Free publication worksheet

Plan the issue. Price the work.

Write the publication you want to run, then enter your own budget assumptions. Download the worksheet to keep the plan or bring it to a seller's demo.

Your entries are not submitted to a server or saved between visits. Download the worksheet before leaving the page. Amounts use USD.

Calculations and downloads need JavaScript. The complete planning guide remains available at the local-newsletter launch plan.

Define a publication you can runPlace and target readerWhat the issue helps the reader doFirst issue outlineSources to verify before publicationTasks to ask the seller to demonstrate

Record what you have plannedI have written a sample issue.I have a plan for checking the facts in each issue.I have listed the domain and email tasks to demonstrate.I have identified who will maintain each listing or event.I have questions about export, support, and package charges.

Enter your cost assumptionsSetup cost (USD)Monthly operating cost (USD)Monthly audience growth budget (USD)Publishing hours per weekValue of an hour of work (USD)Net amount per paid placement (USD)Months to recover setup cost

The costs your plan needs to cover

An arithmetic scenario using your inputs, not a prediction of sponsorship sales. Dollar totals are displayed rounded to cents. Placement counts use unrounded totals.

Monthly cash expenses: Enable JavaScript
Monthly labor allowance: Enable JavaScript
Monthly setup recovery: Enable JavaScript
Monthly cost target: Enable JavaScript
Paid placements needed to cover modeled costs: Enable JavaScript

How the cost calculation works

Cash expenses = monthly operating cost + audience growth budget. Labor = hours per week x value per hour x 52 / 12. Setup recovery = setup cost / recovery months. Cost target = cash + labor + setup recovery. Placements = cost target / net placement amount, rounded up. A zero net placement amount leaves the placement count unset.

The model treats your entered weekly workload as constant across a 52-week year and spreads it across 12 months. It omits taxes, financing, and expenses you have not entered. Use a placement amount after any direct fees or delivery costs.

Compare Local Media Empire with the work you planned

Affiliate promotion: we may earn a commission if you purchase through our Local Media Empire paid link.

Bring the issue outline and your demo questions to the seller. Our Local Media Empire evaluation checklist (affiliate promotion) helps you record what you see and the package terms you confirm.

Evaluate Local Media Empire (affiliate promotion)

For the cited sending and advertising requirements, read the local-newsletter launch guide.

Keep the worksheet with your publishing plan

This article is informational and is not a substitute for a legal, tax, or business review of your own publication.

CI Tripwire Editorial has not commissioned independent expert review of this worksheet.

Read our editorial and contributor disclosure and sourcing posture.

Report an error through our corrections process.

Source posture: self-authored arithmetic using the stated assumptions; last reviewed 2026-09-30. Sending requirements are sourced in the linked launch guide.