Arianna Smith

View Original

Intuitive Content Planning: How to Get Started

Heads up: You’re reading a copy of a newsletter sent to my subscribers. If you want to stay in the loop, please join my newsletter, The Weekly Wordsmith, to get these delivered to your inbox. 💌


Truth time, my friend.

Raise your hand if you struggle with content planning. 🙋🏻‍♀️

Like most therapists and healers, you probably don't know how to even get started.

Plus, you're probably worried...

❌ You won't be able to stick with it

❌ No one will read what you write anyway

❌ You won't choose the "right" topics

❌ You'll feel bored, stifled, and uninspired

Oh gosh, do I feel you!

Before last fall, I never had a structured content plan for my business. *gasp*

Like wearing a too-small shoe, "traditional" content always felt at odds with the natural ebb and flow of my creativity, energy, and motivation.

I wanted the freedom to create content that felt alive at the moment. To let creativity carry me away like a wind-swept lover.

I also wanted to step away from writing, guilt-free, after an intense week of therapy clients. (You know, those weeks you feel wrung out like a sponge?)

But, real talk?

Without any type of structure, I still struggled with consistency, creativity, and self-criticism.

It all shifted for me when I started intuitive content planning with moon phases and tarot.

This could dramatically shift content planning for you, too.

Let me share with you a loose framework I use for intuitive content planning with moon phases and tarot:

How to get started with intuitive content planning

Intuitive Content Planning with Moon Phases:

From New Moon to Full Moon 🌑 → 🌕

Theme: Create and Conjure

What you'll do: Write, write, write. Write your messy first drafts. Don’t worry about editing or perfection.

The vibe? Just throw shit into the cauldron and let it simmer. 🍵

From Full Moon to New Moon 🌕 → 🌑

Theme: Refine and Release

What you'll do: Edit like a boss. Polish messy drafts into something cohesive. Schedule things to go live on your blog, email list, or socials.

The vibe? Bottle up that magic and send it into the world. 🎢

What it looks like:

I started intuitive content planning with a massive paper calendar where I could map out emails, moon phases, launch periods, and content ideas.

All great things start with a big-ass sheet of paper, amiright?

Here’s what it looked like last fall ⬇️

This is a simple moon-based, tarot-informed content calendar, taken in my home office. Kinda zen, eh?

How to take the first step in intuitive content planning:

If you’re drawn to moon phases, start by adding the moon phases to your calendar. ​This article will walk you through it.​

If you’re in tune with a different cycle, one shorter or longer than the 28-day lunar one, go with that. Some intuitive writers recommend planning your writing around your menstrual cycle if you have one, and only if it feels like a resource to you.

Perhaps your cycles are more seasonal or depend on your childcare schedule, chronic pain flares, or caregiving duties.

Play around with whatever rhythm feels like the best creative anchor.

Intuitive Content Planning with Tarot or Oracle Cards:

Find a tarot or oracle deck that you feel drawn to. Then, keep it simple.

I pull one tarot card to set the content theme for that month. Then, I see what ideas I'm intuitively led to.

For example, January 2024's content card was The Star. This card traditionally corresponds to hope and renewal after a series of transformative or difficult lessons. In response, I wrote a popular mini-guide​ about website rebranding based on my experience in 2023.

Deck Credit: The Light Seer’s Tarot by Chris-Anne

If you want additional support, consider pulling 2-3 cards to serve as your "anchor" cards. Anchor cards can offer guidance or themes to root into as you experience difficulty in your writing process.

For example, one of my 2024 anchor cards is The High Priestess. This card speaks to intuition, creativity, and mystery. I interpreted this to mean I should follow my intuition and gut feelings whenever I feel stuck in my writing process and be okay with not knowing how my content may unfold.

Ready to give intuitive content planning a go?

Which do you want to try first: moon phases or tarot/oracle cards?

Hit 'reply' and let me know.

xo Ari

P.S. Curious about working together? Here are current and upcoming opportunities:

Tarot Readings ✨ I will open up a limited number of spots this spring for ​1:1 intuitive tarot readings​. Tarot readings are a beautiful way to reveal where you're stuck, tap into your inner knowing, and map out a clear path forward. We can pull cards to explore your content planning or writing practice, too!

Click here to join the tarot reading waitlist.

Copywriting support 👩🏻‍💻 Whether you need a quick 60-minute consult, email marketing support, or to fully outsource your website, I can help you write words that authentically flow and speak to your ideal client.

To get started, complete this short form.

Credit to my teachers

It's important to note that our ideas and practices don't exist in a vacuum. I wish to respectfully acknowledge the teachers and mentors who informed my intuitive writing and tarot practices.

I was first introduced to the practice of content planning with moon phases by Jacqueline Fisch, an intuitive writer and author. Learn more about Jacq ​here​.

I learned about anchor cards from Lindsey Mack, a well-known tarot teacher and podcaster. Learn more about Lindsey and anchor cards ​here​.