How much advance planning would you recommend for people mapping out their editorial calendars?
You may be a great planner with a strong sense of what you can accomplish, but there are always complications that spring up during a publishing cycle that you either didn’t anticipate, or didn’t know that you should have anticipated. Start with the kind of writing that comes naturally to you, but set clear goals on the kind of pieces you’d like to be publishing eventually. Once you have a month or so of publishing under your belt, you’ll have a better idea of just how long certain parts of the process take, and will be able to gauge how much more you think you can handle as you start to ramp up.
Look back over your work often: Which pieces worked? Which found an audience? Which pieces fizzled, and why? What kinds of things do you enjoy writing and editing? Who is your audience, and how well did you reach them? All of these are crucial first steps.
Bandcamp have really invested a lot in the Daily blog. Several posts per day, none of which are slight or short. They are interesting not only because they showcase fascinating bands, labels and genres but also because they showcase the myriad ways that people use their product.