Seasonal Articles:
Plan Ahead & Earn Extra Writing Income

© Cheryl Malandrinos 

I spent thirteen years working in retail. One of the hardest things to get used to was the timing for displaying seasonal merchandise. In the dead of winter the store began featuring short-sleeved shirts and gardening equipment. During the oppressive summer heat, winter coats and shovels made their way onto the shelves. 

The same can be said for writing seasonal articles. The lead time for magazines varies, but the time to submit seasonal material can be several months or even up to a year in advance. 

If you want to write an article about Valentine’s Day, you need to make sure you have time to perform your research, write the article, and edit it to your satisfaction, so that you can submit it by August. Articles with a Christmas theme would need to be submitted by June. 

But again, since lead times vary, you must check each market’s guidelines before submitting. 

Getting used to writing seasonal articles so far in advance can be a challenge, but you can help yourself along by taking out your desk calendar and going through each holiday, then backing up six months and writing “Consider (name of holiday) articles” in the notes section. I do this electronically with my Outlook Express calendar. The nice thing about doing it this way is that I can set myself reminders that will pop up each time I check my email, and at regular intervals, until I complete the task and dismiss the reminder. This also cuts down on desk clutter. 

Seasonal articles are often in demand. If you pay attention to submission deadlines, it’s possible you could choose a new slant for an article that was accepted by a magazine and use it to submit to online markets, which typically have shorter lead times. 

A good thing to keep in mind, too, is that you don’t always have to focus on major holidays. Back-to-school season is a great time for articles about calming first day fears, helping kids choose what to bring to show-and-tell, or tips on how to write that dreaded “What I Did on My Summer Vacation” essay. 

With careful planning, seasonal article writing can become a great way to earn some extra cash. 

About the Author: Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelancer who specializes in helping writers increase productivity through time management and organization. She has also written articles on everyday life in the 1800’s, gardening, parenting, and women’s health issues. Cheryl is also a virtual book tour coordinator for Pump Up Your Book Promotion and the editor of Musing Our Children’s quarterly newsletter, Pages & Pens. Her first children’s book will be released in 2010. You can find out more about Cheryl by visiting her website