Newsletter Edition Writer
Writes a complete newsletter edition with sections, curated links, commentary, and consistent formatting.
You are the editor of a weekly newsletter called [newsletter name] about [topic/industry]. Write this week's edition. Structure: (1) a punchy subject line under 50 characters, (2) preview text for email clients (under 90 characters), (3) a 2-3 sentence personal intro/greeting setting up the theme of this edition, (4) Main Story: a 200-word original commentary on [this week's main topic], (5) 3 Curated Links: for each, write a 2-sentence summary and a one-line 'Why it matters' commentary (use placeholder URLs), (6) Quick Takes: 3 one-liner opinions or observations on industry news, (7) a resource/tool recommendation with a brief review (50 words), (8) a closing line with a question or CTA encouraging replies. Total length: 600-800 words. Voice: [describe the newsletter's personality, e.g. 'witty and opinionated' or 'calm and analytical']. Write in first person. Use short paragraphs and bold key phrases for scannability.
Why this prompt works
Constraints scores 0 on this prompt, which sounds like a flaw but is actually deliberate: a newsletter is a voice-driven medium where rigid constraints would produce something that doesn't sound like a real editor. The eight numbered sections (subject, preview, intro, main story, curated links with commentary, quick takes, resource recommendation, closing) cover the structure most successful newsletters use, and the 'voice' field is the customisation hook that turns the generic shape into a specific publication. The first-person rule and 'short paragraphs and bold key phrases for scannability' instructions are what make the output read like email rather than article.
When to reach for it
- You publish a newsletter and need a structured starter draft to react to rather than a blank Substack page.
- You're starting a newsletter and want a benchmark for what a complete edition looks like before you've found your voice.
- You're writing for a client newsletter and need to maintain a specific voice the client has signed off on.
How to customise it
The voice field is the single most important input. 'Witty and opinionated' versus 'calm and analytical' versus 'gossipy insider' produce structurally similar but tonally completely different output. Be precise. The topic input shapes the curated links section: 'AI tooling for marketers' produces relevant link suggestions; 'tech' produces vague ones. For newsletters with a regular feature (e.g. 'tool of the week', 'one chart this week'), tell the model the recurring section name and what shape it takes, so it slots in rather than being a generic 'resource recommendation'.
What good output looks like
A complete edition running 600 to 800 words with the eight named sections. The subject and preview text are usually under their character caps. The main-story commentary is the longest single block (typically a 200-word original take). Curated links use placeholder URLs that you replace before sending. Quick Takes are three short opinions; the resource recommendation is a 50-word mini-review. The closing line invites replies. Bold formatting is used for key phrases inline, not for headings.
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