Use when the user says 'newsletter', 'email newsletter', 'weekly digest', 'write a newsletter', or wants to create a complete newsletter edition with subject line, content, and growth strategy.
Generate complete newsletter editions with subject lines, structured content, sponsorship placement, growth tactics, and platform-ready formatting.
When this skill activates, output:
📬 Newsletter — Writing your newsletter edition...
| Context | Status |
|---|---|
| User says "newsletter", "email newsletter", "weekly digest" | ACTIVE |
| User wants to write a newsletter edition | ACTIVE |
| User mentions subject lines, open rates, or email growth | ACTIVE |
| User wants a lead magnet with nurture emails | DORMANT — see lead-magnet |
| User wants a content pipeline (newsletter is one channel) | DORMANT — see content-pipeline |
| User wants a Twitter thread (not email) |
| DORMANT — see twitter-thread |
Ask the user for:
Subject line (50 chars max for full visibility):
| Formula | Example | Open Rate Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Number + benefit | "5 tools that saved me 10 hours this week" | High — specific, practical |
| Question | "Are you making this hiring mistake?" | Medium — curiosity gap |
| How-to | "How to write copy that converts (template inside)" | High — clear value |
| Contrarian | "Why I stopped using React" | High — triggers curiosity |
| Urgency | "This deal expires Friday" | High — but use sparingly |
| Personal | "I almost quit last week. Here's why I didn't." | High — emotional connection |
| News hook | "Google just changed SEO forever" | High — timely relevance |
Generate 3 subject line options ranked by expected performance.
Preview text (90 chars, visible after subject in inbox):
Structure template:
── PERSONAL OPENER (2-3 sentences) ────────
[Start with a personal anecdote, observation, or
timely reference that connects to the main topic.
This builds connection before the content.]
── MAIN CONTENT ───────────────────────────
[The primary article, tutorial, insight, or essay.
This is the main value of the newsletter.]
Structure options:
A) Original essay (500-800 words)
B) Tutorial with steps (300-500 words + code/examples)
C) Curated links with commentary (5-7 links, 2-3 sentences each)
D) Industry analysis (400-600 words with data)
── SECONDARY CONTENT (optional) ───────────
[A shorter section with additional value:]
• "Quick hits" — 3-5 bullet point links or tips
• "Tool of the week" — one recommendation with why
• "Quote I'm thinking about" — curated quote + your take
• "Ask me anything" — answer a reader question
── CTA ────────────────────────────────────
[One clear call-to-action:]
• Reply to this email with [question]
• Check out [product/resource]
• Share this newsletter with a friend
• Upgrade to premium for [benefit]
Content writing rules:
For curated newsletters, how to find and present items:
Finding content:
Curation format per item:
📌 [Headline/Title]
[Source] — [reading time]
[2-3 sentence summary in YOUR voice — not just the article abstract.
Add your opinion, context, or why it matters to your audience.]
→ [Read the full article](link)
Curation rules:
If the newsletter is monetized:
Sponsorship slot types:
| Slot | Position | Format | Pricing Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Header sponsor | Top, before content | Logo + 1-line mention | $$$$ |
| Mid-content ad | Between sections | 2-3 sentences + link + image | $$$ |
| Classified | Bottom, after content | 1-2 sentences + link | $$ |
| Dedicated send | Entire email is sponsored | Full sponsor content | $$$$$ |
Sponsor integration template:
── SPONSORED ──────────────────────────────
[This edition is brought to you by [Sponsor Name]]
[2-3 sentences about the sponsor's product, written in
YOUR voice, not corporate copy. Focus on why your readers
would care.]
→ [Check out Sponsor Name](tracking link)
────────────────────────────────────────────
Sponsorship rules:
Organic growth strategies:
| Tactic | Effort | Expected Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Referral program | Medium | High — "Refer 3 friends, get [reward]" |
| Cross-promotion | Low | Medium — swap recommendations with similar newsletters |
| Lead magnet | Medium | High — free resource for subscribing |
| Social sharing | Low | Medium — share snippets as threads/posts |
| Guest posts | High | Medium — write for other newsletters |
| SEO archive | Medium | High (long-term) — publish past editions as blog posts |
| Giveaways | Low | High (short-term) — "Subscribe to win [prize]" |
Referral program design:
| Referrals | Reward |
|---|---|
| 1 | Shout-out in next edition |
| 3 | Exclusive template/resource |
| 5 | Free month of premium |
| 10 | 1-on-1 call with you |
| 25 | Lifetime premium access |
Footer CTA template:
────────────────────────────────────────────
📬 Enjoyed this? Share [Newsletter Name] with a friend:
[Referral link]
You've referred [X] people so far. [Y] more for [next reward]!
────────────────────────────────────────────
Track these metrics per edition:
| Metric | Target | Industry Avg | Action if Below |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open rate | 40-50% | 30-35% | Test subject lines, clean list |
| Click rate | 5-8% | 2-4% | Improve CTAs, reduce links |
| Unsubscribe rate | < 0.3% | 0.2-0.5% | Check frequency, content relevance |
| Reply rate | 1-3% | < 1% | Ask more questions, be personal |
| Growth rate | 5-10%/mo | 2-5%/mo | Increase promotion, add lead magnet |
| Bounce rate | < 2% | 2-5% | Clean list, verify emails on signup |
| Spam complaint | < 0.1% | 0.1% | Add clear unsubscribe, set expectations |
List hygiene:
Present the complete newsletter edition:
━━━ NEWSLETTER: [Newsletter Name] ━━━━━━━━
Edition: #[number] — [date]
Topic: [main topic]
Audience: [who]
── SUBJECT LINES (pick one) ───────────────
Option A: [subject] — Preview: [preview text]
Option B: [subject] — Preview: [preview text]
Option C: [subject] — Preview: [preview text]
── NEWSLETTER BODY ────────────────────────
[Personal opener]
[Main content — essay, tutorial, or curated links]
[Sponsored section — if applicable]
[Secondary content]
[CTA]
[Footer with referral link + unsubscribe]
── GROWTH PLAN ────────────────────────────
This month's focus: [tactic]
Referral program: [status]
Target: [subscriber goal]
── ANALYTICS TARGETS ──────────────────────
Open rate target: [X]%
Click rate target: [X]%
Growth target: [X] new subscribers this month