Write a Newsletter with AI

1. 1

   Plan the Issue

   Decide what this issue is about, what angle to take, and what the reader will walk away with. A focused newsletter beats a sprawling one every time.

   ChatGPT Claude

   I write a newsletter called [newsletter name] for [audience description, e.g., 'early-stage founders in the consumer tech space' or 'HR managers at mid-size companies'].
   
   I'm working on an issue about [topic/theme, e.g., 'how AI is changing performance reviews' or 'three things I learned from a failed product launch']. My list has [approximate subscriber count] subscribers. Send frequency: [weekly/biweekly/monthly].
   
   Help me plan this issue:
   
   1. **Core Angle**: I have a vague idea but need help sharpening it. The raw material I'm working with: [describe what you know, what happened, what you want to say]. Help me find the most compelling, non-obvious angle. What's the counterintuitive take? What are 3 different framings of this topic, and which would resonate most with my audience?
   
   2. **Newsletter Structure**: Recommend a structure for this issue. Consider: lead essay vs. roundup vs. personal story + lessons vs. Q&A format. Which format best serves this particular topic and my audience's reading habits?
   
   3. **Subject Line Options**: Write 8 subject line options. Mix approaches: curiosity gap, specific number/result, bold claim, personal story signal, and urgency. For each, rate how well it matches my audience's psychology.
   
   4. **What NOT to Include**: What would make this issue feel unfocused or too long? What should I cut before I start writing?
   
   5. **The One Thing**: If the reader only takes away one idea or action from this issue, what should it be? Force me to choose — this becomes the anchor of the entire issue.

   Copy

   Tip: Write the subject line before you write the newsletter, not after. The subject line is your commitment to the reader: this is what you'll get. Writing it first keeps you from drifting. If you can't write a compelling subject line for your topic, the topic isn't focused enough yet.

2. 2

   Write the Lead Section

   Draft the opening — the hardest part of any newsletter. The first 3-5 sentences determine whether the reader continues or hits delete.

   Claude ChatGPT

   Write the opening section for my newsletter issue on [topic/angle].
   
   **Newsletter name and vibe**: [e.g., 'The Lever — analytical, direct, no fluff, written by a former operator for operators']
   **My audience**: [description]
   **The angle I'm taking**: [your chosen angle from Step 1]
   **The one thing readers should walk away with**: [from Step 1]
   
   Write 3 different opening options:
   
   **Option A — Story Opening**: Start with a specific moment, scene, or event that illustrates the topic. Not 'many people struggle with X' — pick a real or hypothetical moment with a specific person, place, and detail. 100-150 words.
   
   **Option B — Bold Claim Opening**: Lead with the most provocative, defensible version of your main argument. Follow it immediately with the 'here's why I believe this' setup. 80-120 words.
   
   **Option C — Data or Observation Opening**: Start with a specific data point, trend, or observation that creates a cognitive gap — something the reader didn't expect and now wants explained. 80-120 words.
   
   For each option, include:
   - The opening itself
   - A transition sentence that moves into the body of the newsletter
   - A note on which type of reader it resonates with most
   
   After the options, recommend which one fits my newsletter's style and why.
   
   My voice reference (IMPORTANT): [paste 2-3 sentences from a previous newsletter issue you've written]

   Copy

   Tip: Never open with 'In this issue, I'll be covering...' or 'Welcome back to...' These are throat-clearing, not writing. The reader already knows they opened your newsletter. Start with the thing that made you want to write this issue in the first place — that's where the energy is.

3. 3

   Write the Body and Main Sections

   Draft the core content of the newsletter — the substance that justifies the subject line's promise.

   Claude ChatGPT

   Continue writing the body of my newsletter issue. I've chosen this opening: [paste your chosen opening from Step 2].
   
   **Newsletter structure for this issue**: [from Step 1, e.g., 'lead essay with 3 key points' or 'personal story + 5 lessons + resource roundup']
   **Target total length**: [e.g., '600-800 words' — most high-performing newsletters are 400-1,000 words]
   
   Write the main body sections:
   
   **Section requirements**:
   - Each section should have a clear point it makes — if I can't summarize a section in one sentence, it's unfocused
   - Use subheadings only if the newsletter is 700+ words — for shorter issues, let the paragraphs breathe
   - Every abstract claim should be followed by a specific example, data point, or mini-story
   - Paragraphs: 2-4 sentences max. Newsletter readers scan first, read second. Dense paragraphs kill open rates.
   - Avoid: 'In today's world,' 'It goes without saying,' 'At the end of the day,' 'game-changer'
   - Include at least one insight that can only come from my experience: something I've personally seen, done, or learned that no AI or generic article could produce. [Describe that insight or experience here]
   
   For each section, write:
   - The section itself
   - One optional 'pull quote' — a single sentence worth highlighting in the email design
   
   Section topics to cover: [list 3-5 points from your plan]

   Copy

   Tip: The line that makes someone forward a newsletter is almost always a specific, original insight they haven't seen before. Generic observations get read and forgotten. The forwarding moment comes from something concrete: a number, a counterintuitive finding, or a specific story with a specific lesson. Make sure this issue has at least one of those.

4. 4

   Write the Closing and Call to Action

   Close the newsletter with a memorable ending and a clear, single call to action — the two elements most newsletters handle badly.

   Claude ChatGPT Grammarly

   Write the closing section and call to action for my newsletter issue.
   
   **Main point of the issue**: [one sentence]
   **What I want readers to do after reading**: [one specific action — e.g., 'reply and tell me their experience,' 'click through to the full article,' 'share with a colleague,' 'try this one thing this week']
   
   1. **Closing Paragraph (60-80 words)**: End the newsletter with a sentence or two that lands the main point — not a summary, but a resonant closing thought. The last sentence should feel like a conclusion, not a trailing off. Give me 3 options.
   
   2. **Call to Action**: Write a clear CTA that:
      - Asks for one thing only (multiple CTAs kill click-through)
      - Explains why the reader should do it (not just 'click here')
      - Is direct without being pushy
      Give me 2 CTA versions: one for high engagement (reply/share) and one for conversion (click to read/buy/sign up).
   
   3. **P.S. Line**: Write 2 P.S. options. The P.S. is the second-most-read section of any email (after the subject line). Use it for: a bonus insight, a softer secondary CTA, a preview of next issue, or a personal note.
   
   4. **Final Polish Pass**: Review the full newsletter for:
      - Subject line match: does the email deliver on the subject line's promise?
      - Length check: is anything here that could be cut without losing value?
      - Tone consistency: does it sound like one person wrote it, start to finish?
      - The 'so what': would a reader know exactly what to take away and do?

   Copy

   Tip: The P.S. is read by people who skipped the body entirely. Write a P.S. that works as a standalone: someone reading only the subject line and the P.S. should understand what the issue was about and what you want them to do. It's not a bonus — it's your second chance at the reader.

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