I got an email a few days ago with this question:
We are starting the process of “reinventing” creative planning for our programming team. We just get too far behind to make ideas fully come to fruition. Do you have a suggestion to help us with our creative planning process?
It’s a great question. Working at a church, it was so difficult to plan great series ideas because they came so regularly. How can you organize your time where you can plan and execute great things each month and still maintain your sanity?
Working on Sunday| Magazine, a monthly mag, I’ve developed a system that works well for me. It’s perhaps not the most earth-shattering system, but it works. Consistently. And it still gives me a ton of wiggle room when folks miss deadlines or unexpected things crop up in my life. I’ll write what I do for the mag, but the heart of the planning easily works for church sermon series’.
3 Months Before the Issue – Plan the theme and cover story.
2.5 Months Before Issue – Plan eleven or twelve articles.
2.25 Months Before Issue – Assign articles internally and revise titles and subjects of articles.
2 Months Before Issue – Approach writers with assignments.
1.5 Months Before Issue – Receive articles and send for copy editing.
1.25 Months Before Issue – Assign artwork to volunteer designers.
1 Month Before Issue – Begin laying out articles.
.75 Months Before Issue – Integrate cover art and artwork.
.5 Months Before Issue – Layout iPad issue.
.25 Months Before Issue – Do final edits and choose pull quotes.
Issue – Publish and hope I got everything done I wanted to.
By spreading out the process, it reminds me to think about it often and take significant steps to getting it all done. It helps me keep from freaking out on the 31st of each month. It works for me.
Do you have a system? What is it?
We work hard to stay 3 week ahead.
Our weekly 2ish hour production meeting consists of a 15 minute recap of last week (3 good, 3 not so good), then confirm everything for the upcoming Sunday and work out any last minute issues, make decisions on the elements for 2 weeks out, and begin brainstorming for 3 weeks out. However, we can never be planned far enough ahead in my mind.
We work hard to stay 3 week ahead.
Our weekly 2ish hour production meeting consists of a 15 minute recap of last week (3 good, 3 not so good), then confirm everything for the upcoming Sunday and work out any last minute issues, make decisions on the elements for 2 weeks out, and begin brainstorming for 3 weeks out. However, we can never be planned far enough ahead in my mind.
Good point, Kevin. Simply being intentional and strategic can create a culture of preparedness. I would add to that a few other things.
1) Make sure what you are doing is necessary and not just fluff or spectacle.
2) Doing just a few things well looks a lot better and is much more effective than doing a bunch of things sloppily. Even if those things are really good things that, done properly, would add value to the message.
3) Finally, being always tuned in to store displays, magazine ads, billboards, and great sites like church stage design to find inspiration, letting the Holy Spirit speak to you about how to use it, adapt it, redeem it for his glory. Getting great ideas on the way home is a time saver.
Good point, Kevin. Simply being intentional and strategic can create a culture of preparedness. I would add to that a few other things.
1) Make sure what you are doing is necessary and not just fluff or spectacle.
2) Doing just a few things well looks a lot better and is much more effective than doing a bunch of things sloppily. Even if those things are really good things that, done properly, would add value to the message.
3) Finally, being always tuned in to store displays, magazine ads, billboards, and great sites like church stage design to find inspiration, letting the Holy Spirit speak to you about how to use it, adapt it, redeem it for his glory. Getting great ideas on the way home is a time saver.