Most people overthink newsletters.
“What do I write? How do I sound? How do I make money?”
Here’s the truth: you don’t need to be a professional writer.
You just need a system that covers 4 things:
Newsletter Creation
What to Write
How to Write
Monetization
Let’s break it down:
There are two main models:
One person, one voice.
Personal, direct, and easy to start.
Readers come for you.
Feels more like a publication.
Examples: Morning Brew, 1440, Finimize
Polished, scalable, and can grow into a full business.
Readers come for the content.
Neither is “better.”
The solo model is faster to launch. The media brand model is easier to scale.
Pick the one that fits your goals.
2. What to Write
The #1 mistake: being random.
The solution: create a recurring series.
Think of your newsletter like a TV show → people subscribe because they know what’s coming.
Ask yourself:
What questions does my audience ask on repeat?
What insights or tips would they actually want in their inbox?
How can I deliver something useful every week?
Some proven formats:
Curated links with commentary → like The Rundown AI
Case studies → break down “How X did Y” with steps like Growth in Reverse
Guides and playbooks → “How tos” / 5 tools / 3 hacks like Lenny’s Newsletter
👉 Goal: make your email a ritual, not a surprise.
3. How to Write
You don’t need to be a genius writer. You need a workflow that mixes AI speed with human touch.
Step 1: Use AI as your co-pilot
AI can:
Draft deep dives & guides
Suggest recurring formats
Summarize long-form into snackable bullets
Prompts you can steal:
“Give me 5 recurring newsletter formats for [niche].”
“Write a 600-word deep dive on [topic] in bullet style.”
“Suggest 10 subject lines about [theme].”
Step 2: Nail the subject line
50% of open rates = the hook.
Curiosity: “The $100k side hustle nobody talks about”
Numbered: “7 AI tools that save 10h/week”
Contrarian: “Why most marketing funnels are a scam”
Step 3: Add the human touch
AI drafts → you finish.
Add:
A quick story or opinion
Screenshots / visuals
A spicy take at the end
Step 4: Pick a format you can sustain
If you can’t see yourself writing it every week → change the format.
Examples:
Simple curation digest (links + 1 line each)
Weekly listicle (3–5 bullets)
Deep dive playbook (step-by-step)
4. Monetization
This is where a newsletter becomes more than “sending emails.”
Once you’ve built trust with your readers, you can turn it into real cashflow.
Here’s the key insight:
👉 You don’t need a massive list. Even a few thousand engaged subscribers can generate serious revenue.
The question is: which model works best for your audience?