Podcast Episode Plan Template

Podcast Episode Plan Template, within the Milanote app

Organize your podcast episodes in one place

Starting a new podcast episode can be an exciting but daunting moment. It's the beginning of the creative process—where your mind is overflowing with ideas, inspiration, and plans.

This template will help you organize everything in one place so you can begin recording with confidence. You'll brainstorm ideas, collect inspiration, research your topic, and create an outline for your episode. At the end you'll have a solid plan that will speed up the entire process and help you produce an engaging podcast.

  • Brainstorm ideas
  • Collect research
  • Organize visually
  • Share with others
  • Gather feedback

How to use this template

Grab the free Milanote template above and follow this step-by-step guide to learn the modern process of organizing your podcast episodes in Milanote, a free tool used by top creatives.

1. Open the Podcast Episode template

The Podcast Episode Plan template is the central hub for your project. It includes the key parts of your creative process: Your ideas, research, and outline for an episode. There are also checklists for your workflow so you have everything in one easy-to-access place.

podcast episode template
How to do this in Milanote
  1. Create a new board for your podcast.

    Create a new board

    Drag a board out from the toolbar. Give it a name, then double-click to open it.

  2. Choose the Podcast Episode template.

    Choose a template 

    Each new board gives you the options to start with a beautiful template. Find the Photoshoot Plan template, then choose "Use this template".

2. Begin researching your topic

Whether your podcast is a true-crime thriller or an interview series, research is a crucial step in the early creative process. It's a springboard for new ideas and can add substance and authenticity to each episode. As author Robert McKee says "when you do enough research, the story almost writes itself. Lines of development spring loose and you'll have choices galore."

Podcast episode research template step01
How to do this in Milanote
  1. Open the Research board in your Podcast Episode Plan.

  2. Choose the Research template. 

    Choose a template 

    Each new board gives you the option to start with a template. Find the Research template, then choose "Use this template".

3. Save articles, data and video

Wikipedia, blogs, and news websites are a goldmine for researchers. It's here you'll find historical events and records, data, and opinions about your topic. We're in the 'collecting' phase so just save links to any relevant information you stumble across. You can return and read the details at a later stage.

Video and audio are another great source of inspiration for your podcast. Try searching for your topic or guest on Vimeo, or Youtube. Find conversations about your topic on Spotify or any podcast platform and add them into the mix.

podcast research step02
How to do this in Milanote
  1. Add a note to capture interesting facts.

    Drag a note card onto your board

    Start typing then use the formatting tools in the left hand toolbar.

  2. Use the built-in image library.

    Use the built-in image library

    Search over 500,000 beautiful photos powered by Unsplash then drag images straight onto your board.

4. Create an outline (or script)

A podcast outline (or script) is the roadmap for your episode. It helps you map out your talking points and plan the sequence of topics you want to cover. It's a simple, flexible technique to help all types of podcasters stay organized and produce compelling shows.

This method is perfect for 'visual thinkers'—those who prefer to see the big picture as a sequence of events, rather than a rigid linear document. Think of it as the modern, digital equivalent to the corkboard or wall of sticky notes, but much easier to manage.

Podcast outline guide Step06
How to do this in Milanote
  1. Open the Outline in your Podcast Episode Plan.

  2. Choose the Outline template.

    Choose a template 

    Each new board gives you the option to start with a beautiful template. Find the Outline template, then choose "Use this template".

5. Map out your talking points

Start by laying out the major topics or questions you know you want to cover. A great place to start is with the traditional storytelling structure of beginning, middle, and end. Don't worry too much about the order or details yet, just get the main parts out of your head.

Next, add a sentence or a bullet point for each talking point or question you might cover. There are no rules for how much detail to add, do what works best for you. You'll be referencing these as you record your podcast, so try and keep them short, snappy, and easy to scan as you're talking. They're the equivalent of cue cards you might use when giving a speech.

Example of an outline or script for a podcast
How to do this in Milanote
  1. Add a note for each talking point.

    Drag a note card onto your board

    Start typing then use the formatting tools in the left hand toolbar.

  2. Upload files from your computer.

    Upload a file or document  

    Click the "Upload file" button or just drag a file onto your board. You can add images, logos, documents, videos, audio and much more.

6. Organize your workflow

Once you've published a few episodes, you'll need a way to manage your workflow. You'll likely have multiple episodes in progress at any one time, so this will help you see where everything is at in one view. You'll also see which areas need your attention. For example, do you have enough show ideas in the backlog or should you be focusing on finishing the shows in progress?

Podcast plan guide step10
How to do this in Milanote
  1. Create a new board to organize your workflow.

    Create a new board

    Drag a board out from the toolbar. Give it a name, then double click to open it.

  2. Choose the Podcast Schedule template.

    Choose a template 

    Each new board gives you the option to start with a beautiful template. Find the Character Profile template, then choose "Use this template".

7. Move episodes through the schedule

This template maps out your process from raw idea to published episode. Simply drag and drop episodes into the relevant column to match their status. Everyone works in a different way, so you can update the columns to match your workflow.

Podcast plan guide step11
How to do this in Milanote
  1. Drag and drop boards into different columns.

You're done!

Hopefully, this guide has helped you stay organized while building a solid foundation for your podcast show. If you're just starting a new episode, use the Podcast template below to get set up in minutes.

Start planning your next podcast

Organize your ideas & plans in one place.