Byline Article Production System

PUBLICATION STRATEGY

Target Publication Mapping

Publication	Audience	Topics Accepted	Word Count	Lead Time	Contact

Tier Prioritization

Tier	Publications	Effort	Value
1 - Premium	[Top industry/business pubs]	High	Maximum credibility
2 - Strong	[Trade publications]	Medium	Good reach, credibility
3 - Accessible	[Blogs, smaller pubs]	Low	Build portfolio

Editorial Calendar Alignment

Month	Industry Themes	Potential Angles	Target Pubs
January	Predictions, planning
February
March	Q1 wrap-up
April
May
June	Mid-year
July
August
September	Q3, fall planning
October
November	Year-end prep
December	Year in review

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CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

Topic Selection Framework

BYLINE TOPIC EVALUATION

PROPOSED TOPIC: _______________

CRITERIA (Score 1-5):
Aligned with our expertise: _____
Audience relevance: _____
Timeliness/hook: _____
Differentiation from competitors: _____
Publication fit: _____

TOTAL: _____/25

RECOMMENDED ANGLE:
_______________

TARGET PUBLICATIONS:
1. _______________
2. _______________
3. _______________

Outline Development Template

BYLINE ARTICLE OUTLINE

TITLE: _______________
TARGET PUBLICATION: _______________
AUTHOR: _______________
WORD COUNT: _______________
DEADLINE: _______________

HOOK:
[Why this topic matters NOW - tie to news, trend, or problem]

THESIS:
[The main argument/point of view in one sentence]

SECTION 1: [Heading]
- Key point:
- Supporting evidence:
- Example/data:

SECTION 2: [Heading]
- Key point:
- Supporting evidence:
- Example/data:

SECTION 3: [Heading]
- Key point:
- Supporting evidence:
- Example/data:

CONCLUSION:
[Summary and call to action]

SOURCES/DATA NEEDED:
☐ _______________
☐ _______________

Writing Process Workflow

BYLINE PRODUCTION WORKFLOW

STEP 1: TOPIC SELECTION (Day 1-2)
☐ Identify timely topic
☐ Research publication requirements
☐ Confirm executive availability/interest
☐ Develop outline

STEP 2: PITCH (Day 3-5)
☐ Draft pitch email
☐ Send to editor
☐ Follow up if needed
☐ Receive acceptance/feedback

STEP 3: DRAFTING (Day 6-12)
☐ Conduct any needed interviews with exec
☐ Gather supporting data/examples
☐ Write first draft
☐ Internal review

STEP 4: EXECUTIVE REVIEW (Day 13-15)
☐ Send to executive for review
☐ Incorporate feedback
☐ Ensure voice authenticity

STEP 5: FINAL EDITING (Day 16-18)
☐ Polish draft
☐ Fact-check all claims
☐ Format per publication guidelines
☐ Prepare bio and headshot

STEP 6: SUBMISSION (Day 19+)
☐ Submit to editor
☐ Respond to editorial feedback
☐ Approve final version
☐ Confirm publication date

STEP 7: AMPLIFICATION (Post-publish)
☐ Share on social channels
☐ Email to relevant contacts
☐ Add to company content library
☐ Track performance

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PITCH TEMPLATES

Standard Byline Pitch

Subject: [BYLINE PITCH] [Topic] - [Author Name], [Company]

Hi [Editor Name],

I'm reaching out with a byline idea that I think would resonate
with [Publication]'s audience.

PROPOSED TITLE:
"[Title]"

THE ANGLE:
[2-3 sentences explaining the topic and unique perspective]

WHY NOW:
[Timeliness hook - news, trend, season]

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
[Author Name] is [Title] at [Company], where [relevant credential].
[One sentence on why they're qualified to write this].

I can have a draft ready by [date]. Would this work for [Publication]?

[Your name]

Follow-Up Pitch

Subject: Re: [BYLINE PITCH] [Topic] - Following up

Hi [Editor Name],

Following up on my pitch about [topic]. I wanted to add that
[additional angle or recent news hook].

Happy to adjust the angle or discuss what would work best for
your editorial calendar.

[Your name]

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PUBLICATION COORDINATION

Editor Communication Tracker

Publication	Editor	Pitch Sent	Response	Status	Notes
				☐ Pitched ☐ Accepted ☐ Drafting ☐ Submitted ☐ Published

Publication Checklist

PRE-SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

☐ Article meets word count requirements
☐ Formatted per publication guidelines
☐ All facts verified
☐ Links included where appropriate
☐ Bio matches publication format
☐ Headshot provided (correct size/format)
☐ No promotional language
☐ Executive has approved final version
☐ Unique content (not published elsewhere)

Editorial Feedback Response

Feedback Type	Response Approach
Minor edits	Accept most, push back selectively
Major rewrites	Discuss on call, understand concerns
Tone concerns	Adjust to publication style
Fact questions	Provide sources/verification
Length issues	Cut ruthlessly, keep core argument

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TEMPLATES

Article Outline Templates

The "Contrarian" Format

1. Introduce conventional wisdom
2. Explain why it's wrong
3. Present alternative view
4. Provide evidence
5. Implications/what to do instead

The "How-To" Format

1. Define the challenge
2. Why existing approaches fail
3. Step-by-step methodology
4. Examples/case studies
5. Getting started

The "Trend Analysis" Format

1. Identify the trend
2. Why it's happening now
3. Implications for industry
4. How to respond
5. What's next

The "Lessons Learned" Format

1. Set up the situation
2. What happened
3. Key lessons
4. How to apply
5. Looking forward

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MEASUREMENT

Byline Performance Tracking

Article	Publication	Date	Views/Reads	Engagement	Leads	Notes

Quarterly Byline Review

BYLINE PROGRAM QUARTERLY REVIEW

ACTIVITY:
Bylines pitched: _____
Bylines accepted: _____
Bylines published: _____
Acceptance rate: _____%

BY PUBLICATION TIER:
Tier 1: _____
Tier 2: _____
Tier 3: _____

PERFORMANCE:
Total estimated reach: _____
Total engagement: _____
Leads attributed: _____
Backlinks earned: _____

TOP PERFORMERS:
1. [Title] - [Publication] - [Metric]
2. [Title] - [Publication] - [Metric]

LESSONS LEARNED:
Topics that resonated: _____
Topics that didn't: _____
Publication relationships built: _____

NEXT QUARTER:
Topics to pursue: _____
Publications to target: _____
Process improvements: _____

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