Earlier today I posted about why you might want to use an editorial calendar to write seasonal material. I pointed out that there are three time frames you should be thinking about: Immediate use such as blogging; short term deadlines, such as self-publishing or really fast online magazines; and the longer term deadlines you'll see with traditional print magazines.
In August, you should be thinking about stories and articles (and poems, cartoons, jokes, and anything else) involving September, November, and February/March.
Below are some official calendar events which happen in these months, but you may want to add things of your own.
Immediate Use: September
(For blogs, personal use and development -- and also a big head start on the long term deadlines for next year)
September is the month of too many tomatoes and back-to-school, and first football games.
- Sep 5 Labor Day
- Sep 8 International Literacy Day
- Sep 10 Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day
- Sep 10 World Suicide Prevention Day
- Sep 11 National Grandparents Day
- Sep 11 9-11/Patriot Day
- Sep 15 International Day of Democracy
- Sep 16 World Ozone Layer Day
- Sep 16 National POW/MIA Recognition Day
- Sep 16 'Constitution Day and Citizenship Day' observed
- Sep 17 Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
- Sep 19 International Talk Like a Pirate Day
- Sep 21 International Day of Peace
- Sep 22 World Maritime Day
- Sep 23 Autumnal equinox
- Sep 25 Gold Star Mother's Day
- Sep 25 World Heart Day
- Sep 27 World Tourism Day
- Sep 28 World Rabies Day
- Sep 29 Rosh Hashana
Short Term Deadlines: November
(For self-publishing, and other other shorter term publishing cycles.)
In the north, November is often the month of first snow. What is the weather where you are?
- Nov 1 All Saints' Day
- Nov 6 Daylight Saving Time ends
- Nov 8 Election Day
- Nov 10 World Science Day
- Nov 11 Veterans Day
- Nov 24 Thanksgiving Day
- Nov 25 Black Friday (i.e. the day the Americans ALL hit the Mall for Xmas shopping at once.)
- Nov 27 First Sunday Advent
Long Term Deadlines: Feb/March
(For submission to traditional print magazines.)
February is the shortest month, and sometimes feels like the longest, at least in the northern hemisphere, when everyone gets sick of winter. March is the month of Basketball's "March Madness" and of spring fever. And in the north is often referred to as "mud season."
- Feb 2 Groundhog Day
- Feb 3 Chinese New Year
- Feb 12 Lincoln's Birthday (CT, IL, MO, NJ, NY)
- Feb 14 Valentine's Day
- Feb 21 Presidents' Day
- Feb 29 Leap Day
- Mar 2 Texas Independence Day (TX)
- Mar 2 Read Across America Day
- Mar 8 International Women's Day
- Mar 8 Purim
- Mar 11 Daylight Saving Time starts
- Mar 17 St. Patrick's Day
- Mar 20 Vernal equinox
- Mar 21 World Poetry Day
If you have suggestions for additional events and subjects, please put them in the comments.
See you in the funny papers.
5 comments:
Always good to keep in mind. I sometimes will write for a local parenting mag and they have a specific calendar they tend to follow--back to school, summer camps, etc. Always nice to keep track of those things...
Yes, if you have a favorite magazine with specific needs, you should definitely put them on your own calendar -- with a little creative lead time for writing.
What on earth is Black Friday?!?!? It sounds like a funeral.
Canadians need to add Boxing Day to the list. Dec 26th. The largest shopping day in our country :D
You know I thought I should edit that for more clarity. (I took the initial list off timeanddate.com.)
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, when all Americans hit the Mall for shopping. It's partly a joke on what hell it is to shop that day with all the crowds, but I think it really got that term from the retailers themselves, because if they don't have a good Black Friday, that spells doom for the whole year.
I'm glad you mentioned Boxing Day, because I was sure I had it on my December list, but I guess I didn't.
One thing I don't have is Canadian Thanksgiving.
Ahh, I see. We don't have that up here.
Yup, Canadian Thanksgiving is in October, which helps break up the autumn months better. And, besides, who really wants to get together with their family in November AND December? That's just crazy talk!
Post a Comment