Toolkit | PublishingDept.com

How to use it

From idea to a clear brief.

Fill in the planner, then export a plain-text brief that you can share with collaborators. Your entries stay in this browser unless you download or print them. The templates below can be copied into your own documents.

Copyable working documents

Templates for the next handoff.

These are prompts, not rigid forms. Add what your publication needs and remove what it does not.

01 / Story assignment brief

Give the writer and editor a shared definition of success before work begins.

Working headline: Reader and the question they bring: Main point / answer: Angle and what is outside scope: Format and approximate length: Sources or interviews to pursue: Claims that need careful verification: Visuals needed and permissions owner: Draft deadline / editor / publication target:

02 / Fact-check record

Keep an evidence trail for claims likely to matter to a reader.

Article and version: Claim as written: Primary source or original record: Source date and access date: What the source actually supports: Name, number, unit, and context checked: Status — confirmed / revise / remove: Reviewer and date: Correction needed after publication?

03 / Newsletter issue sheet

Use the same simple release routine for every edition.

Issue number and send date: Reader outcome: Main story and supporting items: Subject line and preview text: Source and link review: Sponsorship or affiliate disclosures: Test send — phone / desktop / links: Final editor approval: Archive URL and next-issue ideas:

04 / Website launch audit

Inspect the actual experience before announcing it.

Navigation and all important links work: Representative articles reviewed on phone: Headings, contrast, keyboard access, image alternatives: About, authorship, contact/corrections route: Dates and time-sensitive details checked: Asset rights and credits recorded: Commercial relationships disclosed: Follow/subscribe path tested: Owner approval and release date:

05 / Affiliate comparison brief

Define the decision criteria before choosing products or partners.

Reader need and intended use: Products or services compared: Criteria and why they matter: What was tested directly / what came from providers: Pricing and terms checked on: Strengths, limits, and best-fit reader for each: Partner relationship and commission terms: Disclosure placed before commercial links: Editorial reviewer and next update date:

Primary reference shelf