat, Sleep, Denim to give you a bit more guidance:

• Monday: Trend post
• Tuesday: How to post
• Wednesday: Blogger Style
• Thursday: Street style
• Friday: Denim Review

Now it's your turn. Join the fun and share your editorial calendar in the comments section.