Stuck on newsletter ideas?

I started writing daily on Twitter in 2021. I started my newsletter a little over 2 years later in 2023. I started with the same question each time: what should I write about? Well, after a lot of trial and error, I’ve found some frameworks and formats that work well that you can start with right now. Knowing what to write makes it easier to write and plan in bulk. Knowing what I have planned to write about in each newsletter issue makes it easier for me to stay consistent - even when I’m short on time (quite a few of these have been written at 5AM and sent at 7AM if we’re being honest) or I just don’t feel like it (because let’s face it, sometimes motivation doesn’t come and discipline has to carry me through).

Not only am I sharing general formats that have worked well for me, but I’m including examples from my newsletter and other newsletters that you can reference.

Let’s dive in!

1. Industry event recap. No matter how big or small, you’ve likely attended a 1-day conference, a panel, or a multi-day event targeting people in your creative or professional industry. A recent study found that many people would rather hear a creator’s recap or perspective of an event, rather than watch or attend the event itself. It satisfies FOMO for the reader and informs them on whether or not they should plan to attend the next installment of the event. An example of this: Leave Something to be Desired 

2. Deep dive into industry pillar. There are likely figures at the top of their game in your creative niche or professional industry (I know you social media and marketing folks talk as well, even if your names don’t go on the posts or campaigns). Breaking down what the top creators, marketers, and entrepreneurs (or insert your category) do well is helpful for those looking to learn not just from your experience, but from your insights. An example of this: Issa Rae: From Her YouTube Era to Her Mogul Era 

3. Interview with an industry expert or thought leader. This one may sound obvious, especially if you’re a podcaster, but there are many different ways to do this. I typically share a preview of the episode with text, then link to the full conversation on podcast apps. There are some newsletters that transcribe the whole interview and edit it for brevity. Podcast Bestie does an incredible job at this. If you want to try a mix of editorial journalism and an interview, Rolling Stone is likely the standard for incredible long-form articles incorporating interview questions.

4. Curated industry news. News highlights can be standalone issues or sections of a newsletter. It just depends on how detailed you want to be. There’s a lot of opportunity for curated news articles when they’re mixed with editorial writing (aka research + your opinion/perspective). Two examples of newsletters that do this really well: The Gist and The Publish Press

5. A curated list of things relevant to your industry. Ranking lists are controversial (or at least, as controversial as I’d like to get online) yet so, so fun to make. They also open the door for conversations, and engagement is a metric that’s high on my list when I think of what makes a successful newsletter article. Here are a few examples: 10 Video Podcasts That Inspire Me, Top 5 Best Marketing Channels of 2025, and Sugar is Sweet, but I'm Not.

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