What an editorial charter includes
- Purpose and audience: why you publish and who you write for.
- Editorial line: the topics you cover, and the ones you don’t.
- Tone of voice: for example expert but friendly, with examples.
- Writing rules: spelling (British or American), capitalization, numbers, abbreviations and words to avoid.
- Formatting: headings, lists, links, images and calls to action.
- SEO guidelines: keyword research, titles, meta descriptions and internal linking.
- Quality and sources: fact-checking, citing sources, author bios and the review process.
Editorial charter vs editorial calendar
The charter defines how you write; the editorial calendar schedules what you publish and when. Together with a brand book, they keep all content on-brand, accurate and useful.
Editorial charter example
An energy advice company has five writers. Its charter says: write for homeowners with no technical background; explain every term in the first mention; give prices as ranges with the date checked; name a qualified reviewer for safety topics; never promise savings without showing how they are calculated. Every new article is checked against these rules before it goes live.
How to write one in a day
- Write down who you write for and why.
- List the topics you cover and the ones you do not.
- Describe the tone with three adjectives and two sample paragraphs, one good and one bad.
- Choose spelling and number styles and write down the most common exceptions.
- Add rules for sources, fact-checking and updates.
- Add the SEO basics: title length, headings, internal links and meta descriptions.
- Give it to every writer and ask for feedback after a month.
Editorial charter mistakes
- A long document no writer opens.
- Rules with no examples.
- Copying another publication’s charter without adapting it.
- Never updating it when the strategy changes.
Editorial charter FAQs
Is it the same as a brand book?
No. A brand book covers the whole brand. The charter focuses on written content. See editorial content and copy strategy.
Who should own it?
The content lead or editor. See editorial calendar.